Things I Don't Understand About Domaining (Part 1)

[randomo]

Here it is at last ... part 1 of my long-awaited series,

Things I Don't Understand About Domaining!

1. When I respond to someone who has posted a "Domains Wanted" thread, I sometimes offer a domain I have just registered. I may or may not have reg'd it after seeing their post; I often reg strong-looking domains, then research what people are looking for. Even if their post gave me an idea, I only reg generic domains that I think have good value in the long run (whether or not anyone quickly buys them).

My typical asking price might be mid-$XX for a domain that I think suits their needs well. Usually, I'm offering them a good domain for a low price!

A common response from the buyer is: "That's too much to pay for a domain that was registered yesterday." Or: "I don't want a domain that was registered today."

I Don't Understand why people feel that way. If a domain is right for your purpose, why do you care when it was reg'd? (I'm not talking about people looking for traffic domains, just good names for a particular use.)

Are these buyers mad because they didn't find this domain when it was available? Are their emotions clouding their judgment? Am I violating some unwritten code of ethics? Or am I missing something else obvious about this situation (always possible!)?

Sincerely,

 

[Morph]

I don't see any problems ethicly with that :imho:

I would think, it's because they see its value defaulted to 8.99 or whatever the reg fee was because it was regged just a few hours ago.
Posssible?

-Tom

 

[.X.]

I don't think anyone is mad because they didn't find the DN to reg it themselves....I think the mid xx pricing you use is probably the issue,if you were asking ..say... $12 to $15....you could probably quick flip names that are newly regged...That's a substancial profit if you are able to flip 5-10 names daily...mid xx is a bad a price imo.

 

[randomo]

I don't see any problems ethicly with that :imho:

I would think, it's because they see its value defaulted to 8.99 or whatever the reg fee was because it was regged just a few hours ago.
Posssible?

-Tom

Yes, quite possible, and even likely. Good analysis.

I don't think anyone is mad because they didn't find the DN to reg it themselves....I think the mid xx pricing you use is probably the issue,if you were asking ..say... $12 to $15....you could probably quick flip names that are newly regged...That's a substancial profit if you are able to flip 5-10 names daily...mid xx is a bad a price imo.

Maybe pricing is an issue, but most of the domains offered to these people are priced much higher than the $39-$59 that I typically ask.

They don't tell me "That's too much," they say things like this (actual quote from a recent PM):

"It's a decent domain, but I just can't pay $59 for something that was registered today."

When I wrote back and said "If you like this domain well enough to want it for your website, feel free to suggest a different price for it", I never got a reply.

Oh, well - his loss! But I'm still ...

 

[B33R]

I can't quite explain it, it's just one of those mental barriers. People see something that cost ~$8 and don't understand how it can be worth so much more overnight.

When weighing up the pros and cons of the domain, age is a deciding factor. Too young and they only see the markup, too old and they only see the fact they'll have to pay again in X months. It's just how the human mind works I think.

They also see the seller as a chancer, someone who thinks their domain is worth X times as much overnight. There is always the belief that the seller is trying their luck and that for every month the domain isn't sold, the price will go down (which is often true)

Based on this, I only offer domains for sale that have been regged for greater than one month, unless the domain is very strong and I've already had interest from other people.

 

[Jo]

It's almost like a scam, people search the wanted names posts and then go reg a name and offer it to the buyer for more than reg fee. They wouldn't have regged the name if they hadn't seen the buyer wanted it. Maybe the buyer would have found the name themselves later on. Isn't this just like someone monitoring WHOIS searches and registering all the names searched? Think about it.

 

[matt_bodis]

Not sure on how to answer this. But I do notice that people don't pay much for good names that are registered recently, yet pay alot for bad names registered long time ago.

For example, did you ever see those threads where people are looking for pre-1998 domains, and they end up buying really worthless domains for $xxx or even $xxxx? Happens all the time. I don't really know why, I wouldn't do it.

 

[irishmat]

It's almost like a scam, people search the wanted names posts and then go reg a name and offer it to the buyer for more than reg fee. They wouldn't have regged the name if they hadn't seen the buyer wanted it. Maybe the buyer would have found the name themselves later on. Isn't this just like someone monitoring WHOIS searches and registering all the names searched? Think about it.

no, if your posting a wanted ad you should have looked for an available name first

your posting your wanted ad, with whois monitoring your not broadcasting that info and you expect it not to be

 

[GreenGambler]

I think it's ridiculous but a personal choice too. It shouldn't matter when the name was reg'd, what should matter is what it can do for you!
I also do not think it is wrong to get ideas for names to reg from wanted ads.

1) they should have looked for themselves and tried to come up w/ un-regd names.

2) Hand reging new DNs is something that can sometimes take creativity and whos to say where my inspiration can or can not come from.

If they want to pass up "The Perfect DN" for there site over a $10-$50 markup, well that's there loss and the next buyers' gain.... IMO

 

[jaydub]

This IS a true story....
4 months ago I looked at a house I wanted to buy with a listed price. I decided I would think about it and waddya' know....someone came along and bought it 2 weeks later. I really wanted the house as it had real development potential so I made the new owner an offer $12,000 over what they paid for it a week after they bought it. They turned me down and countered at $22K over what they paid one week earlier.
Was I upset...you bet. Not at them but myself for not making the move when I should have. The fact that they wanted to make whatever they valued the home at was not for me to begrudge them....

This is also a true story...
A couple of days ago I bought 2 name from a member here...made an offer knowing they had recently reg'd it...I simply said if they wanted to do a quick flip I would offer this much.
I told them that "No Thanks worked fine for me if they chose not to"
They said yes in this instance..but had they said no I would have been embarrassed to whine "...but you just reg'd them a couple of days ago and it only cost you $" ...


Dave...you should have NO guilt or ethical issues whatsoever....It is YOUR name....ask what you want for it... and let the barter system take it from there....or not.

If the prospective buyer wants to whine about it ... tough...

 

[floatingworld]

re 'Are these buyers mad because they didn't find this domain when it was available? Are their emotions clouding their judgment?'
simple answer: yes.
Some of them live here.................................

 

[mis_chiff]

See now I'm mixed on this, when I read a "names wanted"
thread their willing to pay $xx - $xxx for a specific topic.
I know what I have in my portfolio and I don't want give up any just yet.
So I go on an unregistered hunt...under $10 bucks to reg could save them a few bucks...right?...gearing to what they are looking for, ya never know, with what their looking for they may get a few good ones...now before reading the thread I would probably not have gone looking for these specifics.
So, when I find some goddies, I pass them on to the thread holder (as they are the ones who are looking in the first place) via PM for them to choose, or not, from the names I have found...if they like them Hooray...everyones happy, if they don't...I don't loose anything but the time it took me to search for them - and since I like searching - no sweat off my nose and no money out of my pocket! Yes they are willing to pay xx or xxx for registered ones but if their available I won't reg them and say - ok I have these for you..(sorry, that's just me) ya know, just being a part of the community and helping out my way, that's all.
and if I do find a bute, I keep it for myself :hehe:

 

[equity78]

It's almost like a scam, people search the wanted names posts and then go reg a name and offer it to the buyer for more than reg fee. They wouldn't have regged the name if they hadn't seen the buyer wanted it. Maybe the buyer would have found the name themselves later on. Isn't this just like someone monitoring WHOIS searches and registering all the names searched? Think about it.

Its not a scam in anyway, its called business some people are here to do business this is not a hobby for everyone some people use forums as one avenue for their domain BUSINESS. The bigger problem I see in domains wanted is you never know how serious anyone is, half the time the ads are just fishing expeditions to get ideas. If people stated their budget and sellers stuck to exactly what the buyer wanted it would go smoother IMO. People respond to a .com only thread "I know you said .com but I have a good .info" Its like can you read?

Jaydub your post was 100% right on IMO

 

[Jo]

Well if you are all so happy to buy just registered names like you say, go and bid on some of my auctions or on some of the other people who do the same thing here on Ebay. No...hardly ever see you people doing that if it's for more than reg fee. It's the rare name that goes for more.

And some people think sending unregged names lists to people who are searching for names is an underhanded way of doing business on this forum where people are trying to make money. I did it myself at first, searched for available names and sent them to the buyers. But then I saw someone get reamed for it here and I agreed, it underminds all our work for us who are paying more for good names. So...why pay XXX for gourmetcookies.com when HEY this name here is available for REG FEE! YummyGourmetCookies.com or whatever. So the person gets screwed for his gourmetcookies.com

 

[randomo]

Well if you are all so happy to buy just registered names like you say, go and bid on some of my auctions or on some of the other people who do the same thing here on Ebay. No...hardly ever see you people doing that if it's for more than reg fee. It's the rare name that goes for more.

Nobody's saying people should buy names because they're newly registered; I just think it makes sense not to turn down names just because they're newly registered. The determining factor should be the quality of the name, period!

(Also, eBay doesn't usually bring good prices for domains.)

And some people think sending unregged names lists to people who are searching for names is an underhanded way of doing business on this forum where people are trying to make money. I did it myself at first, searched for available names and sent them to the buyers.[...]

Yep, did that myself at first too; with luck, we all grow out of it before long.

 

[mis_chiff]

I never realised searching for available names was
a no-no? I must have missed that thread...
I don't send "lists for sale" - just a few names and I found available relating to their query
I can't reg them all so I'll pass on what I find...
if the person looking to buy a domain likes the unregistered one better than the registered ones posted in the thread...then what?
:imho: it is up to the buyer to choose what is being offered as long as it meets his thread requirements! Regardless of where the names come from.

 

[jaydub]

Hey Kerri...
I have purchased unregistered name lists here when they are offered as that....a list for sale...in the appropriate sections.
It just happens to be against the forum rules to offer names for sale that you do not own. In otherwords, if I am looking for boat related names and you offer to sell me a boat name you don't own (unreg'd but you represent it as yours) for a price...that isn't allowed by the forum rules.
Offering unreg'd name lists for a price if fine ....if you have a market.
I buy lists sometimes 'cuz I suck at getting more than 1 name at a time in a field I might be looking for....

Peace...

Well if you are all so happy to buy just registered names like you say, go and bid on some of my auctions or on some of the other people who do the same thing here on Ebay. No...hardly ever see you people doing that if it's for more than reg fee. It's the rare name that goes for more.

And some people think sending unregged names lists to people who are searching for names is an underhanded way of doing business on this forum where people are trying to make money. I did it myself at first, searched for available names and sent them to the buyers. But then I saw someone get reamed for it here and I agreed, it underminds all our work for us who are paying more for good names. So...why pay XXX for gourmetcookies.com when HEY this name here is available for REG FEE! YummyGourmetCookies.com or whatever. So the person gets screwed for his gourmetcookies.com

 

[B33R]

I buy lists sometimes 'cuz I suck at getting more than 1 name at a time in a field I might be looking for.... .

I hear that.

I didn't even think to check for unregged domains. I just can't do it, fortunately mis_chiff sent me some great unregged lists and I regged a couple of domains I would never have thought of.

I don't know what I'd do without mis_chiff... I'd probably still have all my money and no domains. Where's the fun in that? :p

 

[Jo]

Ohhh interesting! So I was a bad girl (and I see others are too :hehe: ) for searching unregged names and PMing with suggestions! I don't do that anymore!

 

[randomo]

Ohhh interesting! So I was a bad girl (and I see others are too :hehe: ) for searching unregged names and PMing with suggestions! I don't do that anymore!

I don't do it any more either, but I was never a bad girl.