The Rick Schwartz Domain Name and Traffic Blog: RicksBlog.com – Home of The Domain King®

Morning Folks!!

Here is the combined results of all inquiries for the first quarter of 2011. I have left the duplicates intact so you can see which domains get offers each month and the ones with an 'asterisk' are multiple inquiries for that specific domain name. 399.com was the only domain that I received multiple offers during each month. Properties.com and 899.com were tied for #2.

These are basically unsolicited offers as I don't have my domain names listed for sale anywhere with a price. Most come from whois.

Offers are like fish. The small ones you take off the hook and throw them back. Even on my parked pages at Parked.com for example, my domains are not offered for sale. 'Lease This Domain as Low as $1000/month Please contact us for more information.'

The minnows are swimming by. But I am not fishing for minnows. I am fishing for whales. I am fishing for record setting catch. I am certainly not fishing for domainers. Don't take offense. I just don't sell wholesale. I sell retail and I sell retail only. Of the 12 domains I have sold, 4 have made national/international news. The other 8 averaged more than $125,000 per sale. Even some of those were SACRIFICED because I was out there turning theory into reality. You don't make a headline turning down a deal. You make headlines when you do the deal. Something that was FREE had now transformed itself into some of the most valuable property in the world.

The 20 year plan would land me in 2016 as when domain names will BEGIN to reach full potential. That period will likely last 20 years or more. Likely much more. But we are not immortal and for most, it won't matter what happens in 50 or 60 years. The earlier you make the $$$ the longer you have to enjoy them. You just have to understand that a Ferrari is way cooler to have when you are 35 than when you are 85. Something just a bit sweeter there if you know what I mean.

Frankly, I am insulted when it comes to domain values. Domains have MORE value than the physical property. At LEAST base the foundational costs on what a real world storefront would cost and all the associated expenses. Laugh. I could care less. It will happen in the 5 year period I am talking of now.

When it hits PAR......we can talk. Until then, there is not much to say. Just take 10 minutes and sit down with a spreadsheet and add up all the costs. ALL of them. Tell me how much even a modest store would pay in all those expenses, fees and such. Until folks do that, there is no reason to do anything.

And when it hits PAR, I will give you a barrel full of reasons why the domain is worth much much much more. Your ticket to the world stage. Your ticket to a dream. Your ticket to do anything with little to hold you back. Your ticket to fame and fortune. So just because it takes time, does not mean you have to give in or give up at THEIR calling.

Have a GREAT Day!

Rick Schwartz

Morning Folks!!

These are my domain inquiries for March 2011. The domains with an ' *' are the ones with multiple parties that have contacted me about that specific domain. As this is the 3rd month I have done this you may begin to see a pattern developing.

Have a GREAT Day!

Rick Schwartz

VirtualDates.com
Pornflix.com**
VideoDates.com
1978.com**
915.mobi
CandyCam.com
VirtualTours.com**
StartThinking.com
Jigolo.com
Property.com
StartLiving.com
6565.com
939.com**
GoGoClubs.com
StartThinking.com
8181.com
9595.com**
1012.com**
VirtualSecretary.com
NNN.co (All NNN that I own)
RowOne.com
eBid.com**
BodyOdor.com
899.com**
GirlsWanted.com
Harems.com
Luv.com**
399.com**
i-watch.org
oidd.com
Properties.com
Casinonline.com
TeamTiger.com
EroticSites.com
UnNatural.com
Panti.com
Sexo.com
SWJ.com
Wants.com
IHF.com
Serge.com
Dick.com
Watching.com
Widgets.com
Surf411.com
DotComNudes.com
LipService.com
CamCam.com
RumorMill.com
iBankOnline.com
TennisWorld.com
Vanity800Numbers.com
Undressing.com
Ass.net
GoldenTouchMedia.com
PartyGirls.com
BWU.com
WholesaleJewelry.com
238.com
295.com
Girls.net
750.com
969.com
975.com
977.com
989.com
987.com
VirtualMuseum.com

Morning Folks!!

There is a story to tell and it must be told in an understandable and cohesive manner. It must also be hard hitting and filled with example after example of facts that are easy to verify. Consider this a starting outline and all the things that need to be filled in.

Does anyone really believe that DrugStore.com would be what it is today without the domain name? Had it been JimmysDrugSuperMarket.com with the greatest content and the best backend would it have been where it is today without the name? I doubt it. Let's just say that it increases your chances dramatically and your front end 'Branding' costs are much lower because they are funded by SALES and not borrowing. Let's just say it's the smart thing to do if you can and it takes a lot of burdens out of the picture. Let's just say one domain is cheaper than building one store. Let's just say all the damn benefits because if we don't, who will?

Thousands of visitors each day before you even open up the door. JimsDrugs Something or other .com would have never have gotten that benefit. It would have taken a lot of “Branding” just to get where Drugstore.com was the day it opened for business. That takes a lot of money.

That is not true of just drugstore.com but all the other high profile, category killer domains like Insurance.com, Insure.com, Books.com and all the rest. And while they hide behind wanting everything but the domain name, they are all lying. They want that domain name! They will never let go of that domain name. That domain name has cost Walgreens hundreds of millions over the years in lost business and lower prices.

Barnes and Noble owns Book.com and Books.com and BN.com and who knows what else. Amazon is Amazon. And Boarders? Well they are broke and closing up as I write this. They did not survive and I think we can make the case that had they owned book.com and books.com the outcome would have been different. MAYBE! It showed how one company was ahead of the curve and another company crashed into the curve. One company did not miss a trick and one company did not show up at the show.

I am sure Walgreens could have bought Drugstore.com for a lot less years ago. $1M, $3M, $25M, $100M, $200M, $300M, $400M…….but since they did not understand what was going on, not only did they pay $400M++++ but they lost sales and profits during all those years. Add that up! Just because you can’t see it does not mean it was not lost. Those employed in those high levels are there NOT to miss stuff like this. And nobody says a word or dare point it out. I just did. Imagine how many companies are GUILTY of this right now?

Most are still clueless and the rest will just argue the point. Be patient. An avalanche of companies are about to be bought and the one common thing they will have that few will talk about, the high profile domain name that motivated the deal to begin with. But Shhhhh, hush, they don't want anyone to know. But the more crowded the field becomes, the more important the location becomes.

Congratulations to Walgreen's for getting what I would say is one of the very best domains in the world. A body blow to CVS who is expanding very rapidly but lost the biggest prize it could have hoped to get.

Have a GREAT Day!

Rick Schwartz

Morning Folks!

I certainly did not expect the attack I got the other day. I figured things would be out in the open. The Chef would apologize and we would move on. Like I said, I knew our paths were crossing in the coming days and I wanted this out in the open so I can look the guy in the eyes. Even tho what he did was very bad, I was prepared to let it go and move on. Oversee has still really not addressed any of this other than the lies I was fed to shut me up.

Morning Folks!!

The Original Post and Story plus more comments today can be read here:
http://www.ricksblog.com/2010/12/the-privacy-issuewho-has-access-to-that-info-what-they-can-do-with-it.html

Rick Schwartz

Morning Folks!!

Few can figure out how to make money and be profitable with a .com address. Why would anyone in their right mind think it will be any easier with .WHATEVER?? It won’t be easier.

That has nothing to do with the opportunity it may or may not present. If you are selling bait for a living and everyone wants cheeseballs, your job is to have cheeseballs. Your job is not to tell the guy that cheesesballs won’t work with these fish.

So what I have been talking about for years with “Conflicts of Interest” is now being taken to another interesting level with crosswinds developing. Things are getting a bit tangled. Some see that and are defining themselves. Others will not define themselves because they disguise themselves and their motives. If you don’t know who does what and who shills for who and which corporate whore leans this way or that….it will cost you dearly and a lot of money in the future.

Crosswinds can be defined in many ways and fit into many categories. Usually there is a financial motive behind whatever is going on. But make no mistake, there is a semi-organized set of narratives out there that will try and bend reality. Peeing on your leg and telling you it is raining.

I don’t mention names and I don’t have anyone specific in mind. But the riptides and crosswinds are obvious to a trained eye and invisible to the gullible. Yes gullible. And when they become gullible they become a parrot or a pigeon at the whim of somebody else that has an agenda.

I don’t know why, I just know the signs, the trail and point it out to those keen enough to figure it out. Just look at the comparison to the number of full time domainers compared to the TEN’S of thousands of employees that work for companies servicing the industry and beyond.
Like other industries before, we are all about to be blown into different directions and orbits. Our paths may or may not cross again. I am sure you can sit back and think for a few minutes and wonder what ever happened to “So and So”? The point is that will be a more and more common occurrence as we are all pulled into different directions and different businesses and then new orbits.

The full time domainer population has grown very little over the years. On the otherhand we have been overwhelmed by companies servicing domainers and domains. Thousands and thousands and many more thousands on the way. Each with a financial agenda and that is what creates the crosswinds. You can barely separate reality and fact from fiction and agenda driven words.

It will get 100x worse. .Whatever will raise that all exponentially. And while a lot of money is earmarked for that sector, most of it will be lost and those businesses will be washed away. .CO had little headwinds compared to what .XXX is dealing with. The growing .XXX protests are getting louder and more organized. Definitely not what they want at this stage of the game.

Point is each and every new extension will come with a new set of motives, crosswinds, agendas and others helping them carry out their mission. These days most of that activity will be on blogs. That is not neccesarily bad unless you are oblivious to what is happening and who has a financial motive to say this or that. Which statements are based on fact and which are just hired guns to promote sales or hurt a competitor? If you don't think that is important it would be a kin to an explorer throwing away his or her compass. There is nothing more important and that will become more clear as time goes on.

Have a GREAT Day!

Rick Schwartz

PS: Don't forget the THOUSANDS of 'Corporate Cubicle Whores' that are employed by these service companies that will likely do and say whatever their employer tells them to do and say.

Morning Folks!!

According to many, .XXX will likely get approved next Friday. But opponents are feverishly working to derail that approval. The anger is evident in this AVN Post.

After a strong .CO introduction, will .XXX be meaningful? I don't know. Nobody ever does before the fact. We all have hunches. Another indicator whether the new extensions will be important. Not up to domain investors. It is up to consumers and the content. But the controversy swells and the fight is on. Whether fighting with your target group is smart will certainly play out in front of everyone.

As I indicated yesterday, I see the biggest challenge is just how easy it will be to block .xxx and countries and businesses and education and so many more will likely be blocked. Will providers like Comcast block it? Can they? Would they? Will they? Strong headwinds could develop. We shall stay tuned and see it all unfold.

Will the second coming ever come? The numbers say 'No'. The reason .com is .com is for a number of reasons. In any new extension, the biggest reasons are basically non-existent or at least few and far between.
.Com has the masses all pouring in trillions of dollars in advertising.
.Com has massive natural type ins that no other extension has. The drop off from .com to .net to .org is huge.
.Com as a word phrase is repeated more than any other word on the planet ever day of the year. A fact yet to be discovered and still growing.
.Com is the gold standard

Now that does not mean there won't be opportunity to capitalize on some extensions. But it likely won't be in the same form or manner or magnitude as the .com.

Have a GREAT Day!

Rick Schwartz

Morning Folks!!

I usually write every morning but I don't always post those writings. I have dozens and dozens of those posts that for one reason or another I just never posted. I see what I see and I have learned not to be persuaded or waste time by those that don't even take the time to try and visualize what that exactly is but are quick to argue and disagree.

Things are tough out there and I am enjoying the opportunities that are coming to the surface. All I can say is that I am in 'Observing mode'. I am observing a very quickly changing landscape and new ways to make lots of money. I am observing the masses doing things right and also still doing things wrong.
But they are in the game and on the hunt and thank you Facebook! Thank you Groupon! Thank you Twitter! Thank you for changing the habits of billions of people. Thank you Charlie Sheen for showing how quickly one can take that soapbox and make others react. That is the story!!

I still rarely use Facebook, but you can't deny the impact and change in behavior and how much time is being spent online. The world has changed. The iPad with 45 million units out there and counting with another few million being sold tomorrow alone. A new category and a new opportunity and challenge.

The debate about the Internet being a 'Fad' is over. Every business is now focused on doing business online. Their entire future and energy and dollars are headed online. Now just get out of the way and allow things to flourish over the next few years. Enjoy the Magic Carpet as it whisks us all away and mostly in different directions.

The ICANN meeting won't be boring. I have spent a great deal of time considering the pros and cons of .XXX and the headwinds they are experiencing. I will write more about those thoughts in the coming weeks. I will say that it will be an easy extension to block and then the question becomes how much of the Internet will turn off .xxx? With an ailing adult industry the timing could not be worse but as always, we will all see it unfold together.

To see how far we have come you need to stop and observe and then understand and digest where we are and where we are headed and how long it will take to get there. Houston, we have IGNITION!

Have a GREAT Day!

Rick Schwartz

Morning Folks!!

The other day Mike Berkens did an interview with the new owner of sex.com. I received this last night from someone I know for a very long time and is qualified to have these thoughts but would like to stay under the radar for now. He has a unique perspective on the Sex.com acquisition and thought you might find his take interesting given his history, given he has bought that traffic as early as 1996 and then many times since then:

'This is only one mans opinion but i think i can give the facts that maybe the
Will give insight on the factors on the reality of this domain. My opinion based on the experience in domains and adult. I worked in the adult business form 1996 to 2001. In that period i ran one of the Largest and successful affiliate program in the time period.

I was buying the Traffic from Steve Cohen the guy that stole it from Gary Kremen. Steve Stole the name but he put your banner up and it converted.
I do not mean to offend the new owners who i wish The best of luck.

The name sex.com is to generic. Why i say that is because although we do
All love generics and typeins.In adult there is Porn and porno Rick Schwartz porno.com as a example of a great type in Domain. It converts very well and say what you want about Rick, but at the time he leased it that was unheard of.

So what can you do with typeins that do not convert? Nothing. I have bought traffic from every new idea of sex.com and the new owner says he just learned the adult business. Another negative against him.

In the mid 90s we made 125 dollars per member. Now with the free site and the Shirking credit cards charge backs every year the margin is shrinking
Per year. The name was in play many times and everyone passed. Think of Vivid, Playboy Friend Finder.

Why not Rick Schwartz, Slavic who understand both worlds?
So if this company with no adult experience think he can build a model on sex.com that nobody before him could not that everyone always thinks they can do with others can not?

For 13 million in the current fire sale market they could of bought
500 generic name and 2 letters a portfolio that would be worth 10 times
More then sex.com. What is the companies exit plan? You can rule out all the large mainstream Companies because sex is taboo. Then you are back to large adult players and as i said earlier all could have already had it.

Yes i am anonymous but i am creditable. My prediction is it will be back on the market in one year or less. I really hope they can do it but the are so many factors against them'

Like the writer, I have to agree sex.com is an uphill battle that has taken a toll over many years and many owners. I can say that at one time I sent my Porno.com traffic to gaming sites early on and it did very well. Sin traffic is sin traffic. With online gaming looking like it will be legal soon, this is the only play that could make sense other than E.D. type sales and such. I have to assume that the buyer has a plan. A proven plan. I guess we will see in the next year or two if any of the old barriers begin to come down and if Sex.com finally becomes a profitable business. But the writer knows the traffic and knows it well.

For sex.com to make money they are going to need to pull a rabbit out of a hat that so far has produced a bunch of skunks. I for one am at least hoping for their success. Something new. Something bold. But a long shot nonetheless.

Have a GREAT day!

Rick Schwartz

Morning Folks!!

'The domain is Not worth $100k!!'

'The domain is Not worth $1 Million!!'

'The domain is Not worth $5 Million!!'

My Response:

'OK, Come back when it is!'

My perspective is different than most so my attitude is different and so is my vision. I was around when 0 out of 6 Billion people would even take $100 out of their wallet for any of these. Before that they were free and would not even invest the time to fill out the registration slip. I have seen the values rise from worthless to laughable to foolish to everything in between where we find it today as a sought after asset. An asset capable of becoming income producing businesses serving the entire English speaking population of the world and the numerical ones with even broader appeal.

If domain name values were put on a chart, you would see a very steady increase in value with possibly a few small spikes along the way over the past 15 years. But the last 15 years will have little in common with the next 5 years. That is where I see the 'Sweet Spot'. I see a chart that began an ascent that will just become steeper and steeper in time. Not many sectors have held up as well as ours. Nothing counts until we hit 'Par'. What is Par? Something I have talked about for years but never put a name on it until now.

As a side note.....I only responded to a total of 6 of about 150 inquiries.

** Means contacted by multiple parties for that particular domain name.

Also my first .CO inquiry on the list below.

Have a GREAT Day!

Rick Schwartz

8181.com**
TopSecret.com
PhoenixFlowers.co
GoingPlaces.com
Property.com**
WhiteChicks.com
BuyWholesale.com**
WholesaleJewelry.com**
Porno.com
vDate.com
efu.com
DateNow.com
eBid.com**
Cutie.com
Shitface.com
i-watch.org
hotbet.com
LookingForSex.com
Pornflix.com
AdvertisingCompany.com
Ass.com
Teem.com
TryThat.com
Luv.com**
1019.com
PartyTonight.com
CheapestPrice.com**
969.com
GoBet.com**
Properties.com**
iHotels.com
Puta.com
399.com**
348.com
346.com
295.com**
239.com
238.com
235.com**
977.com**
watching.com
Ihf.com
ChristmasClub.com
Surf411.com
eBet.com
Wants.com
DanceCam.com
Widgets.com**
CheapDate.com
BestOdds.com
6565.com**
750.com
899.com**
975.com**
969.com
939.com
989.com
eTrip.com
9595.com

You can compare this list to my list of January 2011