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TRAFFIC Ticket Price Increase Tonight

Elliot Silver
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For those of you who are either on the fence about attending TRAFFIC in Ft. Lauderdale in October or are just lazy and haven’t purchased your conference ticket yet, the price will increase tonight. The current rate is $1,595 and it will increase to $1,795 later on today.

If you happen to live in the NYC area, JetBlue is offering some pretty good flight rates. The Ritz Carlton, which is hosting the conference, has rooms for around $250 night at the conference rate. I am not sure if the hotel is close to being sold out, but when I sought out better rates, other travel sites said there were no rooms available at the hotel, although you can still book online with the conference code.

It does seem that most of the nice hotels in the vicinity are around the same rate, so I will likely be staying there and booking it within the next couple of days.

According to Rick Schwartz, there are just over 100 tickets for the conference remaining, although he didn’t say how many were being sold in total. While it’s not going to be the same size as the annual DomainFest conference, I believe most of the people who are fully vested in the domain industry will be in attendance.

Personally, I think attending a domain conference is a very good way to learn more about the domain industry and how to make money, if you are willing to put the time and money into learning. People tend to want to meet with people they already know, but if you make the effort most will be willing to take the time to talk to you. I guess the same can be said about every industry conference and this is no different.

Could a Domain Appraisal Help You Sell a Domain Name?

Elliot Silver
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13

I have never been a fan of domain appraisals. My opinion is that a domain name is worth what someone will pay for it at a given time. In fact, I pretty much have a set response for when I am trying to buy a domain name and the owner suggests a domain appraisal to determine the value. Here’s my most recent reply to someone that recommended an appraisal:

“I don’t believe appraisals are accurate or in the best interest of a buyer. Both companies you mention have aftermarkets for domain sales. In my opinion, the more they tell you that you can get for a domain name, the more likely it is that you will engage them to sell it. For instance, if company A said your name was worth $5,000 and company B said it was worth $25,000, which company would you engage to sell the domain name? Most likely the company with the higher valuation/expectation I would think. It’s in the best interest of a company to provide high appraisals. From my perspective, a domain name is worth what someone is willing to pay, and I’ve made my offer.“

With all that being said, a comment on my blog got me thinking that perhaps suggesting a domain appraisal could help you sell a domain name when someone inquires and you can’t bridge the gap between his offer and your asking price.

Let’s say a person inquires about a domain name you own and offers $5,000. Because of the price you paid (based on your own gut feel), you tell the buyer you need $20,000 to sell it, but you’d realistically let it go for $15,000+. The gap is just $15,000, but in reality, the price is 4x what the buyer is willing to pay.

Now might be a good time to seek out a domain appraisal from a company like Sedo, Afternic, and/or GoDaddy to use it as a part of your negotiation strategy.

If you plan to do this, I would order one appraisal before suggesting it to the buyer just to be sure your pricing is in line with the appraisal. If the appraisal is the same or higher than your price, you could then present it to the buyer and show him the independent appraisal to show that your asking price is fair and reasonable.

I would not recommend doing this if you are a passive seller or don’t care whether your name will sell or won’t. This is a strategy that is more likely to work if you are a proactive seller.

Keep in mind that the buyer can easily say something like, “great, I know your price isn’t bad but this is all I can afford.” However, I’ve had a number of buyers discuss purchases and in our discussion, it’s come out that they haven’t bought a domain name in the aftermarket and don’t have great valuation insight.

A domain appraisal from a reputable source, complete with factual information about why it’s worth what it say it’s worth, may help close a deal. It’s something I am open to trying and want to share the idea with you.

Reminder: Future Trend Domain Auction Ends in Two Hours

Elliot Silver
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Just a reminder for you that the Future Trend Domain Auction â„¢ currently being held on Snapnames will end in around two hours from the time of this post. There are 154 total domain names up for auction. Although just one bid has been recorded, I would imagine most bids will be received in the final moments, as Stephen explained.

The domain names and reserve prices are listed below:

Domain Name Reserve Range
3-dtoys.com $10,001 – $25,000
3d-smartphones.com $2,501 – $5,000
3d-webcam.com No Reserve
3dadultcam.com $501 – $1,000
3dadvertising.com $25,001 – $50,000
3dadvertisingagency.com $10,001 – $25,000
3dappliance.com $5,001 – $10,000
3dapps.com $25,001 – $50,000
3daspen.com $5,001 – $10,000
3dboardgame.com $10,001 – $25,000
3dcakeprinters.com $25,001 – $50,000
3dcellphone.net $501 – $1,000
3dcellphones.net $501 – $1,000
3dchannel.com $25,001 – $50,000
3dchannels.tv $5,001 – $10,000
3dcinemas.org $501 – $1,000
3dconsole.com $201 – $500
3dcops.com $501 – $1,000
3dcopymachine.com $1,001 – $2,500
3dcu.com $501 – $1,000
3ddatabase.com $10,001 – $25,000
3ddecorations.com $5,001 – $10,000
3ddesignprograms.com $201 – $500
3ddesignsoftware.com $2,501 – $5,000
3ddisplays.ca $501 – $1,000
3dentertainment.co.uk $1,001 – $2,500
3descort.com $2,501 – $5,000
3dfacialrecognition.com $5,001 – $10,000
3dfloral.com $1,001 – $2,500
3dfreeporno.com $1,001 – $2,500
3dfriendsnetwork.com $1,001 – $2,500
3dgame.co.uk $2,501 – $5,000
3dgametablets.com $10,001 – $25,000
3dhandset.co.uk $2,501 – $5,000
3dhologramgaming.com $501 – $1,000
3dholographicgaming.com $501 – $1,000
3dhomemovietheaters.com $1,001 – $2,500
3ditaly.com $5,001 – $10,000
3dlaserprinting.com $10,001 – $25,000
3dmediaconsoles.com $1,001 – $2,500
3dmobileapplications.com $201 – $500
3dmobilehandset.com $2,501 – $5,000
3dmobilephones.com $25,001 – $50,000
3dmonitoring.com $1,001 – $2,500
3donlinegamer.com $10,001 – $25,000
3doptical.com $5,001 – $10,000
3dphone.net $5,001 – $10,000
3dplasmatelevisions.com $201 – $500
3dplayers.com $10,001 – $25,000
3dpn.com $501 – $1,000
3drecorder.com $10,001 – $25,000
3drecorders.com $10,001 – $25,000
3dresidential.com $2,501 – $5,000
3dsafetyglasses.com $2,501 – $5,000
3dscotland.com $1,001 – $2,500
3dsecuritycameras.com $1,001 – $2,500
3dsmartphone.com $50,001 – $100,000
3dstreamingvideo.net $201 – $500
3dtouch.tv $5,001 – $10,000
3dtvbargain.info No Reserve
3dtvprice.org $5,001 – $10,000
3dtvprices.org $10,001 – $25,000
3dtvs.de $5,001 – $10,000
3dtvs.net $5,001 – $10,000
3dtvs.org $5,001 – $10,000
3dtvshow.com $5,001 – $10,000
3dtvshows.com $5,001 – $10,000
3dvideocamera.com $50,001 – $100,000
3dvideoconference.com $2,501 – $5,000
3dvideos.com $10,001 – $25,000
3dvideos.us $201 – $500
3dvirtualmeeting.com $10,001 – $25,000
3dvirtualnetwork.com $10,001 – $25,000
3dwd.com $501 – $1,000
3dwebinars.com $1,001 – $2,500
3dwholesale.com $5,001 – $10,000
ad3d.net $201 – $500
alternativeenergyinvesting.com $1,001 – $2,500
carbonbarter.com No Reserve
cellphoneapps.com $50,001 – $100,000
channel3d.com $10,001 – $25,000
cloudcomputingservices.com $50,001 – $100,000
cloudcomputingsoftware.com $10,001 – $25,000
cloudinthecloud.com $501 – $1,000
cloudmeetings.com $2,501 – $5,000
cloudpatrol.com $201 – $500
cloudprograms.com $5,001 – $10,000
cloudstaff.com $1,001 – $2,500
cloudwebservers.com $5,001 – $10,000
ddd.tv $2,501 – $5,000
eholo.com $10,001 – $25,000
europecellphone.com $1,001 – $2,500
free3dporn.com $25,001 – $50,000
free3dporn.net $201 – $500
free3dtv.com $2,501 – $5,000
fuelsubsidy.com $25,001 – $50,000
games3d.co.uk $2,501 – $5,000
gamesfor3dtv.com No Reserve
gps3d.net $1,001 – $2,500
greenbuildingguidelines.com No Reserve
hd3dtv.info $2,501 – $5,000
hd3dtv.net $5,001 – $10,000
hd3dtv.org $5,001 – $10,000
hidefinition3d.com $201 – $500
holo3dtvs.com $5,001 – $10,000
holodeals.com $1,001 – $2,500
holodecks.ca $501 – $1,000
hologrambumperstickers.com $1,001 – $2,500
hologramcellphones.com $5,001 – $10,000
hologramsimulator.com $501 – $1,000
holographic3d.tv $2,501 – $5,000
holographicboxing.com $2,501 – $5,000
holographicgolf.com $5,001 – $10,000
holographictheaters.com No Reserve
holographicui.com No Reserve
holographyporn.com $5,001 – $10,000
holohandsets.com $10,001 – $25,000
holomovie.net $5,001 – $10,000
holowire.com $5,001 – $10,000
humancomputers.com $10,001 – $25,000
i3d.tv $501 – $1,000
immunotherapydrugs.com $501 – $1,000
koreasolar.com $10,001 – $25,000
miamicloud.com $201 – $500
movies3d.co.uk $2,501 – $5,000
moviesfor3dtv.com No Reserve
nanotechresearch.com $1,001 – $2,500
oceanturbine.com $10,001 – $25,000
phones3d.com $10,001 – $25,000
rapid3d.net $201 – $500
recycledfood.com $1,001 – $2,500
recycledfoods.com $1,001 – $2,500
replicators.ca $501 – $1,000
robotsupplies.net $1,001 – $2,500
robottrucks.com $10,001 – $25,000
searchrobots.com $1,001 – $2,500
smartprinters.com $1,001 – $2,500
solaranalysts.com $10,001 – $25,000
solarbusiness.com $5,001 – $10,000
solarcarkit.com $1,001 – $2,500
solarenergyclass.com $1,001 – $2,500
solarexteriorlighting.com $201 – $500
solarfarming.com $10,001 – $25,000
solarpaneling.com $25,001 – $50,000
solarphone.com $25,001 – $50,000
solarsiding.com $50,001 – $100,000
sport3d.com $10,001 – $25,000
surroundtouch.com $10,001 – $25,000
telepresenceamerica.com $5,001 – $10,000
timevoyage.com $201 – $500
totalsolar.com $10,001 – $25,000
ultradefinition3d.com $1,001 – $2,500
upcscanner.com $5,001 – $10,000
waterprooftablets.com $1,001 – $2,500

One Thing I Learned During the Recession

Elliot Silver
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17

I want to share something I learned during the last recession that might seem like common sense, but it’s something I think about often as the economy seems to be teetering on the brink of a second recession.

My largest source of income is flipping domain names. I don’t always have huge profit margins, but I make up for that in value. For instance, I would rather make 30% profit margin on a $25,000 sale than 300% profit on a $5,000 sale.  This is common sense, but it means I need to invest in higher value domain names for the cashflow to continue growing my business.

During the recession, I got scared. I had no idea how long the recession would last, and my primary focus was maintaining liquidity and growing alternative revenue streams via my developed websites. I became far more cautious with my investments and was basically running scared. As a result, my income took a hit, which then made me even more nervous and cautious. It was something of a downward spiral.

Eventually, I made a couple of higher value acquisitions that I flipped, and I was able to turn the tide.

From this experience, I learned a valuable lesson. I always need to be investing in great domain names at good prices. Instead of buying mediocre names for under $1,000, I need to continue buying great domain names. Mediocre names are significantly more difficult to flip than great names. If I buy 10 mediocre names for $1,000/each, it’s far more challenging to sell those than it is to sell one $10,000 domain name.  Similarly, it’s more difficult to make enough money to thrive with hand registrations than it is on higher value domain names.

Instead of spending money conservatively on hand registered domain names, save up and buy one great name when it’s available. Put your money aside and wait until the right name is offered for the right price. There seem to be a whole lot more people with 500 crappy domain names than there are people with one solid domain name. Every year, that means it’s $5,000 for renewals.

The next time you are hand registering speculative domain names, think about what I’ve written. This advice should especially be heeded by people who continue to register names but have never sold any before. Perhaps it’s the names you are picking? Stop making the domain registrars rich, and start building value for your own portfolio.

Don’t get me wrong – there are times when it’s smart to hand register domain names, but if you want to take your business to the next level, you’ll likely need to buy high value domain names at great prices.

* I am away right now, so comments may take a bit longer than usual to be approved.

In Second Auction, SkiMarket.com Sells for Over $5,000 Less Than First Auction

Elliot Silver
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6

In July of 2010, SkiMarket.com sold on NameJet for just a bit under $8,000. The domain name was re-auctioned on NameJet today, and the final sales price was a fraction of that, closing at just $2,600.

When it sold the first time, there were five bidders who bid $2,000 or higher, and this auction had just two bidders bidding above $2,000. The winning bidder this time around does not appear to have been a participant in the previous auction a year ago.

I blogged about this before, but Ski Market was once a thriving ski shop in New England. In 2009, the company filed for bankruptcy, and it appears that the domain name was not renewed and thus went to auction at NameJet.

Personally, I bid higher than the winning bid back when it was first auctioned but missed the end of the auction today. I think it’s a solid name, but I had slight concerns about the brand image and likely wouldn’t have put the time in to develop the domain name.

Perhaps the owner can build the site or sell it to a New England based ski shop that wants to attract people who may not be aware of the company’s demise. Compete shows that over 1,000 people tried to visit the website in November of 2010, despite the fact that the domain name did not resolve.

Paypal Partners With Go Daddy

Elliot Silver
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0

I noticed something interesting last night. It looks like Paypal is partnering up with Go Daddy to offer domain names at a discounted price of $7.49 a year. I would bet it’s probably some type of affiliate commission for domain names that are bought using the link.

I know that deals like this (and better) can be had when searching Google for GoDaddy discount codes or Godaddy coupons, but the presence of this offer on the Paypal homepage is a strong endorsement of the company by Paypal.

It’s interesting to see them send traffic to GoDaddy directly from the home page.

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