closed MasterCards.biz

[Duke]

Here is a fresh .biz drop caught today. Obviously one that would have to be used in compliance with the trademark. I have seen similar domains with Visa in the title used as affiliate sites pointing to banks issuing Visa cards. I assume if it is generating business for the company they have no objection as these sites continue to operate.

Given that caveat and the obviously high search numbers and recognition the term has, what would a reasonable reseller/enduser value be?

I rarely ask for appraisals anymore because I am confident in my own judgment and what I have learned from actual sales in other extensions - but I am fairly new with .biz and don't have much to go on (other than the fact I don't like the way it sounds )

P.S. If anyone is interested in this domain, feel free to PM offers.

 

[cyphix]

Just because Visa seem to be ok with it doens't mean Mastercard will be.

I'd be careful Duke!

 

[Ed30]

This has trademark nightmare written all over it - that alone takes away any value it might have had. The fact that it's a .biz too signals to me that it wouldn't have had much value anyway (.biz will go the way of .cc and .ws in the future in my opinion).

 

[cyphix]

I don't think .ws has gone the way of .cc .. it hasn't even been around for long enough to do that. :-#

 

[Ed30]

Originally posted by cyphix
I don't think .ws has gone the way of .cc .. it hasn't even been around for long enough to do that. :-#

Both of them were no-hopers when they were launched and they're still no-hopers now.

 

[jazzbone]

Reg Fee at best! just my opinion.

Good Luck.

 

[cyphix]

But .cc had it's chance & failed. .ws hasn't had much of a chance yet.

Anyway, enough of that... this is Duke's thread! :-D

 

[Duke]

Originally posted by Ed30
This has trademark nightmare written all over it - that alone takes away any value it might have had. The fact that it's a .biz too signals to me that it wouldn't have had much value anyway (.biz will go the way of .cc and .ws in the future in my opinion).

You could certainly be right about the TM issue. As I said it would have to used in a manner MC would allow.

I felt the same way about .biz values but am having to adjust my opinion based on recent sales reports. URL T just sold one in a forum for $700, ALL of the top 3 on our current new extension sales chart at Domain Name Journal are .biz, Sedo sold Villa.biz the previous week for $1000. I sold $300 worth yesterday just hours after regging them. Sedo tells me .biz is selling very well in some of their markets. The extension has always been at the bottom of my prefferred major TLD's - but I am always willing to adjust my thinking when confronted by the facts!

 

[Duke]

Originally posted by Ed30


Both of them were no-hopers when they were launched and they're still no-hopers now.

Tell that to the guy who got $1,000 last week for lyrics.ws. I even sold one myself for $300. In the past year I have ragged this extension more than anyone I think - but as I said above - sometimes facts force me to change my position (I hate it when that happens! :-D )

 

[Whois-Search]

Sell it quick

http://www.mastercard.com/general/copyright.html

 

[unclewilco]

you of course will be setting up an affliate for mastering card games, ala magic tricks/ david blame style..

 

[Duke]

Originally posted by unclewilco
you of course will be setting up an affliate for mastering card games, ala magic tricks/ david blame style..

:-D Good idea - then I can sue the credit card company for infringing on my mark! Or maybe I'll just offer it to them in exchange for a point or two off my current interest rate, that would save me much more than the reg fee! Of course if they want it, they can take it and I would promptly hand it over. I was just thinking there might be an allowable use for it if helped promote their business - as I have seen other sites doing this.

 

[Ed30]

Originally posted by Duke


Tell that to the guy who got $1,000 last week for lyrics.ws. I even sold one myself for $300. In the past year I have ragged this extension more than anyone I think - but as I said above - sometimes facts force me to change my position (I hate it when that happens! :-D )

If you recall a minor debate we had earlier this week vis a vis luck and knowledge - in regards to what I will call mainstream extensions .com, net , org, us etc we need 80% knowledge 20% luck to know what to look for. In regards to .cc and .ws, 98% luck 2% blarney :-D

 

[Duke]

Can't really disagree with you there Ed.

Now with regard to my original idea for MasterCards.biz (a site pointing to affiliate banks offering MasterCards), that is exactly what MasterCards.us is (see link below) and they have been operating since 2002 with no apparent problems (I have also seen many sites with Visa related names like this as I noted before). These are what lead me to believe the card companies are OK with it as long as you are drumming up business for them and make it clear your site is not owned of affiliated with MasterCard Intl:

http://www.mastercards.us

 

[JohnGBUK]

I too have a nice name. Had it a few months now... mastercardinternational.co.uk

 

[mole]

MasterCards.biz?

priceless

 

[tassos]

i had an offer of 500 $ for a . ....****.bz ( .bz not .biz )
believe it..
there is market for every extension
nice domain Duke

 

[JohnGBUK]

Thought I'd drop this one in so you are aware. Keep ahead of the game. http://arbiter.wipo.int/domains/decisions/html/2002/dbiz2002-00124.html

 

[Duke]

Good link John - thanks. It answers a lot of questions I had. Unlike the gentleman in this case I would not contest it. If they want it, they can have it. The only use I would make of it would be a site promoting the issuance of MasterCards by member banks. Even though this would be to their advantage they may be against it and if so, I would respect their wishes.

 

[.biz]

Originally posted by Duke
Good link John - thanks. It answers a lot of questions I had. Unlike the gentleman in this case I would not contest it. If they want it, they can have it. The only use I would make of it would be a site promoting the issuance of MasterCards by member banks. Even though this would be to their advantage they may be against it and if so, I would respect their wishes.

If they want it, you'll deal with WIPO, not with MasterCard. But I'd probably think that they don't care about the plural version, otherwise they would already have mastercards.com.