Is this business ethical?

[katherine]

Congrats MWZD

[mediawizard]

Thanks sdsinc

[David G]

It's just as ethical as being a stock or real estate broker.

A very poor comparison. Not even remotely applicable, especially when you consider how heavily licensed and regulated those professiona are..

[TheLegendaryJP]

Domaining is as ethical as any other industy.
It is domainers who can be unethical.

[peter]

Domaining is as ethical as any other industy.
It is domainers who can be unethical.

Yes I agree. If you know how to behave as a human, and apply that way of thinking to your business endeavors, you are a winner in my book

[Maxwell]

It's just as ethical as being a stock or real estate broker.

Funny that you mention that, as I am presently studying for my license in Real Estate, and thought the same thing.

I believe that a market value should apply to a domain based on its quality (i.e. length, combination of words, easy to remember, etc.), and in turn compared to other domains that have sold in the past... but that being said, many reject the concept of a market value in the way of domains (hence all the overpriced names on eBay, sedo, etc.).

What many of us tend to justify a valuation on is the Value in Use... once the potential worth of a domain becomes increased as a result of a discovery of its uniqueness to the end user, it isn't uncommon for somebody to try and gouge said end user for it.

To answer the topic... I certainly think this business is ethical, and hence my reply, I think it's much like real estate (just virtual), but those who trade in real estate must be licensed to do so... the same should be the case for domains. It's too serious a business to leave unregulated.

[Focus]

NO, because shit happens.

[Anthony Ng]

A very poor comparison. Not even remotely applicable, especially when you consider how heavily licensed and regulated those professiona are..

but those who trade in real estate must be licensed to do so... the same should be the case for domains. It's too serious a business to leave unregulated.

Brokering yes, trading no. One does NOT need any license to invest in stocks, real estates or domain names in MOST if not all jurisdictions.

[peter]

Brokering yes, trading no. One does NOT need any license to invest in stocks, real estates or domain names in MOST if not all jurisdictions.

exactly, imposing a license in order to be able to trade domains is a bad idea for so many reasons and would serve no point whatsoever, apart from making the licensing body rich

[carlton]

Donald Trump is squatting on land I want. The question, what puts him there?

1. He was first
2. Money

I might be able to buy something he owns for the right price or next time I can try to buy that location first if I have the funds.

I think the premise that was been long taught in our business and something allot of us agree to is that domains are like real estate, they are uniques parcels of virtual property.

Ditto!