Rick Schwartz Is Mad As Hell And He's Not Going To Take It Anymore

[jasdon11]

At least he stands up and says what he thinks. Anyone can be wise after the event, and it takes balls to speak up and give predictions. And like him or not, he's right more than he's wrong.

I've never had any dealings with him, but I wouldn't hesitate. I can't say that about all the big portfolio owners.

Hell, he adds a bit of old-school colour to the industry and I'm not just talking about his shirts!

Looks like I'm in the minority here, but I like him!

[Carter]

But people feed the attitude by reading his blogs, interviewing him, taking is word as gospel, etc.

It's time people start use their minds and not goes down in doggystyle every time these "Gurus" talk.
These people only take care of their business when they shitting on us.

I'm tired of these words on the media...same story everytime.
A rich guy say "I'M THE TRUTH" and all people say "OH YES YOU ARE THE TRUTH MAN, WE ARE THE SHIT"

I need to puke.

[jasdon11]

It's time people start use their minds and not goes down in doggystyle every time these "Gurus" talk.
These people only take care of their business when they shitting on us.

I'm tired of these words on the media...same story everytime.
A rich guy say "I'M THE TRUTH" and all people say "OH YES YOU ARE THE TRUTH MAN, WE ARE THE SHIT"

I need to puke.

And your vision of the future of domaining is.....?

Try and include the bits about what you are doing to further the industry - then we'll know if we can take you seriously.

[Carter]

And your vision of the future of domaining is.....?

Try and include the bits about what you are doing to further the industry - then we'll know if we can take you seriously.

My vision? It's simple.
It' better make a mistake with your mind and learn than make a mistake to run peoples that are your competitors.

Just for clear things: I respect Rick for what he do for this industry, I don't respect the fact everything in this industry it's about his words.
I always diffide of peoples said "I" every ten words.

[TheLegendaryJP]

Its all about furthering a bank account not a industry.

Not that there is anything wrong with capitalizing while progressing but more times than not its one big circus of flying crap and lining pockets.

[nameadvertising.com]

Rick reminds of the case where the roads are deplorable to navigate and all he does is plant danger signs. Now, I do not denounce Rick for doing that. It is not his job to fix the domaining highway. Planting signs is good enough. They may not be entirely accurate, but it sure makes you pause and think.

One does not need to be right all the time. If you scream enough to spark a debate, it is cause enough to change things around. By the way, Rick minces no bones. He is candid. He goes far enough to say, that his voicing of opinions is as much to do with changing the stagnant domaining landscape as much to do with enhancing his own portfolio.

To that end, Rick does a better job than most of us who question his motives and methods.

[Seraphim]

And your vision of the future of domaining is.....?

Try and include the bits about what you are doing to further the industry - then we'll know if we can take you seriously.

Money pushes us forward, charity work isn't driving innovation. Motivational speeches are really just kind of a flimsy industry facade in my opinion [and not a pretty one in this case]. I'm not as rich as Rick Schwartz, but I would run circles around him all day long with regard to domain monetization. So would many of you, hence the overwhelming consensus on the boards that the goose is cooked.

[Carter]

Money pushes us forward, charity work isn't driving innovation. Motivational speeches are really just kind of a flimsy industry facade in my opinion [and not a pretty one in this case]. I'm not as rich as Rick Schwartz, but I would run circles around him all day long with regard to domain monetization. So would many of you, hence the overwhelming consensus on the boards that the goose is cooked.

Trust me if I wanted in past based all my life all about the money I've doing other choices than this work...often I've turn off opportunities to make BIG MONEY when I thinked they don't worked for my soul and ideas.
It's not all about the money for me.
It's about the way you make them.

[TheLegendaryJP]

It's not all about the money for me.
It's about the way you make them.

So says the guy with the Tony Soprano avatar lol

[Carter]

So says the guy with the Tony Soprano avatar lol

If you prefer next time because I'm Italian I can change the avatar and insert a Pizza.

[jasdon11]

I'm not as rich as Rick Schwartz, but I would run circles around him all day long with regard to domain monetization. So would many of you, hence the overwhelming consensus on the boards that the goose is cooked.

$750k for a $10k name (ireport.com) - 8 figure sale from a 6 figure purchase (property[ies].com) - there are many ways to monetize, and sales is one of 'em.

I don't know anyone who gets better prices for his names.

[TheLegendaryJP]

If you prefer next time because I'm Italian I can change the avatar and insert a Pizza.

Im Italian as well but do not feel obligated to be a mobster or pizza pie. I was j/k around btw. No need to send a dead fish to my door, thank you.

[Focus]

It sure is easy for him to point fingers now at the rest of us is'nt it? I like the guy honestly and I think he has brought alot of energy and excitement to this industry but nobody likes a turn-coat.

Im Italian as well but do not feel obligated to be a mobster or pizza pie. I was j/k around btw. No need to send a dead fish to my door, thank you.

I actually already had a big horse head on the way...now where is that maniacs' cellphone # lol

[Seraphim]

$750k for a $10k name (ireport.com) - 8 figure sale from a 6 figure purchase (property[ies].com) - there are many ways to monetize, and sales is one of 'em.

I don't know anyone who gets better prices for his names.

It's a wild world outside of what's being published by the gods and gurus of the industry, I learned that in PPC Arbitrage 101.

[jasdon11]

It's a wild world outside of what's being published by the God's and gurus of the industry, I learned that in PPC Arbitrage 101.

Examples?

[draggar]

If you prefer next time because I'm Italian I can change the avatar and insert a Pizza.

I thought pizza was Greek and if you did that you'd make us all hungry.

I think you are right here:

It's not all about the money for me.
It's about the way you make them.

It would be a lie for almost of of us to say we got into this for reasons other than money. Sure, some people can try to play the charity game but I'd say at least 99% of the domains out there are registered and/or purchased to make money.

But, it's the way we do it that gives the industry the impression that it does and the way it is going. Domainers are still probabaly looked at by a lot of people as "cyber-squatters" (we see the two terms interchanged freely too often) due to what happened in the 90s where cybersquatters was all you saw of the industry (because that is all you heard about). The press got all over it and then changes started to happen. The industry started to waver and then the .com bubble burst. Honestly, looking back it was unstable anyway.

Now, it's become more legit. Sure, there is a lot of negative press out there in regards to the industry but there is also positive. I also think that the industry is more stable because people are looking at their plans as legit ways of doing business. Sure, there's still the dirty but it's a much smaller percentage as it was back in the 90s (and yes, the industry can still stand some cleaning up). More people are making an honest living which is what is making it more stable.

Now, the thing is that here is Rick, the "domain king" (amongst other self-claimed titles) and he is talking. The way I look at it is, talk is cheap. Talking doesn't go far. Did George Washington just talk? No, he took action. Did Queen Elizabeth talk her way to building up her empire? No, she worked at it. So, Rick wants some changes. Fine. Don't just talk - do something about it.

Honestly, I am "doing" something about it - I've been develping more domains (even if most are simple wordpress blogs) to provide something to my visitors. Yes, the vast majority of my portfolio is parked but I haven't sold a single developed site yet (I only have one for sale). Most of my parked pages are for sale (out of 250 domains I only have 15 that are parked and not for sale). I'm investing in fewer and fewer domains for parking (mainly because I think anything registered today for parking is mainly a waste of money) and more for developing. I'd love to have as few parked sites as possible thus not relying on what sedo, Parked, or any other parking company dishes out for me. I like being responsible for my own sites that way, when I see that (tiny) revenue stream I can say that I did it. I did the work, I built it up.

Ugh, why didn't someone tell me I was standing on a soapbox?

[Seraphim]

Examples?

Second tier traffic networks used to pump out 0.01 traffic, way back before AdSense and PPC parking companies really had a handle on their payout technology [specifically regarding geo targeting, and same user generated multi clicks]. I know quite a few domainers still heavily funded from that era, the profit margins were unbelievable.

[nameadvertising.com]

Guys,
Everyone wants change, but no one wants to change their ways. My ire is specifically directed at the wisdom of the crowd which is tainted with preset yet flawed knowledge distributed by vested interests, which is not reflective of the world outside of domaining.

How can we expect change when any god damn domain sold is valued only for its traffic and ppc revenue? Traffic and ppc revenue must be taken into account as partial indicators of the domains value and not the basis for it.

Unless, it is a blatant typo, I shudder to price my names based on traffic and ppc revenue. Ask the industry to change and it won't. Post a name for sale and the first thing a buyer will ask is - Traffic/ Revenue, Stats. Which is appropriate. But what pisses me off is, then the offer is made based on those stats. A true and knowledgeable domainer will know the domain's value, the moment he or she lays eyes on it. He has to know the buyer for it exists the moment they see it right before their eyes. Until then, newbies and those uncertain in this industry will always rely on stats thus diminishing the true potential of the name.

These practices were set by the big boys as bargaining chips in their favor. I never fell for it. Neither should any smart domainer. If you do, you will end up losing thousands of dollars. I made over 100k in sales in 2007 for less than 30 names and very little traffic or reveneus to boot and gunning for more in 2008. I never followed the traffic/ppc bullshit. I cringe when non typo names are sold for based on their revenue. Well, this is a choice a seller has to make, whether to sell based on stats. But when this becomes the industry norm, then I smell trouble.

Those domainers investing a lot of money based on revenue returns are in for some big surprises. They are paying for a trend. Unless they make themselves an expert and determine the lasting value of a name, they will always buy names based on a trend. And stats for those trends are not a certainty.

Whereas a good name will always remain a good name regardless of stats or trends. I have seen some pretty well known domainers dismiss some of my offers based on its stats value. I then went on to sell them for thousands.

Everyone is jostling to carve a niche as an expert. And when it is time to determine value. guess what! They (just like any newbie) will ask the age old question.

Traffic/Revenue....

Rely on your knowledge, educated instinct and know who your end buyer will be. The more you spend time doing this and refine your expertise, the more money you will make.

If I had not taken this approach, I'd still be at my old job coming home to check my ppc stats.

[Focus]

I'd still be at my old job coming home to check my ppc stats.

That is my job.

Good points you raise here..I think for the most part "WE" are all on the same team..not too sure about Rick though!

[Rubber Duck]

That is my job.

Good points you raise here..I think for the most part "WE" are all on the same team..not too sure about Rick though!

Rick is on the war path because his TRAFFICS bookings are down.

What he doesn't understand is that people are getting tired of his crap.

He pushed dot Mobi, he pushed dot Asia and now he and Moniker are pushing dot ME. No wonder people want a break!

He has promised so much and delivered so little, but charged handsomely for the privilege.

Most people now understand that an overpriced ticket to TRAFFICS is not a passport to instant wealth. Indeed, you will probably have your eyes taken out.