In the past couple weeks I have tried to articulate the perils we face. I
believe this is where we are at. It took me a long time to figure it out. I
think things can get dramatically worse and if another attack were to come it
would be economically devastating.
But the one thing I keep coming back to, if I had ONE asset to get me thru
whatever we are going to face, it is domains. Income producing domains. The most
versatile asset ever invented.
You get on a plane to another country and they ask you if you are carrying
more than $10,000 in cash and other instruments? Domains worth millions are
invisible to the naked eye. You can take them wherever you go and when you get
frisked, they won't find them. You don't have to hollow out your heel and fill
them with diamonds.
So a 'Unique opportunity in time' has now turned into a 'Unique Asset in
time.' So all I can say is with everything we are about to face, few will have
the luxury of being as nimble as we are. You can operate an empire from an
iPhone.
So I will say this about buying domains in 2009. If
you can't get stats and daily earnings and a really good projection of how many
years to get your $$$ out of a mid price domain, pass and find one you can. Each
purchase is important from here on out. Buy assets not liabilities. There IS a
difference.
Have a GREAT day!
Rick Schwartz
Doom and Gloom and a Pot of Gold
Morning Folks,
James
Good post Rick.
I had previously written about domains as an alternative asset class and the benefits they offer to investors. You may find the below article of interest:
http://www.namecake.com/why-domain-names-make-a-great-investment/
Scott Alliy
Rick,
Interesting you would mention domain names for their cash generating ability (not too mention their transparency) today.
As I considered the economic mess and what could get turn the economy around I realized that lack of spending is what is and will cause the recession to last. Domain names used as ppc ad vehicles are one way to extrapolate money from buyers.
The bigger picture and opportunity here is the Internet as a whole. This could be an epic turning point for society.
If we can lose the FREE mentality used by the social networks (we all know who they are) that have millions of users but zero profits, if we can educate society to the value of the internet, if all internet business owners can grow some gonads and start charging for their service as all brick and mortar businesses do then I believe the public would ultimately start spending and all internet businesses will be the beneficiary.
Can you think of one other industry that has the enormous presence, that has the ability to touch more consumers thus has the ability to create a more dramatic change in the economy than the internet.
Is there one other vehicle out there that has the ability to and could provide reason for people to start spending again? I say No!
Let’s hope the blackberry toting President gets;s it sooner than later.
As I have always said as domainers and internet business owners we’ll get it (income) when they get it(understanding of the incredible value of the Internet!
SA
Tony
“So I will say this about buying domains in 2009. If you can’t get stats and daily earnings and a really good projection of how many years to get your $$$ out of a mid price domain, pass and find one you can.”
Does that rule out dropcatch auctions then, Rick?
Scott Alliy
As a followup to my post about having the balls to ask for reward in return for value comes this quote from Warren Buffet
Price is what you pay, Value is what you get.
Its time domainers, and owners of developed web businesses began to aks the fair price for the value they provide IMO.
Please pass this along to the owners of the quote unquote highly popular, highly successful social network sites whose owners apparently lack self-appreciation and because of their mentality they generate no profits or at most a smidgeon of the value they provide to the detriment of al internet business practicioners that dare ask a fair price for the value they provide.
Sergej Lebedew
Hello Rick,
easy: good domain=earn good money.
Best regards,
Sergej
EarnBig
IMO: Stay away from TM domains, these are not good future assets as the rope is definitely getting tighter, especially if the Internet is heading further into commercialism, WHICH IT IS.
I’ve just witnessed a large(ish) sale on DNF today for a blatant TM domain making $$$ p/m and thought, someone is going to hurt badly in the next year or so.
Just my 2c ..
Successclick
Hi Rick,
You forgot about brand domains, such as”ireport.com”, which I think I remember hearing wasn’t making anywhere close to a 50 year multiple when you sold it to CNN.
Future trends, good brands, expected domain value interpretations that are promoted further in online marketing and new media sourcing get that”value” you talk about for the right domains. I don’t buy domains based on PPC revenue or traffic. That is temporary unless you build it out. I buy domains based on my expectation of an enduser purchase within 5 years.
Most of us domainers will never be in the smart position you were in ten years ago, and how you made the most out of your naturals, but we can make a lot of domain sales at four and five figures with intuitively purchased domains understanding the enduser’s mindset. That’s where the common domain investor is at right now.