Domain Sold for $250k. Anyone actually make some decent $$$ selling domains?

I bought a domain 2 years ago for $30,000. It wasnt from a domainer, though. Currently, I am looking around for the perfect domain for a new venture and everything I can think of is freakin registered and parked.

It makes me so freakin mad.
 


Fatbat said:
Difficult, because if you try to monetize it for that game, then they have grounds to take it from you. I'm surprised they haven't approached you to make an offer if it's truly an exact match. What kind of game is it? $1 mil in sales for any kind of major video game release is peanuts.
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Sorry, looking at it again, it has ~1 million copies sold in the first week.

That's probably not the best metric though. This game/brand is crushing it. The game has generated revenue over $400 mil+. It's kinda in the same style of Pokemon/Yu-Gu-Oh.

The company is based in Japan. Their English marketing is kinda weak, so they might not be even aware its taken. I was thinking about approaching them to buy the domain. They definitely have the $$.
 
Gambit said:
Sorry, looking at it again, it has ~1 million copies sold in the first week.

That's probably not the best metric though. This game/brand is crushing it. The game has generated revenue over $400 mil+. It's kinda in the same style of Pokemon/Yu-Gu-Oh.

The company is based in Japan. Their English marketing is kinda weak, so they might not be even aware its taken. I was thinking about approaching them to buy the domain. They definitely have the $$.
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Good luck. Back in my EMD hayday of 2006, I had to give up a Harley and a Disney domain name at the request of their lawyers. If it is exact and trademarked, they could very well say, "We will keep our money and you will just give us the domain."
 
Gambit said:
Sorry, looking at it again, it has ~1 million copies sold in the first week.

That's probably not the best metric though. This game/brand is crushing it. The game has generated revenue over $400 mil+. It's kinda in the same style of Pokemon/Yu-Gu-Oh.

The company is based in Japan. Their English marketing is kinda weak, so they might not be even aware its taken. I was thinking about approaching them to buy the domain. They definitely have the $$.
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That's a trademark issue bro. Bad faith, you have it.
 
Yellow Squash said:
Good luck. Back in my EMD hayday of 2006, I had to give up a Harley and a Disney domain name at the request of their lawyers. If it is exact and trademarked, they could very well say, "We will keep our money and you will just give us the domain."
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Yeah, but playing devils advocate... did you really HAVE to?

If you jump in their shoes, think of it as a cost-benefit analysis.

How much time/money would it cost them to file and go through with a suit? $50-100k and a few months of headaches?

If you sell them the domain for cheaper than that, it kinda makes sense on their end, no?

droplister said:
That's a trademark issue bro. Bad faith, you have it.
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Whatttt. I'm just storing it for them. I made sure that no one else bought it up. They should be glad. :P
 
Gambit said:
Yeah, but playing devils advocate... did you really HAVE to?

If you jump in their shoes, think of it as a cost-benefit analysis.

How much time/money would it cost them to file and go through with a suit? $50-100k and a few months of headaches?

If you sell them the domain for cheaper than that, it kinda makes sense on their end, no?
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It isnt a question of what is cheaper for them. Its a question of who would run out of money for attorney fees first. That is not a battle I ever want to fight with a major corporation. For them, protecting their brand is more important than a measley $50K.
 
Gambit said:
Yeah, but playing devils advocate... did you really HAVE to?

If you jump in their shoes, think of it as a cost-benefit analysis.

How much time/money would it cost them to file and go through with a suit? $50-100k and a few months of headaches?

If you sell them the domain for cheaper than that, it kinda makes sense on their end, no?



Whatttt. I'm just storing it for them. I made sure that no one else bought it up. They should be glad. :P
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Pretty straight forward to claim the domain and yes you do "have to surrender it".
 
Yellow Squash said:
It isnt a question of what is cheaper for them. Its a question of who would run out of money for attorney fees first. That is not a battle I ever want to fight with a major corporation. For them, protecting their brand is more important than a measley $50K.
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Good point. That wouldn't be fun at all.

swiftmoney said:
Pretty straight forward to claim the domain and yes you do "have to surrender it".
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Is that an actual law? I've read some articles about it, but don't remember seeing what the consensus was behind it. Just curious.
 
That's why they haven't approached you to make an offer, yet.

Their attorneys are busy putting together the necessary paperwork at the moment and will send them over shortly.


When you receive the legal files, just use them to wipe your ass and then send them a certified letter stating you will not accept less than 20 bucks for the domain.
 
Gambit said:
Call me crazy, but I'm gonna hold out for $30 CASH.
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I like your style.

Might help if you send them the legal documents back with your certified letter. After you used them to wipe your ass. This will show them you mean business and that you don't give a shit.

Source:
Have done this 4.5 times.
 
Gambit said:
I own the exact match .com name for a video game. I bought it a while ago. It was just released and has done over $1mil+ in sales already.

What would you do with something like this?
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Fatbat said:
Difficult, because if you try to monetize it for that game, then they have grounds to take it from you. I'm surprised they haven't approached you to make an offer if it's truly an exact match. What kind of game is it? $1 mil in sales for any kind of major video game release is peanuts.
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Yeah, it's a sticky situation. IIRC, If it was registered after someone else developed the game or used the name, even "parking" can make it bad faith. Offering it for sale to the public is probably ok.



Yellow Squash said:
It isnt a question of what is cheaper for them. Its a question of who would run out of money for attorney fees first. That is not a battle I ever want to fight with a major corporation. For them, protecting their brand is more important than a measley $50K.
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Of course "cheaper" matters. Why would they spend 50k when an email threat does the job? They could give you 40k and be better off, for that matter. Nobody likes to fuck off 40k for no reason, when a threatening email does the same job. I understand your reluctance to get into a cockfight with a giant penis, but let's not pretend that costs don't matter. Of course they do. You made a decision based on your own projected costs... no?
 
User9364 said:
Of course "cheaper" matters. Why would they spend 50k when an email threat does the job? They could give you 40k and be better off, for that matter. Nobody likes to fuck off 40k for no reason, when a threatening email does the same job. I understand your reluctance to get into a cockfight with a giant penis, but let's not pretend that costs don't matter. Of course they do. You made a decision based on your own projected costs... no?
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I may be a peasant for not fighting them, but I am not going to risk the well-being of my family over a freakin domain name. Let's see... spend money fighting attorneys for a domain name, or use that money to positively build a business? Makes no sense to fight, when I could instead be making money.
 
Yellow Squash said:
I may be a peasant for not fighting them, but I am not going to risk the well-being of my family over a freakin domain name. Let's see... spend money fighting attorneys for a domain name, or use that money to positively build a business? Makes no sense to fight, when I could instead be making money.
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I'm not saying you should have "fought" them. That could have been a horrible decision for all I know. I'm just saying that costs matter. It makes sense that costs matter to you, and it also makes sense that costs matter to them. (for all of the same reasons.) I'm not even questioning your decision. I'm questioning your stated reasoning behind it.

You occasionally have people who will get emotionally attached to an issue and behave without regard to costs, but I think that happens more with personalities and quite a bit less with large companies. There are a lot more decision makers, and that seems to temper a single executive "going off the rails" for personal or ego reasons.
 
And I should address something here... nobody is really "required to surrender" anything.

If someone has a legitimate claim to a domain you own, backed by law, they will take it. It will probably cost them at least $1500 and a WIPO action to do so. In most cases, they would be wiser to negotiate a transfer for cheaper.

If they have legal actions against you otherwise, it makes sense to get them to sign a release for transfer. If they take it from you by law, they will still have the same options for legal relief later.

No one would accuse me of being a "domain squatter" or anything, but if you have a domain someone is threatening you over, it makes sense to look out for yourself in the process.

I've handed domains over for nearly free. I don't put any value on fighting with people... there's no honor involved. But saying something like "I'll transfer following a release of liability" is certainly reasonable.
 
Tucky said:
What are your thoughts on the new TLD domains coming out soon? Seems like it's a great opportunity to get some great sounding urls and make some money. That's if you can secure them of course.
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This.

I picked up some .gallery a few days early.

Cost me 122 a piece . . .

Throw up some pinterest scripts and start pimpin via social.
 
Gambit said:
Good point. That wouldn't be fun at all.



Is that an actual law? I've read some articles about it, but don't remember seeing what the consensus was behind it. Just curious.
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No. But there are a few ways they could go about it. I've had a few run-ins with similar situations which pretty much qualifies me as an internet lawyer.

1) File a UDRP against you and then have an ICANN panel decide if you are infringing on their trademark. If they find that you are, they (ICANN) will seize the domain and transfer it to them.

2) Sue you for trademark infringement. Typically they get an injunction which prevents you from using it. I believe they may be able to sue for any profit you made off it, lawyer fees etc., especially if it's a federal trademark and they feel like getting their dicks wet, they can really fuck your shit up.

So you could either develop it and run the risk of them taking it.. or just park it at Sedo.com /r Bodis.com and make some money there while listing it for sale at Godaddy / Sedo / Namejet etc...or just let it expire.

Probably best to go with the last option.
 
I have about 200 names. Only sell 2-3 per year in the mid $xxx range. Sad day. I don't think it even covers the reg fee for the portfolio. Domaining is dead unless you actually have some money to work with. Still waiting for that one big sale...

feelsbadmang.jpg
 
what if you bought the domain name way before any type of trademark/brand (in this instance the video game) was created? Do they still have legal rights to go after your domain?
 
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