Should I Just Buy This Domain? • Hacker News Board

Re: Should I Just Buy This Domain?

#11

Post by dangrossman » Thu, May 02, 2013, 4:52 AM UTC

Navarr wrote: post #9

dangrossman wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> the current owners are using it in bad faith He never says this. Merely holding a trademark does not entitle you to take a domain from someone (see: Nissan Motor Company v Nissan.com). Sitting on domains is not illegal.

Nissan.com is a legitimate company with a legitimate purpose though.

The submission here says nothing about who owns the mystery domain except that they're willing to sell it. You don't need to be a "legitimate company with a legitimate purpose" to register domains. I own domains I only use for mailboxes; you can't take them by paying $350 to register them as trademarks. If I put a "for sale" page on the domain, that wouldn't let you take them either.

The UDRP only allows a dispute when the current owner is using the name to intentionally "attract, for commercial gain, Internet users to your web site or other on-line location, by creating a likelihood of confusion with the complainant's mark...". Or, if the domain was registered for the purpose of selling it to the trademark holder, but that's not the case since the domain wasn't registered after the trademark and the owner didn't reach out to him.

Re: Should I Just Buy This Domain?

#12

Post by jhacks » Thu, May 02, 2013, 4:53 AM UTC

gonehome wrote: post #7

Flickr didn't have flicker.com until recently and I think it cost them over $800,000 if I remember the bidding for it correctly. Probably worth just buying it now and not worrying about it.

Really? Wow. Honestly doesn't seem worth it to wait. It'll most likely only help to have it earlier for word of mouth and SEO.

Re: Should I Just Buy This Domain?

#13

Post by joshu » Thu, May 02, 2013, 4:54 AM UTC

Drop me a line - I have some tools to explore this space I am working on that might help you.

Re: Should I Just Buy This Domain?

#14

Post by jhacks » Thu, May 02, 2013, 5:00 AM UTC

darushimo wrote: post #10

My guess is that the discrepancy between the general $10/yr from godaddy and the current $1500 is what's getting to you... My advice would be to try to disregard the "standard" price for a domain and just ask if it's worth it on its own. One way to look at it: you could say that the "standard" price for a domain name is no longer standard at all--that most (not all, but most) good domain names are already taken, and…

Yes. That is likely in my subconscious. Also, I think going above 4 figures makes it "large" (for me) so more difficult to swallow. My co-founder and I have already spent countless hours on the startup, I've spent money on the trademark and even minimal hosting costs. And I know we will have more costs once we launch and get things going (although hopefully we can be break even or cash flow positive as quickly as possible). What's $1.5k at the end of the day?

I think it's going to be worthwhile to buy.

Re: Should I Just Buy This Domain?

#15

Post by tptacek » Thu, May 02, 2013, 5:03 AM UTC

Navarr wrote: post #9

dangrossman wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> the current owners are using it in bad faith He never says this. Merely holding a trademark does not entitle you to take a domain from someone (see: Nissan Motor Company v Nissan.com). Sitting on domains is not illegal.

Nissan.com is a legitimate company with a legitimate purpose though.

What purpose would that be? A quick visit to their site strongly suggests that a pretty important purpose of their business is to squat NISSAN.COM.

Re: Should I Just Buy This Domain?

#16

Post by jhacks » Thu, May 02, 2013, 5:11 AM UTC

waltz wrote: post #8

don't forget to buy the .net .org .edu .co .us .br .es .xxx .gj .aj .xj .ns .jt .tk .fj .gja .aj .rjg .al .gj .jq .jp

I assume you are being sarcastic?

However, I wouldn't think bothering with anything but .com is worthwhile?

Re: Should I Just Buy This Domain?

#17

Post by jhacks » Thu, May 02, 2013, 5:13 AM UTC

joshu wrote: post #13

Drop me a line - I have some tools to explore this space I am working on that might help you.

Sounds good. You don't have email (well, there is tastylabs contact) in your profile, but any other preferred form of contact?

Re: Should I Just Buy This Domain?

#18

Post by Tpsoc » Thu, May 02, 2013, 5:19 AM UTC

If this will be a real legit business making money, 1500 isn't worth the risk of having to potentially pay 100x more when your business URL is known and thus may increase the value of the domain you are looking to buy.

Re: Should I Just Buy This Domain?

#19

Post by waltz » Thu, May 02, 2013, 5:23 AM UTC

jhacks wrote: post #16

waltz wrote: post #8

don't forget to buy the .net .org .edu .co .us .br .es .xxx .gj .aj .xj .ns .jt .tk .fj .gja .aj .rjg .al .gj .jq .jp

I assume you are being sarcastic? However, I wouldn't think bothering with anything but .com is worthwhile?

It really isn't. And dropping 1.5k on a .com isn't either in my opinion. Web application markets are evolving, people will look for a product name, not a url system that's not even relevant to a user, unless it is for browsing files.

Re: Should I Just Buy This Domain?

#20

Post by jhacks » Thu, May 02, 2013, 5:29 AM UTC

waltz wrote: post #19

jhacks wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I assume you are being sarcastic? However, I wouldn't think bothering with anything but .com is worthwhile?

It really isn't. And dropping 1.5k on a .com isn't either in my opinion. Web application markets are evolving, people will look for a product name, not a url system that's not even relevant to a user, unless it is for browsing files.

That is a good point. It's tough though, I agree that in the future, the URL system might not be as important. However, right now that transition hasn't been made.