NRNN.com

Here’s a few names at TDNam which are expiring tomorrow - April 8.  The names are designated as either $5 buyout or $10 auction.  In all cases you are required to pay one years registration fee in addition to the cost of the winning bid. 

RouteNavigator.com  $5
GolfMastery.net  $5
SwiftLiquidators.com  $5
TasteVacations.com  $5
SpreeMoney.com  $5
TurnkeyFunding.com  $5
RockyForum.com  $5
RockingCowboys.com  $5
RaceConnect.com  $5
LinkingProfits.com  $5
GoodCarpenter.com  $5
GrillGirls.com  $5
ChristianScientists.net  $5
GourmetBrothers.com  $5
CheapTactics.com  $5
ContentChannels.com  $5
CopNow.com  $5
CoupleCamera.com  $5
FallClothing.net  $5
StampMuseum.net  $5
KillerCooking.com  $5
OscarWinners.net  $10
GunAdvice.com  $10
DoctorsReviewed.com  $10

Recently the domaining world has seen as increasing instances of fraud.  The fraudsters have discovered that good domain names are valuable and especially in the case of 4 letter .com’s reasonably liquid.  The most common scam is for the fraudster to obtain the user name and password of a PayPal account that has been hacked.  The seller receives payment via PayPal and only later has the payment has been reversed.  The registrar for its part often does not want to get into the business of arbitrating disputes.  So the domainer is left with no domain and no cash. 

A few ways of avoiding being defrauded:

- be careful about accepting PayPal especially for larger amounts or with people that you don’t know.  Don’t get me wrong I probably do a few dozen PayPal transactions per month but I insist on a more secure method for large amounts or where I have no way of gauging the reputation of the buyer;

- use Escrow.com or a site such as TDNam.com or Sedo.com for larger transactions. 

- if you want to verify that the seller really owns the domain they are selling you can always e-mail the owner using the whois address;

- keep up to speed on the latest frauds with forums such as NamePros.com.  Its a sure bet that the scammers will do nothing but get more inventive and one of your best defences is to be informed. 

Whether you own one name or a hundred there is some legislation that has been proposed in the United States Senate that you should be seriously concerned about.  The legislation is labelled as the “Anti-Phishing Consumer Protection Act of 2008″ (APCPA).  Sounds good right?  After all - who could possibly object either “anti-phishing” or “consumer protection”.  A read of the proposed legislation reveals its about a lot more.  It could allow major corporations to legally steal your domain names.  Here’s how it could work:

- you own a website and domain name;

- someone who wants your name sends you a letter telling you that you now have two options - give up your domain name and business for free or they will sue you.  Since the maximum penalty of $6 million is so onerous and cost of the legal defence is so high many domain name owners will no choice but to give up their domain names without a fight. 

The Internet Commerce Association and CircleID.com have done a more indepth review of the legislation.

Lately 4 letter .com’s have become the rage.  No matter how bad the letters if its a four letter .com - its gonna be $20+.  I believe in 4 letter .com’s too - I have a bunch of them.  But there’s a lot of junk being bought today - combinations of j, k, u, w, x, y and z - that will never bring significant parking revenue and are unlikely to be purchased by an end-user. 

My opinion is that domain name buyers would be better off picking up a high quality 4 letter .net than a low quality .com.  An example of one that I picked up recently is yoff.net.   Absolutely pronouncable and brandable.  Sky high value as a .com - very affordable as a .net.   

Got on NameJet this morning.  I was hoping for Christmas Day bargains as the less dedicated spent time with their families leaving the bargains to me.  It was a good plan except that it didn’t work. 

Here’s some of the prices for a few names at today’s NameJet auctions: 

PDOP.com went for $300

RDOL.com went for $410

SGSA.com went for $1200

WEXY.com went for $510

Nice domains but no Christmas bargains in that list in my books.  Just another example of how the domain market keeps getting more efficient.

Added a page to my site with EBay domain listings.  Plan to refine this over the next few days to focus on some of the better domain name listings.  Let me know if you have comments on what you would like to see. 

Sedo recently completed a disastrous domain auction for some premium .mobi auctions - among them -  music.mobi.  Shortly before the auction was completed their servers went down.  As a result people attempting to bid could not.  Sedo sent out notices to the winners of the auction confirming that they had won and requested payment.  Many of the winners having won their auction left their computers.  After sending out the notices to the ‘winners’ Sedo then sent out a notice cancelling the original result. 

Bids went higher in the second auction.  Of course the winners of the first auction want their domains.  Sedo sent out the notice to the winners and a contract is a contract!  The winners of the second auction want their domains - the first auction was cancelled!  Opinions can differ as to who won but no one can doubt that Sedo needs to get their act together and avoid a repeat of this incident. 

Here’s a blog posting by one bidder who ‘won’ the first auction only to have their domain taken away from them: 

Yet Just Another Day: More Trouble In dotMobi Land at TH·E CON·CEP’TU·AL·IST

I’ve just launched my new domain blog.  Its called NRNN.com.  What does NRNN stand for?  Absolutely nothing - yet!  I just liked the fact that its a 4 letter .com domain, its all premium letters and the ‘N’ repeats 3 times.  If you have ideas what ‘NRNN’ stands for - don’t be shy - I’d love to hear your suggestions!

Main topics to be covered in this blog will be general news in the world of domaining and sales.  I’ll also cover how to sell or monetize your domains.  I’ll also highlight a few of my own domains.  In the interest of full disclosure - this site will include affilate links.  But I promise you - I won’t put up an affiliate link - for anything I wouldn’t buy myself.  I also promise you that even if I have an affiliate link - I won’t be afraid to distribute some critisism if required. 

I’d appreciate any comments or suggestions on content that will help you be more succesful as a domainer.