Conferences & Tradeshows

Top Picks for the Targeted Traffic Conference Domain Auction

Rick Latona announced the final inventory with reserve prices for the live domain auction that will take place in Las Vegas on Friday, January 22nd at 4pm. Bidding can also be done online on the newly launched Latonas.com website. Below are my top 10 domain names (along with the reserve prices) that are included in the auction. You can see the full list on Rick Latona’s blog.

  • 320 Racehorse.com 30,000 USD to 40,000 USD
  • 390 GamblingTours.com 2,000 USD to 3,000 USD
  • 480      Meetings.com      200,000 USD to 250,000 USD
  • 620      CatFood.com      50,000 USD to 75,000 USD
  • 700      MotorcycleHelmets.com      50,000 USD to 75,000 USD
  • 770      SeniorCitizens.com      75,000 USD to 100,000 USD
  • 930      LongIsland.com      250,000 USD to 300,000 USD
  • 1140      AntiqueMotorcycles.com      20,000 USD to 30,000 USD
  • 1580      Actresses.com      40,000 USD to 50,000 USD
  • 2040      USBMemoryStick.com      500 USD to 750 USD

I didn’t check the Whois info on the names, so I don’t know if I know the owners or not.

What are your favorites in the auction?

CES 2010: Take a $1,688 Gamble on Smart Televisions

Consumer Electronics Show

This morning on the CNN website, there was coverage of the 2010 Consumer Electronics Show currently being held in Las Vegas. CES is one of the preeminent technology tradeshows that features product launches, pre-release gadgets and technology, and previews of electronics and other devices. Companies who are featured at CES are looking for buzz for their new products or upcoming launches.

In the article, CNN reported that, “‘Connected TV’ and ‘smart TV’ are two terms that already are being tossed around CES this year. Both refer to the idea that couch potatoes are looking for ways to get the power of the Internet and social media onto living room television sets.”

To me, “smart tv” or “smart televisions” sounds more brandable for a category of televisions, similar to smart phones. As a domainer, I did some domain research on that term and found the following:

For under $1,700, you can buy the domain name for a term that could be big in the next couple of years, and for under $7,000 you can buy both. My business model is built around short term flips, so it’s not a gamble I want to take, but it could be worth investigating if this type of investment appeals to you.As you may recall, SmartPhones.com sold for $95,000 at TRAFFIC.

I don’t have any affiliate or advertising relationship with Buy Domains or Page, but if you want to reach someone at Buy Domains, drop Sonia an email, and if you want to reach page, visit his website.

Why You Should Attend a Domain Conference

Although networking with other domain investors is high up on the list of reasons to attend a domain conference, in my opinion, there is one primary reason. Attending a domain conference gives you the opportunity to meet your sales representatives and managers for the companies with whom you do your domain business.

Whether your business primarily relies on domain investing, parking, or other monetization, you can meet the people who can help you when you are in need.

For my domain registrations, I primarily register my names with Moniker. No matter who is running the conference or where it is, I almost always see my account manager Bari Meyerson at the shows. Monte Cahn is frequently there as are other Moniker representatives, but it’s always good to connect with Bari. I also register some names with Godaddy, and my representative, Brad Larson is frequently in attendance.

The same thing goes for domain parking, although you already know by now that I don’t rely on parking for much revenue (under $1,000 per year). However, just about all of the companies are there and have company representatives available to answer questions and address complaints.

I know that if I ever have a problem, I am comfortable calling or emailing Bari and Brad day or night, and I know my issue will be addressed almost immediately. When you establish a personal relationship with the services companies with whom you do business, you are more easily able to reach your sales managers in times of need.

In addition, if your business relies on advertising from companies who exhibit and attend domain tradeshows, this is an opportunity to tell them about your website. If you own DomainInvesting.com and plan to develop a website on it, your best bet is to connect with the right people at the domain show to let them know about your plans and advertising opportunities.

Likewise, attending an industry tradeshow can also be smart when you are developing other domain names in different verticals. Most tradeshows offer free exhibit hall passes, allowing you to meet with vendors who may want to advertise on your website. This is a topic for another post.

Upcoming domain conferences where most domain companies will be in attendance include:

HP Goes on a UDRP Bender

I was browsing the recently filed UDRP cases at the National Arbitration Foundation, and I noticed quite a few separate UDRP filings containing the Hewlett Packard HP brand in them. It looks like HP decided to go after quite a few “generic” HP-related domain names in the past month or so.

Some of the recent HP UDRP filings at NAF include:

  • HPDrivers.com
  • HPDownloads.com
  • HPUpdates.com
  • HPServices.com
  • HPPrintersSoftware.com
  • HPStorage.com
  • HPShop.com
  • HPInkJet.com
  • HPServer.com
  • HPLaptop.com
  • HPCalculator.com
  • HPInk.com
  • HPDriver.com
  • HPDrivers.org
  • HPMobile.com
  • HPNotebookComputer.com
  • HPNotebook.com

The domain names appear to be owned by many different individuals and companies, and most of them appear to be parked. Not including these recently filed UDRPs, Hewlett-Packard has filed 57 UDRP complaints at NAF. I could not find any filings at the World Intellectual Property Organization.

Free Ticket to Traffic Auction

I just received an email from Rick Latona, who is running an auction tomorrow, and I wanted to pass along his special offer. Rick is offering a free ticket to the Traffic auction in New York to people who are planning to bid on a domain name in his auction (tomorrow at 4:30pm) who don’t already have a ticket to the conference. In the past (and maybe present), tickets to the auction were available for purchase, and Rick Latona is going to cover this expense.

“If you are in New York and promise to bid at the auction and don’t have a ticket to the show, don’t worry. I’ll buy you a ticket! Just ask. We’ll make sure you are in the room and have a paddle if you are shopping for a name.”

I happen to know a couple of people who live in the area but only planned to network at private functions during the conference, so perhaps this will be of interest to them. If you are in the area and want to bid but don’t have a ticket, get in touch with Rick via the contact form on RickLatona.com ASAP.

Below are the names that will be in Rick’s live auction on Tuesday:

247Live.com
900.com
Acronyms.com
ActingLessons.com
Altercation.com
AntiDepressants.net
AntiWrinkleLotion.com
AortaSurgery.com
Aunt.net
Avatars.com
BackInjuryAttorneys.com
Ballwin.com
Bananas.com
BeverlyHillsPlasticSurgeons.com
Bourbon.com
Boy.com
BroadwayShows.com
BulkShirts.com
Bulldoze.com
Bunk.com
Bursars.com
Buscar.com
BusinessNetbooks.com
Cages.com
Canadians.com
Carts.net
CashAllowances.com
CellPhoneApps.com
CeramicTiles.com
CestBon.com
ChargingStations.com
ChildPsychologists.com
Ciders.com
Clemson.net
Clinging.com
Coaxing.com
Coding.com
Coed.com
Collapsed.com
CommemorativePlate.com
CommercialBonds.com
Conditional.com
Contracted.net
CorporateJets.com
Cultivating.com
CY.com
Dabbled.com
Dancing.com
Database.com
DearbornHeights.net
DebtSolutions.com
Decorators.us
Detroit.info
Diamantes.com
DinnerNapkins.com
Disappointments.com
DLE.com
Draw.com
DreamHolidays.com
DrugMoney.com
DrumShops.com
DryMartinis.com
DumbAsses.com
EMM.com
ExecutiveSalesJobs.com
Figuratively.com
FiletMignons.com
Frustrate.com
GameShow.com
GolfClubs.com
GuatemalaCity.com
Hackensack.com
HairStudios.com
Halp.com
Hamy.com
HealthSupplements.com plus others (see description)
Hear.com
HeavyweightBoxer.com
Hell.com
Herbals.org
HerbalTeas.com
Hipo.com
HomeAlarmSystems.com
Hookahs.com
Housekeepers.com
iAuction.com
Ignoring.com
IKC.com
Infringing.com
Inhibitors.com
InnSite.com
Interacts.com
Interrogating.com
Jewellery.net
JV.net
Kasino.com
Kindergarten.com
Laggard.com
LasikSurgeons.net
Lisbon.com
LivePersons.com
LonelyHearts.com
LotteryNumber.com
Lunatics.com
MadisonAvenue.com
MaleStripClub.com
MaleStripClubs.com
Marketers.com
MBAJobs.com
MeetingWomen.com
Meg.net
Megan.com
Mimes.net
Minister.net
MisTypes.com
ModelShip.com and ModelShips.com
NeckInjuryAttorneys.com
Newfoundland.com
NewYorkCity.cc
NHO.com
Nudged.com
Odes.com
OFE.com
Ontario.info
OutOfState.com
Overridden.com
Overtaking.com
Packing.com
PainMedicines.com
PapuaNewGuinea.com
Pears.net
PinkDiamond.com
PopStars.com
Porn.co.za
PornStars.com, SexStars.com and AdultStars.com
PreownedExoticCars.com
ProductCycles.com
PureBullDogs.com
QDC.com
QuitGambling.org
Reassembled.com
Referrals.com
Regretfully.com
RentalHomes.com
Reverend.net
Rio.com
Saddam.com
SaddamHussein.com
SandyBeaches.com
Satisfier.com
Schizophrenic.com
SchoolLoans.com
Scrimmage.com
ScubaDiver.com
Seals.com
Season.com
SecurityDevice.com
SeniorCitizen.com/SeniorCitizens.com
SenseOfHumor.com
Skidders.com and Skidders.net
SkyDiver.com
SM.com
Snog.co.uk
Snog.com
Snowboarders
SportClinic.com
StateFlag.com and StateFlags.com
Stimulant.com
StockInvestments.net
Tacoma.com
T-Bills.com
TechnicalSupport.com
TheBronx.net
TheCompany.com
TheUnitedKingdom.com
Timorleste.com
Transforms.com
Treinta.com
Tweenies.com
UsedRVs.com
UsedSmartPhones.com
UTN.com
UZS.com
VFJ.com
Viewers.com
VoiceOverIP.com
WebmasterForum.com
WeddingProverbs.com
Whiskey.com
Window.com
WrinkleLotion.com
Writers.net
Z6.com, Z6.net and Z6.org

i.Biz, TX.biz & NY.biz Among 1 & 2 Letter .Biz Names to be Auctioned

A little over a month ago, it was reported that Overstock.com would launch a new website on O.biz, one of the first (maybe the first) websites to operate on a one or two letter .biz domain name. This morning, I received word that Moniker will auction off a number of one and two letter .biz domain names at the upcoming TRAFFIC auction in New York on October 28, 2009.

The .biz domain names that will be in Moniker’s live auction are:

–      i.biz
–      ny.biz
–      ez.biz
–      ok.biz
–      hd.biz

Moniker will also have several names in the extended online auction including:

–      tx.biz
–      hi.biz
–      ha.biz
–      ur.biz
–      lo.biz
–      kc.biz

Other one and two character .biz domain names were recently auctioned, with e.biz achieving the highest sales price, selling for $66,001. Most of the other single character .biz domain names sold primarily in the $5-10,000 range with some higher outliers.

I won’t predict how these auctions will play out, but I hope the registry and Moniker are contacting potential end user buyers. As with any extension, the success is related to customer awareness. A company like Overstock branding and marketing O.biz would be very good for domain investors who own prime names.

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