Collecting domain names

July 17, 2007

With the pricing available right now for domain names it is fairly easy to get caught up in this addiction. You won’t believe how many neat domains are still unregistered, especially two keyword domains both hyphenated and unhyphenated (just talking about .com’s).

Now, after gathering some 500 of ‘em, WHAT DO I DO WITH THEM? I hardly have the time to keep up with my websites (running 21 right now with freelance help).

Any neat hint as of how and what you do most efficiently with a growing pool?

Secret advice: If reselling is your ambition buy quality, not quantify. Better to buy 1 domain at $1,000 with real aftermarket potential than 100 domains that have captured your imagination (unless you have a crystal ball into the future). The only crystal ball I’ve ever had was an awareness of emerging technologies and even there it’s a race to the registrar. Generic tech domains, not some company’s new product name

I’m just wrapping up a significant (costly) dot org aftermarket buying spree. You take your chances in the domain space. Careful analysis may yield better results. I’m banking on the credibility of the .Org TLD and plan to build credible sites. Also, IMHO, .Org will serve well for subjects of international interest/concern, not carrying the “it’s the U.S. baggage” of .Com.

I’ve not run into significant competition in my efforts, no seriously annoying bidding wars (with rare exception). That works for me. It’s my observation that people are confused about the .Org space. They confuse ‘non-profit’ with ‘non-revenue producing’. I guess United Way doesn’t have ‘revenue’ but it moves 100s of millions of dollars, just for the asking. I think .Orgs are gems for credible information portals, communities which can be supported by affiliate relations, sponsors, etc. I also believe, deeply, in doing some good so they are well suited to my personal life mission of ‘do some business, do some good’. Many of the domains, if they were dot coms, have names/subjects, that would sell in the high 6 figures. Due to current perception let’s just say the prices have been modest. Go figure: Subjects like Trade, Investing, Tourism, Medication, Disease, Manufacturing, Clothing, Vacations and people have issues about whether the word is followed by .Com or .Org. Who knows? Maybe I’m the fool. Or, mabye, it’s 1994 all over again and I’m the fool back in the time