Author Topic: Checking for available domain name = giving it away? (Read 17987 times)

nosh · « **on:** January 22, 2011, 07:15 PM »

I thought of a domain name I liked: digistrom.com, a couple of years back. I checked for availability using a domain name checking site though I wasn't serious about getting it then. The name was available. I had thought up the name myself and a Google search showed negligible hits for 'digistrom'... someone posting in a forum using the nick. I expected the name to be available when I was serious about getting a website. A few months down the line I checked again and... you guessed it: this time it was taken. The home page leads me to believe it's been taken up by squatters. There seems to be no legit presence behind the site even now.

I Googled a little and a comment on this page confirms my suspicions.

# Steve Jones Says:
October 2nd, 2010 at 2:16 pm

The problem is even worse than stated…..domain name checking sites and searches are now being monitored by squatters. I searched and found two available domain names for my site, and within 15 minutes of finding each one, they magically became “taken”. This is BS and needs to be stopped!!!

Do we even need a web service to tell us if a name is available? Seems to me the best way to go about it is just try opening the name you like in your browser and if you hit a "server not found" the name's probably available.

I just wanted to put this up as a cautionary tale for anyone who might be thinking of getting a domain name in the future. I've learned my lesson the hard way and the name I like is probably worth a few hundred $, if not more. The ridiculous amounts some people are willing to pay squatters seems to make it worth their while to usurp thousands of domains. Even if a handful of domains are actually bought back the squatter comes out a winner.

tranglos · « **Reply #1 on:** January 22, 2011, 07:50 PM »

I had a similar experience a few years back. My wife was setting up her one-person business, required for tax reasons here in Poland. She named the business using a Spanish word ("Adelante"), which sounds pleasantly exotic to Polish ears, and unlikely to have existed as a .pl domain. I checked with one online service (a large hosting provider) and it was available. Now comes the part where I was head-slappingly stupid - I waited two weeks for the paperwork to go through on the new company. Well, two weeks later the domain adelante.pl was gone. Today it's for sale.

To say I was irked is an understatement, especially that I used a supposedly reputable hosting provider to check availability. I have two other .pl domains registered with them, they're not freebies. Either they themselves are in the business of stealing potential domain names, or they outsource the availability checking mechanism to someone who does. It's pretty hopeless these days.

Renegade · « **Reply #2 on:** January 22, 2011, 08:15 PM »

+1 for those cautionary tales.

A number of years ago I wanted to buy this domain:

NSFW

http://www.fucksatan.com/

I waited... Foolish me... When I went back, it was gone and a Cafepress site was up selling the domain name as t-shirts and cups and crap.

However, after a year, the guy didn't renew it and it became available. Lucky me~! I bought it along with a few others.

Still NSFW

fucksatan.biz
fucksatan.info
fucksatan.net
rapesatan.com

A domain name costs between 2~3 cups of coffee or so at a local coffee shop. If in doubt, fall off your wallet and just buy it.

I have a bunch of domains that I want to do something with, but no time to do it.

These are some domains that I bought a few years ago for a project that I'd love to get to, but just never seem to be able to find time:

SEOMETH.COM
SEOONMETH.COM
SEOONSPEED.COM
SEOVERDOSE.COM
SEOVERDRIVE.COM
SEOVERKILL.COM

I've had people try to buy some with stupid bids like $100 or something. Really... WTH? Why would I sell for that? The absolute minimum that I'd sell a crappy domain for is most certainly more than $100. Otherwise it's not really worth the time to bother. Good domains... much more. It's not my core business, so it needs to be worth my while to distract me.

Squatters do this for a living. And they're very good at squeezing you for every penny they can. A lot of these guys have single word domains and have more money than you can shake a stick at. They don't care in the least about selling another domain for a few hundred or thousand because they can sell many of their domains for much, much more.

But domainers are even worse... They buy up millions of domains, then return them within the ICANN 4 (or 5) day return period, then buy them again. They lock up domains and just use them for ads. It's a dirty business, but it's legal. (Kind of like how being a lawyer is legal, but dirty.

)

I use GoDaddy, and they don't snap up domains that you search for. Other registrars do.

Hey -- what registrars were you guys using?

nosh · « **Reply #3 on:** January 22, 2011, 08:44 PM »

I can't recall which registrar I used, I'd have surely named them in the OP if I did.

Renegade · « **Reply #4 on:** January 22, 2011, 08:47 PM »

I think Network Solutions used to do this stuff -- buying domains when you check for them. Not sure if they still do.

mahesh2k · « **Reply #5 on:** January 23, 2011, 01:23 AM »

instantdomainsearch.com - is one bad site that does this regularly. For example, i'm in process to release short story website so i searched 'storystack.com' and in next 2 hours it was registered by someone.

Don't tell me a site name which i was checking for last 6 month got registered in 2 hours ? Even my friend confirmed it when he wanted to register a domain with android name in it.

nosh · « **Reply #6 on:** January 23, 2011, 01:48 AM »

I've searched for two separate domain names using network solutions and instantdomainsearch... let's wait and see.

nudone · « **Reply #7 on:** January 23, 2011, 04:32 AM »

Pretty sure I've had this done to a couple of my searches; can't remember what service I was using though.

Now, I'll just try the domain in the address bar to see if anything comes up, then move on to checking with Godaddy.

Ath · « **Reply #8 on:** January 23, 2011, 04:35 AM »

I check 'em directly at the local TLD registrar site, as they offer a 'who owns this domain' service. Never failed, and never got an unregistered domain grabbed right before my eyes.

f0dder · « **Reply #9 on:** January 23, 2011, 08:18 AM »

The Danish registrar DK HostMaster doesn't do this, and allows you to search their domains directly.

Stoic Joker · « **Reply #10 on:** January 23, 2011, 08:47 AM »

I've been with TuCows/DomainDirect now Hover for years and never had a problem. It took two months to get a company site spin-off domain name selected and approved by the brass before it was finally registered. The name picked was still there when the time came.

Damn-if-I-know where (can't find the link I thought I'd saved), but it seems like there was an ICANN level organization that would allow you to appeal for a squatted domain if you could prove you had a legit use for it and the squatter didn't. I was thinking about trying it for TClock.com at one point, but never had the time.

40hz · « **Reply #11 on:** January 23, 2011, 08:51 AM »

It happens.

The registrars I use are reputable and don't (afaict) play swipe games. But you never can tell so it pays to he careful.

Since I'm 100% sure I want the domain before I look, I'll just load the desired domain in my browser. All I want is the .com TLD so it doesn't matter to me if other TLDs are available.

If it's not found, I scoot over to the registrar I usually use and see if it really is available. About 90% of the time it is. I register it then and there for the shortest time available. That way my loss is minimal if I ever change my mind or never get to it. Later on, if it does get used, I'll increase the registration time. Often up to the maximum I can afford or think I'll use. But until the domain gets put up on web, one year's worth of registration is sufficient.

This works for me because I'm not into being a "dog in the hayloft" sitting on top of hundreds of domain registrations I'll never get around to personally using - and I don't believe in owning and brokering domain names as a business.

But that's just me.

f0dder · « **Reply #12 on:** January 23, 2011, 09:26 AM »

Since I'm 100% sure I want the domain before I look, I'll just load the desired domain in my browser. All I want is the .com TLD so it doesn't matter to me if other TLDs are available.
-40hz (January 23, 2011, 08:51 AM)

I'd definitely never use one of those "check a zillion TLDs" services, nor a "get a domain name FOR FREE" services - those are surefire ways of getting the domain squatted.

Carol Haynes · « **Reply #13 on:** January 23, 2011, 09:58 AM »

Happened to me too - looked for a domain name in the morning went back next day to buy it and it had squatters.

In the UK cybersquatting is now illegal - why can't the US do the same with .com domains?

Stoic Joker · « **Reply #14 on:** January 23, 2011, 10:39 AM »

In the UK cybersquatting is now illegal - why can't the US do the same with .com domains?
-Carol Haynes (January 23, 2011, 09:58 AM)

Because we have an apparent aversion to sensible legislation. Here is an example using Florida law:
1. Seatbelts are mandatory, and the cops can now even pull you over just for a seatbelt infraction.
2. Motorcycle helmets are optional (which isn't bad in and of itself, but...).
3. Bicycle helmets are (by law) mandatory...

Now these three laws make sense when viewed together how?

f0dder · « **Reply #15 on:** January 23, 2011, 10:59 AM »

Actually makes sense, Joker.

A bicycle helmet can save your life.

If you crash badly enough on a motorcycle that a helmet might save your life, you'll probably end up in a wheelchair for the rest of your life - better off dead, then.

40hz · « **Reply #16 on:** January 23, 2011, 11:49 AM »

Actually makes sense, Joker.

A bicycle helmet can save your life.

If you crash badly enough on a motorcycle that a helmet might save your life, you'll probably end up in a wheelchair for the rest of your life - better off dead, then.
-f0dder (January 23, 2011, 10:59 AM)

+1!

Ath · « **Reply #17 on:** January 23, 2011, 12:47 PM »

If you crash badly enough on a motorcycle that a helmet might save your life, you'll probably end up in a wheelchair for the rest of your life - better off dead, then.
-f0dder (January 23, 2011, 10:59 AM)

But sitting in a wheelchair, it's probable that I'd still be able to do coding, so I'd better be alive to prove that

40hz · « **Reply #18 on:** January 23, 2011, 02:01 PM »

In the UK cybersquatting is now illegal - why can't the US do the same with .com domains?
-Carol Haynes (January 23, 2011, 09:58 AM)

Because we have an apparent aversion to sensible legislation. Here is an example using Florida law:
1. Seatbelts are mandatory, and the cops can now even pull you over just for a seatbelt infraction.
2. Motorcycle helmets are optional (which isn't bad in and of itself, but...).
3. Bicycle helmets are (by law) mandatory...

Now these three laws make sense when viewed together how?
-Stoic Joker (January 23, 2011, 10:39 AM)

That's because (people being people) are only for the passage of laws that don't apply to them.

We want laws to make people stop doing certain things; or to force them to do things they don't want to do. But we also oppose any law that tries to do the same to us.

That's why you have people screaming for keeping the government out of it when it comes to things like music/video filesharing, wikileaks, and adult content - but demanding government regulation for cybersquatting and ISP/Telco restrictions on the so-called "free" Internet.

Can't have it both ways. US Lawmakers don't understand the concept of granularity. The only way they can paint a room is by using a firehose.

MilesAhead · « **Reply #19 on:** January 23, 2011, 03:32 PM »

If you crash badly enough on a motorcycle that a helmet might save your life, you'll probably end up in a wheelchair for the rest of your life - better off dead, then.
-f0dder (January 23, 2011, 10:59 AM)
But sitting in a wheelchair, it's probable that I'd still be able to do coding, so I'd better be alive to prove that
-Ath (January 23, 2011, 12:47 PM)

If it's a powered wheelchair you may have to wear a helmet.

Ath · « **Reply #20 on:** January 23, 2011, 05:09 PM »

If it's a powered wheelchair you may have to wear a helmet.
-MilesAhead (January 23, 2011, 03:32 PM)

I won't mind, I'll be glad to be around...

mouser · « **Reply #21 on:** January 23, 2011, 06:18 PM »

I worry about as well, and i'll bet it happens a lot.
I think the only safe thing is to not search for a domain unless you are prepared to buy it on the spot if you want it.

Renegade · « **Reply #22 on:** January 23, 2011, 07:49 PM »

I worry about as well, and i'll bet it happens a lot.
I think the only safe thing is to not search for a domain unless you are prepared to buy it on the spot if you want it.
-mouser (January 23, 2011, 06:18 PM)

The problem is that squatters and domainers have already scooped up so many domains, that you're stuck trying to find *something* that's not already gone, which is a long process of trial and error.

The .me domains actually have a lot still available. e.g. I was able to snap up http://cynic.me, which you couldn't get for $10k in .com.

So, with all your best ideas already gone, so you're stuck with this horrible process of trial and error. You get frustrated and just start sticking in any old domain name that comes to mind... You hum and haw over them, and can't figure out if you really want them or not...

It's not like you have much of a *good* choice. You end up with a ton of domains that aren't exactly what you want, but *could* do... What do you pick? It's tough.

You don't want to buy 20 domains... 1 is enough... Decisions, decisions!

MilesAhead · « **Reply #23 on:** January 23, 2011, 10:54 PM »

The problem is that squatters and domainers have already scooped up so many domains, that you're stuck trying to find *something* that's not already gone, which is a long process of trial and error

Same thing tends to be true for company names when you go to register. You think up something cool, then look through the list only to find there's 20 company names that could be confused with your candidate.

40hz · « **Reply #24 on:** January 24, 2011, 12:59 AM »

The problem is that squatters and domainers have already scooped up so many domains, that you're stuck trying to find *something* that's not already gone, which is a long process of trial and error.
-Renegade (January 23, 2011, 07:49 PM)

Bummer man!

The other thing adding to this problem is what I suspect is a very large number of people who feel like this guy does:

A domain name costs between 2~3 cups of coffee or so at a local coffee shop. If in doubt, fall off your wallet and just buy it.

I have a bunch of domains that I want to do something with, but no time to do it.

These are some domains that I bought a few years ago for a project that I'd love to get to, but just never seem to be able to find time:

SEOMETH.COM
SEOONMETH.COM
SEOONSPEED.COM
SEOVERDOSE.COM
SEOVERDRIVE.COM
SEOVERKILL.COM

I've had people try to buy some with stupid bids like $100 or something. Really... WTH? Why would I sell for that? The absolute minimum that I'd sell a crappy domain for is most certainly more than $100. Otherwise it's not really worth the time to bother. Good domains... much more. It's not my core business, so it needs to be worth my while to distract me.
-Renegade (January 23, 2011, 07:49 PM)

Apparently "what comes around goes around," huh?