Domain Squating - Can anything be done?

[MatLamont]

Is buying lots of domains which are not being used still legal?

 

[Posilan]

Is buying lots of domains which are not being used still legal?

Yes, although if that name contains a brand name, the brand owner could challenge it.

Steve

 

[MatLamont]

Yes, although if that name contains a brand name, the brand owner could challenge it.

Steve

Ok but they own a domain name we want to use for our brand name, if we were to register that name could it then be challenged?

 

[bdw]

Not if they had it before you registered it.

.

 

[Posilan]

Are you sure it's been purchased by a prospector/cybersquatter? It's possible that the domain name might actually be in use.

Not all "active" domain names have web sites etc on them.

Steve

 

[bdw]

Yes, some people only use the domain for email addressing.

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[MASSEY]

Squatting is usually when they have grabbed a domain that was previously in use or biz names.

This "land grab" scenario has led to concept of Cyber Squatting where an individual or a company can register a domain name in the hope of either selling it to the "true" owner or using it to confuse potential clients.

What the op is suggesting doing is attempted theft

 

[MatLamont]

Ok maybe squating was the wrong term i used basically this company have bought a load of keyword domains and one of them just happens to be the name we want to use for our business.

 

[directmarketingadvice]

Ok maybe squating was the wrong term i used basically this company have bought a load of keyword domains and one of them just happens to be the name we want to use for our business.

Then either change the name you want to use for your business or buy the domain from them.

Steve

 

[RebornMedia]

i get frustrated by this all the time. I am currently setting up a new business and looking for a good domain name. 90% of my ideas are already taken. I wouldn't mind if they were websites, but of course they aren't. £250 for a domain name - i don't think so.

 

[OldWelshGuy]

I own well over 1000 domain names directly myself. many of these are for future projects, that might not become reality for many years. but not the point. They are part of my overall strategy.

As mentioned above, some may be used for email. e.g. I own the domain name homeinwales.co.uk I bought it so we could have personal easy to rememebr email addresses such as '[email protected] (as in at home in wales ) easy to remember and also we rent the email addresses for £5 a year, people like them, and I have been advised that legally they are personal email addresses under the spam laws. anyone sending an eamil to someone at home would be daft.

Sadl it is a case of someone thought of registering the domain before you did.

 

[robertt]

i get frustrated by this all the time. I am currently setting up a new business and looking for a good domain name. 90% of my ideas are already taken. I wouldn't mind if they were websites, but of course they aren't. £250 for a domain name - i don't think so.

If your domain name is not worth £250 to you then its hard to think you are that serious about it

I have spent 6 figs on domains - a serious name can make a serious impact.

 

[bdw]

Having the right domain name could be worth much more than £250.

.

 

[Deleted member 61074]

domain name is not worth £250 to you then its hard to think you are that serious about it

indeed, if I had to pay £250 for a domain I had set my heart on I wouldn't be very impressed but I'd still get out my credit out.

It's up to you to decide, you either pay it or think up a new name that it still free

 

[Edd_Smith]

Theres one company (i forget their name) who own a HUGE amount of all "unused" domain names (im pretty sure its over 50%). They buy them in in bulk and then sell them on for profit.

 

[MASSEY]

But to be fair to the op. Considering these companies such as nominet and icann go around imposing rules such as "keep contact info up to date" you can understand why people think domains should not be bought and parked.

why should i have to keep my domain contact info up to date? i bought it and i know when it's likely to expire whats it got to do with them if the numbers on the whois are wrong etc?

I have seen a few domains myself i would like but they are just parked by nutters who want ridiculous amounts.

 

[MatLamont]

We decided to change the name and in the end thought of something allot better than the original idea and the domain is available so im happy now

 

[directmarketingadvice]

We decided to change the name and in the end thought of something allot better than the original idea and the domain is available so im happy now

Excellent!

Often the best names - and the most memorable ones - are the ones other people haven't already thought of.

Steve

 

[Experienced IT guy]

A good approropriate domain name is useful.

Our company name is Added value applications Ltd, All our customers who use our temporary staff scheduling software refer to us as "Ava" our site is ava.co.uk - we still get support calls where the user (of many years) asked to log in, says "whats the site again?".

This includes customer where we have put a link to our site in their favourites. We still have around 3,000 organic hits a month. At the end of the day I'm happy that our customers have few enough support calls to forget our exact URL and Google is getting to know it better.

 

i get frustrated by this all the time. I am currently setting up a new business and looking for a good domain name. 90% of my ideas are already taken. I wouldn't mind if they were websites, but of course they aren't. £250 for a domain name - i don't think so.

why do you think your domain name has to be the same as the company name.?:|

http://www.diy.com/diy/jsp/?_requestid=53557

Earl

 

[bdw]

why do you think your domain name has to be the same as the company name.

I stand to be corrected but I don't think that's what the OP said. He/she mentioned a good domain name not a company name (just like diy perhaps)?

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