Domain name speculation refers to buying domains with the intent of selling them later for a higher price. The speculative element can be linked to news and current events, though the period during which such domains can be sold or flipped is limited. The main target of domain name speculation is generic words which can be valuable for type-in traffic and for the dominant position they would have in any field due to their descriptive nature. Hence generic words such as poker, insurance, travel, creditcards, sex and others are highly valuable targets of domain speculation in any Top Level Domain. Type-in traffic is a term describing visitors landing at a web site by entering a word or phrase in the web browsers address bar rather than following a hyperlink from another web page, using a browser bookmark, or a search-box search. ... TLD is a three-letter acronym that may stand for: Top-level domain Tag Library Descriptor — an XML document that maps JSP tags to their handlers or associated files. ...

Sometimes, domain name speculation involves finding domain names early in a market (typically when a new domain is launched), registering them and waiting until the market grows to sell them. Domains such as business.com have sold for millions of US dollars.

The .com Top-Level Domain is the focus of most domain speculation activity as it is the largest TLD. There is domain speculation in other TLDs such as .net and to a lesser extent in .org. The gTLDs have also been the subject of much domain speculation and .info is perhaps the most active in this respect due to the low registration fees. For dot-com companies, see dot-com company. ... TLD is a three-letter acronym that may stand for: Top-level domain Tag Library Descriptor — an XML document that maps JSP tags to their handlers or associated files. ... TLD is a three-letter acronym that may stand for: Top-level domain Tag Library Descriptor — an XML document that maps JSP tags to their handlers or associated files. ... TLD is a three-letter acronym that may stand for: Top-level domain Tag Library Descriptor — an XML document that maps JSP tags to their handlers or associated files. ... . ... .org (organization) is a generic top-level domain (gTLD) used in the Internets Domain Name System. ... A generic top-level domain (gTLD) is a top-level domain used (at least in theory) by a particular class of organization. ... .info is a generic top-level domain intended for informative websites, although its use is not restricted. ...

Domain name speculation also occurs in the ccTLDs such as .uk, .de and .us. The German .de has over 10 Million domains registered. The UK's .uk has over 5 Million domains registered, mainly in its commercial sub-domain .co.uk. The .de and .uk ccTLDs are mature markets where good domain names can command high prices. The .eu ccTLD is a good example of what happens when speculative activity overtakes ordinary domain registrations. A combination of an inept registry (Eurid) and excessive speculation by businesses exploiting a poorly structured regulatory framework meant that, according to EURid's own statistics, over 50% of the registrations could be considered to be at best speculative and at worst Domain name warehousing. A country code top-level domain (ccTLD) is a top-level domain used and reserved for a country or a dependent territory. ... .de is the country code top-level domain (ccTLD) for the Federal Republic of Germany. ... .US is the Internet country code top-level domain (ccTLD) for the United States of America, established in 1985. ... .de is the country code top-level domain (ccTLD) for the Federal Republic of Germany. ... A Sub Domain is an extention of a registered domain name. ... .co. ... .de is the country code top-level domain (ccTLD) for the Federal Republic of Germany. ... A country code top-level domain (ccTLD) is a top-level domain used and reserved for a country or a dependent territory. ... A country code top-level domain (ccTLD) is a top-level domain used and reserved for a country or a dependent territory. ... EURid vzw/asbl (European Registry for Internet Domains) is a non-profit organization established on 8 April 2003 by the European Commission as the domain name registry to operate the new . ... EURid vzw/asbl (European Registry for Internet Domains) is a non-profit organization established on 8 April 2003 by the European Commission as the domain name registry to operate the new . ... Domain name warehousing is the common practice of registrars obtaining control of domain names with the intent to hold or “warehouse” names for their use and/or profit. ...

Specialist and repurposed ccTLDs have also seen elements of domain name speculation. One of the best examples is that of the .tv ccTLD which has found the fact that TV is an abbreviation for the word television to be rather lucrative. The .mobi TLD is a good example of a specialist TLD in that it is specifically targeted at mobile phones and similar mobile technology. The operators of .mobi, mTLD, have reserved some of the premium generic words which will be auctioned off. The intent is to create a more level playing field for those interesting in developing websites. The .mobi premium generic words and phrases list is a good example of the domain names that are at the heart of most early-market domain name speculation. A country code top-level domain (ccTLD) is a top-level domain used and reserved for a country or a dependent territory. ... .tv is the Internet country code top-level domain (ccTLD) for the island nation of Tuvalu. ... A country code top-level domain (ccTLD) is a top-level domain used and reserved for a country or a dependent territory. ... .mobi (also known as DotMobi) is a top-level domain approved by ICANN and managed by the mTLD global registry dedicated to delivering the Internet to mobile devices via the Mobile Web. ... TLD is a three-letter acronym that may stand for: Top-level domain Tag Library Descriptor — an XML document that maps JSP tags to their handlers or associated files. ... TLD is a three-letter acronym that may stand for: Top-level domain Tag Library Descriptor — an XML document that maps JSP tags to their handlers or associated files. ... .mobi (also known as DotMobi) is a top-level domain approved by ICANN and managed by the mTLD global registry dedicated to delivering the Internet to mobile devices via the Mobile Web. ... .mobi (also known as DotMobi) is a top-level domain approved by ICANN and managed by the mTLD global registry dedicated to delivering the Internet to mobile devices via the Mobile Web. ...

Domain name speculators also register domain names based on seemingly generic phrases such as propertyforsale in the hope that these domain names could be sold later to businesses. Typically, domain name speculators will try to stay away from domain names containing trademarks as this could be considered cybersquatting. According to the U.S. federal law known as the Anti-Cybersquatting Consumer Protection Act, cybersquatting is registering, trafficking in, or using a domain name with bad-faith intent to profit from the goodwill of a trademark belonging to someone else. ...

Primary market speculation

The primary market for domain name speculation covers newly registered domain names that have not been registered before. Such domain names are often linked to news and current events and have not been registered before. They are in reality new domain names. These would be domain name registrations in new TLDs. TLD is a three-letter acronym that may stand for: Top-level domain Tag Library Descriptor — an XML document that maps JSP tags to their handlers or associated files. ...

Secondary market speculation

The secondary market for domain names covers previously registered domain names that have not been renewed by their registrants. Sometimes these dropped domain names can be more valuable due to their having had high-profile websites associated with them. Others can be valuable because of the generic nature of the domain name or the length of the domain name with two character and three character domain names being the most sought after.

The business of registering the domain names as they are deleted by the registries is known as drop catching. It is a highly competitive business. The main operators in this business typically set up a number of front companies as registrars. This ensures that when a domain name is deleted by the registry, the chances of reregistering it are multiplied. The newly reregistered domains are then, more often than not, auctioned off to the highest bidder by these drop catcher companies.

Domain parking is an advertising practice used primarily by domain name registrars and internet advertising publishers to monetize type-in traffic visiting an under-developed domain name. ... The term domain name has multiple related meanings: A name that identifies a computer or computers on the internet. ... According to the U.S. federal law known as the Anti-Cybersquatting Consumer Protection Act, cybersquatting is registering, trafficking in, or using a domain name with bad-faith intent to profit from the goodwill of a trademark belonging to someone else. ... Domaining is the business of buying, selling, and monetizing Internet domain names. ... A Domain Name Drop List is a list containing the expired domain names that will be deleted from the domain name registry in the near future. ... Domain sniping is the practice of an individual registering a domain name whose registration has lapsed yet whose original registrant still has an interest in the domain name. ... Domain parking is an advertising practice used primarily by domain name registrars and internet advertising publishers to monetize type-in traffic visiting an under-developed domain name. ... Domain tasting is a practice of registrants using the five-day grace period at the beginning of a domain registration for ICANN-regulated generic top-level domains to test the marketability of a domain name. ... Domain name warehousing is the common practice of registrars obtaining control of domain names with the intent to hold or “warehouse” names for their use and/or profit. ... Type-in traffic is a term describing visitors landing at a web site by entering a word or phrase in the web browsers address bar rather than following a hyperlink from another web page, using a browser bookmark, or a search-box search. ... An incorrectly entered URL could lead to a website operated by a cybersquatter. ... The Anticybersquatting Consumer Protection Act (also known as Truth in Domain Names Act), a United States federal law enacted in 1999, is part of A bill to amend the provisions of title 17, United States Code, and the Communications Act of 1934, relating to copyright licensing and carriage of broadcast... The PROTECT Act of 2003 authorized fines and/or imprisonment for up to 30 years for U.S. citizens or residents who engage in illicit sexual conduct abroad. ... A domain hack is an unconventional domain name that combines domain labels, especially the top-level domain (TLD), to spell out the full name or title of the domain, making a kind of pun. ... A wildcard DNS record is a record in a DNS zone file that will match all requests for non-existent domain names, i. ...

External links

A 242 page PDF list of the premium generic words and phrases reserved by the .mobi ^TM registry, mTLD during the Sunrise phase of the launch of .mobi TLD