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I’ve been watching carefully the auction for Problogger.com first when the domain went into the domain name aftermarket after the previous owner let the domain expire. Someone acquired the domain north of $4,000 then tried to flip it on eBay for a profit. After seven days, the eBay auction didn’t complete because the reserve wasn’t met. Today, just out of curiosity, I checked the domain again to see what was happening.
Well, I’m happy to report that it appears that Darren Rowse is the new owner of Problogger.com! Well done Darren for acquiring the dot-com domain for Problogger! I always thought you should have owned the dot-com domain from the beginning!
Darren will now get all the type in traffic from from the Problogger brand name that he’s built up through all his hardwork over the last two years and readers don’t have to remember that Problogger was actually a dot-net domain.
I went through a similar process when I wanted to acquire the dot-com domain for my main blog (Cell Phone News). I already owned the dot-net domain but felt very strongly that the dot-com domain would give my site much more exposure and perceived legitimacy. So, I contacted the dot-com domain name owner and in the course of 5 hours we negotiated, paid for and transferred the dot-com domain name to me. Unfortunately for Darren, I know his process was much more drawn out.
Let me ask if any readers out there have an opinion as getting a dot-com versus a dot-net. Would you get a dot-net if the dot-com wasn’t available? Or would you try to come up with a new dot-com domain name? I know Darren covered this question recently on his blog and got lots of responses.
But in light of the above, would anyone now change their mind if it occurred to them that years later, after they’ve built up their name brand (like what Darren did with ProBlogger), it would cost them $1,000, $4,000, $10,000 or even more than that to acquire the dot-com? Would you be willing to pay that much or else always forgo the type in traffic and always having to remind people to type in the dot-net (or whatever) all the time?
{ 8 comments… read them below or add one }
Brian 03.21.07 at 7:39 pm
Just today I was typed in a website address off of the back of a pamphlet. The website that came up was not the one I was looking for. I went back to the pamphlet and sure enough, the company has a .net address and I just assumed it was a .com and didn’t look at anything after the dot.
So, personally I wouldn’t start a website with anything other than a .com no matter how many key words it had in its name (in this case, it was the name of the business, so I’d extend it to say that I wouldn’t start a business without the .com being available).
Ronald Huereca 03.21.07 at 10:03 pm
This is some great news. I’m pretty sure Darren will get a good return on investment.
collis 03.21.07 at 10:19 pm
Interesting question, the main website I run - FlashDen.net - is a .net, I’m not sure who owns ‘.com’, but its definitely not us. It is a pity, fortunately our market are fairly tech savvy and by reinforcing the name constantly I think we’re OK. I suppose if the chance came up I’d purcahse the .com, but I certainly wouldn’t want to spend many thousands on it.
I find domain names to be one of the most frustrating aspects of business online
Shane 03.22.07 at 1:02 am
When you look at what Darren has done with Problogger.net it might be easy to dismiss the power of having the dot com domain.
I think the next several months will prove just how powerful dot coms are. I’ll be watching his RSS feed counter
Philip Liu 03.22.07 at 7:05 am
Brian, I’m with you on that one.
Ronald, I’m sure Darren will. The type in traffic on the dot-com was over 3,000 a month.
Collis, agreed.
Shane, except that the dot-com was living off of Darren’s hard work and increasing in value because of it.
OhCash 03.22.07 at 8:59 am
Wealth Building Lessons 03.25.07 at 2:36 pm
I’d always try and get a .com address - unless
net was part of the url inwhich case having a .net would be ok.
example: networks.net
Garry 05.06.07 at 9:21 am
I acquire both .com and .net domains before starting new project.