Is there any easier and quicker way to lose money than registering domains as a newb?

[Honan]

Are you absolutely positive that you have found good domain names to register?
Have those names ever been registered before?
In all probablility a domain name that has never been registered is worthless to anyone except the registry and the registrar, unless developed
In every 1000 names registered there might be one or 2 that are good
If you can develop, then leave the domain procurement until after you have completed development
You will have a much better idea then, on what domain name you need, and might even consider the possibility of investing in an attractive, relevant and memorable domain name
Of course this is only my opinion and I do not have access to the data to prove it

[James Jean]

It is risky business but I think it's the best way for newbies to start in the industry. Set aside some seed money say $100-$200... do research, ask questions then go register a few names you think have potential. Get appraisals on the board, see what people, see where you messed and learn from it. I think it's better for noobs to start with hand regges where lost is minimal then jumping into niches, traffic names, CTLDs where they can become easy prey if they don't know what they're doing. Most people on the board started hand regging as a learning tool and have since built strong portfolios. Just my thoughts.

[dodo1]

As long as you have a maximum monthly budget you can't do too much wrong. Of course, you can lose money and most new domainers will, but you don't risk too much. When you start making a profit, you can still raise your budget.

Many make the mistake of not being patient and so they spend most of what they have while still being in the learning process.

[Spex]

Blindfully registering without doing some research first, yes. (I was very guilty of this)

But if you put the time aside to research, read the news for any emerging trends and technologies, then hand registering speculative domains can be a gold mine.

[Seraphim]

I walked a relative of mine through 30 hand-regs + some small development tricks and SEO. He makes X,XXX per month now a year later, and can finally dump profits into higher end domains. It was a great way for him to start, because he had little investment funds, and didn't want to shoulder any heavy risk upfront. Wish I had started out that way.

[WebsiteTraders.Com]

there r good new regs..............but very very very...................few

[James Jean]

there r good new regs..............but very very very...................few

I disagree... there are one too many 'very' in that statement. It all comes down to methodology, niche, and business model. I know people in the industry who makes x,xxx per month solely on hand reg names because their business model is focused on margins, quantity, and pricing. I stopped hand regging for a while then I got back into it. I find it quite rewarding financially and it keeps me on top of various industries and trends. In 2007 I made more money from hand regged names then from names purchased at premiums. In 2009 my plan is to refocus on hand registering names and selling or developing them while keep top tier names in the vault. I'm not looking to increase competition for me but the more people with the mentality that there's no more gold out is so far from wrong.

[biggedon]

I walked a relative of mine through 30 hand-regs + some small development tricks and SEO. He makes X,XXX per month now a year later, and can finally dump profits into higher end domains. It was a great way for him to start, because he had little investment funds, and didn't want to shoulder any heavy risk upfront. Wish I had started out that way.

that's because they had YOU as a mentor and you probably didn't.

having someone to guide you thru this maze of information and "mis-information" is a bonus.

[draggar]

My rules for hand registering domains:

1) I am going to develop it - I already have a business plan for it. Even XZZGYHSQAREFCCXDED.com can be worth a few million if used properly. (Well, maybe not a few million but you get the point).
2) New technology (MT9 etc..)

Looking back over the past two years I would say I shouldn't have registered roughly 90% of my domains but I guess I'll chalk that down as a "learning / newbie" tax.

[GAMEFINEST]

I actually started with no experience in domains at all, and a year or so later, I have a better understanding of domains, I go with my gut feelings which never let me down, I go for names that I know I can sell to someone who will like it, works out well for me, But I did lose a certain amount when starting out.

[thevirtual]

What do you mean by hand registering?

I have hand registered domains, mostly domains that have been registered before. Some of them are drops, some of them I find through keyword research. This has had some good results.

If you are new to domains I would suggest researching domain drops.

In every 1000 names registered there might be one or 2 that are good

I would say out of every 10,000 names registered, there might be 1 or 2 that are any good. lol

[gingeman]

new domainers often register names because they think they 'sound good' or basically 'brandable' names. They rarely have understanding of the data mining tools and programs necessary to research the domain's potential audience and the metrics which give it a 'provable' value to an end user (such as traffic, searches per month etc etc).
I think handregging names is a good way to get into the industry and means you have a 'hands on' approach to learning- although it is definitely easy to get carried away and register a few turkeys, I know I did when I started out.
Like seraphim, I have guided a few friends and aquaintances through their first few months of investment, and they are all doing considerably better than I was at the same level of experience.

[Carter]

I know people in the industry who makes x,xxx per month solely on hand reg names because their business model is focused on margins, quantity, and pricing.

Right I know ppl too.
Buy domains, handreg...is possible find great handregs in 2008.

[bhartzer]

Don't forget about names with trademarks in them. It may sound cool and fun to grab a domain with a trademark in it and get some quick traffic...but you can lose a lot of $ quickly when you get sued.

[Poker]

Is there any easier and quicker way to lose money than registering domains as a newb?

Many. If a newbie simply makes a commitment to learn from their domain mistakes, they have a very large chance of success due to very low starter capital risk.