atcomsystems.ca/forum Forums Computers & Programming Web Development Overcharging for Domain Name?

Great analogy, I never thought of it that way.

I didn't exactly word the question correctly either. I should have asked if the asking price was "typical" - of course it's not reasonable!

If I wanted to fight the battle, I could trademark the name and apply to Internic for a transfer of the domain name registration. I just don't want the hassle...

I guarantee if he paid the $50 analysis fee from go-daddy it would come back with a 300-600 value, so 500 is not totally off the charts.

I completely disagree. That might be true if someone were actually using it. Problem is it's way too easy in this country for opportunists to make money by doing virtually nothing to earn it. It's true of this situation all the way to commodities and the patent office.

This is one of the reasons we are in the pickle we are in today. I have absolutely no sympathy, the guy is slime and belongs in jail for extortion.

-Hal

If I wanted to fight the battle, I could trademark the name and apply to Internic for a transfer of the domain name registration. I just don't want the hassle...

At this point I don't blame you. It's probably good reason to register your name and logo as trademarks at the get go though. Then when something like this comes up you can enforce your rights.

-Hal

With the importance on linking and ranking with google searches I would worry more about that than the name I pick for my domain.

It's actually not all that complicated. Because this is a .ca domain name, you would deal with CIRA. Check out their procedures for filing a complaint. https://www.cira.ca/en/cat_Dpr.html

The only sticky point will be trademark. If you didn't already have a trademark on the name before the name was registered, it won't make any difference if you file a trademark now. If this is a sole proprietership, you may be out of luck. If this is the name of an incorporated business, you may have a case. Here is the relevant part of the CIRA policy:

4.1 Onus. To succeed in the Proceeding, the Complainant must prove, on a balance
of probabilities, that:
(a) the Registrant’s dot-ca domain name is confusingly Similar to a Mark in which the Complainant had Rights prior to the date of registration of the domain name and continues to have such Rights; and
(b) the Registrant has registered the domain name in bad faith as described in
paragraph 3.7; and the Complainant must provide some evidence that:
(c) the Registrant has no legitimate interest in the domain name as described in paragraph 3.6.

Anyone interested in registering a .ca domain must meet the CIRA's presence requirements too. So if you think the squatter doesn't meet those guidelines, then you could notify the CIRA, and see if they take action. Maybe the domain would become available and then you could scoop it up.

https://www.cira.ca/en/document/CPR.pdf

Also, keep an eye on the registration date. If it expire-delete, grab it. Often times the squatters give up on keeping a domain if they believe no one is interested it it anymore.

https://www.digest.com/Big_Story.php


Pretty interesting story regarding nissan.com. I like the part how they changed Mississippi law in order to tear down some homes just so they could build their plant. Kind of puts an ironic twist on that nissan commercial... You know the one where the guys driving along in his "nissan" truck, leans over to his son and says, "See that, I built that house."

Or was that toyota?

I know of a guy who sold his old domain name for mid 5 figures (or was it mid 6 figures?) 10 or so years ago..

The company that bought it was a well known graphics card manufacturer, and they really wanted that domain name.. unfortunately the guy who owned it had had it in active service since the mid 1980's, and really didn't want to sell for any price..

the company that bought it tried every trick in the book to take the name from him, but he had a solid claim on the name, and probably was using it before the graphics card company was incorporated.

They finally waved enough money in front of him, that he sold the name to rid himself of the hassle..

The domain name: ati.com