Watch Out for Typos!
The other day, I was doing some domain auction research, and I placed a backorder for a domain name I saw had many bids at NameJet. The name looked great, although I was a bit surprised there weren’t more backorders. I figured it may have been a passe term, but I didn’t give it much thought.
When it went into auction, I was on my iPhone. I almost immediately placed a higher bid and was the leading bidder for this domain name. I still didn’t know it was a typo.
A few hours later, I returned to my office and spent a bit of time monitoring my NameJet auctions and doing some valuation research. I wanted to determine what I would ultimately be willing to pay for the domain name. I copied and pasted the keywords into Google, and when I saw Google’s suggestion for an alternate spelling, I realized the domain name was a typo.
Unfortunately, there isn’t a way to remove myself from an active auction, so I will end up buying the typo if I win. The correct spelling of the domain name is not a trademark, so there aren’t trademark concerns that I know about. In addition, because of the large number of bidders, some research might show that this typo could be monetized and earn PPC income. I really don’t know.
The long story short is that you should always double check your spelling when bidding on auctions and making offers at various marketplaces. I have made this mistake before, and I am sure I will make it again in the future. Hopefully you won’t!
On a sidenote, if you know the auction I am referencing, I intentionally did not mention the domain name and ask that you don’t (I will delete comments that mention it). I don’t want anyone to think I am trying to draw attention to the name so someone outbids me. I don’t want to win the domain name, but I am resigned to the fact that it might happen. I guess it’s a good lesson to share.
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About The Author: Elliot Silver is an Internet entrepreneur and publisher of DomainInvesting.com. Elliot is also the founder and President of Top Notch Domains, LLC, a company that has sold seven figures worth of domain names in the last five years. Please read the DomainInvesting.com Terms of Use page for additional information about the publisher, website comment policy, disclosures, and conflicts of interest.Reach out to Elliot: Twitter | Google + | Facebook | Email
Mike
Your honesty makes you a legend.
Thanks for sharing.
Jen
Thanks for sharing this.
Anyone can make such a mistake — Years ago, I did this with vvebbooks [com] (I thought it was webbooks).
I have kept this domain as a reminder.
I thought $40.00 a bit too cheap.
It happens. We’re human with all that goes with being human.
🙂
Ned
Good article Elliot. I’ve had a few in my time – my biggest fail was the word “accommodation”. When I saw a good geo with “accommodation” on the front or the back, I would buy them. Trouble was I didn’t register that they were either 2 “m’s” and 1 “c” – or vice versa.
I’m smarter now!
Jackie
One thing I do on a regular basis for domain names is to chop off the extension and split the words, then enter into google. If there is a typo, it will tell me right away, as you described.
Isaac B
Picked up SethRogan.com on accident.
Have a friend that looks like Seth Rogen and I figured it’s a great name for him to setup an email on. He gets it often.