Domain Squatting

Volovo

Domain squatting or cyber squatting? Does this actually take place that regularly? What I mean is, registering a domain name that may become popular and then selling it at a profit. Or, snatching a domain name after its owner has let it lapse? Then selling it back?

I am not referring to the registration of domains that are very similar to trademarks.

So does this kind of thing take place regularly? Has anybody here profited from it? And what side is the law on? Of course a business owner who loses out because they failed to renew their domain will be a bit peeved but hey, you snooze you lose?

My curiosity was just sparked when I saw a local business, and fairly popular website had domain lapsed and I thought.... what if? :P

link8r

Its very frequent. Domain squatting, AFAIK (and I'm open to correction) applies mainly to where that domain represents a company, business, trademark, brand (not necessarily all protected). It mostly happened during the, um, land grab (??) phase of the internet and it particularly reoccurs when a new "plot" opens up. For example, .co is the new .com in the sense that its very similar and actually shorter than .com. Even though its the ccTLD (country-code Top Level Domain / based on ISO Country Codes, top level being the end of the domain address), because of global adoption (Like .TV, .LY etc) its become globally geo-available to Google.

Its also common when a new term, phrase, product, industry etc is formed.

Yes, a lot of people have profited. I know people who've made 6 figure sums from a single €200 investment, sometimes holding a domain for up to a decade.

And as new domains open (e.g. .XXX) so it will continue.

Domains are important for personable reasons - e.g. ww.money.com or www.fly.com and because of Google and Search-word-in-domain relevance for SEO and PPC. But, a phenomenon since about 2006/7 has seen many people put a domain name or company name directly into Google - thus somewhat lessening the "memory" factor a domain contributes - but putting a price/making something tangible is pretty nebulus.

Disclaimer: Personally I own 100 domains but I'm not squatting on any!

mneylon

"Squatting" is only when you infringe on someone else's rights

Unfortunately a lot of people view any form of "domaining" as "squatting"

jmcc

Volovo wrote: »

Domain squatting or cyber squatting?

Owning a domain is not domain squatting. It is not cybersquatting unless it is infringing on the trademark or intellectual rights of others.

Regards...jmcc

Volovo

I might try and make it a daily routine to brainstorm some good domain names. What is a "good domain name" you ask! A discussion for another day I think.

Thanks for the insight.

jmcc

Volovo wrote: »

I might try and make it a daily routine to brainstorm some good domain names.

It is not really that difficult.

What is a "good domain name" you ask!

Simple to remember, easy to communicate and one that works for your business.

Some of the major brand developers break down words into fragments so that they can convey various ideas merely by being added to a root or stub word. I can't remember the name of the guy who developed this method but he was an engineer and it is very successful. The best examples would be car names.

Regards...jmcc