NEW YORK, NY - A reader suggested I look at the top domain sales of 2016 (specifically, the number of notable new gTLD sales); while I am waiting for a response from Sedo for a full set of data (if they will release it), I used Ron Jackson's popular 2016 Top 100 Domain Sales Charts to get an idea of exactly what moved around last year and how many ccTLDs verses gTLD domains hit the charts. Below is what I found [give or take a domain or two] (It was pretty grueling … [Read more...]
Could Domain Investing Industry End with Legal Provision for Domain “Hoarding”
NEW YORK, NY - What if you had to have a legitimate use for each and every domain name you have registered in your domain account? What if every single domain name you owned had to be associated with a business website which served its own purpose? It’s not happening yet, but it could happen. Every once in a while people ask me what I think are coming challenges for domain owners and I always have the same answer; regulation. If you follow what happened in the 1-800 Toll … [Read more...]
Domain Suspension – Registrant Information Verification Failure; It Could Happen to You
REMINDER: If you change either the first name, last name or email address on one of your domain registrations, you’ll need to verify the new information via email within 15 calendar days or you will be met with a page similar to this one in the below screenshot. This new policy took effect back in January of 2014 but this is how long it took for me to actually see one of these pages in action; it happened today. Not paying attention to those email verification … [Read more...]
List of (58) Dealership Web Site Hosting Companies; Site Providers, Export Services
NEW YORK, NY - Below is a list of auto dealer website companies which provide websites, hosting and export services. A few are Canadian providers while all others focus on United States dealerships. These companies can not only build, host and provide your website, but they also have the ability to export your inventory to various third party shopping sites. https://www.360.agency https://www.auction123.com https://www.autocorner.com https://www.autofunds.com … [Read more...]
Sometimes You Just Cannot Have the .com Name That You Want; Now Move On
It’s aggravating to find frivolous lawsuits such as one I will talk about today where someone fighting for a domain just doesn’t get it. The single thing that takes a negative situation like this and shows some positive light is when you find that there are good - no great people such as David E. Weslow (handling the case pro-bono) and organizations like the Internet Commerce Association (how I found out about this) which help tilt the scale in the other direction. Situations … [Read more...]
EDITED: Why Great .com Domain Names Are Paying Less Dividends for Investors
RETRACTION: A previous version of this article had listed two specific GTLD domain names sold last year (2016), instead of this year (2017); these GTLD domain names have been removed. Additionally a statement comparing the GTLDs as being sold higher than the .com domains, was a result of this error. The article has been edited to remove these examples. Although .com domain sales seemed lower than usual, so did GTLDs - in their performance when compared to last year. NEW … [Read more...]
Why Purchase of “Tainted” DNForum.com by New Owners = Good Investment
NEW YORK, NY - As most of you have already heard, DNForum.com, has been purchased by domain name enthusiasts George Verdugo and Kevin Faler. The two now have their work cut out for them as they begin to rebrand the forum, once again, as “The Place to Talk Domains”. But they have got competition – fierce competition as there are many other domain forums out there, one of which is the extremely popular NamePros.com. I ran into George at NamesCon and one of the first … [Read more...]
New York Releases Tips to Avoid Falling Victim to Cybercrime; Commemorates National Data Privacy Day
NEW YORK, NY - A host of New York State government agencies today announced important tips consumers and businesses can follow to protect their online privacy and information from unscrupulous scammers. These helpful steps and reminders from the Department of State, Office of Information Technology Services, Department of Taxation and Finance, Department of Financial Services and the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services help commemorate National Data Privacy … [Read more...]
Expense Report: Domainers to See Increase in Costs via Secure Browser Requirements
Over the last year, buzz on SSL use in general has been skyrocketing due to increased hacking and search engine requirements. Now, web browsers will instill even more urgency for webmasters and site owners to get-their-act-together and prepare to tackle the challenge of converting non-secure sites, to secure. In a business field already difficult to prosper, the last thing you need is another monkey-wrench thrown into the mix. For many domain owners, including myself, it … [Read more...]
No More Procrastinating on Two Factor Authenticating Protect Your Domains
There is one thing that can come between you and your business regardless of whom you are and how safe you feel your security procedures might be and that’s theft – especially in the domain business. There is a lot that can go wrong in the Internet business as it is, but likely nothing would be as bad as someone stealing your entire Internet address. Poof, all the sudden your entire business is gone. In a brick-and-motor business, it’s not likely that someone will come along … [Read more...]
New gTLD? Not So Fast; History Suggests New ‘Right of the Dots’ Could = Total Failure
It's a time where new generic top level domains are taking a lot of the lime-light in domain circles, sales charts, and buzz; but is the entire thing just a huge distraction from what domainers should really be focused on? I stumbled upon a case-in-point scenario that no domainer should ignore, and I cannot believe no-one is talking about it more. It's got me questioning even my own enthusiasm for these new, right of the dots. And please do not get me wrong; I myself have … [Read more...]
Comment Period Closing on .US Premium Domain Name and Privacy Plan Proposals
Now could be a very good time to pick up a few solid .US domain names just in case, or in preparation for, what could become a landslide increase in the use and demand for the domain extension ending in “.us” for the United States. NEW YORK, NY – Neustar, the registry which manages the .us domain name extension, is seeking public comment on a recommendation that it should release one and two character domain names (previously held) as well as consider certain domains as … [Read more...]
Just Another ‘Go-Nowhere’ Transaction at GoDaddy’s Aftermarket for Domains; WTF?
NEW YORK, NY - Let me begin by saying I am a big fan of GoDaddy.com and have been doing business with them since I began working on the Internet. I’m also a Wild West Domains reseller and believe it or not, I may not have even found this fantastic industry if it were not for Godaddy’s “Website Tonight” product which is now called “Website Builder” as it resulted in me building my very first website. In my opinion, GoDaddy.com is one of the best registrars for domains and I … [Read more...]
NamesCon 2017 Takes Place in Las Vegas, Jan 22 – 25, 2017; Be There or Be, ‘Square’
In just over two weeks the largest domain name conference in the World will take place in Las Vegas, Nevada, from January 22 to January 25. Over 1,400 guests are expected to visit the Tropicana Las Vegas on the south end of the Las Vegas Strip, specifically for NamesCon. The hotel has a 50,000-square-foot casino for night time fun and more than 72,000 square feet of meeting and exhibition space which the event will take great advantage of. Most everyone, who has anything to … [Read more...]
11 Tools to Market, Maintain, and Improve Your Website; Measure Your Competition
Below are ten great online tools which will help you be successful online. They are invaluable tools for both marketing and research and can help save you lots of time as well help you make critical decisions with much more insight then without them. Although there are probably thousands of tools online, these are the ones I like to use most and can help you gain a competitive advantage over your competition. A List of 10 Great (and mostly free) Tools to improve your … [Read more...]