Test out domains for traffic

[calian]

Slashdot has an article showing that people are able to register domains and then cancel them within some kind of a 5 day grace period if they don't show sufficient traffic to pay for themselves. Has anyone here done this? How easy is it to cancel your registration say with GoDaddy, eNom, Fabulous, or RegisterFly? This could be quite useful.

Also, is there a limit to registering domains, waiting 4.5 days, cancelling, and then doing it all over again? It seems you could have a huge amount of PPC traffic at all times by doing this with thousands of domains that get extremely light traffic.

 

[-db-]

It's called "traffic fishing", and something that Stuart at www.USForum.us recently wrote about.

I always found it strange how <name edited> have come from nowhere this month and topped the chart of .us catches with close to 100 catches.

I found it even stranger how the names they catch, arn`t caught at all, but registered a few hours after they drop. Even stranger was that the names they register, are names I wouldn`t even dream of catching, and I can see no value in reselling.

Well the secret is they don`t plan on reselling them at all, they don`t even plan on keeping the domain for 72 hours nevermind a year. They participate in a sport called "Traffic Fishing".

Dotregistrar.com offer domain registrations for $6.79, they also offer a service called "free delete feature". The FAQ says this about the "free delete feature" :

***********
Can I delete a domain if I made a mistake?
Yes, you have 72 Hs to delete a domain and get a credit back into your account so no money/DRYs are lost. If you delete a domain after that, no credit can be issued.
To delete a domain, using the "Listing Domains" option, select the domain you wish to delete, enter the key, and hit the "Delete" button.

**************

So what <name edited> have done is purchase a bulk load of DRYs, (credits to register domain names). Each day they look at the drop lists of .us and .biz (maybe other extenions also), they then spend a few hours hand regging every domain they think may bring in some traffic. They wait 24 hours, check the free domain parking service Dotregistrar offers to see if the domain has any traffic, if it has traffic they keep it, if it hasn`t they delete it and get their money back instantly. They then continue to do this every day, until they end up with a portfolio of new extensions all with traffic, and ALL making money each and every day.

Pretty smart huh :D

I had never heard of it before Stuart's post. It's definitely a creative new scheme, but most registrars don't offer the option of canceling registrations, so that's probably why more people aren't doing it.

 

[IAmAllanShore]

Instead of hand registering, those with the ability to automate the process have a much better chance of success (Hint-hint)...
I think it was in chat recently that the discussion turned to sporting against these folk, and visiting domains that are registered to <name removed> to make it appear to have traffic.
In any event, it's yet another way folks have gotten creative in drop-catching since the advent of the high-priced snatches.
-Allan

 

[kjmz]

That's actually a good idea. I may try this but I don't think I'll get any good domains lol

 

[Dave_Z]

That's actually a good idea. I may try this but I don't think I'll get any good domains lol

That's actually a little secret many registrars won't really bother registrants in
case they get a domain name, then change their mind soon after. But even if
you finally discovered it, it shouldn't be pushed every single time or you run
the risk of not being able to use them again.

 

[Iravan]

hmm wow its a good idea

but like what registar allows u to do that?

i havent seen any in my shore time here

 

[Dave_Z]

hmm wow its a good idea

but like what registar allows u to do that?

i havent seen any in my shore time here

The only way to find out is to test it out. Contact the registrar and ask.

But again, don't abuse it.

 

[OvenMitt]

The only way to find out is to test it out. Contact the registrar and ask.

But again, don't abuse it.

Right...

You just gave 18,000 OCD kids a loaded gun and told them to keep the safety on...

(Not you, davezan, the more impersonal "you" referring to registrars )

This "trick" is somewhat old now, being used by large groups to register names of expired names lists and snapcheck and similar, just to try them out and then to release if they aren't pleased. THat's why a lot of domain drops have 2 cycles. If you miss it on the first go-around, try again on the second a few days later

 

[owenwww]

Anyone thinking of trying this may want to take special notice to this part of Dotregistrar's FAQ:

"IMPORTANT NOTICE: this feature is provided as a courtesy and with the sole purpose of correcting mistakes during registration. DotRegistrar at it's sole discretion may limit and/or cancel the credit of DRYs."

 

[OvenMitt]

Yes, but
a) They haven't been enforcing it and
b) Other registrars allow the same thing

 

[Iravan]

hmm

hmm, well it could cause servere problems if it hasnt alrdy...

 

[nRnF]

Older issue,
but this ONLY works, if you got a 100% automatisation.
Otherwise you end up with lots of registrar bills, low traffic, crappy names and weeks without sleeping.

 

[Iravan]

hmm

Older issue,
but this ONLY works, if you got a 100% automatisation.
Otherwise you end up with lots of registrar bills, low traffic, crappy names and weeks without sleeping.

Would you speak form experience

 

[nRnF]

Would you speak form experience

My domain biz is not PPC based, but I know one who started this as "hobby fisher" some time ago, and learned some nice hard lessons on his way to "industrial fishing".
:notme:

That's actually a good idea. I may try this but I don't think I'll get any good domains lol

The definition "good domain" is really clear in this case:
Something like: 3 days revenue * 100 > reg. fee

But exactly this puts you in need of a 100% automatized redundant process for domain returns and analyze for Adsense, Yahoo, Overture sets etc...
And the good will of your registrar --> if you aren't one

Maybe better call it "HardCore PPC Speculation" or the last chance for a registry to earn money
:notme:

 

[Venolus]

I'm worried if good domain registrars are filtering good domain names and then back selling it

 

[barefoottech]

Anyone want to cancel any reg's done with me ,had better have a good reason or I will break their legs

And no Traffic fishing is not considered good enough reason.
Every cancellation costs me money ,so why should I let people suck and see with their crappy names.

 

[derrida]

Anyone want to cancel any reg's done with me ,had better have a good reason or I will break their legs

And no Traffic fishing is not considered good enough reason.
Every cancellation costs me money ,so why should I let people suck and see with their crappy names.

Are you a reseller or a primary registrar?

If you are the latter, why does it cost you money?

Thanks!

 

[barefoottech]

I am a Reseller for most of my domain sales and It costs me my handling charge. Typically .25c plus my time as I can only Cancel manually. Plus the domains I am a registrar for, I don't give refunds anyway. Most Domain Names are cheap. If the domain turns out to be a dog ,worst case most people are out of pocket less money than their daily Beer/Smokes/(Insert other vice) amount.If you are in this game for making money, it is no different then any other business. You can't rent an empty Shop ,find out no customers ,give it back to the landlord and try another shop across town. If you want and expect instant customers
your buy an existing Business, i.e Established Domain and/or Web-Site.

 

[-db-]

derrida, your signature is 7 lines long. This is against forum rules. Please reduce to 4 lines.

The rule is posted clearly, right above the box where you edit your signature.

Thank you.

 

[derrida]

I am a Reseller for most of my domain sales and It costs me my handling charge. Typically .25c plus my time as I can only Cancel manually. Plus the domains I am a registrar for, I don't give refunds anyway. Most Domain Names are cheap. If the domain turns out to be a dog ,worst case most people are out of pocket less money than their daily Beer/Smokes/(Insert other vice) amount.If you are in this game for making money, it is no different then any other business. You can't rent an empty Shop ,find out no customers ,give it back to the landlord and try another shop across town. If you want and expect instant customers
your buy an existing Business, i.e Established Domain and/or Web-Site.

I agree with your sentiments.


sig fixed

 

[tandiono]

I am a Reseller for most of my domain sales and It costs me my handling charge. Typically .25c plus my time as I can only Cancel manually. Plus the domains I am a registrar for, I don't give refunds anyway. Most Domain Names are cheap. If the domain turns out to be a dog ,worst case most people are out of pocket less money than their daily Beer/Smokes/(Insert other vice) amount.If you are in this game for making money, it is no different then any other business. You can't rent an empty Shop ,find out no customers ,give it back to the landlord and try another shop across town. If you want and expect instant customers
your buy an existing Business, i.e Established Domain and/or Web-Site.

I agree with you. "No pain no gain"

 

[calian]

Well I called GoDaddy last night and it seems they don't have any kind of return system for domains. Still need to check with some others...

 

[EbookLover]

I'm worried if good domain registrars are filtering good domain names and then back selling it

There is no doubt in my mind this is happenning more and more everyday. It would explain strange heppennings with whois.sc data changes.

But I can guarantee you that the more people that engage in this the more you will see registrars putting an ax to it all by not offering refunds at all, only swap for a mis-typed domain reg. At that point, the only ones who claim to refund any domain after a certain amount of days will be the shady registrars, like the fly. htey will do it to gain business. BUt it will no doubt be a bad move for both the resistrar and the buyer in the longrun.

This is like any biz opp. The more people that find out about it, the less viable it becomes for the majority who engage in it.

 

[primacomputer]

I imagine that the net result for the registrars is that they sell more names this way. If that's the case and it doesn't cost them anything I don't see why they would ever stop. But I would say that in principal this is wrong. A register should be charged for a name as soon as they register it. Anything else is open to abuse.

I remember in the good old bad old days when registration fees were high and NSI accepted payment by cheque. You could register a whole slew of names and keep them tied up for two years while they sent you payment reminders without spending a cent. Then you paid the ones you had offers on and let them send nasty letters about the rest. The delete scam sounds like the high speed version of this old scam.

 

[nRnF]

I'm worried if good domain registrars are filtering good domain names and then back selling it

You know TDNAM dont you