Monthly Archives: March 2009

Wed 18th March 2009
Written by DomainNameWire in EN and tagged
Is Your Domain Name Ownership Information Safe? - ICANN starts auditing registrars for data escrow compliance. Last month ICANN sent a breach notice to domain registrar Parava Networks. Among several serious breaches, one of Parava’s faults was not escrowing its registrant data. ICANN’s Registrant Data Escrow (RDE) program requires domain registrars to escrow customer information with a third party provider. If the registrar fails or loses its accreditation, ICANN can tap the escrow data to ensure the safe ... read more ...
 
Written by DomainNameWire in EN and tagged
DevHub Inks Agreement with eNom, Tops 100,000 Sites - Web site development platform to offer domain name registration; continues growth. Domain development platform DevHub has signed a premium reseller agreement with Demand Media’s eNom to offer domain names to its customers. Although DevHub’s agreement with eNom right now is fairly simple, I can see the relationship expanding with eNom’s parent company. Demand Media is about bringing social media to masses, and DevHub could be a good platform to enable that. DevHub ... read more ...
 
Written by DomainNameWire in EN and tagged
Sedo Changes Transfer Process - New web-based system streamlines domain transfer process. Domain name aftermarket Sedo has changed the way it communicates with buyers and sellers during the domain transfer process. Instead of sending e-mails, all transactions will be managed through a dashboard called “Transfer Center”. Sedo’s previous system, involving multiple communications from Sedo transfer specialists, was difficult to track and opened the system up to potential security issues. Through ... read more ...
 
Written by DomainNameWire in EN and tagged
WhyPark Simplifies Price Structure - Domain name parking alternative simplifies pricing of Enhanced and Managed accounts. Domain name parking alternative WhyPark announced today that it has simplified its pricing structure. Users still pay $99 to set up 100 sites, but pricing for Enhanced and Managed accounts is a fixed monthly charge of $10 and $25 respectively. Compared to basic accounts, Enhanced accounts offer: -More templates -10 MB image hosting -RSS feed integration -Stats sent via email -Social ... read more ...
 
Written by DomainNameWire in EN and tagged
Go Daddy Awarded Three New Patents - Go Daddy gets three new patents, bringing total to five. The Go Daddy Group, Inc, parent company of domain registrar GoDaddy, has been awardedthree new patents this month. Based on a search of “Go Daddy” with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, Go Daddy now has five patents. Its previously issued patents include one for private domain registration (whois privacy) and a server based spam filter. The three patents granted this month relate to web design and ... read more ...
 
Written by DomainNameWire in EN and tagged
New UDRP Domain Arbitration Search Engine Launches - UDRPsearch.com searches cases at National Arbitration Forum and WIPO. A new UDRP search engine, UDRPsearch.com, has launched. The web site allows you to search cases at both National Arbitration Forum and World Intellectual Property Organization without going to both sites. This is helpful for researching particular keywords, complainants, respondents, etc. The site is similar to another one I’ve written about, DomainFight.net. You can search by domain, complainant/respondent, ... read more ...
Tue 17th March 2009
Written by The Domains in EN and tagged
127 Stories Got It Wrong Yesterday - According to Google’s count, there were 127 stories published online yesterday about the report from WIPO that “cybersquatting” cases increased 8% last year. As one of the readers to this blog commented yesterday in response to my post, each of these 127 stories made it sound that Cybersquatting was totally out of control based on this 8% increase.  Most of the stories like the one by Reuters, lead with the headline “Cybersquatting Cases Hit Record” or “Cybersquatting Complaints Soar ... read more ...
 
Written by DomainNameWire in EN and tagged
BachelorsDegree.com Sells for $62,500 - NameMedia cashes in on degrees. NameMedia (Afternic, BuyDomains) sold two big “degree” domain names over the past week: BachelorsDegree.com for $62,500 and PsychologyDegree.com for $25,000. Both domains are protected by Moniker whois privacy and forward to eLearners.com. Add these other recent education domains the company has sold lately and it has found a nice niche: MastersDegree.com $48,000 CounselingDegree.com $9,000 LiberalArtsDegree.com $8,000 ManagementDegree.com ... read more ...
 
Written by DomainNameWire in EN and tagged
Study: Reform ICANN Before Privatizing It - Study suggests some sort of accountability required before ICANN is set free. A new study, to be formally released Wednesday, suggests that ICANN must be reformed before its ties with the U.S. Department of Commerce are severed. The Joint Project Agreement between ICANN and the Department of Commerce concludes in August. The study was authored by think tank Technology Policy Institute (TPI) and was co-authored by TPI’s Thomas Lenard and Lawrence White, a Professor ... read more ...
 
Written by DomainNameWire in EN
Web 3.0? Let’s Get Web 1.0 Right First - Why can’t simple web transactions work the way they’re supposed to? Last year some of those web 2.0 bloggers started talking about web 3.0. It was quite a buzz for about three days before they found something else to write about. But even as we live in a world of “web 2.0″, why can’t big companies get simple web 1.0 stuff right? I have lots of examples, but here are just two. First is DisneyShopping.com, the official online store for Disney (NYSE: DIS). ... read more ...
 
Written by DomainNameWire in EN and tagged
Howard Neu Saves Domain from Being Flushed Down Toilet - KohlerSucks.com saved at National Arbitration Forum. A $4,331 toilet from Kohler Kohler Co., which does everything from manufacture toilets to develop golf resorts, should read up on domain arbitration rules prior to filing its next request under UDRP. Domain attorney Howard M. Neu helped the owner of KohlerSucks.com defend the domain name against a frivolous complaint by the Kohler conglomerate. In a concise and perfectly clear decision, an arbitrator ruled: Complainant ... read more ...
 
Written by DomainNameWire in EN and tagged
EscrowDNS.com Temporarily Suspends New Service - Owner cites state regulations for temporary shutdown. Upstart domain escrow service EscrowDNS.com has temporarily suspended new service, citing state regulations: EscrowDNS is temporarily ceasing operation of it’s domain name escrow service. Any outstanding transactions will be completed as always, no new transactions will be allowed. Several states have vague or modified escrow laws for Internet companies offering escrow services. For this reason, we will be closing ... read more ...
 
Written by DomainNameWire in EN and tagged
Bido Reinstates Reserve Pricing (with a Catch) - Auction platform allows reserve priced domain listings, but there’s a fee if they don’t sell. In an effort to establish confidence with sellers and bring more premium inventory to its platform, Bido is allowing sellers to set reserve prices on their domain names. Part of my prediction was correct – you’ll pay a fee if you list a domain with a reserve that doesn’t sell. If Bido selects a domain you submit with a reserve, you’ll pay a listing fee of 3% ... read more ...
Mon 16th March 2009
Written by The Domains in EN
WIPO Wants To Expand Trademark Rights & Hold Registrars Responsible - In a letter to ICANN, The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) which handles domain dispute cases, is urging ICANN to pass “tough new rules to curb abusive practices by “cybersquatters” and domain registrars”. This action is required because of all the domain extensions ICANN is planning to roll out which could result in hundreds or thousands extensions, compared to the 21 now authorized. This would present a “nearly unmanageable task” for trademark owners to monitor abuse, ... read more ...
 
Written by DomainNameWire in EN and tagged
Live Current Media Sells Body.com for $400,000 - Company sells another domain name to raise cash. The domain liquidation at Live Current Media (OTCbb: livc.ob) continues: a reader spotted the sale of Body.com at Sedo’s Great Domains site for $400,000. That means Live Current has grossed at least $2M from domain sales since announcing in October it would sell domain names to raise cash (assuming one more planned deal goes through). First it sold a domain — most likely Malaysia.com — for CAD $500,000. Then ... read more ...
 
Written by DomainNameWire in EN and tagged
Confirmed: GeoDomain Expo is On - GeoDomain expo will take place in San Diego next month. Associated Cities executive director Patrick Carleton just released this statement from president and acting chair Dan Pulcrano: The 2009 Geodomain Expo is going full steam ahead. AC has an iron-clad contract with the hotel, a theme, confirmed attendees and sponsors. SanDiego.com emailed us today to say they were fully on board. Interest is especially high now thanks to the publicity windfall of the DNJournal ... read more ...
 
Written by DomainNameWire in EN and tagged
Jim Morrison Estate Wants Domain Name - JimMorrison.com in dispute at WIPO. The estate of the late rocker Jim Morrison wants the domain name JimMorrison.com, and it is taking its fight to World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) under UDRP rules. The domain name is currently owned by Rick Sentieri. The web site at JimMorrison.com includes lots of content that doesn’t exactly paint a coherent picture. The site proclaims: Welcome to the home of Jim Morrison’s Fantasy Magazine. It is the place ... read more ...
 
Written by DomainNameWire in EN and tagged
Survey: Which Expired Domain Name Service is Best? - Aha! That “novel” wasn’t submitted for some reason! Luckily I saved it before I clicked “submit”. But some editing was lost, so please be forgiving. Here it is, again: +++++ H*ll yes, I will choose Snapnames first over any of the others. Reasons? For Dub-A, I will come out of my normally shy and quiet demeanor, and be uncharacteristically blunt: 1) Snapnames has consistently run a well-managed expiring domain service for at least four years (although they’ve been around ... read more ...
 
Written by DomainNameWire in EN and tagged
Toys.com Loses Google Ranking - Toys ‘R’ Us loses search traffic from Toys.com domain name. As I predicted a couple weeks ago, Toys.com has been de-indexed by Google because the domain is forwarded to ToysRUs.com. Now the value of Toys ‘R’ Us’ $5.1M purchase of Toys.com has been relegated to type-in traffic and potentially some of the inbound links to Toys.com. The type-in traffic is valuable, but now the company doesn’t hold a lock on the #1, #2, and #4 positions in Google for the ... read more ...
 
Written by DomainNameWire in EN
Why You Shouldn’t Invest in Domain Names - Get rich quick or go broke trying. A few weeks ago an account manager at a parking company told me he was frustrated. I asked why, and here’s what he said (paraphrased): A lot of new people are coming into this industry. They’ll register a couple hundred domains and park them. Then they call a few weeks later and say “Why am I not making any money? I thought this is all I had to do”. New domainers get into the industry for a variety of reasons. But often ... read more ...
Sun 15th March 2009
Written by DomainNameWire in EN and tagged
SXSW Rolls Into Austin - Interactive festival kicks off in Austin. South by Southwest rolled into Austin over the weekend as the interactive and film festivals kicked off. The music festival starts later this week. I proposed a session for the conference called “Getting the Right Domain Name(s) for Your Business”. But SXSW opened up panel selection to a voting process, and I didn’t want to put a banner on DNW that said “Vote for me!”. Of course the typical techie who attends ... read more ...
Sat 14th March 2009
Written by The Domains in EN and tagged
Westhills.com & MouthGuards.com Sells for 5 Figures On NameJet.com - 2 domains sold in the five figures at NameJet.com in the last couple of days. Westhills.com Sold for $10,600 yesterday and Mouthguards.com sold for $10,100 today. Here are some other notiable sales over the last few days: Minihorses.com $6,877 Spaintours.com $6,402 Jza.com $3,100 eleganttouch.com $2,600 eidea.com $2,100 Newyorkgolfcourses.com $2,100 miniaturegolfcourse.com $1,211 Lightbeers.com $1,200 Tennistube.com $1,200 Spidernetworks.com $1,100 Google+Michael Berkens ... read more ...
 
Written by DomainNameWire in EN and tagged
Survey: T.R.A.F.F.I.C. Still Top Domain Conference - Despite competition, TRAFFIC ranks as most popular domain conference. A survey of 400 domain professionals shows that T.R.A.F.F.I.C. is still the top domain name industry conference. 56% of respondents voted for TRAFFIC, more than twice the votes of the second place conference. Here are the results: 1. TRAFFIC 56% 2. DOMAINfest 24% 3. Domain Roundtable 11% 4. GeoDomain Expo 10% Survey results were collected in January and part of February. The biggest gainer this ... read more ...
 
Written by DomainNameWire in EN and tagged
GoDaddy Makes It Harder for Woman’s Husband to Find a Job - With missing www., site shows page full of ads. [Updated: It looks like the web site may not be hosted at GoDaddy. It’s on the company’s nameservers, but the IP address on the site shows Apple. GoDaddy says it’s not hosted with them. That would mean the only thing GoDaddy is guilty of is hosting ads on the www version of the domain while it’s being cnamed (or otherwise forwarded) to another web hosting service. That’s not GD’s web hosting groups’ ... read more ...
Fri 13th March 2009
Written by The Domains in EN
Non-Paying Bidders At NameJet: Hurting Its Auction & Its Bidders - When I won an auction a few weeks, which exceeded $5,000 (actually the domain exceeded $20K) I got an e-mail from NameJet.com with wiring instructions for payment and this stern warning: “”If we do not receive your wire within 7 days we will put the domain up for re-auction and we will charge your account an administrative fee of $10″”” Well needless to say I was scared to hell.  Should I risk a fee of $10 or should I just pay my $20k+ bill in full? These are the difficult questions we ... read more ...