news Sellers Can't Sell Coronavirus Domain Names on Dan.com

[EJS]

In a pair of tweets this morning, Dan.com announced that sellers can no longer list or sell coronavirus related domain names on its platform. The company is also actively removing related domain names. CEO Reza Sardeha commented to me about the decision:

https://domaininvesting.com/dan-com-prohibits-coronavirus-domain-names/

 

[Corey]

Dan is not the only marketplace!

Cheers
Corey

 

[Bernard Wright]

Good afternoon all,

Thank you for all the responses.

At the moment, DAN.COM and team is extremely busy trying to cope with the turbulent times while still operating our day to day businesses. The traffic and engagement increased the past weeks but we want to ensure all enjoy the same service we always provide.. Due to this we did not have the time to be as active as we would like to be on Namepros.

Thank you for checking in. It is a hectic time. I have a few questions, when you get a chance.

Like all major changes have been communicated before, the decision to remove the 1500 Corona/Covid-19 related names from the platform was communicated through Namepros and Twitter. We have found that some overlooked these statements and discovered their domains were missing and understand this came as a surprise. We understand the responses leading accordingly.

So, based on your statements, it seems that it's DAN's track record, and therefore, policy, to communicate major changes via Twitter and NamePros, and not to notify the domain owners directly. Why is it so? Why not notify domain owners via the email address in their account profile?

A large portion of above mentioned names were listed for sale with exorbitant prices imposed on them.

This is a problem I think we call can agree needed to be remedied. Remember, this ↑ is the problem that DAN attempted to remedy.

The need for many of these domains is high and they could serve a great purpose during these turbulent times.

...yet, DAN's remedy was to prohibit any transaction whereby the needed domains could be sold to parties who could put them to use,.

Why not impose price caps, instead of

1. rendering the names entirely unsellable
2. not notifying the owners of your actions

How did DAN think that was going to help remedy the problem we identified above?

 

[Pay.My.id]

Appreciate on DAN decision to remove corona /covid related domains from their marketplace. But personally I also appreciate with some users opinion,they should to get notification , so they could change or move domain to another marketplace immadiately

DAN is one of domain marketplace , where DAN get traffic from park domain or domain that use their nameserver. Corona / covid domain has many traffic , if there is 1500 domain and every domain give 10 - 15 traffic daily , DAN would get new traffic 15.000 22,500 / day based these corona domain ... If DAN inform users by email before removing their domains, so they would lose huge pandemic traffic, cause every owners would change name server or move to another marketplace.

Its only my simple analyse, don't believe with my opinion . I try to see from SEO perspective
​

 

[biggie]

However, when we see domains for sale with over 6 figure asking prices while newly registered we prefer not to assist in the selling of these domains as the opportunity behind them yield more than just personal gain at this point

Hi @LaszloSchenk

Appreciate your reply

i'm only arguing this point, for the future, not so much for the present... but it does set a precedent

because if you assert that statement as an additional restriction, that was applied due to seller pricing amounts, then....

basically you are reserving the right to
"regulate pricing" indiscriminately, at your discretion, which may or may not apply to all domains which are/were "newly registered".

had such names been registered 5 years prior and priced in 6 figure amounts, would same action or rationale be applied?

just saying
should there be a mass pandemic, nuclear war, or force of nature that wrecks havoc in future,
that sellers owning domains which contain such keywords relating to those occurrences/tragedies, etc, may be subject to the same or similar actions being taken at present.

simply because,
it is the nature of a domainer, to acquire domains that others may search for.

imo....

 

[LaszloSchenk]

Good morning all,

In reply to your posts:

@biggie @Bernard Wright , I completely understand and I simply reply to what is submitted to us. We do not serve the rights to dictate the asking prices of our users. We are currently discussing a 0.0003% of the total DAN.COM inventory that was removed due to unique circumstances that have negative global effects. If we where to impose caps we would be regulating the prices. By not aiding the sales of the corona related domains we do not dictate our users but simply refrain from offering the service.

Since our existence we have always communicated all major changes through social channels like Twitter and Namepro's. However, I agree with you all that we should have notified you through email as well.

Hope you all have a great day!

 

[blockhead]

If people ACTUALLY want to do some good at this time, here are some ideas:

- DON'T register covid domains, but instead DONATE those funds to a reputable charity. Charity Navigator is good resource for making sure your funds will actually be put to good use. (My charity of choice for covid is Matthew 25 Ministries, a local charity with a rare 100/100 score.)

- Donate food to your local food bank

- Donate supplies to proper organizations and hospitals (items like face masks, exam gloves, etc)

- Have a domain sale and donate the funds to charity (please provide details and proof of your donations!)

 

[WhoaDomain.com]

Agree
Agree
Agree

There are definitely some bad actors out there. You can just see with the blatant selling and marketing and promotion and PRICING of these domains.,

but I wonder where ambiguous "virus" domains fall under this category.

will new "virus" domain registrations fall under this crackdown? what about old ones?

Antivirus.com?
VirusDefender.com
VirusGuardian.com
VirusShield.com

There are currently 20,215 domain names containing the keyword "Virus". Many of those of course will be part of the "coronavirus" combos but many will be just "virus".

If an idea is viral then is it a virus? and therefore what about Viral+whatever.com?

If a recent post on here that means their domain CoronaDeTucson.com was delisted from Sedo just for being "similar" to coronavirus domains.

How will this end up?

 

[Bob Hawkes]

I think the final sentence in your article is good advice @EJS. Rather than bother overburdened organizations by seeing if they want a domain name donated, it is probably most efficient to forward the name to a responsible information source.

I think DAN have made the right move, although implementing it will have many challenges.

will new "virus" domain registrations fall under this crackdown? what about old ones?

I don't know but suspect not. This kind of name could even be applied to computer or other types of virus that are unrelated to health. But it demonstrates that the dividing line is difficult. For example, corona is a region of the sun. Supposedly domains might have meaning in that sense, or others. i think DAN intentions are good, but it will be difficult to do in practice.

It will be interesting to see if the other marketplaces follow (or have some already?).

Namecheap yesterday informed customers that they were banning the ability to register names involving covid, coronavirus. An organization, such as a research group, that feels it has a legitimate case, can request through support a registration. Does anyone know if other registrars are doing this?

Bob

PS Just after I posted this I see that @Rob Monster posted the position at Epik on the issue.

 

[mitch007]

All this is very interesting.
How does this policy of banning "corona" names work for this

https://www.coronausa.com/

or

https://www.corona.com/

 

[Bernard Wright]

Now where are those who was voting it is ethical and bla bla? I said it before and now, it is terrible idea to even think of profiting from this

Why?

Let's say a domainer hands a corona name to a developer for free. That domain becomes ubiquitous. Millions of people visit daily, and they benefit from it. Will the developers not reward themselves financially? Is it immoral for them to put ads on the website, to profit from it? Do you not think they would?

 

[topdom]

Most charities are corrupt. I wouldn't donate to a charity (I mean well known ones mostly..).
....
Good decision: it is stupid to buy Corona domains for selling purposes. Dan is warning us :P

 

[lock]

Why should anyone with foresight be seen as despicable if you were the one that registered coronavirus dot com 5 years ago paid renewals why should anothers morals come into effect as some would switch the whole thing off at the power point.

 

[topdom]

I think corona.live is a great domain, registered in 2016 , and not mine. I would develop it.

 

[equity78]

I don't see any difference in added value as compared to non-corona names, tbh. I think there might even be more at stake with corona, and perhaps more value to add, for the domainer. For instance, if some rich idiot just wants the domain for something frivolous (who knows) and is willing to pay $20k, but some notable doctor offers $10k and will develop the site for good, then a domainer with noble intentions serves a very noble cause by opting to sell it to the doctor. Could this scenario play out? Well, who knows. But not if some of the people who have chimed in have anything to say about it. And not DAN, apparently.

DAN's business model is built on the notion that domainers add value. Do you not agree?

That is DAN's position, I am sure it is the position of some domainers, I don't believe there is a real value add, I believe it's legal, it should be allowed but if there is it's some sliver that only those in this industry would agree. If you walked into another industry or walk of life I doubt they would say there is a value add, I think many would see what you said in your first post, it's rent seeking. And I have seen some nasty REDDIT battles over rent seeking.(And I can tell you I have had conversations years ago with domain investors everyone would consider legendary who told me it's business, we don't provide any value, just like a day trader provides value to anyone but themselves and their family).

I don't believe a doctor is going to pay $10,000 for a corona related name, the doctor might use their own name, if it's their own individual research. Just my opinion.

 

[equity78]

1) that may be different for domain and for each domain investor

2) since when is that a criterium to list a domain on a resellers platform?

3) they argue that most names have ridiculous prices
- they could have forced those names to "Make Offer" only instead of banning

4) they are benefitting as a company by that move which was announced publically
- who is now the beneficiary of the corona virus?

Frank I did not write their press release, I don't understand why they mentioned pricing.

 

[equity78]

The $10k is just a hypothetical.

Agreed that domaining is mostly rent-seeking. But I do think there's a case to be made that this corona situation changes the landscape a bit and does afford those with strong corona names perhaps a chance to actually add more value than they otherwise would.

Bernard I did not say outlaw it, because I do believe it's becomes a slippery slope, that's why I wrote the article I did.

I don't believe in a world where people can't get toilet paper, or medical masks that anyone needs to pay any money for Coronavirus domains. That's my opinion not changing, don't want to change yours, to be honest I don't care what anyone else thinks on the topic, they are going to do what they are going to do, same as I am.

Some companies are saying we don't want this business, you can go to our competition and give it to them.

For many years Afternic had a morality clause, (not sure if it still exists) But there was no porn or gambling allowed for example, Sedo got that business.

Free market at work.

 

[bulkdomainz]

I think you should ask them how much they want for the name. Definitely not $3,000.

Anyway, it was just plain evil not to notify customers, and allow visitors to arrive at a 'Domain deleted' page.

why is there a fuss about domain names that aren't worth anything:

GoDaddy the owner of coronavirus.com ( as far as I understood .. )
values his domain name only at about $3K USD

so "greed" maybe not the right term


Show attachment 148834


and even the more trustworthy estibot tool,
-though they claim its a great extension and highly searched for-
show a similar price tag

- so it must be true
and we all can calm down...

Show attachment 148836

 

[eurorealtor]

Agree
Agree
Agree

There are definitely some bad actors out there. You can just see with the blatant selling and marketing and promotion and PRICING of these domains.,

Haven't you try to flip coronavirus.es before it was seized from you?

 

[Compassion]

"Starting from today, we will be removing all Corona Virus related domains from http://DAN.COM .
We're seeing astronomical high prices being asked for these domains and find that unethical and unacceptable. We strongly encourage DAN sellers that own a Corona Virus oriented domain to donate the domain to a charity, government agency or non-profit organization that's involved in battling the virus and misinformation about it."


Who is to say that such recipients of donated domains would have the best interests of humanity in mind? Many charities/figures/organizations are disguised as saviors and helpers of humanity when in fact they actually are connected to the cabal that wants the useless eaters dead - you know - the eugenicists - like the ones who erected the Georgia Guidestones.

 

[bulkdomainz]

after the pandemic in laters years, there may be more babies born due to StayHome policies
now what's wrong with the domain

coronababys / com
coronababy /com

( all gone )

simple solutions to complex problems
is how politicians get voters
but that's not the way you want to get customers for domain-related issues

Corona babies will start arriving as from September 2020 (Wuhan lockdown).

The 'anti-corona-domains' gang will likely stage a massive protest on twitter with #nocoronababies

 

[Corey]

Starting from today, I will be some of my domains from DAN.COM.

I find the removal of my Corona Virus related domains unethical and unacceptable.

Cheers
Corey

 

[Corey]

Please link to the post by Dan here at NamePros Communicating the removal/deletion of covid/corona domain names from the Dan system @LaszloSchenk

Cheers
Corey

 

[biggie]

A large portion of above mentioned names were listed for sale with exorbitant prices imposed on them.

Hi

sorry,
but i'd hate to hear a panelist judging a URDP/WIPO case, using that sentence in reference to a domain owner who is the respondent.

as it would be irrelevant to the articles of infringement.


best case, if you felt compelled... would be to remove all prices for such names and set to "Make Offer"

on other side of this issue

wonder if any sales reporting sites are or have, reported any virus related sales recently?

imo...

 

[Bernard Wright]

Hi

sorry,
but i'd hate to hear a panelist judging a URDP/WIPO case, using that sentence in reference to a domain owner who is the respondent.

as it would be irrelevant to the articles of infringement.


best case, if you felt compelled... would be to remove all prices for such names and set to "Make Offer"

on other side of this issue

wonder if any sales reporting sites are or have, reported any virus related sales recently?

imo...

Great points there. I agree that “exorbitant” is subjective. Assuming DAN feels they have the discretion to rule on what price is “exorbitant”, their actions were reckless IMO.

I don’t want corona names to be listed for exorbitant prices. But again, great point: who’s to make that judgment other than the buyer? So, impose Make Offer on all corona names, and the problem is solved.

Spoken like a veteran. I’m so glad you’re around.

 

[LaszloSchenk]

Good morning all,

Thank you for your responses.

@biggie, I understand your response. It is true that the term exorbitant is subjective to perception. However, when we see domains for sale with over 6 figure asking prices while newly registered we prefer not to assist in the selling of these domains as the opportunity behind them yield more than just personal gain at this point. Allowing all domains to be listed with a make offer only will require a lot of resources to monitor. More importantly, it will shift the problem on hand as the seller still could negotiate the prices that otherwise would be imposed as a buy now price.

We understand this may come a a surprise to some users and highly appreciate the support and understanding of others. We stand with our decision and prefer to keep our main focus on the increased day to day business while facilitating the sales of all other domains.

Have a great day.