.mobi Why Spread out premium names over months and months?

[jam123]

Hi

The thing i really find interesting is that it seems the auctioning off of all .mobi premium names has been spread out, now one could argue that is a good thing in that it will slowly increase the price of .mobi's top end names, however at the same time one cannot overlook the fact that we as the consumers will have to wait longer for .mobi to fully established in the market place, i mean if it takes 2 years, that’s not bad, but they have shown no sign if .mobi will become the default, and therefore all sites .com regardless will have to have a .mobi site in order to up and running on a mobile phone.

Because i can't see .mobi's success continuing in that direction unless this is the case and .mobi becomes the default. Now i hope it does, but honestly the backers need to come out of there closets a little so as to speak.

Do take note that it was Nokia that started the original request/bid for a .mobi domain initially in y2k, which i mentioned and posted proof of in in my earlier thread.

As a consumer i am hoping the premium names: news.mobi, sports.mobi, weather and ringtones.mobi will purchased by one of the phone companies themselves, or even a network.

Now it would be interesting to see Microsoft purchase such names wouldn’t it?

I doubt it, but no ones knows what’s going to happen in that respect.

Premium names: 5615 names!:
http://pc.mtld.mobi/documents/Premium_Name_List_16Jan07.pdf
ok minus the ones that have been sold : flowers, fun and one or two others.

Please comment on this if you have some information that you can share, or if you can shed some light on this matter.

Kind Regards

Jam

 

[think]

#1. A very simple answer is not to saturate the market. Flood the market and prices tumble. That's about as honest as it gets.

#2. The goal of Dot Mobi is to get the top properties developed. By selling them slowly Dot Mobi gains exposure while the companies and individuals interested in DEVELOPING these properties can put together a business plan , funding , and the right team to make the venture successful.

Just my take on things.

 

[jam123]

Ok thanks for that Thinker:

You are right,

I do appreciate what you said, but the slow process of auctioning of the premium names still bugs me, and makes me curious.

Thank you for answering my question and giving me something to think about.
I will take your stance on this.

Kind Regards

Jam

 

[wot]

Premier marketing strategy leading to consumer acceptance - Branding!

 

[Pred]

Quite simply a masterstroke for the registry. It is good news for us too.
If they were all released onto the market in one go, as was mentioned by think, the market would be saturated.
The key players interested in the prime names are relatively small & range from top companies , to top speculators/domainers..yeah even some of us! lol
Therefore releasing over a longer period encourages higher prices for the premiums. This ensures imo higher prices for our 'premium' names.
It is also a realistic timeframe for news of mobi to filter around the world, via word of mouth, phone, internet, broadcasting, media etc
From the registry's point of view they have been clever as the process will take us just over the registration period for renewals. Mobis being dropped would be a bad sign , a little like what happened to info (yes info is making solid progress, but is a slowcoach compared to mobi)
I actually think this structured, well thoiught out process can only help the extension.
Mobi has been so fast out of the blocks, a little control is always good.
Remember the pirelli/carl lewis ad?
The future's bright.........the future's mobi %%-

 

[labrocca]

#1. A very simple answer is not to saturate the market. Flood the market and prices tumble. That's about as honest as it gets.

#2. The goal of Dot Mobi is to get the top properties developed. By selling them slowly Dot Mobi gains exposure while the companies and individuals interested in DEVELOPING these properties can put together a business plan , funding , and the right team to make the venture successful.

Just my take on things.

good answer...however I been getting more and more baffled by mTLDs hold of these domains. One has to wonder if this approach they are taking won't backfire. They have over 5000 names. How many are they going to release per year? 100? 500? So is the idea that the BEST names out there will get doled out slowly to companies willing to pay the most or promise the best development? Either way it may take YEARS for all those premium names to get placed. Now let's say I am an applicant for News.mobi. My company can't begin development until we know we are getting the domain. So let's say NBC, Fox, and CNN all want the domain...who gets it? The highest bidder? Whom does that serve except mTLD? Now that's just one domain...imagine the THOUSANDS they have? Are they going to make developers and consumers wait years before the best mobi domains can be developed? IMHO mobi has a 2 year window to do something to gain awareness amongst consumers. I can't see it happening with their current plan. mTLD is a success they have sold hundreds of thousands of names. Premiums like flowers.mobi went to their pocket and NOT domainers.It's the one reason they held the premiums...to make MONEY. I can't see the logic of this hold for developers routine. Developers would need the domains asap and mTLD isn't going that route.

 

[Pred]

Now let's say I am an applicant for News.mobi. My company can't begin development until we know we are getting the domain. So let's say NBC, Fox, and CNN all want the domain...who gets it? The highest bidder? Whom does that serve except mTLD?

The news. mobi , weather.mobi as i understand it are separate from the others, it is whoever can show they will develop it best & do it justice.
There is an application fee, i think it was $1000 off the top of my head. Chickenfeed for big guys. Enough to put off a small, but very good developer though. Knowing full well a big gun will land it. Another clever move by the registry. A top player will do it justice & advertise it. The key point. Plus they end up smelling of roses as they haven't sold these important 'public' names out to the highest bidder, but to who can give the best service. As i remember the 'owners' are banned forom reselling for a number of years too.
The other premium ones are to the highest bidders i believe. They will have to start knocking some of them out soon though.
cheers

 

[domaindigger]

They have over 5000 names. How many are they going to release per year? 100? 500? So is the idea that the BEST names out there will get doled out slowly to companies willing to pay the most or promise the best development? Either way it may take YEARS for all those premium names to get placed.

Incorrect. Please do your research before misleading others.

Now that the WIPO process has concluded, dotMobi has commenced the allocation process for the remainder of Premium Names. Sales are ongoing until 2008 through Auction and Request for Proposal (RFP) processes.

http://pc.mtld.mobi/switched/premium.html

 

[mykel241]

I do have mixed emotions about the way they are releasing them.

I know from a strategic stand-point if the .mobi TLD fails to take off then they can release them all to the over-hyped domainers as an exit strategy to satisfy investors and make millions at the same time.

Michael

ps. No registrar should have the ability to holdback names for any reason at all.

 

[labrocca]

And exactly HOW is my post misleading? OK...let's say they dole out these names over the next 2 years...that's still an aweful long time. Also there is no promise domains won't fall prey to the highest bidder or resellers. Their statement says

increase the likelihood that these domain names will more promptly provide the mobile community with new features and services

Increase the likelihood! lol...bullcrap. Let's see them actually put their mouths where their money is.

 

[qO_Op]

I think by spreading out the premiums over a longer period of time it gives more companies the chance to hear about .mobi and not just domainers.

 

[labrocca]

Yes it gives them the chance to notice .mobi and convince them to spend their money as well.

 

[jam123]

Thankyou for the feedback everyone

Yes its a little unlcear, but what is clear is that Pinky Brand mentioned they where going to spread this process of placing the premiums names via auction and other means in his chat session at namepros, and gave nothing away, which is understandble.

However one has to wonder how many names will go up by the end of this year and if most of them will be developed. Also the weather or not websites deafult to .mobi on cell/mobile devices will be interesting, i think the case studies they will be doing along with there invstors will be intersting and may be a case for them to have mobile devices default to .mobi.

Just my thoughts

Thanks for the feedback on this as i thought it was very important for us to have a discussion on this, so as to speak.

Pleae do add more information as when you hear or read anything.

Aurevoir