Huge money invested in .brand domains

[Ben42]

Is .whatever the new whatever.com? These Donut guys have made a huge investment.

http://money.cnn.com/2012/06/05/technology/donuts-domains-funding/

Sounds like they are trying to buy up premium generic names...I personally doubt they will make their money back. However this looks like the original .com landrush, at 5000x the cost!

 

[Blake]

Why do I get that gut feeling when you see a car accident but can't look away...I really think that's the feeling that best describes all these new extensions etc.

Blake

Thanks for sharing

 

[Name Trader]

It could also be a very brilliant strategy 10-20 years from now. Owning most of the premium .generic tlds. Of course they have to select those .generic tlds correctly today.

 

[Ben42]

Who gave these guys 100m to spend on a total shot in the dark?? Has there even been any marketing for even the big corporate owned .brands? I've yet to see it. These guys are serious gamblers, I'm glad it isn't my money. Too bad you can't buy ICANN stock, those guys are marketing geniuses. They just sold 60m of NOTHING to these guys.

 

[12345]

I'm really trying to wrap my head around this one. $100m is a good sum of money, and I just don't understand how they could that kind of cash. It makes me think that smart people think the new gtlds will be a success.

Why don't more companies with this kind of cash take a lead from salesforce and purchase uber-premium .coms?

 

[DnEbook]

I do think some will work .music would be one example

 

[Ben42]

Sure, some could take off, .cars...but really what will they do? Try to lease Toyoda.cars to them? Tm infringement.

Say you own .music...how will you monetize that to make your 185k back +all the other setup and technical fees and salaries you're paying? I'm sure they must have a business plan, but I just don't see it. Are they going to market to us domainers? Will companies be paying $1000 a year for rap.music and rock.music? Will Pandora buy cool.music for 2 million?

Too many questions. ;P

 

[DnEbook]

Sure, some could take off, .cars...but really what will they do? Try to lease Toyoda.cars to them? Tm infringement.

Say you own .music...how will you monetize that to make your 185k back +all the other setup and technical fees and salaries you're paying? I'm sure they must have a business plan, but I just don't see it. Are they going to market to us domainers? Will companies be paying $1000 a year for rap.music and rock.music? Will Pandora buy cool.music for 2 million?

Too many questions. ;P

One of the applicants used to post here about a year or so ago, can maybe find out his plans with some research. Perhaps a few years they may charge a token $10 membership to cover the costs ?? ..... just guessing at this point

 

[.X.]

a 100 mil is more than a life time of conveniences, Why would any one with that kind of money want to invest in any thing??? I guess they do not have any problems and are looking for some. That is what being greedy behind money will get a person.

 

[equity78]

X in all fairness these are VC firms putting up this money, not one rich guy. Private equity and VC firms need to put money to work. It is one big gamble,because a lot of extensions will be competitive so there can be a bidding war, NO ONE IS GETTING .MUSIC for $185,000.

 

[.X.]

X in all fairness these are VC firms putting up this money, not one rich guy. Private equity and VC firms need to put money to work. It is one big gamble,because a lot of extensions will be competitive so there can be a bidding war, NO ONE IS GETTING .MUSIC for $185,000.

Sorry equity, I hadn't read the whole post, I thought it was one person playing craps in Vegas lol

I agree to a point that these VC firms should put there money to work. But i think in this case, They are rolling dice, And the house has a huge advantage.

If 100 more extensions are created, They will do just like most all the cctld have done, Be traded amongst domainers, While the average web users don't even have a clue they exist.

I would venture to bet most average web users use Google to find what they want. So undeveloped and with out a good amount of marketing = A lot Of Money Spent. They are worthless IMO

 

[liquidcherry]

I'm really trying to wrap my head around this one. $100m is a good sum of money, and I just don't understand how they could that kind of cash. It makes me think that smart people think the new gtlds will be a success.

Why don't more companies with this kind of cash take a lead from salesforce and purchase uber-premium .coms?

it has to be watched closely to determine if they are "smart" imho....

The world we live in these days, especially financially, is made up of a lot of gamblers(madoff anyone??) lol

cheers

L.

---------- Post added at 10:55 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:35 PM ----------

Sure, some could take off, .cars...but really what will they do? Try to lease Toyoda.cars to them? Tm infringement.

Say you own .music...how will you monetize that to make your 185k back +all the other setup and technical fees and salaries you're paying? I'm sure they must have a business plan, but I just don't see it. Are they going to market to us domainers? Will companies be paying $1000 a year for rap.music and rock.music? Will Pandora buy cool.music for 2 million?

Too many questions. ;P

To be honest, i think with the latest news about google beeing also involved in the gltd biz,they will feature alll the new crap in their search results BEFORE other results, maybe change their adwords model, give incentives to new gtld owners etc. etc

HAH, i see a class actions suit coming , initiated by us, the domainers!!!!!

Funny i think, but also scary since the big G. can boss us/everybody around

Don't get me wrong, i still like 'em but we just have to see.....

cheers

L.

 

[equity78]

X I agree, I was saying they have to put money to work, I don't know if it should be in this. Plus look at the money wasted, you pay for an application, then on the reveal you see Google and Apple want the same extension as your smaller company does, most likely you wasted $185,000.

 

[DnEbook]

friend told me to use a tool called pulse to search the top searched items on ebay ........turns out it was youtube ?? (here in australia)

....is there any hope for us ??

 

[Rich]

Funny this 100 million venture runs off a .co domain and a simple joomla install. While they do have a great team with track records, it's not a gamble I would make without trying to invest in name.space first. :hehe:

 

[m-i-k-e]

Funny this 100 million venture runs off a .co domain ...

That was my initial thought as well, but, thinking about it, it would actually be going against the whole premise of what they are trying to do if they were using a .com domain.

 

[Name Trader]

I don't think they are going to get the top 307 .generic tld's for 100M/307=$325K each (less than twice the initial fee before counting their expenses).

 

[DnEbook]

I don't think they are going to get the top 307 .generic tld's for 100M/307=$325K each (less than twice the initial fee before counting their expenses).

Maybe i missed it but are they aiming at 307 gtld's , wouldn't it be better to secure the top ten best picks .sport .music .shop ..etc