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There is an allure to the concept of easy money. I’ve heard of a guy who registered a domain for around $5 and sold it days later for around $5,000. Was it really $5,000? I can’t recall in exact but even if it was only a $100 sale, that ROI is staggering. That’s the American dream, it seems: Making the big, easy money with little to no effort. Some people orchestrate bank robberies. The less dramatic injure themselves and point their crooked fingers toward the boss or, if possible, the Government itself, hoping for a big paycheck to compensate for their “anguish and suffering.” Fortunately, there are people who want to earn their keep, individuals who wanna play it perfectly legit & reap rewards for it.
In many cases, the line between legit and immoral dissipates. Not blurs. It pretty much dries up and ceases to exist. Kinda like the point of Jersey Shore or perhaps House of Pain’s rap career.
Not every domain investor is immoral by default. Many simply do not know the ropes. Domaining is a game and like all games, it has its own set of rules. I’ve been in this industry for over seven years so yes, I’ve seen the good. The bad. The incredible. The impossible. Even the most inane. And yes, I’ve seen this from my own eyes and unfortunately, from experience, being a clueless noob, once upon a time. I won’t lie to you. It’s easy to see big paychecks coming from domaining. Just looking at the figures can encompass euphoria, fantasies, and the occasional heart attack. Taking a look through recent domain sales, FreeCharge.com sold for $55,000. Picked.com netted $35,000. If you do a lot of looking, you’d see category-killers fetching over a million dollars. Yes, ladies and gentlemen--seven figures.
Maybe I was off by a few with the domain I was referring to above, perhaps by $1,000 or so. But wouldn’t you just love to make that kind of cash while sitting on yer bum, doing little to nothing? Sure you would! Domaining looks like a no-brainer to most who are looking for extra cash. Buying domains is easy. Selling them for profit, on the other hand, is a different story, especially if you’re “sitting on yer bum, doing little to nothing.” You need to know what to buy, what to sell, and how to safely secure a transaction. That elusive $35,000 sale won’t just materialize. You need the tools and resources to figure out what to do.
So here you are, reading this article. I’m going to assume that otherwise you’re a novice, wanting to learn the ropes of pulling a profit from this wonderful game of “domaining” or you’re a seasoned pro who merely wants to kill time since the computers in your office have Net Nanny set up. Either way, I’m going to try my best to educate those in need of a helping-hand with the basics. The don’t aspects are far more important than the do’s in that committing any of the former can cripple you, your bank account--even your marriage and children. “Impossible,” you say? You’ll be surprised... in an unpleasant way. Just as one good virtue can make your life better, one sin can bring your world crumbling down, only to burn in red ashes.
That said, I’ve complied a list of elements that every domainer--novice and pro alike--needs to heed if he/she wants anything reminiscent of a fighting chance in this game. These were written as Commandments since they should be studied and studied well. None of these were “ratified” by the community; they are interpretations of what I’ve seen throughout my career put into a readable, cohesive form. Take this as Gospel or whatever you will but if you’re a noob, memorize these Commandments thoroughly. One misstep and you might descend into the Domain Hell that had befallen many a novice.
So allow me, your pretentious Archangel, to cleanse your mind of the needless detritus and fill you instead with knowledge. I hear your questions. “So, how much can I realistically make off a trademarked domain?” “Why can’t I find a buyer for my PR7 domain?” “How come my domain appraisal says my domain’s worth $25,000 but I can’t sell it for even half of that?” “What is the best cure for a nasty rectal itch?” Sit down, my child, and grab some popcorn. Use the restroom if you need, too, ‘cause we’re gonna be here awhile.
1.) Thou shalt not purchase or register trademarked domains
I love pizza. Who doesn’t? It’s like heaven in your mouth. And when I’m lazy, I find solace in that I can have a meal made in thirty minutes or less with just a phone call. And they’ll even bring it to my door. Isn’t that nice? One of my poisons is those lovely round pies of goodness from Pizza Hut. That sauce and mouth-watering cheese is an easy candidate for a fan site. And there probably are Pizza Hut fan sites out there: as of this typing, there are a whopping forty-nine extensions taken for the term ‘pizzahut.’ Only forty-nine, I say? That means there are still numerous pizzahut.extension domains out there. The logical consensus to a noob is, “Grab them before someone else does!” The sadder rationing of a noob is, in an idiotic zeal, “Register these things now to resell to the company for big bucks!”
Wait. Stop. No, just stop! Put that credit card away and read. Trust me: I’m saving you a lot more than you’ll ever make with a trademarked domain. Even if you want to register one for your own use, there are possible repercussions. I oughtta simple say “Don’t obtain trademarked domains” but let me elaborate.
The idea of registering a trademarked domain to resell is not only foolish but it’s also a sign of amateurism. Pros know better. Think about it: If Pizza Hut wanted, let’s say, pizzahut.cn, what makes you seriously believe that they wouldn’t have registered it by hand, long ago? “Pizza Hut” is a registered trademark, thus if they seriously wanted a pre-existing variant domain, they’d more than likely file a cease-and-desist order against the owner and then sue him and all his loved ones out of existence. Awhile back, some noob listed a trademarked domain at BIDO.com; the entire thing was unsettling. The domain was WellsFargo.cn. One epic piece of the seller’s description--a copy/paste from the original--stated this: “You can sell this domain to WellsFargo for a big sum of money.” No ya can’t, noob. As a member of NamePros said at the time, he might have meant to say, "You can try and sell this domain to WellsFargo for a big legal roundhouse kick to the pants, and a never-forgotten lesson..." but who knows. Suffice to say, this monstrosity didn’t sell.
There is the other side: Registering a trademarked domain for personal use. This article deals with domaining, not the legalities of using a domain. I warn you though that the pitfalls of this practice are steep. Making money with a trademarked domain is even worse. If you insist on developing a site on a trademarked domain, beware that even if your intentions are good, your adulation can backfire on you. It’d be for the best to steer very far from trademarked domains. How much could you resell one for? Answer: Zero, unless you find a novice out there who has the pipedream of making million from it. Be educated and smart: Avoid trademarked domains like movie-goers shunned “Gigli.” If you wanna blow over $1,000 for pizzahut.ki, be my guest but if tall men in business suits come knocking on your door, don’t expect them to be delivering food.
And that’s it for now. You have enough to mull over for the time being. Put that on a brain-cell: Rid of any trademarked domains you have. Got it? Good. We’ll continue this next month, where other hell-worthy trespasses will be explored. Be safe in your decisions, my compatriots, and surely: be smart. Just as my avatar shows, I’ve got my eye on you.
In many cases, the line between legit and immoral dissipates. Not blurs. It pretty much dries up and ceases to exist. Kinda like the point of Jersey Shore or perhaps House of Pain’s rap career.
Not every domain investor is immoral by default. Many simply do not know the ropes. Domaining is a game and like all games, it has its own set of rules. I’ve been in this industry for over seven years so yes, I’ve seen the good. The bad. The incredible. The impossible. Even the most inane. And yes, I’ve seen this from my own eyes and unfortunately, from experience, being a clueless noob, once upon a time. I won’t lie to you. It’s easy to see big paychecks coming from domaining. Just looking at the figures can encompass euphoria, fantasies, and the occasional heart attack. Taking a look through recent domain sales, FreeCharge.com sold for $55,000. Picked.com netted $35,000. If you do a lot of looking, you’d see category-killers fetching over a million dollars. Yes, ladies and gentlemen--seven figures.
Maybe I was off by a few with the domain I was referring to above, perhaps by $1,000 or so. But wouldn’t you just love to make that kind of cash while sitting on yer bum, doing little to nothing? Sure you would! Domaining looks like a no-brainer to most who are looking for extra cash. Buying domains is easy. Selling them for profit, on the other hand, is a different story, especially if you’re “sitting on yer bum, doing little to nothing.” You need to know what to buy, what to sell, and how to safely secure a transaction. That elusive $35,000 sale won’t just materialize. You need the tools and resources to figure out what to do.
So here you are, reading this article. I’m going to assume that otherwise you’re a novice, wanting to learn the ropes of pulling a profit from this wonderful game of “domaining” or you’re a seasoned pro who merely wants to kill time since the computers in your office have Net Nanny set up. Either way, I’m going to try my best to educate those in need of a helping-hand with the basics. The don’t aspects are far more important than the do’s in that committing any of the former can cripple you, your bank account--even your marriage and children. “Impossible,” you say? You’ll be surprised... in an unpleasant way. Just as one good virtue can make your life better, one sin can bring your world crumbling down, only to burn in red ashes.
That said, I’ve complied a list of elements that every domainer--novice and pro alike--needs to heed if he/she wants anything reminiscent of a fighting chance in this game. These were written as Commandments since they should be studied and studied well. None of these were “ratified” by the community; they are interpretations of what I’ve seen throughout my career put into a readable, cohesive form. Take this as Gospel or whatever you will but if you’re a noob, memorize these Commandments thoroughly. One misstep and you might descend into the Domain Hell that had befallen many a novice.
So allow me, your pretentious Archangel, to cleanse your mind of the needless detritus and fill you instead with knowledge. I hear your questions. “So, how much can I realistically make off a trademarked domain?” “Why can’t I find a buyer for my PR7 domain?” “How come my domain appraisal says my domain’s worth $25,000 but I can’t sell it for even half of that?” “What is the best cure for a nasty rectal itch?” Sit down, my child, and grab some popcorn. Use the restroom if you need, too, ‘cause we’re gonna be here awhile.
1.) Thou shalt not purchase or register trademarked domains
I love pizza. Who doesn’t? It’s like heaven in your mouth. And when I’m lazy, I find solace in that I can have a meal made in thirty minutes or less with just a phone call. And they’ll even bring it to my door. Isn’t that nice? One of my poisons is those lovely round pies of goodness from Pizza Hut. That sauce and mouth-watering cheese is an easy candidate for a fan site. And there probably are Pizza Hut fan sites out there: as of this typing, there are a whopping forty-nine extensions taken for the term ‘pizzahut.’ Only forty-nine, I say? That means there are still numerous pizzahut.extension domains out there. The logical consensus to a noob is, “Grab them before someone else does!” The sadder rationing of a noob is, in an idiotic zeal, “Register these things now to resell to the company for big bucks!”
Wait. Stop. No, just stop! Put that credit card away and read. Trust me: I’m saving you a lot more than you’ll ever make with a trademarked domain. Even if you want to register one for your own use, there are possible repercussions. I oughtta simple say “Don’t obtain trademarked domains” but let me elaborate.
The idea of registering a trademarked domain to resell is not only foolish but it’s also a sign of amateurism. Pros know better. Think about it: If Pizza Hut wanted, let’s say, pizzahut.cn, what makes you seriously believe that they wouldn’t have registered it by hand, long ago? “Pizza Hut” is a registered trademark, thus if they seriously wanted a pre-existing variant domain, they’d more than likely file a cease-and-desist order against the owner and then sue him and all his loved ones out of existence. Awhile back, some noob listed a trademarked domain at BIDO.com; the entire thing was unsettling. The domain was WellsFargo.cn. One epic piece of the seller’s description--a copy/paste from the original--stated this: “You can sell this domain to WellsFargo for a big sum of money.” No ya can’t, noob. As a member of NamePros said at the time, he might have meant to say, "You can try and sell this domain to WellsFargo for a big legal roundhouse kick to the pants, and a never-forgotten lesson..." but who knows. Suffice to say, this monstrosity didn’t sell.
There is the other side: Registering a trademarked domain for personal use. This article deals with domaining, not the legalities of using a domain. I warn you though that the pitfalls of this practice are steep. Making money with a trademarked domain is even worse. If you insist on developing a site on a trademarked domain, beware that even if your intentions are good, your adulation can backfire on you. It’d be for the best to steer very far from trademarked domains. How much could you resell one for? Answer: Zero, unless you find a novice out there who has the pipedream of making million from it. Be educated and smart: Avoid trademarked domains like movie-goers shunned “Gigli.” If you wanna blow over $1,000 for pizzahut.ki, be my guest but if tall men in business suits come knocking on your door, don’t expect them to be delivering food.
And that’s it for now. You have enough to mull over for the time being. Put that on a brain-cell: Rid of any trademarked domains you have. Got it? Good. We’ll continue this next month, where other hell-worthy trespasses will be explored. Be safe in your decisions, my compatriots, and surely: be smart. Just as my avatar shows, I’ve got my eye on you.
