advice Spent more than $500 on hand-regs, need some direction please.

[cixxy]

Hi, I'm a designer / web developer new to the domain buying scene. I like the fact that when I buy a cool domain name, there's potential I can develop a website on it myself.

But recently I spent a lot of money on domaining... so I would appreciate if you have some advice or direction for me; or maybe I should just quit domaining because of how bad the regs are?

Also what should I do with keyword domains as Brandbucket doesn't seem to like these.

4xAA.com (keyword)
AceGT.com (brandable)
AgenciesList.com (keyword, will develop this)
AiBoots.com (keyword - nonexistant yet)
Aihance.com (brandable, I like this a lot because of Behance (big site) )
Aitasy.com (brandable)
Brandacular.com (brandable)
BuyHealing.com (keyword)
ClubState.com (brandable)
ColorBackground.com (keyword)
ColorsMeaning.com (keyword)
DanceJumps.com (keyword)
Digery.com (brandable)
Digitalry.com (brandable)
DopamineFunction.com (keyword)
Droneri.com (brandable)
Dronier.com (brandable)
Expertoid.com (brandable)
FeetInches.com (keyword)
FreeAds.io (keyword, will develop this)
Fundega.com (brandable)
GirlOffers.com (keyword)
GuruSonic.com (brandable)
HipsterWallpaper.com (keyword)
HoloShack.com (brandable)
InvestBliss.com (brandable)
KittyStudios.com (brandable)
KpopArtists.com (keyword, developed website)
Limo.kr (keyword)
NorseGoddess.com (keyword + brandable)
MusicPuns.com (keyword)
MusicToSleep.com (keyword, developed website)
Profithance.com (brandable)
ProfitSonic.com (brandable)
RealtorSalary.com (keyword, illegal copyright?)
RoyalOpen.com (brandable, Listed on BrandBucket! http://brandbucket.com/royalopen )
SexWithBoss.com (keyword)
SkillJolt.com (brandable)
SnapXr.com (brandable)
Staresque.com (brandable)
ThePerfectArt.com (brandable)
Upezy.com (brandable)
VeganAlfredo.com (keyword)
VeganFlan.com (keyword)
VeganMeatballs.com (keyword)
VeganSwan.com (brandable)
VegetarianCurry.com (keyword)
YouCosplay.com (brandable)
YouCrystal.com (brandable)
Zenasy.com (brandable)
ZenJolt.com (brandable)

 

[MR Harrist]

even if I tell you your domain are not good, I really doubt you will listen my suggestion
and worse! I Have feeling that you'll do more handreg!

Correct me if I am wrong

 

[cixxy]

even if I tell you your domain are not good, I really doubt you will listen my suggestion
and worse! I Have feeling that you'll do more handreg!

Correct me if I am wrong

Just hand-regged CreditBench.com after Brandbucket approved it.

But that was something I tried to approve earlier. I'm kind of done with making up names for now, need to see if they will actually sell or not.

Don't be so demotivated. Most of the domainers go through that phase where they learn which domains are valuable and which are no. That judgement is crucial in this field. Only thing is you have learnt it hard way by investing 500$ at once.

To recover your investment, follow these suggestions

1. Start liquidating domains as quick as possible.
2. First sell the domains which are going to expire soon.
3. List the domains for minimum value (like $9 etc) not more so that they could sell faster.
4. Don't expect all the domains to be sold. But you might recover/ compensate with domains which got better price.
5. Do not renew bad domains.
6. Do not purchase domains based on valuations alone or instinctively.
7. List the domains on as many auction platforms as possible so that you can recover quickly.

You could recover at least part of your investment. Then sit and decide if you really want to be in domain business. If you want to research before you send at least a cent.

Good Luck!!

Thanks but yeah I'm not going to until the last few months. There are a few that suck totally though like ionLove.com and HubModel.com that I have which I need to get rid of for low prices like that. If they have the same registrar is the transfer free?

 

[frostify]

I like
ClubState.com
SkillJolt.com

and some of the vegan names, other than that I'd drop most of em. Not worth the renewal price

 

[NicTraders]

If they have the same registrar is the transfer free?

Yeah, for 99% of registrars a push is free. 1&1 is the only one I know of who can't do an internal push and you're charged for a transfer (i.e. recipient pays a renewal fee).

 

[cixxy]

REALLY PLEASED what they did with Dronier!

https://www.brandbucket.com/dronier

In comparison, the namerific logos I got are so shit and CLIP ART, certainly not a "$100 design fee"!

 

[MR Harrist]

Just hand-regged CreditBench.com after Brandbucket approved it.

But that was something I tried to approve earlier. I'm kind of done with making up names for now, need to see if they will actually sell or not.



Thanks but yeah I'm not going to until the last few months. There are a few that suck totally though like ionLove.com and HubModel.com that I have which I need to get rid of for low prices like that. If they have the same registrar is the transfer free?

I was in your shoe! so I know what you'll do next! and its not sarcastic comment, its just most newbies like u and me usually have same pattern and don't take it personally its just my 2 cents

just suggestion, since you already spent $500, I think you should read more Namepros pages! especially the basic stuff! and last is, actually domain biz are not that hard, its just most of us already late, so almost impossible to get decent domain with undervalue! and most expert know that! that's why no matter what you buy, especially for handreg, your domain will be SUck! but again, who decide Good domain or Bad domain, is not NP member, but End user! if end user Buy, No matter How Bad your domain is, as long it sold, then your domain good!

 

[Windoms]

What does this mean ?

I meant that since he's new, the worst thing he can currently do is browse a list of thousands of 20 year old expired domains with nice keywords in random extensions that are easy to buy.
God knows how much he's spent since he created this thread about $500 lol

 

[cixxy]

I meant that since he's new, the worst thing he can currently do is browse a list of thousands of 20 year old expired domains with nice keywords in random extensions that are easy to buy.
God knows how much he's spent since he created this thread about $500 lol

Ive stopped doing that since FeetInches.com, mostly now if i wanna buy a name I submit it to BrandBucket first. If they approve at least I know there's some value there lol

 

[Recons.Com]

Ive stopped doing that since FeetInches.com, mostly now if i wanna buy a name I submit it to BrandBucket first. If they approve at least I know there's some value there lol

Sadly, BB is not the best guide for good names ) They rejected noble/metal, which is a dictionary word and I subsequently sold it for $12.5K. Some other names that are sold via afternic and other marketplaces that were BB rejects watch/match, globular/ity, w/ultra, finance/fi, chef/ix, mart/smart and many more. While they might approve some names that will probably never sell. That is why you can find BB listed names here on NP for $10-$20 often because the investors realize that they might be stuck paying renewal fees for something with little chance to sell.

I have had 181 names with BB, 9 sold. But out of those 181, about 70 are organically added by me and the rest bought here on NP as already listed. Now from my sales 7 comes from my own 70 while just 2 comes from 121 purchased from others. Average holding time for all would be around 2 years. So mine sell at 5% a year, the purchased ones at 1%. And yet, BB was approving my added names at around 12%, while average for the marketplace is around 30%.

This is not to bash BB, but just to point out that every marketplace represents the taste of its management/ownership and is no different than me approving your names or you approving mine.

 

[Kate]

I should also add, relying on the judgement of a third party (BB) is a bad idea, even when that third party is experienced. You have to learn for yourself what makes a good domain name. BB have nothing to lose, they even charge you to list a name that most likely will never sell anyway.
The marketplaces cannot deliver miracles and sell names that nobody wants.

 

[cixxy]

Sadly, BB is not the best guide for good names ) They rejected noble/metal, which is a dictionary word and I subsequently sold it for $12.5K. Some other names that are sold via afternic and other marketplaces that were BB rejects watch/match, globular/ity, w/ultra, finance/fi, chef/ix, mart/smart and many more. While they might approve some names that will probably never sell. That is why you can find BB listed names here on NP for $10-$20 often because the investors realize that they might be stuck paying renewal fees for something with little chance to sell.

I have had 181 names with BB, 9 sold. But out of those 181, about 70 are organically added by me and the rest bought here on NP as already listed. Now from my sales 7 comes from my own 70 while just 2 comes from 121 purchased from others. Average holding time for all would be around 2 years. So mine sell at 5% a year, the purchased ones at 1%. And yet, BB was approving my added names at around 12%, while average for the marketplace is around 30%.

This is not to bash BB, but just to point out that every marketplace represents the taste of its management/ownership and is no different than me approving your names or you approving mine.

Thanks for sharing your experience. Do you mind to share your Brandbucket portfolio link and tell me what sold? I'm intrigued to see what can actually do well or maybe it's just chance.

Doing a calculation, if you have 181 names and each name holding fee is $7 / year , that's $1267 per year and if you sold 7 in 2 years time that means you had to spend $2534 renewing but you got in average 7x$2000 which is $14,000 back... that's not too shabby tbh.

I should also add, relying on the judgement of a third party (BB) is a bad idea, even when that third party is experienced. You have to learn for yourself what makes a good domain name. BB have nothing to lose, they even charge you to list a name that most likely will never sell anyway.
The marketplaces cannot deliver miracles and sell names that nobody wants.

True, I use it for quality control but I do have that feeling that maybe it wont go too well regardless if its listed there or not given these realistic posts above.

I guess I should on top of everything have worst case scenarios on top if I can't sell it. Expertoid is an example where if I can't sell it I can totally make it into a platform myself. Can't say that about my last reg CreditBench though, but idk it just sounded to good to me after they approved it.

 

[Recons.Com]

Thanks for sharing your experience. Do you mind to share your Brandbucket portfolio link and tell me what sold? I'm intrigued to see what can actually do well or maybe it's just chance.

Doing a calculation, if you have 181 names and each name holding fee is $7 / year , that's $1267 per year and if you sold 7 in 2 years time that means you had to spend $2534 renewing but you got in average 7x$2000 which is $14,000 back... that's not too shabby tbh.



True, I use it for quality control but I do have that feeling that maybe it wont go too well regardless if its listed there or not given these realistic posts above.

I guess I should on top of everything have worst case scenarios on top if I can't sell it. Expertoid is an example where if I can't sell it I can totally make it into a platform myself. Can't say that about my last reg CreditBench though, but idk it just sounded to good to me after they approved it.

Here is the link:

https://www.brandbucket.com/profile/recons/

Renewals are around $8.3, so yes, cost would be around $1,400/year. Net proceeds per name are typically lower and are mostly in $1,200 to 1,800 range. Let's say $1500. So proceeds would be around $13,500 over the period. In short, I'd need 1 sale a year for renewals the other ones going towards profit. To acquire and/or list that portfolio has costed me around $6000, I assume.

Now here is the thing: If your names are mediocre, you might be averaging just enough to renew or less.

Here is the simple math for you:

You pay for 500 names at $1 for BB to consider and let's say you are approved at 20% rate. So you spent $500 and have 100 approved. Now you register those at $8. So now your investment is $1300 and your annual cost commitment to renew those is $850.

If you make zero sales, your loss for that year will be $850.

If you make 1 sale, you'll profit at about $500 on your $1300 investment for about 38% return on your investment.

If you make 2, then even better.

There is a huge difference between $850 loss and $500 profit. So you really need to consider chances of your name being sold and not assume that if it is BB approved, it is good enough to sell.

Also you might be missing opportunity on names that might be good, but not to BB's taste. You are welcome to PM me the rejects and I will evaluate those for you.

 

[cixxy]

Here is the link:

https://www.brandbucket.com/profile/recons/

Renewals are around $8.3, so yes, cost would be around $1,400/year. Net proceeds per name are typically lower and are mostly in $1,200 to 1,800 range. Let's say $1500. So proceeds would be around $13,500 over the period. In short, I'd need 1 sale a year for renewals the other ones going towards profit. To acquire and/or list that portfolio has costed me around $6000, I assume.

Now here is the thing: If your names are mediocre, you might be averaging just enough to renew or less.

Here is the simple math for you:

You pay for 500 names at $1 for BB to consider and let's say you are approved at 20% rate. So you spent $500 and have 100 approved. Now you register those at $8. So now your investment is $1300 and your annual cost commitment to renew those is $850.

If you make zero sales, your loss for that year will be $850.

If you make 1 sale, you'll profit at about $500 on your $1300 investment for about 38% return on your investment.

If you make 2, then even better.

There is a huge difference between $850 loss and $500 profit. So you really need to consider chances of your name being sold and not assume that if it is BB approved, it is good enough to sell.

Also you might be missing opportunity on names that might be good, but not to BB's taste. You are welcome to PM me the rejects and I will evaluate those for you.

Yeah so basically we are looking at in your case 3.5 names per year at 181 names so that's 4% selling rate a year. The question is, do your older listed domains there sell as well? If so it might not be so bad just holding on to them and renewing.

There's a lot of good domain names in there, I have a bit more 2 word names than your 1 word made-up ones.

So which names have sold for you in the past? I'm wondering because you have a lot of 1 word made-ups like Blogzo Talkero and some like EnergyRoute which are 2 word names. I think the thing is with 2 word names more often it's easier to do outbound sales with them so a bit better exit strategy since they often are a bit more niche and keywordy.

My favs from the list (exluding the $5000 ones) which I see a good niche for: Blogzo, MusicArea, Talkero, Smartoid

 

[Recons.Com]

Yeah so basically we are looking at in your case 3.5 names per year at 181 names so that's 4% selling rate a year. The question is, do your older listed domains there sell as well? If so it might not be so bad just holding on to them and renewing.

There's a lot of good domain names in there, I have a bit more 2 word names than your 1 word made-up ones.

So which names have sold for you in the past? I'm wondering because you have a lot of 1 word made-ups like Blogzo Talkero and some like EnergyRoute which are 2 word names. I think the thing is with 2 word names more often it's easier to do outbound sales with them so a bit better exit strategy since they often are a bit more niche and keywordy.

My favs from the list (exluding the $5000 ones) which I see a good niche for: Blogzo, MusicArea, Talkero, Smartoid

I don't look at exit strategy for good brandables at those marketplaces. I add and forget (except renewing of course).

Sold ones: My own adds - lift/d, sit/ly, globe/e (or glo/bee), z/employ, explain/ly, sound/iq, pinq/s, Acquired and sold: banq/io and book/ora (sold just yesterday, before my post).

I believe I have quite unique taste for names that result in good sales regardless of platform. The reason being I am also serial entrepreneur and I look for real life application of the name and idea or sometimes start from an idea and work for perfect fit names. Apparently, real businessmen think the same way.

See for example Answer/iq that was rejected by BB, but now is the website of a startup that raised $5MM recently. The founder called me directly and purchased the name over the phone practically.

 

[cixxy]

Interesting that all your sold ones are madeup one words... but they are indeed strong.

Pretty damn awesome what they did with that name, never thought IQ would be related to AI tech. And thanks again for the help in the PMs, and sharing your thought process in making your BB names.

--

Btw I just impulse bought Woman.com.co for $7 reg fee without doing much research on it. Just a quick google for the namepros com.co thoughts. Did a quick Namebio search as well and the figures are good.

I had to snag it before anyone else since it was listed on ExpiredDomains.

It's a gamble but I think this is a good gamble to take.

Worst case I thought it's a woman's magazine or shop in Columbia, right?

Also just got Lit.mx

Think my luck is changing.

 

[Recons.Com]

Interesting that all your sold ones are madeup one words... but they are indeed strong.

Pretty damn awesome what they did with that name, never thought IQ would be related to AI tech. And thanks again for the help in the PMs, and sharing your thought process in making your BB names.

--

Btw I just impulse bought Woman.com.co for $7 reg fee without doing much research on it. Just a quick google for the namepros com.co thoughts. Did a quick Namebio search as well and the figures are good.

I had to snag it before anyone else since it was listed on ExpiredDomains.

It's a gamble but I think this is a good gamble to take.

Worst case I thought it's a woman's magazine or shop in Columbia, right?

Also just got Lit.mx

Think my luck is changing.

You are welcome.

Regarding the other names you regged, the best advice to a starter: stick to .com

Com.Co IMHO is junk grade investment, as anyone with money would look for .Co even in Colombia

I registered defenses.Co for $11 + 25$ with many potential uses. Woman.Co would be a good buy at $xxx, woman.com.Co - no even for free.

 

[cixxy]

You are welcome.

Regarding the other names you regged, the best advice to a starter: stick to .com

Com.Co IMHO is junk grade investment, as anyone with money would look for .Co even in Colombia

I registered defenses.Co for $11 + 25$ with many potential uses. Woman.Co would be a good buy at $xxx, woman.com.Co - no even for free.

Hmm that's solid argument. I checked the .com.co thread though people seem to like .com.co for the local columbian businesses as it's a bit more formal, https://www.namepros.com/threads/com-co-and-co-com-your-opinions-please.832140/

Again, .COM.CO is the CCTLD for Colombia. When I visited Cartagena and another city in the departamento of Bolivar in 2012 I saw a fair mix of .COM and .COM.CO domains being used. The only time I saw a .CO was in a magazine on the return flight back to Miami. The tourism board uses a .Travel.

I would only consider .COM.CO for Spanish domains and because the primary market would be Colombia they need to be really good keywords - not just what you can find available. Consider reviewing expiring lists of .COM.CO.

and from wikipedia:

The third level domain registrations closely mirror the "traditional" IANA .com / .net / .org / .gov / .edu / .mil hierarchy, with the addition of a national equivalent of .name. Different from registrations directly under .co which are used to signal globally relevant interests, third level domains are used to signal locally relevant business, organizations, academic institutions, and government.

I'm thinking to make Lit.mx to a nightclub directory for mexico, if I can't sell for at least 10k... thoughts?

 

[Recons.Com]

Hmm that's solid argument. I checked the .com.co thread though people seem to like .com.co for the local columbian businesses as it's a bit more formal, https://www.namepros.com/threads/com-co-and-co-com-your-opinions-please.832140/



and from wikipedia:


I'm thinking to make Lit.mx to a nightclub directory for mexico, if I can't sell for at least 10k... thoughts?

you can see com.co in Colombia. Apparently, before release of .co, .com.co was the only available one.

And now since .co became international and every decent word is snagged, the local businesses have better chance of getting .com.co.

But, then they are paying reg fee for it. The chance of $xxxx is slim to none. Also, "woman" is an English word, and they speak Spanish there. So Mujer.com.co would have been better, Mujer.co would have been ideal.

And the same with .mx Don't see their clubs paying $xxxx for an English word .mx

But, ok, you can collect nice collection of cctlds, but end up subsidizing those via your .coms given that you figure out how to make profit there.

I have about 1700 domains, out of which about 1400 are .coms. In 2018, I have had about 25 sales, all .com My sell through % for .coms in 8 months of the year: about 1.8% with average sale price of $4,000+. My sell through for about 300 .us, .al, .co, .org etc. - 0.0%.

But I am fine with that, as .coms pay for my other collection )) And it is nice quality collection too, with names like arms/us, islands/us, ranking/us about 40 LL.al and NN.al etc.

 

[cixxy]

you can see com.co in Colombia. Apparently, before release of .co, .com.co was the only available one.

And now since .co became international and every decent word is snagged, the local businesses have better chance of getting .com.co.

But, then they are paying reg fee for it. The chance of $xxxx is slim to none. Also, "woman" is an English word, and they speak Spanish there. So Mujer.com.co would have been better, Mujer.co would have been ideal.

And the same with .mx Don't see their clubs paying $xxxx for an English word .mx

But, ok, you can collect nice collection of cctlds, but end up subsidizing those via your .coms given that you figure out how to make profit there.

I have about 1700 domains, out of which about 1400 are .coms. In 2018, I have had about 25 sales, all .com My sell through % for .coms in 8 months of the year: about 1.8% with average sale price of $4,000+. My sell through for about 300 .us, .al, .co, .org etc. - 0.0%.

But I am fine with that, as .coms pay for my other collection )) And it is nice quality collection too, with names like arms/us, islands/us, ranking/us about 40 LL.al and NN.al etc.

Yeah solid points man, especially that one about the spanish, I didn't think about it when I rushed to get it.

I was thinking maybe it can be used for international business regardless because Woman.com.co sounds like a woman corporation, but maybe that's just wishful thinking. Either way nice to have some domains like that in my portfolio that I can negotiate trades with maybe.

I'll probably end up making profit via developing sites tbh instead of domaining lol.

About Lit.mx , I did google it earlier and it said the young people are getting better at english over at mexico. So it might be viable to the younger crowd which is definitely the clubbing crowd and also a 3 letter english word that's easy to say.

Around half of .mx is spanish sales in namebio but there are some comparable english .mx sales:

jet.mx 5,600 USD 2014-03-26 Sedo
max.mx 11,730 USD 2014-04-16 Sedo
bee.mx 8,500 USD 2017-09-14 Sedo
bus.mx 550 USD 2017-07-10 Flippa
pop.mx 1,673 USD 2015-05-19 Sedo

My concern is that I haven't made a website for a foreign country before, so maybe it's bad for SEO as google indexes results locally... Gotta do more research on that.

ps Nice collection, I'm sure it will pay off someday.

 

[cixxy]

A number of $1 regs I did recently:
- MartialArt / club (yes missing S but still...)
- Vaso / club ( spanish for glass, Vaso club exists as a brand)
- Dedo / club (spanish for finger , Dedo club exists as a brand)
- Pickup / live ( maybe pitch this to PUA youtubers)
- OnlineShop / club

Not sure what to do with them but they were cheap so why not.