information Why Braden Pollock Invested Six Figures in .WS Domain Names

[News]

I bought a portfolio of more than 200 premium 2-3 character .ws names (CHiPs) because, well, I like making money . As every domain investor knows, the Chinese market is on fire. Not only are they buying up short .com and .CN, but they’re buying up many, many other extensions. I think .ws is next. I shouldn’t say “next”, knowing what I know now. It’s already happening.

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[brindle123]

sell enough to make your money back then hold the rest.

 

[Mahogany]

FYI, propoganda and hype. I'm not drinking the kool aid. 6 figures on 200 2c/3c .ws???

How many 4L.com could I buy with 6 figures?

I sincerely hopes he makes a huge ROI but with that kind of bankroll.... I'd go with the sure investment. (IMHO and coming from a guy who's never spent xxxx on a single domain.) Maybe that's why I'm still in the little leagues. :P

 

[Name Trader]

Like most people I think this is a risky investment. But the buyer justifies the purchase in that he got in early and the registry is actively promoting the tld in China. I think his risk profile is much higher than most. And he hasn't invested more than he can afford to lose. So I wish him, Good Luck. The post does kinda have a feel of pump 'n dump about it. I have no inside track on that, one way or another.

 

[Kate]

Scary...

 

[Asfas1000]

He must have some inside info...that's too much to risk just on gut feeling...

 

[Name Trader]

He does have some inside information. Which he has shared. The empirical evidence that the Chinese are already buying these domains, and the fact that the registry is actively promoting the TLD in China. I take him at is word with these two statements. I haven't checked the facts.

 

[djum]

Like most people I think this is a risky investment. But the buyer justifies the purchase in that he got in early and the registry is actively promoting the tld in China.

6 figures is what scary here. Taking risk is OK, but to put for the same money you could buy more than 200 quality domains somewhere else with higher upside. Just my opinion.

 

[21x20]

6 figures is what scary here. Taking risk is OK, but to put for the same money you could buy more than 200 quality domains somewhere else with higher upside. Just my opinion.

Six figures is only scary if six figures is scary to you.

My only point is it's all relative. If you've got 8 figures in the bank, 6 isn't likely as scary as if you only have 5 in the bank.

Relativity is so important. That's the theory at least.

All the same, I'm not at all convinced WS has anything going for it.

 

[Name Trader]

6 figures is what scary here. Taking risk is OK, but to put for the same money you could buy more than 200 quality domains somewhere else with higher upside. Just my opinion.

I think the buyer is expecting to make much more than he could make on 200 quality domains @ $1k each. And in a shorter time-frame. You can't find a lot of quality domains for $1000/each. I'm sure he is AT LEAST expecting to double his money. Probably a lot more than just double it.

As @21x20 has stated. It's all about your tolerance for risk and whether he can afford to lose it. I consider myself to have at least some tolerance to risk. But I wouldn't take on that SIZE of risk. He's probably a multi-millionaire and can afford to lose it. If I had that size of cash reserves, which I could afford to blow. I'd probably retire instead. To each, their own.

 

[Lite]

Chinese will pump names and prices only if they hold the majority of the shares. Unless .ws is heavily marketed in China, unfortunately this is going to fail like most of GTLD's and newly hyped short CCTLD's. Looks like greed overtook.

 

[Name Trader]

@Lite - Have you not read what the buyer, and I have repeated (just accepting what the buyer has stated). This TLD IS being heavily promoted in China.

 

[DNScholar]

So .com, .cn and .ws are popular in China. What are the other popular extentions?

 

[Lite]

@Lite - Have you not read what the buyer, and I have repeated (just accepting what the buyer has stated). This TLD IS being heavily promoted in China.

If its being heavily promoted in China, then good for the investor. Still I am skeptical about .ws because Chinese do not own the majority in .ws (NN/NNN/NNNN/LL/LLL) . Lion's share is owned by western domain bloggers and investors.

 

[Name Trader]

Have you checked that 2/3 char .ws are mostly owned by western investors? I would say to that, that the easiest way for the Chinese to hold the majority would be to buy the currently registered domains Which I imagine is part of the buyers strategy. Not to compete with them for holding these domains. It simply requires them to believe the promotion from the registry.

 

[Name Trader]

So .com, .cn and .ws are popular in China. What are the other popular extentions?

Hang on a minute. I don't think .ws is currently popular in China. That's speculation. Besides .com and .cn, I'd say .cc and some of the New GTLD's like .xyz .club, .top (and maybe somebody else can add to that list). We are also only talking about 2/3/4 char domains.

 

[briguy]

If this was the stock market, wouldn't this be called "insider trading" and illegal?

"I spoke to Alan Ezeir, the co-founder of GDI (who is a longtime friend) and he said that they’ve been receiving inquiries for their premium reserved short names – and they initially sold some privately. I saw the writing on the wall and asked if I could acquire some of the names too."

But no matter what...basic networking at it best!
Sometimes it not what you know but who you know

Note, not a expert on the stock market or domain market and have no current interest in acquiring .ws domains.

 

[Recons.Com]

Pump and dump.

For .com, 3 letter English dictionary word can be 100-1000 times more valuable than 4l.com chip. For ws, people "pay" 500$ for chip, but they won't take for few bucks 3l dictionary word.ws

I say, it is pump and dump and many people, domainers and bloggers, are in the play, trying to make a fortune, going someone else will end up holding it when it tanks.

 

[Lite]

If this was the stock market, wouldn't this be called "insider trading" and illegal?

"I spoke to Alan Ezeir, the co-founder of GDI (who is a longtime friend) and he said that they’ve been receiving inquiries for their premium reserved short names – and they initially sold some privately. I saw the writing on the wall and asked if I could acquire some of the names too."

But no matter what...basic networking at it best!
Sometimes it not what you know but who you know

Note, not a expert on the stock market or domain market and have no current interest in acquiring .ws domains.

Unregulated domain market. That is the reason Chinese decided to park black money on domain names.

 

[Name Trader]

Pump and dump.

For .com, 3 letter English dictionary word can be 100-1000 times more valuable than 4l.com chip. For ws, people "pay" 500$ for chip, but they won't take for few bucks 3l dictionary word.ws

I say, it is pump and dump and many people, domainers and bloggers, are in the play, trying to make a fortune, going someone else will end up holding it when it tanks.

I'd buy, for a few bucks, all the 3L dictionary words in .WS that you want to sell But that is probably true for 4L .WS domains.