mahi.com

08-17-2002, 02:17 PM

MAHI.com

I stumbled on this forum and wondered what it might be worth.

Before you think it's a fish name, just a little history ... I registered it in 1996. In 1999, an optical networking company startup (Mahi Networks) wanted to buy the name from me for a few hundred dollars (I thought it was worth more than that). I've since been inundated with misdirected e-mail bound for them, and the company has grown to a multi-million dollar company.

So what do you think it's worth?

Thanks

**IPatlas** · 08-17-2002, 02:46 PM

Mahi.com is a good choice.

I bet they have not reademarked it because of its closeness to mahi mahi food....

**Duke** · 08-17-2002, 02:46 PM

I would approach Mahi Networks again and point out how much of their mail is coming to you because you have the .com and everyone assumes that would be their address. If they have grown into that large a company they would be foolish not to dramatically increase their offer to you. Times change and they apparently now have the wherewithal to pay a fair price for the name. If they won't it has plenty of value to seafood vendors!

hosting3.com · 08-17-2002, 03:08 PM

they can't even get it from you even if they trademark it now! Their only hope is to buy it

08-17-2002, 03:27 PM

Mr Aloha make a counter-offer 200 petunias higher...then take the money and run ...
Their site ranks at the top at google.com,
They don't need your name...
Dot com or nothing!
Be smart and not greedy......
this is your first and only chance to sell the money for decent money...

08-17-2002, 04:27 PM

Thanks all,

Just wondering if someone could give me a $$$ value on what a domain name like Mahi.com is (irregardless of Mahi Networks). Selling a 4 letter pronouncable name for a few hundred or even a few thousand dollars didn't seem right and quite frankly not worth the trouble since I do use the domain myself and share it with a few other associates.

**fizz** · 08-17-2002, 04:33 PM

Originally posted by Don Giovanni
Their site ranks at the top at google.com, They don't need your name...Dot com or nothing!

Looking at their logo, the word Mahi is empasized in much larger capitals. IMO this firm would love the kudos of owning MAHI.com

**Duke** · 08-17-2002, 06:14 PM

Looking at their logo, the word Mahi is empasized in much larger capitals. IMO this firm would love the kudos of owning MAHI.com

If they have a boatload of money, as they apparently do now, they would be downright silly to pass up this short version of their namesake. mahi.com blows away mahinetworks.com (which even looks weird). #1 in Google is great but it is not the only important place in the internet world. mahi.com would be far more prestigious for a company like this. $ value depends entirely on what you can get someone to forkover so that is a very ephemeral target. I would guess $3000-$4000.

**fizz** · 08-17-2002, 06:24 PM

Originally posted by Duke of Earl
mahi.com blows away mahinetworks.com (which even looks weird

Agreed Duke. A cursory glance at their conjested URL reads like mahine tworks .com

**Duke** · 08-17-2002, 06:27 PM

They may not be tworks - but they are certainly dorks if they do not see the value in acquiring mahi.com.

**fizz** · 08-17-2002, 07:00 PM

lol Duke. The piercing gaze of the chap on their homepage â€“ whoâ€™s scored $75M in equity funding â€“ tells me he gets what he wants. IMO he really wants MAHI.com and I feel its worth a whole lot more than 3k-4k to them.

**Duke** · 08-17-2002, 07:12 PM

I feel its worth a whole lot more than 3k-4k to them.

Oh I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if aloha could get more out of them now. And really from the company's standpoint, giving him many thousands now would probably be cheaper in percentage terms than it would have been to give him a few hundred originally (based on their revenue today vs. what it was back then).

08-17-2002, 07:26 PM

Originally posted by aloha
Before you think it's a fish name, just a little history ... I registered it in 1996. In 1999, an optical networking company startup (Mahi Networks) wanted to buy the name from me for a few hundred dollars (I thought it was worth more than that). I've since been inundated with misdirected e-mail bound for them, and the company has grown to a multi-million dollar company.

Indeed they have. Mahi Networks just got $75M in fourth round VC financing this June:

http://news.com.com/2100-1017-936012...cy=cnet&tag=lh

I think your best move would be to write them an angry (but professional) letter complaining about all the unsolicited email you've had to deal with because of their company.

Make sure to include a line that goes something like this: "Please take the appropriate steps to educate your clients, suppliers and associates that your URL is 'mahinetworks.com' and NOT 'mahi.com.' Also ensure that your advertising clearly indicates your URL, so that your customers do not mistakenly visit my URL, 'mahi.com,' needlessly wasting my bandwidth.

Pursue it, saying that you want a written commitment from them that they will take steps to remedy this situation. Don't stop until they respond.

This approach is the polar opposite of a traditional sales pitch, so you'd be clear on "bad faith" issues. But anyone with half a brain at the Mahi Networks end will easily read between the lines to understand that they very much need this domain, as a security precaution, if nothing else. Confidential emails going to you would be something they'd want to avoid. And the offline advertising loss to your name through intuitive retention is another reason for them to acquire this domain.

I'd say you're in a good bargaining position with this company, if you being the dialogue the right way.

A company that just got $75 Million can easily pay $10,000 - $50,000 for this domain, depending on how tightly you want to negotiate.

Evaluated on its own merits, the domain "mahi.com" still has value because of it's connection to the "mahi-mahi" fish (the fish is often referred to as just "mahi"). I'd put a value of $1000-$5000 on the domain with that connection. Otherwise, it's just another four-letter two-syllable domain, one of tens of thousands.

Miles

**Duke** · 08-17-2002, 07:42 PM

Brilliant suggestion Miles! This should be far more effective than saying "Hey, want to buy my name now?"

08-17-2002, 09:07 PM

You have received some very good advice here and you would be wise to follow thru with some of the suggestions.
My only addition is that you not allow your target to price your product, go in with a price in mind, you have a great name for a rare opportunity.
Best of luck!

08-17-2002, 09:11 PM

Hey folks,

Wow, thanks for all advice. It's kind of funny the e-mail I get through Mahi.com the past few years.... their stock option plans, vendor orders, resumes, love letters

. Last year, they tried to buy my name through a third party agent along with Mahi.net (making like it was just some person interested, not the company). But the way I found this out was the guy sent an e-mail to Mahi Networks telling them that he planned to acquire one of our domains and would try to talk us to $5K at the most (still I think way to low for a company that raised $185 mil in the last 3 years)... anyway he sends this confidential e-mail for Mahi Networks to.... mahi.com

After a good laugh I ended up e-mailing the owner of mahi.net about what was going on (he like me, didn't buy the name to sell and so wasn't looking for any money). Then I e-mailed the agent and Mahi Networks. I guess they were red faced because I haven't heard from them since

For a short while I was forwarding mahi.com to a company a friend of mine was working for in Boston (which happens to be in the same industry) Not too cool, but I wanted to see how long it would take before someone noticed (pretty sneaky). I ended up taking it down yesterday, which got me to thinking how much the domain was really worth and led me here.

I have e-mailed them on several occasions (sometimes as a courtesy to forward an e-mail or two) but haven't ever really negotiated selling the name to them directly. Frankly, I may sound greedy, but if they really want the name it would have to be for an amount that would change my life ($5K wouldn't change my life

Well, I think this post is long enough. Thanks again.

**Duke** · 08-17-2002, 09:23 PM

More power to you Aloha! To them $25-$50K would be chump change now. I bet they spend that much on office supplies - and they don't want to spend it for a key internet name they would have for as long as they exist. Talk about short-sighted!

**fizz** · 08-17-2002, 09:52 PM

Originally posted by aloha
But the way I found this out was the guy sent an e-mail to Mahi Networks telling them that he planned to acquire one of our domains and would try to talk us to $5K at the most (still I think way to low for a company that raised $185 mil in the last 3 years)... anyway he sends this confidential e-mail for Mahi Networks to.... mahi.com

Priceless