Chicago.Com and Power.Com

[jstewart]

Chicago.Com and Power.Com seem to be both using the same backend script to offer email addresses to users.

Can anyone tell me what this is?

Much appriciated,
J

 

[Puckerhuddle]

I can't help you with your question but I am surprised that the site's only purpose seems to be to sell email addresses and sub domains. I thought that it was some huge built out site and local portal to all things Chicago. Not what I expected from such a well storied site. I do like the idea of the vanity email addresses and sub domains. I have a geo that I might explore this with.

 

[jstewart]

They are doing very well with the emails and sub-domains. If you find anything out let me know.

 

[Skinny]

@Puckerhuddle These sites are doing very well.

You can read Michael Berkins' interview with the owner of Chicago.com here.

He pulled in $125k in revenue in the first year. That's pretty awesome.

 

[jstewart]

Still looking for what they are using, I think Scott from Power kicks around here.

 

[grcorp]

I think it's a custom job. Seems like a pretty simple thing to program... assigning [email protected] or [email protected] to forward to a specific email address.

I'm not saying this is something you could pay $100 to have custom coded... but this isn't a highly complicated thing to get done.

Both grossly underused domains, IMO. Chicago.com could do way better as a city portal site just like Boston.com, and the obvious end user for Power.com (in my opinion, anyway), is JD Power and Associates.

Their site is presently jdpower.com... but think about how many people get confused about typing in, say, "jdpowerandassociates.com", "jdpowerassociates.com", "j-d-power.com", and so forth.

 

[Puckerhuddle]

Skinny: I read the article "impressive" yet I am surprised that they have not developed the site in other ways. After all it is the 3rd largest city in the US. Though if I was making that kind of scratch from vanity emails and sub domains I might do the same. Either way a very interesting model that may provide another revenue stream for domain owners.

 

[Thomas Nash]

http://atidentity.com/ - This was discussed on another forum and someone said it was this, not sure of the associated costs.

 

[Skinny]

@Maxwell, @Puckerhuddle, I agree the site could be so much more.

But imagine what else you could do with that $120k every year. The ROI is huge and you can use that money to further other investments, etc.

 

[grcorp]

@Maxwell, @Puckerhuddle, I agree the site could be so much more.

But imagine what else you could do with that $120k every year. The ROI is huge and you can use that money to further other investments, etc.

$120k per year is only a good income relative to the value of the asset and potential income by another means.

If I owned the Empire State Building, would $120k be a good ROI?

You don't think top-notch city portal sites like Boston.com make more than $120k per year? Of course they do.

Holding onto this business model just to maintain a $120k annual cash flow is literally nickels holding up a dollar.

 

[ianccc]

I just released WP Vanity Email - Wordpress plugin and have an "Try Before You Buy" offer for DNF Members

http://www.dnforum.com/f662/wpvanit...sell-emails-yourdomain-com-thread-495578.html


here is a screenshot from Archive.org showing my Sunderland.ca domain, I was selling Vanity Emails back in 2003


View attachment vanityemail2.jpg

 

[stewie]

sounds good Ian...pm sent

 

[GeoOwners]

I just released WP Vanity Email - Wordpress plugin and have an "Try Before You Buy" offer for DNF Members

http://www.dnforum.com/f662/wpvanit...sell-emails-yourdomain-com-thread-495578.html


here is a screenshot from Archive.org showing my Sunderland.ca domain, I was selling Vanity Emails back in 2003


View attachment 1219

Ian, I'll be trying your plugin on some sites. Any pricing suggestions?

tia

 

[ianccc]

Hi Tia

we have approx 220+ installations so far prices ranging from 19.99 to 140 per year,, when the Reg Code is validated it reads back to my server letting me know what domain it is installed on, so I checked a couple just now

 

[Dorkside]

@Puckerhuddle These sites are doing very well.

You can read Michael Berkins' interview with the owner of Chicago.com here.

He pulled in $125k in revenue in the first year. That's pretty awesome.

I'm amazed that Chicago.com is doing so well with their business model. My first name is available but they want $749 a year for the e-mail address. I can't imagine anyone paying that much for a vanity e-mail.

 

[jstewart]

I am still looking for a solution to implement something similar to this across many domains.

I want to be able to launch something like this over many domains: http://acevedo.com/

If you can me with a solution I would be happy to do a revenue-share.

Thanks!