spyware.com being auctioned

[groundctrl]

his blog says 3000 per day.

[typeinmedia]

If you're not already subscribed to his blog go there now (conceptualist.com). Today he quoted from a dnjournal profile of him and then revealed spyware.com was the domain he was referring to:

<quote>The next major development involved a domain we bought for $12 in mid-2000 on the drop, a name that had no meaning at the time. However, it started to generate traffic and revenues very quickly because it became a word/phrase that was seen, discussed or talked about nearly everywhere (we know the name, which is now a common computer related term, but Sarid did not want to publicize it). In 2003 we signed a contract to lease the domain for 30 days for $3,000 with option to sell for $60,000 at the end of the lease. At the end of lease, the lessee said his maximum offer was $30,000. We declined. Two years later this domain was generating $3,000 a day on PPC.</quote>

[DomainsInc]

If you're not already subscribed to his blog go there now (conceptualist.com). Today he quoted from a dnjournal profile of him and then revealed spyware.com was the domain he was referring to:

<quote>The next major development involved a domain we bought for $12 in mid-2000 on the drop, a name that had no meaning at the time. However, it started to generate traffic and revenues very quickly because it became a word/phrase that was seen, discussed or talked about nearly everywhere (we know the name, which is now a common computer related term, but Sarid did not want to publicize it). In 2003 we signed a contract to lease the domain for 30 days for $3,000 with option to sell for $60,000 at the end of the lease. At the end of lease, the lessee said his maximum offer was $30,000. We declined. Two years later this domain was generating $3,000 a day on PPC.</quote>

Geez, what are the chances that just some random name he got for reg fee is worth millions now.

[tetrapak]

If it makes $3000 / day it should go for at least 3 million , which would be only 3 years of revenue for a generic type-in domain, which is a bargain imo. At least i would loved to buy generics for 3 years of revenue..

[Fearless]

If it makes $3000 / day

made not makes

[QuantumBeam]

good point fearless

[tetrapak]

If it was making 3000$ / day in 2005, i cannot see why it wouldnt make at least that much in 2007.

[Fearless]

If it was making 3000$ / day in 2005, i cannot see why it wouldnt make at least that much in 2007.

I can.

[tetrapak]

I'm not really into spywares, maybe you could share the reason..

[Acro]

Was I right, or was I right?

Just to notify those who thought of bidding on Spyware.com soon, after much interest privately we have changed our strategy and will not be auctioning it off after all. In all likelihood there will be a new owner for the domain name before end of year.

[gmac17]

Some prices are over-inflated. I doubt the reserve will be met, unless it's a well-designed PR stunt and the deal is already sealed.

dead on acroplex.

[Keynes]

If it was making 3000$ / day in 2005, i cannot see why it wouldnt make at least that much in 2007.

"smart" pricing and dilution of content bids

the development potential, as stated above, goes well beyond ppc, however...

[B.King]

Was I right, or was I right?

you were right

[RTM.net]

Well, testing the waters is allowed even in the domain market; n'est-ce pas ?

I agree there is value beyond daily PPC revenue numbers and pure parking income.

Good call Acroplex

Rob

[NavySeals]

I've seen the stats for it... it's legitimate. I think it's pretty safe to come out now and openly say that I was helping him shop it around and broker it to some big corporate potential buyers. Hopefully they start a bidding war over it and Sahar gets upwards of $2.5M for it. Without seeing stats, I'm afraid most of you are just speculating and passing judgement on it far too quickly on what it should or shouldn't sell for. If Sahar or a new owner were to develop it even just a bit with the most basic content and let me handle the SEO for it, pshhh.. That sucker would be ranked on top of all the Tier 1 engines and be earning at least 6x what it's doing now per day.

I don't want to start a fight/argument or some heated debate, but much of how much potential a domain has, especially a premium branded one like Spyware.com, has to do with the layout and breaking out of the old mold of what domain parking pages should look like or have skinned on them, even for the laziest of domainers out there (like myself).

Ah well, if he doesn't get at least $2.5M for it, then consider it a bargain. Most of the time I would poke fun at someone for trying to sell a domain or site based on it's "potential", but being that this domain already has amazing direct nav traffic, the potential is pretty damn immense as is, and it would only get better if worked and cared for properly.

[Acro]

Consider this scenario:

Two and a half years from now, a new type of threat called "Black Ice" overtakes most Microsoft-driven computers around the globe; roughly 95% of the entire user population. Within weeks, the interest and searches for "spyware" diminishes. People don't search for "antivirus" anymore, they are looking for "Black Ice fix". Oops. The investors that paid $2.5 million for spyware.com see their daily traffic conversion trickle down to single digits. Meanwhile, the term "iced" - short for "Black iced" becomes very popular with Google and MSN searches.

Such domains are good to hold, once you have them. To speculate the longevity of a technology term, such as "spyware" and establish a sale for several millions is a tremendous risk for the savvy long term investor.

[NavySeals]

Consider this scenario:

Two and a half years from now, a new type of threat called "Black Ice" overtakes most Microsoft-driven computers around the globe; roughly 95% of the entire user population. Within weeks, the interest and searches for "spyware" diminishes. People don't search for "antivirus" anymore, they are looking for "Black Ice fix". Oops. The investors that paid $2.5 million for spyware.com see their daily traffic conversion trickle down to single digits. Meanwhile, the term "iced" - short for "Black iced" becomes very popular with Google and MSN searches.

Such domains are good to hold, once you have them. To speculate the longevity of a technology term, such as "spyware" and establish a sale for several millions is a tremendous risk for the savvy long term investor.

The answer isn't as tough as you think.. it's far easier to brand Spyware.com than it is to brand something else virus or spyware/adware related. Especially if it's one of those web 2.0 lame names..

Point is, all ya gotta do is use some BH SEO techniques, and between 2 days and 2 weeks you can EASILY dominate the crap out of all of the engines for the keywords you want to hit, and just redirect them right back to your Spyware.com landing page or full site. Even if the owner of the virus name + fix .com is ranking well, he would be no match for the fury that a solid BH'er would unleash on that niche in the SERPs. Not because he wants to prove something, but because he would want to show that he just spent a boat load of cash, and he'll be dipped if some new virus is going to overshadow his investment, and take away his thunder and income.

That's one of the reasons I love domaining so much. Because hope is NEVER lost, regardless of what new trend or niche is launched to trump whatever deal you have going on that would ultimately end up taking a back seat to it. There is ALWAYS a way to make bank off of your newest investments in domains, and when a domain comes bearing perks like a ton of direct nav traffic or a single word premium domain that also happens to be the name of an entire sub-virus industry, psh, that's not going anywhere anytime soon. Unless of course the new owner is a failure by nature or someone who gives up quickly, then best of luck to him/her and even better news to the new owner they pawn it off to.

[BLazeD]

Ahhhh, you are Jon. Interesting

[sashas]

Ditto!

Spyware is a new term. It came into being only with the growth of internet. Who knows what new threat overtakes this one? Already spyware has become less of a problem as the general internet population has grown familiar with it.

Not a long term prospect, IMO. Something like Computer.com would be around for a long time, not Spyware.com