This Should Be Against The Law

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I'll make this short and to the point because I am TOTALLY steamed.

One of my coaching students found the PERFECT domain for his niche.

Later he goes to get it and it's registered as a premium domain for, get this,
$11,000.

These people should burn in hell.

Why isn't this against the law. Obviously the registrar saw the look up and
snatched it up itself.

I'd really like to make a federal case out of this, report it to the feds and
get this registrar shut down.
#law
  • Profile picture of the author Nicola Lane
    Please name and shame the registrar he looked it up through - then we can all avoid them!
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    • Profile picture of the author AFI
      I noticed that Name Cheap keeps track of your last domains searched. But they also have the option to "clear your search" after you've searched which I recommend to everyone.
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    • Profile picture of the author avariel
      This sort of behaviour makes me very angry and is totally unprofessional.

      I don't know if this is of any help but I use 'instantdomainsearch dot com' to look up domain names because you can choose to encrypt your searches...hopefully :rolleyes:

      It's a free service...however, they automatically apply a Go Daddy coupon when you click on the available domain link.

      Just save your domain info and head over to another domain seller such as namecheap dot com as fast as your fingers will carry you and purchase your domain from there.

      I really feel for your student but hopefully good karma will prevail and they can find an even better domain...fingers crossed.

      They have a great mentor so they are already in luck

      Thank you for the reminder Steven...you've got me on my toes now!

      Nicole
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  • Profile picture of the author Chris Worner
    Let me guess, GoDaddy?

    Chris
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  • Profile picture of the author davewebsmith
    Trajic but not alot you can do ...

    1) You / your client has no claim to the domain name unless you buy it ... Same with seeing a classic mustang on a sales lot and when you come back its gone and on sale on Ebay for 10x the price ... What legal ground do you have?

    2) Secondly how do you know the registrar has registered it? Is it private whois? What is the domain name?

    And no I dont have $11k to buy it
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  • Profile picture of the author davewebsmith
    aka Domain Kiting

    domain kiting - Google Search=

    Domain tasting is the practice of a domain name registrant using the five-day "grace period" (the Add Grace Period or AGP) at the beginning of the registration of an ICANN-regulated second-level domain to test the marketability of the domain. During this period, when a registration must be fully refunded by the domain name registry, a cost-benefit analysis is conducted by the registrant on the viability of deriving income from advertisements being placed on the domain's website.
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  • Profile picture of the author TristanPerry
    I can understand it's massively annoying, and as a domainer this side of the domain 'market' does shame me.

    But at the same time, your client has no rights to the domain. He looked around, found something he liked, then didn't buy it.

    Then someone else (well, the registrar) snapped it up.

    It's pretty low of the registrar, but your client didn't suddenly have the rights to the domain because he liked the look of it.

    But yeah, I agree that it's harsh.

    If anyone's interested, I made a free tool here: Scripts and Tools which checks the WHOIS servers directly hence certain registrars (GoDaddy, NetSol etc) who do this kind of thing can't save the searches.

    The tool's not amazing and only supports 5/6 of the most popular TLDs, but it does the job overall. (I only tend to focus on .com, .net, .org, .info, .us and .co.uk - which are the supported TLDs - which is why the tool doesn't support any others )

    Edit: I'm honestly not trying to create any arguments Steve, although out of interest, why do you feel this should be against the law?
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    • Profile picture of the author Steven Wagenheim
      Originally Posted by TristanPerry View Post


      Edit: I'm honestly not trying to create any arguments Steve, although out of interest, why do you feel this should be against the law?
      Because it's blatantly clear why it was done.
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  • Profile picture of the author Slin
    Happens all the time, if you find a domain name you want, buy it, otherwise they will.
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  • Profile picture of the author oneplusone
    I do a WHOIS search instead to see if the domains I want are available.

    Never had any problems of my domains ever being taken, when I go to the registrar's website it is only to buy the domains I want straight away.
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    • Profile picture of the author jackryan588
      What is the benefit of using WHOIS against going to the registrar's website...? If there are non and one is worried, then let's all use WHOIS...

      Morgan
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      • Profile picture of the author Kay King
        If you are domain shopping without planning to buy, use a site such as nameboy.com to narrow your search of domain names.

        It's that simple - this is the Law of You Snooze, You Lose .

        You look at a certain domain and find it available....but can't decide to make the $8 purchase and leave the site. Third party software does domain tasting to see if they can profit.

        This practice is a bit sneaky - but the problem is it makes you feel dumb. You could have registered the domain and didn't. It's easier to be angry with some entity online than to blame indecision on your part. On the plus side - it's almost always a temporary glitch and the domain will be available again in ten days or less.

        Is there anywhere online or offline where "thinking about buying" gives you rights to the product?

        kay
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  • Profile picture of the author IndigoJack
    This makes my skin crawl.

    Yes, it should be against the law. Why? Because its manipulating the market for your own profit. In the same way that it is against the law for estate agents to slap £30,000 on the price of a house they have listed just because you asked for the details.

    Legitimate Registrars should not be induldging in this sort of underhand tactic.
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    • Profile picture of the author TristanPerry
      Originally Posted by IndigoJack View Post

      This makes my skin crawl.

      Yes, it should be against the law. Why? Because its manipulating the market for your own profit. In the same way that it is against the law for estate agents to slap £30,000 on the price of a house they have listed just because you asked for the details.

      Legitimate Registrars should not be induldging in this sort of underhand tactic.
      A very good point.

      Yep fair enough, I do think it should be against the law too.

      I've always felt it was underhanded and very unfair/slimy, but have never really been able to make my mind up on whether it should be illegal. I guess I agree that it is effectively market manipulation and shouldn't really be allowed.
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  • Profile picture of the author davewebsmith
    Why do we all assume the Registrar is at fault

    Domain tasting - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

    Domain tasting is the practice of a domain name registrant using the five-day "grace period" (the Add Grace Period or AGP) at the beginning of the registration of an ICANN-regulated second-level domain to test the marketability of the domain.

    During this period, when a registration must be fully refunded by the domain name registry, a cost-benefit analysis is conducted by the registrant on the viability of deriving income from advertisements being placed on the domain's website.

    Domains that are deemed "successes" and retained in a registrant's portfolio often represent domains that were previously used and have since expired, misspellings of other popular sites, or generic terms that may receive type-in traffic.

    These domains are usually still active in search engines and other hyperlinks and therefore receive enough traffic such that advertising revenue exceeds the cost of the registration.

    The registrant may also derive revenue from eventual sale of the domain, at a premium, to a third party.

    In January 2008, ICANN proposed several possible solutions, including that the exemption on transaction costs (US$ 0.20) during the five-day grace period be abandoned, which would effectively make the practice of domain tasting not viable.

    [1] The ICANN operating plan and budget for Fiscal Year 2009 included a section intended to deal with the problem of Domain tasting. The transaction fee of $0.20 will be applied to domains deleted in the Add Grace Period where the number of such domains exceeds 10% of the net new registrations or 50 domains, whichever is greater.

    The "net new registrations" is defined as the number of new registrations less the number of domains deleted in the Add Grace Period. The ICANN operating plan and budget was approved at the ICANN board meeting in Paris, France on 26 June 2008.
    Starting in April 2009, many top level domains (TLDs) began transitioning from the $0.20 fee for excess domains deleted to implementing a policy resulting in a fee equal to registering the domain, generally several dollars in cost.[2] [3]

    ICANN reported in August 2009, that prior to implementing excess domain deletion charges, the peak month for domain tastings was over 15 million domain names. After the $0.20 fee was implemented, this dropped to around 2 million domain names per month.

    As a result of the further increase in charges for excess domain deletions, implemented starting April 2009, the number of domain tastings dropped to below 60 thousand per month.[2]

    Domain tasting should not be confused with domain kiting, which is the process of deleting a domain name during the five-day grace period and immediately re-registering it for another five-day period. This process is repeated any number of times with the end result of having the domain registered without ever actually paying for it.
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  • Profile picture of the author Bewley
    Originally Posted by Steven Wagenheim View Post

    These people should burn in hell.
    Totally over the top. If your student wanted the domain that bad, they should have bought it there and then.

    Look around you! Look at all the crap going on in the World! And you want this guy to burn in hell! Jeez!
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    • Profile picture of the author Steven Wagenheim
      Anybody who is defending what went down here is daft.

      1. Student looks for domain.

      2. Student finds domain.

      3. Student checks with coach to see if domain is a good one.

      4. Coach says yes, get it.

      5. Student goes back to get domain and it's selling for $11,000.

      It is so blatantly obvious what the registrar did that it's a joke.

      And how anybody can defend this is just beyond my comprehension.

      If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it's a duck.
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      • Profile picture of the author DogScout
        Originally Posted by Steven Wagenheim View Post

        Anybody who is defending what went down here is daft.

        1. Student looks for domain.

        2. Student finds domain.

        3. Student checks with coach to see if domain is a good one.

        4. Coach says yes, get it.

        5. Student goes back to get domain and it's selling for $11,000.

        It is so blatantly obvious what the registrar did that it's a joke.

        And how anybody can defend this is just beyond my comprehension.

        If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it's a duck.
        It is the way the 'rules' work. New people with less knowledge are prime targets for predators. Not just domain registrars, but all sorts. It is the way the world is made, has nothing to do with 'right & wrong'.
        A zebra that doesn't know to run when it sees a lion falls into the same category. (Or a duck... even one walking and quacking like one that doesn't avoid cats).
        He should be glad to have a coach, you probably save him more than 11K in buying shiny objects from other IM predators.
        Eventually, he will know to search Whoisit or buy at the time of look up. Until then, he is a just a zebra that thinks lions are pussy cats.
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      • Profile picture of the author Black Hat Cat
        Banned
        Originally Posted by Steven Wagenheim View Post

        Anybody who is defending what went down here is daft.

        1. Student looks for domain.

        2. Student finds domain.

        3. Student checks with coach to see if domain is a good one.

        4. Coach says yes, get it.

        5. Student goes back to get domain and it's selling for $11,000.

        It is so blatantly obvious what the registrar did that it's a joke.

        And how anybody can defend this is just beyond my comprehension.

        If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it's a duck.
        So, being a duck should be against the law?

        My thoughts? Boo hoo.
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        • Profile picture of the author seasoned
          Originally Posted by Black Hat Cat View Post

          So, being a duck should be against the law?

          My thoughts? Boo hoo.
          Actually, it IS against the law!!!!!! The UDRP SPECIFICALLY forbids registering domain names in bad faith, INCLUDING for things like selling at a profit! GODADDY, for example, is LICENSED via a CONTRACT with ICANN which INSISTS that the UDRP, etc... be followed. SO, at the VERY LEAST, they are guilty of breach of contract! As such, they could lose EVERYTHING! They coould lose the entire business, AND be fined!

          Good luck getting ICANN to listen or care though, 8-( HEY, VERISIGN broke the law ALSO, several times. I think the ABSOLUTE worst they got was a CEASE AND DESIST OR ELSE!

          Steve
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      • Profile picture of the author CDarklock
        Let's be perfectly clear about what happened.

        You asked someone whether something was in stock, and it was.

        You didn't buy it.

        Someone else did. Maybe it was the person you asked. Maybe not. Thanks to WHOIS privacy, we may never know.

        Having bought it, they marked up the price to sell it for profit.

        You now come back to discover it's too expensive for you.

        Which part of this should be illegal?

        Can you tell which part I think should be illegal?
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        • Profile picture of the author Steven Wagenheim
          Originally Posted by CDarklock View Post

          Which part of this should be illegal?

          Can you tell which part I think should be illegal?
          The whois privacy, because if the registrar was the one who bought the
          domain and whois is covering it up, that should be done away with.

          So much about this industry that I can't stand.

          This is just one of those many things.
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  • Profile picture of the author jasonmorgan
    I'm calling hogwash

    The domain was probably already registered as a premium domain long before your student ever thought of it.

    What is the domain, run a whois... I bet it's not a recent purchase.

    A registrar is not going to hold some goofy niche marketing domain for $11,000 ransom.
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    • Profile picture of the author KenThompson
      Originally Posted by jasonmorgan View Post

      I'm calling hogwash

      The domain was probably already registered as a premium domain long before your student ever thought of it.

      What is the domain, run a whois... I bet it's not a recent purchase.

      A registrar is not going to hold some goofy niche marketing domain for $11,000 ransom.
      I was thinking the same thing. At least it's a possibility. I know this can
      happen because it happened to me.

      A few years ago I was checking a bunch of domain ideas, and I typed in 'porcelain.de'
      and it came back as available. Shocking. So I registered it. Then later on that day I
      got an email stating it had already been registered a while ago. I checked it out, and
      it had been registered for years.

      I don't know how that stuff happens, but it seems that it does.


      Ken
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    • Profile picture of the author Steven Wagenheim
      Originally Posted by jasonmorgan View Post

      I'm calling hogwash

      The domain was probably already registered as a premium domain long before your student ever thought of it.

      What is the domain, run a whois... I bet it's not a recent purchase.

      A registrar is not going to hold some goofy niche marketing domain for $11,000 ransom.
      You can call it whatever you want...the domain was available.
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    • Profile picture of the author DogScout
      Originally Posted by jasonmorgan View Post

      I'm calling hogwash

      The domain was probably already registered as a premium domain long before your student ever thought of it.

      What is the domain, run a whois... I bet it's not a recent purchase.

      A registrar is not going to hold some goofy niche marketing domain for $11,000 ransom.
      That is a naive statement. They do and continue to hold searched for domains hostage. Not just ICANN registrars, but anyone with the tech knowledge and ability to see what people are searching for. Usually with-in minutes (if not seconds) of a search.
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  • Profile picture of the author jasonmorgan
    What was the domain then?

    It's clearly taken with an $11,000 price tag so no harm done by sharing it now.
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  • Profile picture of the author IndigoJack
    Domain Tasting IS illegal in the UK for .co.uk domains. If Nominet suspects that that is what a registrar is upto they take legal action against them.

    The number of deletions allowed, prior to registration was reduced to zero in 2006 to stamp out the practice.
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  • Profile picture of the author KimW
    I learned long ago that some registars did this.
    Now I don't even look it up unless I'm ready to buy. I used to use GoDaddy but now I mainly use namecheap.
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  • Profile picture of the author tryinhere
    i am not sure if using aps like market samurai would stop this ? as they mass search names.
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  • Profile picture of the author Adam Roy
    I don't get it.

    Did somebody mention they were going to buy the domain, and then somebody else went and snatched it up first? Like, the person knew the other person wanted it then went and bought it then put on a price tag of 11k?

    Or did somebody register that domain way before your student wanted it?
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    • Profile picture of the author IndigoJack
      Originally Posted by friend View Post

      I don't get it.

      Did somebody mention they were going to buy the domain, and then somebody else went and snatched it up first? Like, the person knew the other person wanted it then went and bought it then put on a price tag of 11k?

      Or did somebody register that domain way before your student wanted it?
      No, Somebody checked the availablity of a domain on a registrar website. It was available.

      When Somebody returned to purchase it the registrar had slapped an $11000 price tag on it.

      In other words they observed his search and saw an opportunity to milk it.
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    • Profile picture of the author Kay King
      It was registered by a third party that does it automatically when you search a particular domain name and then don't buy. The theory may be they can sell you or someone else the domain for more money - or that if one person is searching for a term, it may be a popular term.

      It's a temporary thing as if there is no interest from buyers, the third party drops the domain before full payment is due in a few days.

      It is frustrating when you don't know about it -but it's preventable. Even if it happens, waiting a few days will often solve the problem.

      kay
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  • Profile picture of the author Fernando Veloso
    Same thing happened to me some months ago with a very good domain, not in english.

    From that day I just buy right away the ones I like and discuss later what to do with them:

    Development
    Sale
    Trash

    But even if this is/was against the law, registrars will find a way to buy them in a personal name with hidden who is data.

    It's a shame, but it's just the way it goes.
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  • Profile picture of the author HeySal
    I was victim to this - it's how I ended up with a website with a name like "salssecretsrevealed" - that wasn't even my 10th choice!

    If someone is grabbing every domain that is checked via knowledge of what was looked up -- it seems the word "insider trading" would apply. Insider trading is illegal. So who is the party involved with this and has anyone registered a complaint against them to a legal agency? Where are they located. It might not be against the law where they are located. I might also be wrong, but it seems like the term (and thus, the charges) would apply. Maybe it doesn't. There is only so much that can be done without dicking with everyone's freedom to buy as they wish. I don't like to bring law into some things because once gov gets their hands on it new regulations or fees come into play that can be a real pain in the butt. It's best, always, that consumers learn to beat the thugs on their own.

    Make a list -- the domain you actually want and several alternatives in case it is taken before you go online to buy. IF people were taught to do this, the practice we are seeing would be stopped more effectively than any gov reg or law is going to be able to. It's always better, and a more thorough solution, to kill a market than to cry for more laws and regulations.
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    • Profile picture of the author DJL
      I generally use NameStation.com to research availability of domain names, and have never had one snatched from under my fingers. Upon finding the one I want, I hop right over to Name.com to register it.
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      • Profile picture of the author Bill Farnham
        I've had hundred of domains with GoDaddy over the years and still have well over 100 of them active there and have used their bulk search on thousands of possible domain names. I've never had a problem going back and getting the domain name I've wanted if it was initially available.

        Now, Networks Solutions was a different story...
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    • Profile picture of the author davewebsmith
      Originally Posted by HeySal View Post

      If someone is grabbing every domain that is checked via knowledge of what was looked up -- it seems the word "insider trading" would apply. Insider trading is illegal.
      I still don't forsee registrars registering every single domain that users search for ... I think we are forgetting that there millions of internet users with millions of search on Google youtube alone ...

      Use alexa and see that stats these registrars have on them for daily hits ...

      This thread is going around in circles ... and as we pointed out more than likely this domain will be available if there is no traffic potential on it

      bear in mind we still have not been told the domain name that was swept up or even the registration date on the whois or if the whois is private as i asked earlier so we are all assuming that this is a conspiracy with your registrar stilling waiting like an ebay user to snipe that belowed jewel domain just as you are about to enter your paypal password

      i dont see that happening ... i don't see them allocating resources to such a trivial meanial task as that -

      what i do believe is as the examples point out that expiring domains that are parked with a provider are snatched up before general public because there are stats on that site as the registrar has a page to monitor that and the "owner" hasnt renewed it

      This has a proven and tried traffic revenue in the cancellation stages of the domain (30 - 60 days)

      that would make more sense to me ...

      What doesn't make sense is

      Im some random user, checking one random domain name and then this registrar grabs it with both hands and slaps an $11k PREMIUM DOMAIN price tag in the hope that some poor smuck who didnt pay $10 bucks for it will whip out this 401k and trade in his house equity in the faint hope of getting that domain

      this logic doesnt make sense ...
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      • Profile picture of the author Steven Wagenheim
        Originally Posted by davewebsmith View Post

        I still don't forsee registrars registering every single domain that users search for ... I think we are forgetting that there millions of internet users with millions of search on Google youtube alone ...

        Use alexa and see that stats these registrars have on them for daily hits ...

        This thread is going around in circles ... and as we pointed out more than likely this domain will be available if there is no traffic potential on it

        bear in mind we still have not been told the domain name that was swept up or even the registration date on the whois or if the whois is private as i asked earlier so we are all assuming that this is a conspiracy with your registrar stilling waiting like an ebay user to snipe that belowed jewel domain just as you are about to enter your paypal password

        i dont see that happening ... i don't see them allocating resources to such a trivial meanial task as that -

        what i do believe is as the examples point out that expiring domains that are parked with a provider are snatched up before general public because there are stats on that site as the registrar has a page to monitor that and the "owner" hasnt renewed it

        This has a proven and tried traffic revenue in the cancellation stages of the domain (30 - 60 days)

        that would make more sense to me ...

        What doesn't make sense is

        Im some random user, checking one random domain name and then this registrar grabs it with both hands and slaps an $11k PREMIUM DOMAIN price tag in the hope that some poor smuck who didnt pay $10 bucks for it will whip out this 401k and trade in his house equity in the faint hope of getting that domain

        this logic doesnt make sense ...

        I don't give a flying frig if it makes sense to you or not.

        1. Domain searched for...available.

        2. Short time later (and I do mean SHORT) domain taken.

        End of story.
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  • Profile picture of the author Samson77
    This is why you should always register immediately when you find the perfect name. It could be coincidence that someone else found it as well and snatched it up right away.
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  • Profile picture of the author davewebsmith
    lol glad thats settled ... no hard feelings ... wont comment on the thread any further ..
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  • Profile picture of the author KenThompson
    Steve,

    If it bothers you that much, and it seems that's the case, the why not
    pursue it?

    You can submit a complaint to the FTC, get a lawyer, and then get a
    court document - court order?, or whatever it takes to have someone
    find out if the registrar did it.

    You don't necessarily have to be the one to see who registered it, just
    some third party who can confirm if the registrar did it, or not.

    You can push it if you want. Nothing stopping you. If you do, keep us
    updated about it. I'd be curious to know.

    But there is one thing I wonder about. Consider how many domain queries
    are performed each day at a registrar. It almost seems like there must
    be some kind of s/w that can identify potentially valuable domains that
    are searched for but not registered.

    For a human to review that data, it would be more than a single person
    could do in a day. So it would be labor intensive. That's the thing I'm
    wondering about. What is in place to check all the domains people type
    in every day.

    Just my thoughts...


    Ken
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    • Profile picture of the author CDarklock
      Originally Posted by KenThompson View Post

      But there is one thing I wonder about. Consider how many domain queries
      are performed each day at a registrar. It almost seems like there must
      be some kind of s/w that can identify potentially valuable domains that
      are searched for but not registered.
      Here's the thing that keeps bothering me about the people who say "I found a great keyword domain but the registrar snapped it up."

      Let's say you go doing some keyword research, and you find that some particular phrase gets 25,000 searches a day.

      You go look for an exact domain match, and you find one.

      Now, every single day - including today - 25,000 searches are going to be made on that keyword phrase.

      What are the chances that each of those searches will be by a domainer?

      Because if it's more than 1 in 25,000... a domainer is buying that domain today.

      But it's probably Gene Pimentel, so it's okay
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      "The Golden Town is the Golden Town no longer. They have sold their pillars for brass and their temples for money, they have made coins out of their golden doors. It is become a dark town full of trouble, there is no ease in its streets, beauty has left it and the old songs are gone." - Lord Dunsany, The Messengers
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      • Profile picture of the author KenThompson
        Originally Posted by CDarklock View Post


        What are the chances that each of those searches will be by a domainer?

        Because if it's more than 1 in 25,000... a domainer is buying that domain today.

        But it's probably Gene Pimentel, so it's okay

        Yes, that's another part of the equation that I didn't bother to mention. The
        person being coached should have just bought it, and if it wasn't any good
        then it's only $10. Probably not wasted, though, anyway.

        Gene? Maybe Steve bought it. LOL


        Ken
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        • Profile picture of the author Bill Farnham
          If I had $7 for every domain name I've bought that I mistyped during the process I could go on a weekend vacation.

          And all those "Hot Damn, I can't believe I own...WHAT!?!"s

          Jack Daniels, Wordtracker, GoDaddy's bulk domain search tool, and a credit card. What a combo...
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          • Profile picture of the author Steven Wagenheim
            Originally Posted by Bill Farnham View Post

            If I had $7 for every domain name I've bought that I mistyped during the process I could go on a weekend vacation.

            And all those "Hot Damn, I can't believe I own...WHAT!?!"s

            Jack Daniels, Wordtracker, GoDaddy's bulk domain search tool, and a credit card. What a combo...
            Is that why you're in debt up to your boobs?

            Sorry...couldn't resist.
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            • Profile picture of the author Bill Farnham
              Originally Posted by Steven Wagenheim View Post

              Is that why you're in debt up to your boobs?

              Sorry...couldn't resist.
              Those 'boobs' have already paid for themselves.
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          • Profile picture of the author Kay King
            The big problem here is simple to solve.

            1. Student looks for domain.

            2. Student finds domain.

            3. Student checks with coach to see if domain is a good one.

            4. Coach says yes, get it.
            Send the students to a site like nameboy.com instead - have the student compile a list of five potential domains and help him rank them best to worst. THEN the student should go to a register and register the best one available.

            The point is, domain tasting happens on a large scale. They aren't paying for the domains because they let most go rather than pay a few days later when it's due. It's not "nice" - but it's reality so we deal with it.

            We know there are ways to keep from being affected by this. If you register your domain when you find it - you don't have a problem.

            Why not make it a part of the lesson of "how to choose a domain" if you are coaching?

            kay
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            • Profile picture of the author KenThompson
              Originally Posted by Kay King View Post


              Why not make it a part of the lesson of "how to choose a domain" if you are coaching?

              kay

              Because it's more fun bitching about it all day!


              Ken
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    • Profile picture of the author seasoned
      Originally Posted by KenThompson View Post

      Steve,

      If it bothers you that much, and it seems that's the case, the why not
      pursue it?

      You can submit a complaint to the FTC, get a lawyer, and then get a
      court document - court order?, or whatever it takes to have someone
      find out if the registrar did it.
      FORGET THAT! The whois is technically illegal ALSO! LONG ago, ICANN forbad use of improper names/addresses. They got sick of people doing things like registering them as mickey mouse! SERIOUSLY! Appeal to ICANN, and try to get them to rip it APART! A friend of mine pleaded for me to help in such a case, and I said ALL I could recommend was appealing to the registrar, getting a court order, or MAYBE threatening them with being charged with aiding and abetting. Godaddy had a private domain name that was used to sell fake badges and IDs, and my friend works for the LAPD. Having privacy is nice, etc... but many take it TOO FAR!

      But there is one thing I wonder about. Consider how many domain queries
      are performed each day at a registrar. It almost seems like there must
      be some kind of s/w that can identify potentially valuable domains that
      are searched for but not registered.

      For a human to review that data, it would be more than a single person
      could do in a day. So it would be labor intensive. That's the thing I'm
      wondering about. What is in place to check all the domains people type
      in every day.

      Just my thoughts...


      Ken
      People are talking like it happens all the time. They CAN check various parameters automatically. They MAY even compare it to data on EXISTING names. Godaddy has a LOT of ability to do that. HECK, as a direct second tier type registrar, they can do things we can only dream about.

      Steve
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  • Profile picture of the author TimPhelan
    Steven, can you let us know what the domain is? I am curious and I bet others are too. :-)
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    • Profile picture of the author Steven Wagenheim
      Originally Posted by TimPhelan View Post

      Steven, can you let us know what the domain is? I am curious and I bet others are too. :-)
      No, because in 5 days I'm having him go back to see if it's available again
      based on the feedback I've gotten in this thread. There is a chance that
      whoever grabbed it will let it go when they don't get any takers at that
      ridiculous price.
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  • Profile picture of the author jasonmorgan
    So, why are you reluctant to give the domain?

    I still think this is a case of newbie error followed-up with a case of burn in hell over reaction.

    It would almost be believable if they slapped a $100 or $1,000 premium price tag on it but $11,000.. c'mon, registrars aren't that stupid.

    Bust out the domain name! Even with privacy you can still see the registration dates and clever cats can get around privacy anyway.
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    I'm all about that bass.

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    • Profile picture of the author Steven Wagenheim
      Originally Posted by jasonmorgan View Post

      So, why are you reluctant to give the domain?

      I still think this is a case of newbie error followed-up with a case of burn in hell over reaction.

      It would almost be believable if they slapped a $100 or $1,000 premium price tag on it but $11,000.. c'mon, registrars aren't that stupid.

      Bust out the domain name! Even with privacy you can still see the registration dates and clever cats can get around privacy anyway.
      Why don't I want to give the domain name? I'd answer that question but
      I don't need another banning here.

      Un-freaking-believable.

      And as far as the guy being a newbie, he's NOT. He's got more smarts
      that 90% of the people here. You should see how meticulous his work is.

      Don't make comments when you have no freaking idea what you're
      talking about.

      Un-freaking-believable.
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      • Profile picture of the author Bill Farnham
        Originally Posted by Steven Wagenheim View Post

        Why don't I want to give the domain name? I'd answer that question but I don't need another banning here.
        Hey, forget revealing that domain name. Who cares...

        How about revealing all your niches and the keywords that make you money. I mean let's face it, that would be way more valuable.

        C'mon, you know you're dying to do that...
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  • Profile picture of the author seasoned
    I was going to say more than steve, but I guess I'll just hold my tounge! 8-D

    Steve
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  • Profile picture of the author seasoned
    HECK, I STILL want to see how jason gets around domain privacy!!!!!

    GRANTED ******EVENTUALLY****** ****MAYBE**** you could look at name servers, domain data, etc... but on a PUBLICALLY parked site!?!? OK, HOW!

    steve
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  • Profile picture of the author Martin2010
    Stevo yes it's a crying shame that this happens. You didn't mention who this company where?

    I have bought and sold more domains that you've probably had hot dinners and if you are referring to GoDaddy then i've never had a problem and i've bought some very hot domains in my time but i bet that's no concelation
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