Who Else Misses the Early Days?

[accelerator]

Having been on this forum for more than seven years, I have to say I miss the early days, who else does?

I remember a really buzzing atmosphere, and it seemed like you could register any old name and then flog it on Acorn for a very healthy profit. I wish I had been a much more active seller early on, but time demands meant I wasn't.

I think Google did the right thing to tune down the exact match boost, but I know that I'm not the only one finding things harder now. Back in the day it was simply a case of identifying what the profitable terms were, and you could then do nicely with a site or domain sale. I realise that this is not "proper" marketing, but I kind of liked it when the algorithm was very kind to you.

Rgds

 

[retired_member32]

yeah its a different story now unfortunately, but lets be honest we really did not feel the pain of recession till very late, 2008 was the year that the banks crashed and it took till 2012 to hit online, the .uk extension has killed the sales of co.uk and the Americans who hold strong .com extensions are aware and such, bumping up there prices as the UK space try and take refuge in the .com extension...

keep the faith

 

[Admin]

I think we all miss the good times, and I didn't max out on it at the time either with sales etc.

I think these days nothing is for certain, Domains, jobs, ... if banks can go under then nothing is safe.

I don't think Nominet have helped the .UK domain space as the latest debate has shown.

Admin

 

[websaway]

The darkest hour is just before dawn.

 

[websaway]

Having been on this forum for more than seven years, I have to say I miss the early days, who else does?

I remember a really buzzing atmosphere, and it seemed like you could register any old name and then flog it on Acorn for a very healthy profit. I wish I had been a much more active seller early on, but time demands meant I wasn't.

I think Google did the right thing to tune down the exact match boost, but I know that I'm not the only one finding things harder now. Back in the day it was simply a case of identifying what the profitable terms were, and you could then do nicely with a site or domain sale. I realise that this is not "proper" marketing, but I kind of liked it when the algorithm was very kind to you.

Rgds

7 years ago was about 5 years after the dot com bubble burst.
Next year is 5 years after the banks went bust. It's best to look at cycles from outside the cycle not inside where it's clouded by personal issues.

 

[chrisduggan]

I have gone from over 1000 domain names to now a bare few, negating client ones. Sad to say my interest has dropped considerably. Focusing on development rather than adding to the pile. Nothing like the good ol' days.

I can appreciate the immense frustration for those holding strong portfolios with all this direct uk fluff going on.

 

[woopwoop]

... 2008 was the year that the banks crashed and it took till 2012 to hit online...

I think I felt it back in 2010. 2012 hurts a lot but I remember my income from domains, direct advertising, affiliate income dropping significantly in 2010.

The darkest hour is just before dawn.

Agree.

 

[domainking]

Old Days

Yes I miss the old days.

All I can say is never put your eggs all in the one basket, time and time again people always say that when in business, thats why I stuck with average 40% of buying .coms.

I would not like to be a domain owner with just 100% .co.uk domains to me that market is now dead in the water its time to look at the new markets with .UK

 

[anthony]

...to me that market is now dead in the water...

Sure is looking that way!

...its time to look at the new markets with .UK

That's a certainty!

 

[websaway]

Yes I miss the old days.

All I can say is never put your eggs all in the one basket, time and time again people always say that when in business, thats why I stuck with average 40% of buying .coms.

I would not like to be a domain owner with just 100% .co.uk domains to me that market is now dead in the water its time to look at the new markets with .UK

Nobody likes uncertainty, but don't write co.uk off yet.

 

[retired_member27]

Speaking to quite a few domainers in recent weeks, the general consensus is that when direct .uk is launched the value of .co.uk domains will drop about 50% overnight if not more. There will be a window of about 2-3 years to sell the domains before their salability is lost forever, remember once the public and businesses have accepted direct .uk then .co.uk will very quickly become just a memory, sad but true.

 

[woopwoop]

The repricing by many has already taken effect. I lost a few sales and as someone said on here, '.UK is coming' is a great buyer's tactic.

But I needed a kick up my bum to start developing or selling (now's the time to catch endusers)

 

[chrisduggan]

Yes I miss the old days.
never put your eggs all in the one basket

 

[Brassneck]

I do miss the early days in a way, but you need to adapt to survive and whereas I made 90 per cent of money through domains (parking at first, then sales), I probably make less than 20 per cent that way now. I developed out a lot of my best ones / traffic domains - not sure what will happen to the rest, probably will gradually let go of them. Doesn't seem possible to shift something for reg fee that 2 years ago would have gone for £50 to a reseller.

Stephen.

 

[BREWSTERS]

It's uncertain how .uk will effect the status quo - when .jp is less popular than .co.jp, and America is barely aware they have .us - currently its defo a buyers market and could prove to be highly lucrative to someone with an appetite for risk.

 

[websaway]

It's uncertain how .uk will effect the status quo - when .jp is less popular than .co.jp, and America is barely aware they have .us - currently its defo a buyers market and could prove to be highly lucrative to someone with an appetite for risk.

I can't really see much risk to be honest.
The greatest problem is where you've got 4000 domains and you have to pay £80000 per year for the .uk equivalent in order to protect your interests.

Quality not quantity.

 

[philipp]

It's uncertain how .uk will effect the status quo - when .jp is less popular than .co.jp, and America is barely aware they have .us - currently its defo a buyers market and could prove to be highly lucrative to someone with an appetite for risk.

The .jp setup is quite interesting, I like their dogged insistence upon two characters in the restricted parts of the second level, and their geographical design.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.jp

P.