Rebranding Website - Round 2

[Name Trader]

I still haven't finally decided on my rebranding of DNStore.com. I'm not afraid of rebranding (maybe I should be). Because I'll just point DNStore.com to whatever I choose to rebrand to. Let's start with why I want to rebrand. Several domainers have told me that end-users haven't a clue what DN stands for, and I should probably choose a domain with "domain" in the name and with a 2nd word which suggest selling domains. This sounds all well and good, except there are really none available to register, or are priced too expensively. I've kinda shortlisted 4 domains, which don't actually follow all suggestions which have been made. These are STUB.ORG, STUUB.COM, STUBWEB.COM, NAMETRADER.COM. So let's discuss these 4 domains.

STUB.ORG. I recently purchased this from a very top domainer. It wasn't cheap. How much does it matter that it's not the .COM, which is in use in the entertainment ticketing business? The .NET is for sale for about $25k. I'd like to hear the pros and cons of using STUB.ORG as my domains for sale website, replacing DNStore.com? Pros: It's my name on NP's and an abbreviation of my real name. It's short and to the point. It doesn't address the problem of not including Domain & Sales in the domain name, which started all this searching for a new name. How much does that matter? I think it's very brandable.

STUUB.COM. I purchased this from another domainer about 4 years ago. A true brandable with the same qualities as STUB.ORG, except it is a .COM. If that is important. Does that make it a better choice than STUB.ORG?

STUBWEB.COM. I purchased this in the drops about 4 years ago also. A 2 word brandable, with my keyword+WEB. Several top domainers are using "Domain(s)+Web".com (which obviously are not available). This only partially links the domain to selling domains on the WEB. It's a COM also.

NAMETRADER.COM - I purchased this domain some 15+years ago. This definitely fits the bill of clearly identifying what to expect from the domain. Although it uses the considerably lower form of "NAME" replacing the word "DOMAIN" according to one top domainer, I spoke with. I couldn't find any available domain which implied selling domains with the use of "NAME" available for registration or purchase at a reasonable cost. Not a brandable.

I would stress this is a shortlist. I have several .COM domains with 1 or 2 letters in front of or behind STUB. I have domains like STUBDOMAINS.COM, which might be a good fit/compromise. But I kinda preferred something shorter, and brandable. I have several NGTLDs with the word "DOMAIN(S).+NGTLD. Reasonably good NGTLD's. But I didn't consider them viable, because of thinking about .COM being almost a must. I'm not really sure how many end-users who would know of these NGTLDs, yet. I have and considered several DOMAINSALESxxxx.com but I figured you could die before the completing the domain in your browser

My personal preference is in the order they are listed. But it is a tight decision between all of them. I'd like to here your comments about each of these names and the one you would choose. And why.

rgds
stu

 

[Shaan Chopra]

I'm planning a lite makeover, all on the front-end. I would be very interest to hear why you don't trust my website? Is it because it too barren. Or something else?

Yes, too barren, for example, the color combination can be better, have a look at the bottom right you have About, ToS, it is just too bright on the light grey transparent background, I can not see it. I can easily read Copyright © 2014 - 2021. All rights are reserved on the bottom left but DNStore.com just blows out so is the login on the top right. The call to action button of buy now is a button I only come to know when I hover over it. I don't like the pictures above the domain name. The domain searching method is way too old school. There is much more but I am sure you got my point.

 

[DN Playbook]

What's wrong with Stuub.com then? Short, snappy, and catchy?

The double u. You will have to spell it when spoken because it is not obvious. And how do you pronounce it? Stab, stoob?

 

[Name Trader]

This is a good data.
I view that you listed in DNStore about 3000 domains.
15-20 domains selling about (x.xxx $) per year via your own landing page I think is a very good profit !

I think in most years I get 1 big sale of about $20k and the rest are about $2-$5k This year was one of my better years.

 

[Name Trader]

Whatever you choose is fine by me (domain seller). However, in the years to come ...

Brands moving from typing/touch to listening (voice assistants and voice user interface), bc users can ask for more individualized experience (Alexa/Siri etc search words related to transport, business name ideas)

Stub+(Media related word), stub.org is fine. If you're a brand today, you must lead vs offer.

Regards

Interesting that I own stub.media already. Just many of the NGTLDs I did not mention above. Did you look it up? I find it interesting that you like stub.org, whereas most dislike it vehemently. I understand what you are saying about lead vs offer, although I'm not really fully on board with the concept. I think you can have a brand without being a leader in your niche. The niche I know most about is Domains. I think DAN have carved a niche for themselves, although there at least 10 domain companies in that niche selling aftermarket domain names and beating DAN. And many smaller companies, like Efty. All work in the repurposing old domains to new customers. Just like I do. Which has given my an idea for my home page. It's just an idea at this point. Not fully developed yet.

It's always nice to here your views @Lox.

 

[DN Playbook]

I agree with @1Darko. Going with the domains you already own, DNStore.com and NameTrader.com are your best options. If you are able, why not do an A/B test and run your domain portfolio on both domains to see which one gets better results.

 

[redemo]

NAMETRADER.COM

The name I like the best. Short. Simple. Professional. Descriptive. No nonsense. Good luck.

 

[redemo]

In Eng(land)ish the word "stub" is used most frequently when you "stub out a fag" which means to extinguish a cigarette by squashing it on any harder substance - thus depriving it of oxygen. Secondary to this when I think of "stub" is something to do with football tickets and bus tickets. There is no correlation to domain names whatsoever. Confusing. Use Name Trader.

 

[Name Trader]

It's easier to remember Stub.org and .org can be more relevant for prospects (on budget) to engage in less restrictive way.

Thank you. It makes me feel a bit better about it.

I was referring to
Show attachment 206270
It doesn't generate interest to encourage me to want to know more or calls for action to learn (emotion > remember) more (contact us) or make a purchase (lack of drive).

This is already gone in the next generation of the website. I've been waiting for my programmer to change this. It's gone. I didn't like it either.

Awareness = creating social attention; follow & engage w startup companies (share your opinions & knowledge without pushing your names)
Desire = emotional presentation; like
Interest = statistics; encourage
Action = extra info/analytics per request; purchase
Retention = satisfy the buyer (communication) so they refer or tweet etc

Yeah! I just gotta learn how to do that and to build it into a fairly fixed format of a website

Would StubDomains .c/o/m/ be a good choice? (Brand name + Niche name)

I thought about that. It was a contender. But I felt NameTrader.com is definitely more memorable

rgds
stu

 

[redemo]

I can't imagine running a commercial enterprise on the .org TLD.

But disagree with that. Do you want me to post some examples brother @forge?

 

[DN_Hunter]

I think DNStore.com works great, but of the names on your short list I would lean towards NameTrader.com.

I've been wondering if the name of your "Marketplace" matters to end users? I mean is an end-user going to type in DNStore.com or NameTrader.com on their own? Or would they type in the actual domain name they want and have it land at your marketplace?

I think an end-user when seeking out a domain name will quickly learn that DN is short for Domain Name. As long as the Marketplace looks legit and sells domain names, it might not matter (I don't know the answer, just wondering out loud).

 

[Ostrados]

I vote for NameTrader which is in my opinion is the best option between the 4 domains you mentioned.

I prefer "Name" over words such as domain, domains, DN. Because "Name" relates to both "Domains" and "Branding" which tells that you are selling quality domains as brand names to startups or established businesses, while "Domain" is inferior and relates to domains only which can be any random domains (not necessarily usable as brand names).

BTW I use EpicName which is my brand & website.

 

[Name Trader]

Yep. I've decided on the change to NameTrader.com with DNStore.com pointing to NameTrader. I agree with most of you who said NT, although I think the overall reach is not going to be much different between NT or DNS. Because we are all looking at this from a domainer perspective rather than from an end user perspective. I am at least talking to my programmer, about the upcoming changes (they went awol for about a month). Many of the issues mentioned here will be fixed in the coming changes. Some might take longer than others.

 

[branding]

Good luck with the new brand @Name Trader . Will miss your Avatar

 

[Reallybigidea.com]

I would use NameTrader as a one brand word not separated.

 

[maya-zir]

Having a domain sales brand makes sense if you do reach out to buyers. It looks much better in email signatures, business cards, and if you forward your domains to your brand sales pages then you are able to control the traffic and generate leads. You can also run advertising as an additional revenue flow.

Ads on business site?
As a potencial client, I always ignore all business sites with ads.
If your offer services or product - keep your site ads free.

 

[DN Playbook]

How are you going to park your business site? What are you talking about?

With a sales site you can create landing pages for your domains and place advertising.

Every major marketplace does that. It is mostly upselling their other services. You just have to know the right way to do it. You don't have to make it look spammy, but professional.

Advertising can also take the form of promoting your other domains. Create a service and/or product and offer it. Affiliate links to registrars. If you have enough quality content then you can qualify for adsense. Think of your landing pages as an alternative to parking.

 

[maya-zir]

The benefit is 20% additional sales without (or less) commission to a sales venue (besides possible escrow/processor fees). So if you gross 100K, that could be 20K lost. Might be they'd buy through GD/AN instead, that's let's say 20% (commission) off the top, still 4K down the drain, a 4% loss in ideal circumstances.

If you use the right processors/escrow, buyer is protected. Contracts signed, another layer of protection.

A niche defining domain definitely helps. Both old and new are good (imo) to establish enough trust when the site is developed nicely.

Besides, if you count on GD/AN, you neglect the biggest slice of the pie (non us buyers). That's just foolish, leaving money on the table.

I don't see the point..
Why somebody would pay a few thousand to NameTrader but will not pay to DNstore?
How nametrader.com could help to increase direct sales?
I could understand if it was OnlienStoreForSellingGoodDomains.xyz.... I would avoid this store..
But DNstore is ok, so why change the name and keep a valuable domain as an expensive toy?

 

[DN Playbook]

the brand is not just a name or domain.
you also need offices, personals etc etc etc...
btw... where is any valuable keyword in "goddady" ?

That kind of thinking will make you quit before you get anywhere.

It all begins with a domain that inspires you.

 

[Name Trader]

DNStore.com is good. NameTrader.com is good. Either one works.

I am not sure I would expect either to lead to more sales than the other. It is kind of like a lateral move IMO.

With that said, I would lean towards NameTrader.com if I had to choose.

Brad

That's what I chose to do. Appreciate the confirmation. Initial move completed. Now first job is to make the improvements I had planned for DNStore.com.

 

[DN Playbook]

@Name Trader, the fact that this thread has so many views and gone for so many pages, shows that you have a decent name. But looking at your site, you still have a long way to go. The name is a good start. Lose the space in all your handles.

 

[dncafe]

I think Name Trader is a really good domain.

When a lot of people talk about domains they say "domain name".

There are a lot of domain related services that use "name": NameFind, NameBio, NameSilo, NameCheap...

Many domainers would associate "name" with domains as well as end users who are buying a name for their business.

 

[BRANDERX]

Hi Mohammad. Thank you for posting your thoughts. I don't think NameTrade.com is much of an improvement on NameTrader.com. I would prefer to have "Domain" in the name than "Name", but it's very difficult to get a 10/11 character domain name using 'Domain" in the title, with the other half of the domain being something like Sales/Shop/Store. They have all been taken for 2 decades already.

I think the word "Name" is as good as "domain" when it comes to selling to end users, & so of the options you listed, NameTrader is the nicest, & it is nice actually.. Good luck

 

[Shaan Chopra]

NameTrader is a fine name so is DNStore, but let me be honest with you if your site is going to look the same it will not matter much. I would suggest a website makeover, spend more on the front end. As a layman, I do not trust your site.

 

[Name Trader]

Hi Stub

do those domainers who gave that advice have websites of their own?

Yes of course

if so, what domains do they use?

DomainsWeb.com is one example

what percent of "end-user" sales come from their websites?

No idea

what is quality of their names versus yours?

Because they are well established their quality is better than mine

are all of your domains pointed to dnstore.com?

I think I have about 6 domains in some stage of development. Otherwise, yes.

have you sold any domains via dnstore.com?

Yes. Of course. It's highly flexible of course. But I'm selling approx 15-20 domains a year. A few go off to Afternic where they pay Afternics commission of +20%

how trustworthy will a redirect to a new domain, be perceived by visitors?

That will be explained on the index page of the new domain. I don't see it as a big problem. I could be wrong of course.

there is a lot about domaining that end-users don't know...and to me, that's a good thing.

Yup!

imo....

 

[Name Trader]

NameTrader is a fine name so is DNStore, but let me be honest with you if your site is going to look the same it will not matter much. I would suggest a website makeover, spend more on the front end. As a layman, I do not trust your site.

I'm planning a lite makeover, all on the front-end. I would be very interest to hear why you don't trust my website? Is it because it too barren. Or something else?