Domain name ownership?

[Boomyal]

A while back, people who had had the forsight to register certain names were holding companies hostage when they wanted to get their hands on those names that represented their business.

In other works, had I registered the name FoMoCo.com and Ford decided they wanted to have that name, I could have extracted podigious sums from them.

Does that condition still exist or were there rulings that allowed business to just 'take' domain names that had registered business trademark names?

 

[ZmOz]

Re: Domain name ownership?

No, they can't just take your domain because of a trademark, the only thing that's illegal is "domain squatting". That's using somebody's trademark in a bad way...like if someone bought goooogle.com and turned it into a porn site. (wouldn't surprise me if that was true though) Someone could have bought ford.com a long time ago, and just use it to store pictures of their rusty old ford pickup, that would be legal and Ford could never take it.

I have over 100 domains now...some I've had since the late 90s. I have had companies mad that I own their name, and I think it's really funny when they realize there is nothing more they can do but send a strongly worded letter. You want it you gotta break out the check book.8)

 

[Boomyal]

Re: Domain name ownership?

Zm, you'll get a kick out of this email I just got. Below is the C&P from that email.

[colour=red]Subject: redirect of domain name urgent

Hi John,
Murray Bailey from Aquadyne Australia is urgently wanting the domain aquadyne.us to point to the new website which is http://www.eestechinc.com

They have been putting out new press releases and this is the only domain name that is still not reflecting the new change. It is urgent that this is modified. Can you please let us know or Murray Bailey now when this can be changed.

Hope to hear from you soon

Regards
Paul Wrigley[/colour]

I was not worried about anyone taking it because, if for no other reason, than the website name is the same as my Oregon Corporation name. The website is currently idle and being used by Dotster for a bulletin board.

The other day my wife got a call on the home line asking suspicious questions about Aquadyne. Other than acknowledging that Aquadyne existed my wife told her that she would need to talk to me. The lady would not identify who she was.

Zm, you ever sell a name?

 

[ZmOz]

Re: Domain name ownership?

Yeah, I've sold a few dozen. That's why I originally bought my boat. d The more urgently they need it, the more your domain is worth. It sounds like they just expect you to change the name for free...that's absurd.

 

[Boomyal]

Re: Domain name ownership?

.... It sounds like they just expect you to change the name for free...that's absurd.

My take was that they hoped that I would give it up for free. I think it was a crude attempt at a bluff!

 

[Terry Olson]

Re: Domain name ownership?

I work with a guy who speculated in buying up hundreds of domain names and has kept them for years. He maintains that once you own the domain it can't be taken from you - but - he says there have been a couple of court rulings that have started to move that direction.

I bought up a few domains including californiahotrods.com but lost interest a short time later. I did have a few inquiries about that one but no one was willing to buy it from me.

 

[Boomyal]

Re: Domain name ownership?

I know what you mean Terry. I think you have to have an Extra Fertile mind 8) like ZmOz to play that game.

I'm in a win win situation, I don't care if the do buy it or don't.

 

[ZmOz]

Re: Domain name ownership?

I find that it's more profitable to develop them into working websites before selling just the domain alone. Many of the names I got were some of the last remaining 4 letter .com's. Now there are so many other extensions like .us that people aren't as willing to pay big bucks for a domain - if ford.com is taken they can just get ford.biz. Or whatever the next extension is...I'm sure it won't be long before a new one comes along.

Does anyone remember when the only way to register a domain was $70 for two years minimum? :^

 

[roscoe]

Re: Domain name ownership?

Yeah, and you had to deal with Network Destructions, which is what they did to the 2 names I registered.

 

[--GQ--]

Re: Domain name ownership?

I don't know fellas. You can have domain name ownership but you don't have all rights to "proper names" domain name ownership. For example, if Boomyal is indeed your name, you have the right to create a website with that name (Boomyal.com) even if someone else registered that name. Although you wouldn't want to create a website with the name that was already registered. The search engine will direct all inquiries to the original website.

Likewise "Ford" is a proper name. I don't think you can quit your day job by selling domain name ownership.

 

[ndemge]

Re: Domain name ownership?

I've worked for an internet company since '98

I had a couple domains at that $70 pricetag. And when you sold it, you had to have a NOTORIZED letter to give to networksolutions, Now you just authorize the change in an email.

$15 the last time I registered one.
And DNS is working in about an hour now instead of 2-3 days.

Does anyone remember when the only way to register a domain was $70 for two years minimum? :^

 

[Jerico]

Re: Domain name ownership?

I had a person call and e-mail me several years ago that since his Colorado registered business was DCS Consulting that I had to give him "his" domain name, dcsconsulting.com. I told him guess what, I'm DCS Consulting in Missouri. After several ignored phone calls and progressively nasty e-mails he went away and I still own the domain. Had almost the same thing happen with daviscomputer.com which I also own.

 

[Terry Olson]

Re: Domain name ownership?

I checked with the guy at work who has a bunch of domains. He says there have been a few cases that begin to differentiated between legitimate users of domains and squatters. It's in the eye of the beholder I would think but he gave a real life example. His brother registered planetbarbie.com years ago. He was approached by Mattel, the toy manufacturer making and selling Barbie dolls. They indicated a need for the name and offered to buy it. He wouldn't sell initially and they threatened legal action. He consulted with an attorney specializing in trademark issues and learned that he would probably prevail so long as he didn't use the domain as a means to market or sell dolls or other items related to dolls, whether they be Barbie doll related or not. If he had Mattel could show that he infringed on their trademark.

His wife's name is Barb so he could reasonably explain some interst in having the domain although that isn't necessary to retain the name. It comes down to how the domain is used, not what it is. He played the legal game for a while and drove up the price a bit before selling. Sooner or later he'd have to give it up though - Mattel certainly has the resources necessary to finance a lengthy legal battle whereas he doesn't.

 

[ndemge]

Re: Domain name ownership?



It's not winning the lawsuit that's the problem, it's having the pockets to stay in the lawsuit until the end.