domain squatters

SolarNexus

whilst looking for a domain name, I noticed one or two of the ones I was interested in were taken by domain squatters (companies that buy the name so they can inflate the price and sell it to you); I was wondering if there was a way to get the domain and bypass this horrid trend.

I'll tell you know, I'm not paying 2K for a domain just because some program and/or person picked it as a possible resale.

Bam Bam

I know what you mean, every time I go to the shops for food they expect me to pay for it, anyone know how I can get around this?:D

cgarvey

If you've a definite legal claim to the domain name in question (like an established trademark, for example) you could bring a case to the WIPO.. but you'd want to be fairly serious about wanting the domain, have a bit of cash to spend, and have some legal advice.

.cg

seamus

Bam Bam wrote:

I know what you mean, every time I go to the shops for food they expect me to pay for it, anyone know how I can get around this?:D

That's not really the same thing in fairness. An apt comparison would be someone who cleaned out the shops of one particular type of food and then sold it to you at around twenty times what they paid for it, depending on how badly you want it.

ando

I remember a few yrs ago some youngfella bought 30thcenturyfox.com or something similar. When the new millennium came along 20thcenturyfox wanted that domain but the youngfella was demanding millions to release the domain.

ballooba

That domain would not be saleable for 1000 years.

Squirrel

ando wrote:

I remember a few yrs ago some youngfella bought 30thcenturyfox.com or something similar. When the new millennium came along 20thcenturyfox wanted that domain but the youngfella was demanding millions to release the domain.

It was 21st Century Fox. Try a slightly different variety on the name. Or try a .ie instead of .com or something similar.

jmcc

SolarNexus wrote:

whilst looking for a domain name, I noticed one or two of the ones I was interested in were taken by domain squatters (companies that buy the name so they can inflate the price and sell it to you); I was wondering if there was a way to get the domain and bypass this horrid trend.

I'll tell you know, I'm not paying 2K for a domain just because some program and/or person picked it as a possible resale.

If the domain is essential to your brand then it might make sense. This "horrid trend" as you call it has been going on ever since domain names became marketable. At a guess, (based on the big lists of domains in com/net/org/biz/info/ie), a high percentage of domains are never used. In .com only 70% or so of domains registered are even active. Taking the "coming soon" and holding pages out of that would probably drive the figure down to around 50%

Unless you've gone for a real keyword rich domain, the cost of buying it off a squatter can be far less than the quoted price. Do some research, see how long the domain has been registered for and if it has been continually renewed. I'm sure that a few people around here might have a few domains available. Though as a rule, don't ask a domain owner to sell the domain to you at the registration cost. It shows cluelessness and that you would not be a serious player. Consequently your offer would be ignored.

Regards...jmcc

mneylon

A lot of the domains are being picked up for "monetisation" with people and companies holding portfolios of hundreds of domains (in many cases thousands)

Fortune

And in some cases, they may hold hundreds of tousands.

mneylon

Have a look at:
http://www.circleid.com/posts/the_parked_domain_monetization_business/