What do you think about buying domains to resell?

If you wanted a domain name and find that someone has registered it, has no intention of using it for a website and just hi-jacked it to sell for a profit, how would you feel? Would you pay the ransom and encourage this behaviour?

Opinions please...

Domains are generally registered in a first-come/first-served basis.

If I registered ABCDEFG.com first and you want it because you just now turned 18 and have a credit card (for example) why am I "squatting" ?

If I registered your last name.com and called you asking for money, that would be squatting.

If you registered a trademark and I registered the domain AFTER your trademark that MIGHT be considered squatting.

Otherwise, it's free trade.

Not talking about the first scenario. I mean the practice of registering names that you know that you won't use and contacting professionals that might want to buy them for more than they would have normally have had to pay. I call that opportunistic and unethical. But maybe that's just me.

Notice, I didn't say illegal. Just unethical. Just because you can do something doesn't mean that you should.

Its funny that people can buy houses and resell them for profit without being called squaters.

I dont htink its illegal or unethical.

But then again i do it every 2nd day.

Frankly, people PAY for domain names, I don't see why it would be called "squatting".

Quite simply it wouldn't be considered squatting. While you may not think it is right for them to do it, its a perfectly acceptable, and legal, business practice. Probaly why there are dozens, if not hundreds, of companies doing it.

It's the same thing as scalping tickets.

Originally posted by Fisherman
It's the same thing as scalping tickets.

And people buy from scalpers because they want the tickets. But why are you trying to throw dirt on domain reselling? I don't see your own signature, maybe you're squatting on someone else's "dream domain" :rolleyes:

Originally posted by timechange
And people buy from scalpers because they want the tickets.

Yeah. That makes it right. :rolleyes:

Not talking about the first scenario. I mean the practice of registering names that you know that you won't use and contacting professionals that might want to buy them for more than they would have normally have had to pay. I call that opportunistic and unethical. But maybe that's just me.


The legal definition clearly states the importance of trademarks and brandnames, no domain names should be registered with the intend to sell it to the rightfull owner, if I on the other hand register a generic name for which I expect a reasonable demand, then I am legally investing in domain names, selling it to the highest bidder, according to modern day capitalism this is absolutely ethical and I think it's ridiculous to state that this is any different from selling apples on the market "I mean the practice of buying apples that you know that you won't eat and contacting people that might want to buy them for more than they would have normally have had to pay" , according to you Fisherman, each and every profit company or small business in this world is based on unethical practice, I suggest you start writing 100 million strong worded letters.

p.s. domain squatting is nót domain reselling and it sure as hell is not comparable to spamming as you put it earlier.

Never said it was illegal. But it's not the same as selling apples. There are lots of things that are legal but you won't catch me doing them. I guess I'm done. Do what you want to do. If it feels good do it.

Thanks for trolling :D

Why do you think it's unethical ?
there's is a unique product, there's a buyer, there's a seller, is the uniqueness a problem then?

The law is based on ethics, what's your point anyway in stating that's legal but unethical, if it was strictly unethical, I would have been illegal, surely we all make unethical actions everyday, but do we ever pursue the law to get retribution for these irrelevant acts ?

What's trolling?

Originally posted by Bramiozo
What's trolling?

A nice resource :D
http://www.urban75.com/Mag/troll.html

damn... I am a noob :=)

Just asking for opinions like everybody else. Is it trolling because you don't like my opinion? Gee! I think I'm gonna cry. ;)

And you think I care what you think of domain reselling?

I smell fish :D

I think it is alright to resell domains.
There are so many things and business out there reselling stuff.

Most probably Fisherman's dream domain is already taken.

Sure...actively reselling's fine...but just buying domains on daddy's creditcard using a phoney email address and phone number without any intention of ever developing or using it...purely squatting for squatting's sake...is just a sign of a true doof.us :)

Originally posted by zoobie
Sure...actively reselling's fine...but just buying domains on daddy's creditcard using a phoney email address and phone number without any intention of ever developing or using it...purely squatting for squatting's sake...is just a sign of a true doof.us :)
Using incomplete or inaccurate information for domain registration is breaking ICANN's rule. I encourage you to report them at http://reports.internic.net/cgi/rpt_whois/rpt.cgi

However, I still don't see the rationale behind condemning people who are "just buying domains ... without any intention of ever developing or using it". :confused:

Zoo sign: caution, please do not feed the trolls.

Here's a nice posting I'm sure squatters will agree with...:)
Originally posted by Kingkerry
It has become a major subject indeed. I wrote a letter to a Texas senator a few months ago on the issue. I was proposing that anyone in the state of Texas who buys a domain on the intention of turning around and selling it again for more than what they paid for it, they would be subjected to a $5,000 fine and/or 1 - 2 years in jail. I think if they did this people would be making websites on their domain and not just buying them for $8.95 and then making a quick 500% profit. You probably think its not fair, but the web is running out of places to put up pages. How many of you have gone to a website only to see its taken by a domain company? It happens to me 2 - 4 times on a daily basis. If they enacted laws against these cyber sellers the web would be a better place.

...but probably too lenient. I think they should be beaten up and sat on by a fat Russian woman until they cry. :D

Whiners always whine because they came 2nd.

Originally posted by zoobie
is just a sign of a true doof.us

Love that small drop in of your advertisement!

Originally posted by timechange
Whiners always whine because they came 2nd.

Damn good point, thinking of making it my signature!

Chris

im not a "squatter"
but i do register domains and resell them to anyone interested in them

dont know if most resellers will agree but for me looking in my domain account and seeing a nice name such as sex.com i get a rush :banana:

Sex.com was one of the very first to go.

No offense guys, but there's a much more detailed, intelligent, and thought-provoking discussion I've started elsewhere. Lots of this stuff is just a knee-jerk reaction. Once again for the record...as I stated in another thread here, I don't have anything against actively selling domains...but when they just squat for squatting's sake year after year with phoney contact emails and phone...gotta draw the line somewhere.

Good Luck :D

"Actively selling" to you means registering a domain today and selling it tomorrow? Your logic holds no water.

Too bad. I just sold one I registered 3 years ago - it went for $400. Patience is a virtue.

lend us $20 timechange i have a sick puppy that needs an operation err or something... :)

in a sense its wrong and shouldnt be done ... its not the same as buying a house an selling it for profit. When you buy a house your not buying someones business name or otherwise.

If I were to buy webhostingtalk.net (just an example) and I used it to direct to my main site or made it a site, fine thats all good. If I did nothing with it at all and sold it if and only if the .com owners called me up on it that also is fine. If I call them and wave it in front of them and say it can be yours for price of some crazy amount, that is not okay ... that is squatting.

<removed> :)