Will AOL's new promo drive the price of domains up?

[EBORG9]

In case you haven't heard...AOL has a new promo, whereas, they will give you the email of your choice, on the domain of your choice (if its available)
So, if you want "[email protected]" and "mydirtydrawers" hasn't been registered, then AOL will give you that email adress ....For Free!

If this promo is popular, and hundreds of thousands of people start registering email address of what ever strikes their fancy, will this drive the price of [.com] domains up, if AOL is cornering the market of all the common bull that is left?

Danger: If you register a new/free email address with this program, that domain now becomes the property of AOL, not you!

Will they take it from you if a buyer wants it? If so will you get a pay off for selling it, or will you even have any say in the matter?

 

[brizzad]

I doubt it will since the user doesnt actually get control over the domain, just email capabilities.

 

[irishmat]

Danger: If you register a new/free email address with this program, that domain now becomes the property of AOL, not you!

Will they take it from you if a buyer wants it? If so will you get a pay off for selling it, or will you even have any say in the matter?

your confusing this promotion with being about getting a domain for yourself, its not

all you get is an email address (yes from any domain but thats not the point)

if aol sells it why would you have a say or get a payoff?

they could perfectly easily continue your email address and sell off the domain

 

[bliss]

Danger: If you register a new/free email address with this program, that domain now becomes the property of AOL, not you!

Will they take it from you if a buyer wants it? If so will you get a pay off for selling it, or will you even have any say in the matter?

they could perfectly easily continue your email address and sell off the domain

I don't see how they could do that. If I bought a domain then I would want control of the MX records as to know that it is not sending out spam to any other domains to get blacklisted.

Also, isn't this just a big waste of money? I know they don't spend 7$ per domain, but still how many sign up times the cost of domains must be well out there. Would they really recoup the costs in advertisments and selling the domain off after a person abandons an account. If a person abandons an account and the domain is sold off and a year goes by and that person wants the account back, would they be able to get it back.

I read over the TOS and FAQ, but they are lacking and the TOS seems like a standard across the board TOS does not have anything about the domain per say in it. FAQ does not say anything about ownership of the domain. Nor does it say anything about being able to set the nameservers to be able to setup a website with the domain.

 

[IAmAllanShore]

Anyone have a link to the promotion? I've seen the ad about 100 times but it never really sunk in.

Personally, if it works that the user gets the email but AOL keeps the domain, bet your @$$ they fill it with ads and make a lot of parking money basically

Anyhow, I'll hold off on any more predictions until I see the page and try one out myself

-Allan

 

[Jeff]

:hi:

Link: http://free.aol.com/thenewaol/email.adp

<Create My eAddress Now>

Personally, I hope to get [email protected] :p

:notme:

Happy New Year!
-Jeff :santa:

 

[IAmAllanShore]

Hating on "MyChiliDogsRule.com" ?

Thanks, Jeff :tu:

-Allan :gl:

 

[yoyosean]

i doubt it because they will only purchase a domain which is not already registered, so maybe the fact that they will be taking more real estate, might drive up the secondary market slightly i think they will be taking strange random .coms and .nets that would probably not have keyword value or type in value anyway.

IMO

 

[Jeff]

Thanks, Jeff :tu:

You're most welcome, and Happy New Year Allan! :music:

PS. I don't believe this will drive up the prices of domains (caveat, "Users will be able to choose domains from both the .com and .net suffixes" only), in general IMHO. It may, however, marginally increase awareness of domain names ("not just the part before the @")! ... which may have a positive long-term effect on desired .COM and .NET domain names (for email address purposes), in my view.

Access to your email from anywhere, including AOL®.com and your mobile device.

But offer is only for .COM's and .NET's?
Assuming AOL, then, is not part of the .MOBI consortium, or something ...

Thanks for any additional insight and Happiest of Holidays, friends.
-Jeff

 

[Domainate.com]

As big as AOL is, I just don't see this deal being that popular, especially given the selection left. You're pretty much relegated to [email protected] whoop. I remember last domain fest I went to, I met Joe Alagna from CentralNic who frankly had the coolest email I've ever seen: [email protected]. If AOL could promise emails at domains that are really worthwhile, then I could see how that would really get people in. However, it's no trade secret that good .coms are not available anymore for the most part.

 

[IAmAllanShore]

But what is a "good" domain to the average citizen?

A family with 4 people, "Valarie, Walter, James, and Kitty" all of a sudden have an interest in VWJK.com or similar.

Anyhow, I don't think that the initial disappointment of not being able to get "cooldude.com" or "ourfamily.com" is going to dissuade folks from still coming up with creative uses for domains that are otherwise not premium.

-Allan

 

[Jeff]

Anyhow, I don't think that the initial disappointment of not being able to get "cooldude.com" or "ourfamily.com" is going to dissuade folks from still coming up with creative uses for domains that are otherwise not premium.

Good point, and for sure Allan.
Here, though, I'd be looking at the demographics of AOL - and, more specifically, the demographics of those for which this offer is intended as email addresses in either .com or .net - and I envision a lot of what we as domainers would generally classify as "junk" domains being registered for this purpose, IMHO. :blink:

Still, the heightened awareness of what comes after the @ is a good thing! :music:
See you soon.
-Jeff

 

[EBORG9]

Any awarenes to the value of domains has to be good. I am tired of having to explain it to new clients.
I am so tired of being told things like, " OK, I want EZFinance.com (for example) as my domain" "What do you mean its not available?".."Then how about just EZFI.com?"
People really have no idea how far behind they are with whats really going on, on the web.
So if this helps to suck up all the BS, and bring attention to the importance, and unavailability of a good domain. I am all for it.

Even though I think it's kind of sneaky of AOL.

 

[shockie]

so basically aol gets the domain names that people are interested in. good job aol! lol

 

[Dave_Z]

Caveat emptor, as always. It's a shame some people are too dumb or too lazy
to check, and only care about getting the results they want.

 

[IAmAllanShore]

So my mobile is being incompetent apparently, because I haven't gotten the "PIN" yet.
Has anyone succesfully signed up yet? I kind of want to see what appears at the actual page, as well as how long it is before they start offering to "upsell" you (Want your MySpace page to show up at "OneCoolCowGirl.com"? only $49.95 a year!)

I love the genius in strategic and tactical business on this one (potentially), although I'm curious how consumer sentiment will play out, and how AOL will control the bitch-sessions sure to follow if the setup is like we currently believe.

-Allan :gl:

 

[gingeman]

This is a superb idea from AOL, and I think they will make a lot of money from it in advertising, parking revenue, domain sales and upselling, but I can't see it having any notable impact on domain prices in the near future tbh.

 

[Carlton]

... although I'm curious how consumer sentiment will play out, and how AOL will control the bitch-sessions sure to follow...

AOL = poor service overall.

 

[EBORG9]

Here is the link to the promo:
https://domains.aol.com/personaldomain/app/domainHomeSearch

The kicker is you can let up to 100 people have an email address on your free email domain.

 

[AzN]

From the FAQ's:

7. Can I use my domain for web hosting?

Initially, you will not be able to use the domain for web hosting. Check back soon for this functionality.