Comments on: Are Domains The New Black? http://gigaom.com/2006/04/13/are-domains-the-new-black/ Tracking the Internet Evolution Mon, 07 Jul 2008 02:00:43 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=MU By: Anastasios http://gigaom.com/2006/04/13/are-domains-the-new-black/#comment-833005 Anastasios Mon, 07 Jan 2008 18:26:58 +0000 http://gigaom.wordpress.com/2006/04/13/are-domains-the-new-black/#comment-833005 <p>Interesting...</p> Interesting…

]]> By: Earl http://gigaom.com/2006/04/13/are-domains-the-new-black/#comment-47000 Earl Wed, 14 Feb 2007 07:34:11 +0000 http://gigaom.wordpress.com/2006/04/13/are-domains-the-new-black/#comment-47000 <p>Those who think that domain squatting is "just the free market at work" definitely have had a moral bypass. While I rarely applaud Microsoft, I give them two thumbs-up for taking on the domain, name, and typo-squatters. A squatter is a scumbag, a cockroach, with no creativity, no life of their own, looking to buy for 1 and sell for 2 with no value added. These are the types of people that make terrorists view the capitalist system as full of blood-sucking vultures and thus provide the rationalization so that they feel no remorse for cutting off the heads of Westerners.</p> Those who think that domain squatting is “just the free market at work” definitely have had a moral bypass. While I rarely applaud Microsoft, I give them two thumbs-up for taking on the domain, name, and typo-squatters. A squatter is a scumbag, a cockroach, with no creativity, no life of their own, looking to buy for 1 and sell for 2 with no value added. These are the types of people that make terrorists view the capitalist system as full of blood-sucking vultures and thus provide the rationalization so that they feel no remorse for cutting off the heads of Westerners.

]]> By: Jim Bob http://gigaom.com/2006/04/13/are-domains-the-new-black/#comment-46999 Jim Bob Tue, 08 Aug 2006 20:36:50 +0000 http://gigaom.wordpress.com/2006/04/13/are-domains-the-new-black/#comment-46999 <p>GODADDY WITHDRAWS IPO TODAY!</p> <p>Will Godaddy now sell to someone like AOL as they re-tool there internet company.</p> GODADDY WITHDRAWS IPO TODAY!

Will Godaddy now sell to someone like AOL as they re-tool there internet company.

]]> By: Bill Roy http://gigaom.com/2006/04/13/are-domains-the-new-black/#comment-46998 Bill Roy Wed, 19 Apr 2006 07:31:54 +0000 http://gigaom.wordpress.com/2006/04/13/are-domains-the-new-black/#comment-46998 <p>I am glad to say that we do live in a free market, otherwise airline pilots, doctors, scientists, etc., would all be paid a paltry wage as in some non-free market countries.</p> <p>As for those entrepreneurs who complain that they have to spend money on buying a domain name why should that be any different to any other product? As for the lack of good dotcoms why not go after something truely original and worth its weight in advertising gold like:</p> <p>'TheBe.st' 'GolfClub.st' 'Texas.St'</p> <p>And the difference in cost between the dotcom and .St they can bank with a smile on their face. </p> <p>Here is for the ccTLD's, and the small entrepreneur who is giving small and medium sized companies the chance to utilize the power of the internet at a fraction of the cost of a dotcom!</p> I am glad to say that we do live in a free market, otherwise airline pilots, doctors, scientists, etc., would all be paid a paltry wage as in some non-free market countries.

As for those entrepreneurs who complain that they have to spend money on buying a domain name why should that be any different to any other product? As for the lack of good dotcoms why not go after something truely original and worth its weight in advertising gold like:

‘TheBe.st’
‘GolfClub.st’
‘Texas.St’

And the difference in cost between the dotcom and .St they can bank with a smile on their face.

Here is for the ccTLD’s, and the small entrepreneur who is giving small and medium sized companies the chance to utilize the power of the internet at a fraction of the cost of a dotcom!

]]> By: Jones http://gigaom.com/2006/04/13/are-domains-the-new-black/#comment-46997 Jones Sun, 16 Apr 2006 07:30:58 +0000 http://gigaom.wordpress.com/2006/04/13/are-domains-the-new-black/#comment-46997 <p>"GoDaddy has a total of 6.66 million domains registered to it. At a very rough average of about $10 a year for registration, that would work out to about $66 million in annual sales just form domain sales/renewals. Warning: This is a very very very rough estimate."</p> <p>I think that about $6.25 of every registration for a dot com goes back to Verisign and/or ICANN. A few companies will sell you a dot com domain name for less than $6.25, but this is only if they think that you are going to use their webhosting.</p> “GoDaddy has a total of 6.66 million domains registered to it. At a very rough average of about $10 a year for registration, that would work out to about $66 million in annual sales just form domain sales/renewals. Warning: This is a very very very rough estimate.”

I think that about $6.25 of every registration for a dot com goes back to Verisign and/or ICANN. A few companies will sell you a dot com domain name for less than $6.25, but this is only if they think that you are going to use their webhosting.

]]> By: Julian Martinez http://gigaom.com/2006/04/13/are-domains-the-new-black/#comment-46996 Julian Martinez Sat, 15 Apr 2006 08:27:39 +0000 http://gigaom.wordpress.com/2006/04/13/are-domains-the-new-black/#comment-46996 <p>It took our company nearly two year to find a good domain.</p> <p>We were looking for something: - short (6 letter max). - available .com - available in local European countries (.co.uk, .de, .fr, .it, etc..) - easily brandable in any language.</p> <p>I finally found Adoos.com after spending many long nights trying millions of words at godaddy.</p> It took our company nearly two year to find a good domain.

We were looking for something:
- short (6 letter max).
- available .com
- available in local European countries (.co.uk, .de, .fr, .it, etc..)
- easily brandable in any language.

I finally found Adoos.com after spending many long nights trying millions of words at godaddy.

]]> By: Chris Jara http://gigaom.com/2006/04/13/are-domains-the-new-black/#comment-46995 Chris Jara Sat, 15 Apr 2006 06:37:47 +0000 http://gigaom.wordpress.com/2006/04/13/are-domains-the-new-black/#comment-46995 <p>The real potential value for domain speculators with huge portfolios is a new trend in building out the domains and not just depending in type-in traffic. The forward-thinking firms will see that this is their best current method of generating long-term value for their holdings.</p> <p>Looks like an opportunity for Web 2.0 developers - partner with the domainers and have access to cool names, instead of Star Wars characters.</p> The real potential value for domain speculators with huge portfolios is a new trend in building out the domains and not just depending in type-in traffic. The forward-thinking firms will see that this is their best current method of generating long-term value for their holdings.

Looks like an opportunity for Web 2.0 developers - partner with the domainers and have access to cool names, instead of Star Wars characters.

]]> By: Kevin Berk http://gigaom.com/2006/04/13/are-domains-the-new-black/#comment-46994 Kevin Berk Fri, 14 Apr 2006 18:52:19 +0000 http://gigaom.wordpress.com/2006/04/13/are-domains-the-new-black/#comment-46994 <p>The domain monetization business is here to stay, but will likely see a decline as user get savvier about using Google, bookmarking. In addition, IE and Firefox will get smarter about suggesting the "real" site you might be looking for. What is interesting is what the domain owners will do to drive traffic to their paid links. See my post on Marchex's traffic arbitrage practices. They've said it is a core part of their strategy to drive more search traffic (paid and unpaid) to their domains full of paid listings. Seems like a short term win for marchex, but not great for users!</p> <p>http://berk.typepad.com/bshaw/2005/11/irrelevant_traf.html</p> <p>Disclosure: I own puts on Marchex shares</p> The domain monetization business is here to stay, but will likely see a decline as user get savvier about using Google, bookmarking. In addition, IE and Firefox will get smarter about suggesting the “real” site you might be looking for. What is interesting is what the domain owners will do to drive traffic to their paid links. See my post on Marchex’s traffic arbitrage practices. They’ve said it is a core part of their strategy to drive more search traffic (paid and unpaid) to their domains full of paid listings. Seems like a short term win for marchex, but not great for users!

http://berk.typepad.com/bshaw/2005/11/irrelevant_traf.html

Disclosure: I own puts on Marchex shares

]]> By: Andrew http://gigaom.com/2006/04/13/are-domains-the-new-black/#comment-46993 Andrew Fri, 14 Apr 2006 18:14:37 +0000 http://gigaom.wordpress.com/2006/04/13/are-domains-the-new-black/#comment-46993 <p>Good analysis Om. Keep in mind that GoDaddy's margins on domains are minimal (the wholesale cost of a .com domain is $6.25, plus infrastructure). They make most of their margin on non-domain products. That's why they offer domains for $1.99 if you buy something else with it (e.g. web hosting).</p> <p>One of the big challenges for GoDaddy going public is its outspoken leader, Bob Parsons. He's blogged about things like how he is a proponent of torture. That's not good for a public company. I can see him being like Overstock's CEO when he has an analyst asking tough questions.</p> <p>For more about GoDaddy and some recent articles about the company, visit http://domainnamewire.com/2006/04/12/godaddy-plans-ipo/</p> Good analysis Om. Keep in mind that GoDaddy’s margins on domains are minimal (the wholesale cost of a .com domain is $6.25, plus infrastructure). They make most of their margin on non-domain products. That’s why they offer domains for $1.99 if you buy something else with it (e.g. web hosting).

One of the big challenges for GoDaddy going public is its outspoken leader, Bob Parsons. He’s blogged about things like how he is a proponent of torture. That’s not good for a public company. I can see him being like Overstock’s CEO when he has an analyst asking tough questions.

For more about GoDaddy and some recent articles about the company, visit http://domainnamewire.com/2006/04/12/godaddy-plans-ipo/

]]> By: /pd http://gigaom.com/2006/04/13/are-domains-the-new-black/#comment-46992 /pd Fri, 14 Apr 2006 16:59:17 +0000 http://gigaom.wordpress.com/2006/04/13/are-domains-the-new-black/#comment-46992 <p>did not someone appropriate the bigdaddy.eu domain ??</p> did not someone appropriate the bigdaddy.eu domain ??

]]> By: Zack http://gigaom.com/2006/04/13/are-domains-the-new-black/#comment-46991 Zack Fri, 14 Apr 2006 14:33:22 +0000 http://gigaom.wordpress.com/2006/04/13/are-domains-the-new-black/#comment-46991 <p>Great post, Om. See the SeekingAlpha post, http://internetstockblog.com/article/9023, about what the GoDaddy IPO may mean for Verisign(VRSN), Web.com(WWWW), and 24/7 Media (TFSM). </p> <p>"What is perhaps most interesting about this IPO (if it comes) is that it will shed light on an industry segment that has become very difficult and opaque in determining a fair value for each company. The industry leader is clearly VeriSign (Nasdaq: VRSN), which has been hounded publicly by GoDaddy’s CEO because of some unfair monopolistic advantages that Internic has given to VRSN."</p> Great post, Om. See the SeekingAlpha post, http://internetstockblog.com/article/9023, about what the GoDaddy IPO may mean for Verisign(VRSN), Web.com(WWWW), and 24/7 Media (TFSM).

“What is perhaps most interesting about this IPO (if it comes) is that it will shed light on an industry segment that has become very difficult and opaque in determining a fair value for each company. The industry leader is clearly VeriSign (Nasdaq: VRSN), which has been hounded publicly by GoDaddy’s CEO because of some unfair monopolistic advantages that Internic has given to VRSN.”

]]> By: esengulov http://gigaom.com/2006/04/13/are-domains-the-new-black/#comment-46990 esengulov Fri, 14 Apr 2006 13:00:50 +0000 http://gigaom.wordpress.com/2006/04/13/are-domains-the-new-black/#comment-46990 <p>sorry for double comment, my cocomment did not record the first one</p> sorry for double comment, my cocomment did not record the first one

]]> By: esengulov http://gigaom.com/2006/04/13/are-domains-the-new-black/#comment-46989 esengulov Fri, 14 Apr 2006 13:00:13 +0000 http://gigaom.wordpress.com/2006/04/13/are-domains-the-new-black/#comment-46989 <p>I am one of the entrpreneurs who is really mad on the lack of domains, however with some effort i think good domains are still around it is just takes some effort.</p> <p>I consider anything that has some not more then 6 letters, easy to remember and ends with .com as a good domain.</p> <p>For instance not so long ago I got fijjy.com,kimpi.com</p> <p>so I think there are still some domains that are left out</p> I am one of the entrpreneurs who is really mad on the lack of domains, however with some effort i think good domains are still around it is just takes some effort.

I consider anything that has some not more then 6 letters, easy to remember and ends with .com as a good domain.

For instance not so long ago I got
fijjy.com,kimpi.com

so I think there are still some domains that are left out

]]> By: esengulov http://gigaom.com/2006/04/13/are-domains-the-new-black/#comment-46988 esengulov Fri, 14 Apr 2006 12:56:23 +0000 http://gigaom.wordpress.com/2006/04/13/are-domains-the-new-black/#comment-46988 <p>I am one of the entrpreneurs who is really mad on the lack of domains, however with some effort i think good domains are still around it is just takes some effort. </p> <p>I consider anything that has some not more then 6 letters, easy to remember and ends with .com as a good domain.</p> <p>For instance not so long ago I got fijjy.com,kimpi.com</p> <p>so I think there are still some domains that are left out</p> I am one of the entrpreneurs who is really mad on the lack of domains, however with some effort i think good domains are still around it is just takes some effort.

I consider anything that has some not more then 6 letters, easy to remember and ends with .com as a good domain.

For instance not so long ago I got
fijjy.com,kimpi.com

so I think there are still some domains that are left out

]]> By: Mike OConnor http://gigaom.com/2006/04/13/are-domains-the-new-black/#comment-46987 Mike OConnor Fri, 14 Apr 2006 12:54:06 +0000 http://gigaom.wordpress.com/2006/04/13/are-domains-the-new-black/#comment-46987 <p>John (McCormac, above) is commenting in detail about the .EU landrush on his blog (click on his name to get there). And darn fine comments they are too -- I agree.</p> <p>But this is partly about markets and how creative they can be. Om's point is well taken -- the good names are pretty much all gone in .com. Along comes a new TLD, priced at a flat rate. The market responds -- speculators snap up just about all the names in the space within a week, with the intention of reselling them at auction. Some of those folks will make a bunch of money, others will not. Markets at work, no problem there. Even the abuses that may be taking place can be viewed the result of an efficient market -- creative people recognizing a loophole in a flawed process. Efficient allocation of scarce resource. Supply and demand, etc.</p> <p>One way to reduce the value/cost of domain names would be to increase supply. Let thousands of TLDs bloom. An interesting question to ponder is "who's motivated to <em>restrict</em> supply?"</p> John (McCormac, above) is commenting in detail about the .EU landrush on his blog (click on his name to get there). And darn fine comments they are too — I agree.

But this is partly about markets and how creative they can be. Om’s point is well taken — the good names are pretty much all gone in .com. Along comes a new TLD, priced at a flat rate. The market responds — speculators snap up just about all the names in the space within a week, with the intention of reselling them at auction. Some of those folks will make a bunch of money, others will not. Markets at work, no problem there. Even the abuses that may be taking place can be viewed the result of an efficient market — creative people recognizing a loophole in a flawed process. Efficient allocation of scarce resource. Supply and demand, etc.

One way to reduce the value/cost of domain names would be to increase supply. Let thousands of TLDs bloom. An interesting question to ponder is “who’s motivated to restrict supply?”

]]> By: John McCormac http://gigaom.com/2006/04/13/are-domains-the-new-black/#comment-46986 John McCormac Fri, 14 Apr 2006 06:12:50 +0000 http://gigaom.wordpress.com/2006/04/13/are-domains-the-new-black/#comment-46986 <p>Webhosting.info uses the same methodology as Ipwalk but also allows hosters to cluster nameservers. It too does not cover ccTLDs and as such, where there is a strong ccTLD in a country, gives a limited view.</p> <p>I find http://www.registrarstats.com to be a far better site when it comes to registrar statistics. However it too has the ccTLD coverage problem.</p> Webhosting.info uses the same methodology as Ipwalk but also allows hosters to cluster nameservers. It too does not cover ccTLDs and as such, where there is a strong ccTLD in a country, gives a limited view.

I find http://www.registrarstats.com to be a far better site when it comes to registrar statistics. However it too has the ccTLD coverage problem.

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