On Frank Schilling and The End of Domaining

[GeorgeK]

Perfect timing, the thread petered out just before Desperate Housewives begins. Ciao folks!

 

[nameadvertising.com]

After all is said and done, I know Sas and Agro will shake hands.

I am leaning on to Sas's original post, where he is not deriding any particular domainer's success as much as he is critical of the fact that these big cats do not follow one tenth of the rules they expect corporate America and Madison avenue to follow theirs.

I started my portfolio back in 1999. Regardless of the forum members tendencies to take member status at face value there are many who own the cream of the pie in domain portfolio.

I remember approaching Marchex back in the day with a sizable portfolio for great generics worth less than $50 a piece. They went for a low ball strictly based on revenue.

This proved to me that they are like any other noob who is carefully spending his or her budget making sure they acquire only revenue generating names. They have good reason to. Unlike Marchex and others who inflate their valuations and expect to acquire portfolios form domainer's as if they are being solicited by a thrift shop.

This is not about their apparent successes. It has a lot to do with being truthful. For all the space and time they get in the media, they are one the biggest low ballers out there. I know! I dealt with them.

Who Frank chides on his blog is his business and his right. But we all can learn from him.

Look at Matt... Don't you think if those so called big cats had the interests of domainer's in mind, they'd start something like Bodis. Parking companies are parasites and they have milked millions from domainer's fair share of income.

This is a cruel business. But one saving grace is that - no matter who says what. At the end of the day, your success is based on your intellect and expertise and your actions.

Being resentful of the so called big cats is not the same as placing blame on them for your inability to succeed. They did what had to be done. So can you and me.

There is still time and plenty left for all of us.

 

[Raider]

Excellent post mgrace! :yes:

 

[impactadmin]

Thread re-opened. Keep it clean and all opinions welcome.

 

[Tia Wood]

I couldn't get past the first page of this thread without being disgusted that people think they have the right to judge intentions based off a blog....

Yes, there's one big conspiracy going on behind everyone's backs. Data, research and revenue don't mean crap. The domain industry is just the result of a few guys overhyping their portfolios. OMG we've all been mislead!

Furthermore, not every big domainer is an industry expert. There are many "sharks" out there no matter what their income. But Frank is NOT one of them. Neither is Sahar. Both provide quality, respectable and useful information on their blogs which have helped me tremendously with my own portfolio.

We have sharks in this industry but we also have "domain seniors" who don't take advantage of people, who lend out their advice to beginners, who want to see this industry flourish and grow. They deserve our respect.

 

[Focus]

Blah. This thread sucks and I just wasted 20 minutes reading it..who reads Franks blog anyways? lol

Who goes to the Traffic shows and wastes 2k for a ticket...who cares..

Worry about domains, like your next purchase, next sale & optimizing your parked domains to make the most money possible..don't listen to these self proclaimed experts or let their "domain government" distract you! Stay out of the politics and fly under the radar, that's the winning ticket. I know because I have grown my first $1,200 deal from a hand reg into $xxx,xxx a year and it's still growing..there is ALOT of money to be made in this industry, but the window of opportunity is closing fast. We are all on the same team...the "let's make some money" one!

 

[hugegrowth]

Wow, this thread had it all, like watching a good drama movie. Seems to have toned down a little now.

:grouphug::hug::kiss:

The moral of the story is to take what you can learn from the celebrity domainers, ignore what you think is crap, and in the end take care of your own business.

I think anyone who brings good publicity and awareness of domains to the public helps the market for everyone.

 

[VioxxLawyers]

More popcorn please

opcorn:

 

[Tia Wood]

The moral of the story is to take what you can learn from the celebrity domainers, ignore what you think is crap, and in the end take care of your own business.

I think anyone who brings good publicity and awareness of domains to the public helps the market for everyone.

I agree.

Nobody says you have to bow down and kiss anyone's feet. But you can't say there aren't "celebrity domainers" who have valuable information to learn from. This industry is still young enough that anyone can experiment and be successful.

 

[BGray]

Wow, I can't believe I just found this thread.
To the original poster:

If you think domaining is dead you are wrong.

Yes, I've been in this game since 1999 but I sold almost all my names by 2003.

I basically started over as a domianer in the spring of 2006 and decided to see what I could do with $1000. I used the knowledge I had but every name I have over $1000 in my portfolio has been acquired since spring of 2006 starting from that $1000 investment. I bought and sold and bought and sold. I can tell you without batting an eye I could sell my current portfolio for over $1 million dollars. Not bad for a $1000 investment in 18 months. Domaining is not dead bro. I make it happen every day.

 

[hugegrowth]

Did all those names in your sig come from that $1000, or are those ones you've held long term?

 

[BGray]

Every domain I have above $1k including the ones in my sig.

My point is just to say that domaining is not dead.
People that say you can't do something drive me nuts.

Of course, I love them too because they are just one less competitor.

 

[Seraphim]

Every domain I have above $1k including the ones in my sig.

My point is just to say that domaining is not dead.
People that say you can't do something drive me nuts.

Of course, I love them too because they are just one less competitor.

I made 500 million dollars last month flipping .info's and .mobi's. I agree, there is no way that domaining is dead! k:

 

[BGray]

I made 500 million dollars last month flipping .info's and .mobi's. I agree, there is no way that domaining is dead! k:

Oh, sweet.
I see you are calling me a liar in your own special way. xoxo

I could break it down for you transaction by transaction right here but I really have no motivation to do that.

All I can say is that its all about names with firm value structures such as 3 letter .coms and ppc traffic names. Buying low, selling at market.
But that is getting off topic of the original post.

In regards to the original poster I do think a lot of the big time domainer blogs are a lot more about pr and setting up portfolios for big sales but I don't really see anything wrong with that. Readers just have to take the info for what it is.

Additionally, while I don't see domaining as "dead" as stated before, I do think the definition of a domainer will become much more of a webmaster moving forward as development is the best opportunity to get the big returns from domains in todays market. Part of my valuation of my portfolio includes a couple of very nice revenue generating web sites built around traffic domains I've bought. Flipping isn't impossible but it's not as easy as it once was.

 

[Seraphim]

Oh, sweet.
I see you are calling me a liar in your own special way. xoxo

I could break it down for you transaction by transaction right here but I really have no motivation to do that.

All I can say is that its all about names with firm value structures such as 3 letter .coms and ppc traffic names. Buying low, selling at market.
But that is getting off topic of the original post.

In regards to the original poster I do think a lot of the big time domainer blogs are a lot more about pr and setting up portfolios for big sales but I don't really see anything wrong with that. Readers just have to take the info for what it is.

Additionally, while I don't see domaining as "dead" as stated before. I do think the definition of a domainer will become much more of a webmaster moving forward as development is the best opportunity to get the big returns from domains in todays market. Part of my valuation of my portfolio includes a couple of very nice revenue generating web sites built around traffic domains I've bought. Flipping isn't impossible but it's not as easy as it once was.

It's alive as ever! I was being sarcastic.

 

[NameGuy]

Interesting and disappointing thread.

Some thoughts from me...

Yes there is lots of money to be made from domains that are NOT all keyword generics and NOT typos.

There are many people who don't report their domain and web site sales for many reasons, most importantly the lack of a desire for self-glorification and the unwillingness to expose their private business deals to the whole world.

Most importantly, I wish forum members could be allowed to post their views and opinions, even if controversial, and not be attacked and called every name in the book.

 

[BLazeD]

Cool thread - BGray - you da man!

 

[domainscot]

very intresting post i agree with some of the comments.
most folk are like sheep and follow like sheep.

I prefer to hear from people who started with say $100 and have done well.
those are the people with the brains.
$100. into $500.000 I have more respect for people like that than someone sitting with a couple of hundred thousand or million and saying how good they are at domaining.

In this industry there is a certain group of people who just want to milk the rest of us for our names.

Sample blowing up prices of names so you will go all register more names.
and to be honest if you look at the online Domain Books Its the same crap week in week out.

with the same crowd who want to fleece you for your money and names.
Dont listen to anyone about this business just do your own thing and you will be a success.

Dont follow the crowd nine time out of ten they are only going to try steal your ideas.
so for new domainers on the go you can still register names today and make good money from them.

This day and age its better to Chase owners from 1995 to 2000 who still dont know the value of a good name and try buy cheap all you need is one or 2 good names.

and also 99% od domainers are bullshiters all spin all crap.

ps have happy new year and very good post

 

[nametrader]

Scot I agree with you that Skill is vital but in every Industry there are Pioneers. They serve all of us as Role Models.

But you should also thing that 2008 is not 1995 opportunities back then were at their peak in this field, at the time market started to emerge, many made fortunes with foresight and vision.

Now with $100 I have to buy some bags of popcorn, peanuts and some condiments watch TV at home! or buy some domains with a belief that they make 1000's, this is the average Joe stuff. The average Joe irrespective of skill level has to struggle compete and win, that is how it is with few exceptions of some shining stars.

It is also not how much you have and you don't have and being fortunate with lots of money to invest doesn't make one a successful domainer. Those who are clever invest wisely, work wisely reach the Apex. We should not forget the Joe's(Common Man) struggling trying hard. This world comprises of more average Joe's than Rich and Prosperous people. During this process some Joe's join that club, others will keep trying to reach there until the end.

The Sheep comparison is not right in my view, Those who are starting out and following someone that had success is not sheep behavior, it is a proven fact that it works most of the time. Some will innovate new stuff, new methods etc they shine. Some don't. We can't call those who don't do it or trying to do it as SHEEP.

This is life we have to live with it and try to prosper living in it.

This is my take on the issue. Have a Happy New Year 2008

 

[Theo]

Reading back this almost one year old thread, I cannot believe that I used to waste so much energy on threads here, by getting into pointless arguments (btw I'm glad Sasq is not banned anymore).

The only reason I'm posting now in it, is because some loon out of WALL-E space that used the IP 24.71.223.141 (apparently, a proxy) emailed me about how this thread turned up in Google and now he won't be investing his "SEO funds" on me.

LMAO.

Seeing how he spent 7 minutes of his time on my contact page typing 1 paragraph of text, I'd say he'd better invest his money on some typing lessons instead.