...to be pissed off about something I don't actually understand?

[RourkesWife]

Have namechanged as DH knows my usual name (thanks DD) but some of you will know who I am (Regular but not Royalty!)

DH's latest 'money making scheme' started this weekend. I don't understand it (properly) and don't believe that it is going to make him (us) any money. He has spent over £100 on it and I reckon he may as well have thrown fivers in the fire. I am (but not showing it). He spent more money on it last night, and I'm sure he's probably spending more as I type.

As I understand it: There has been a new internet/email 'tag' thingy issued (see, I told you I didnt understand). Like .com or .org or .co.uk

Most large companies buy up domain names as soon as they are released so for eg Barclays own Barclays.com / Barclays.org / Barclays.co.uk and all the permutations (barclaysbank / barclaybank / barclays-bank etc etc)

DH realised that some companies had not bought up the domain names with this new tag, and spent hours this weekend searching and then buying these names.

He seems to think that these companies (and some are HUGE) will pay him to buy these domain names off him.

I don't. I think they will ignore this insignificant little man and he will have wasted time and money on this venture.

I dont really understand it all (I can use a computer, but dont understand code/website building etc) but I cannot believe that this will do what he thinks.

I am really pissed off. We are not hurting for money, but are supposed to be 'being careful'. He doesnt work (much) so I feel like he's wasted family money (that I earn) on a pile of shite.

So, am I wrong? Is this crappy idea really a good idea? AIBU?

[DoMeDon]

YANBU to be annoyed as a decision over joint money should be joint and not his alone to make. I have no idea if it's a good idea though - you lost me at computer

[oldraver]

Didnt this backfire for the person who bought b+q.com ?

[gingergran]

Bad idea - they won't pay and can demand the domain from him as they have a commercial interest in the name and he does not. lots of court cases last time loads of domain names were issued - waste of time and money IMHO

[TechLovingDad]

It's true that big companies do buy up the tags, but it's pretty unlikely that they will have missed out on any that will affect their business in any way.

Good luck, though, you never know.

[shakey1500]

I am usless with technology. BUT I seem to remember something similar when the internet was juusttt gathering speed. I'm sure someone did similar to your dh and made a pretty penny. It's worth a shot in my opinion.

So YABU in being angry about something you don't fully understand which MAY just come good. I hold my hands up though in not fully understanding it either, just something ringing a bell somewhere. I'm sure someone cleverer will elaborate (or not)

[Fimbo]

Did he speak to someone 'in the know' so to speak? If he is right all well and good but if he is wrong.....

[Adagoo]

Grrrr.

I see why you are pissed off. I'm not a risk-takey type person. And I don't understand the plan. I get the gist, but I'm a bit meh about it, as I see you are.

I think that your DH is trying to contribute to your household. Is he finding it hard to get steady work, or is he not looking.

You need to work out how much money you can let him fritter invest, and then have a proper conversation about how you want to be supportive lie but set a strict limit to it.

That will be a compromise to the risk averse/ entrepreneur thing.

[HeidiKat]

I don't know much about these things either, but it seems to me that if the domain names were that important to the companies they would have bought them in the first place so may not be interested in buying them for more through a 3rd party, ie your DH? YANBU to be pissed off that he has done this without even telling you, not saying he should have to ask permission to spend any of the family money but he should have at least mentioned it to you first.

[worraliberty]

This made a few people some money way back in the early 90's but it's too late now.

Most companies will have their domain names sorted out.

[charliejosh]

YANBU as it should be a joint decision

BUT, my friend bought a domain for Ugg boots and they bought it off her for £000's

[HopeForTheBest]

Well, back when t'internet all got going, I think some people did indeed make some money out of doing this.

These days though, no chance at all I'm afraid. The companies in question probably will already have any domains which they consider necessary. They may well like to have one of the ones your DH bought, and might eg offer him a fiver for it. He can take it or leave it, as they quite clearly don't need it, and he can do bugger all else with it.

And he may get into problems if they can prove the commercial interest thing as gingergran states. I know that names are considered intellectual property re domains now (after Jeanette Winterson's famous case)

Sorry, but IMHO, a waste of time and money.

[applechutney]

I've heard of people doing this before, but never knew of anyone who actually made money on it. so your gut instinct is probably right.

What strikes me about your post is how bitter you sound about your DH. Calling him an 'insignificant little man' is pretty demeaning imo.

Sounds like there are bigger issues than anger about this latest money-making plot.

[Tuggy]

Funnily enough I think the companies involved may have thought of this idea before your DH so they will have the ones they want.

Any one that DH has that they later want then can grab through the courts citing their trademark and commercial interests and the fact that your DH has bought them purely to sit on them

[Tuggy]

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anticybersquatting_Consumer_Protection_Act

[Bathsheba]

If its a new tag it'll be something either very obscure or a tiny company that they hope will be desireable because it spells something else....for example all the domains registered in Tuvalu have the domain ending .tv and somewhere like Micronesia owns all the .me domains...

However, using your example, I doubt there is a sinle person in the world who would think that a site with the name barclaysbank.it is the real one over barclaysbank.com - its the .coms that are the really desirable ones.

We made a little bit of money from selling our personal domain - not ever bought with profit in mind, but it was a word, and a .com domian and ov er the years a number of people have approached us wanting to buy it. I doubt they would have cared if it had been a .vu or a .plc one

[PhilipJFry]

I once read on another website about something who'd registered a domain name that a very large company now wanted because it included their name and I think an abbreviation of a new product they were coming out with? Anyway, this person had dollar signs in their eyes but it didn't work out...the company eventually offered them a sum so small they were embarrassed to admit it. The threat of legal action was also present. "Take this, or we get the domain name anyway" was their attitude.

It seems like a clever scheme at first, but I'm not sure if it really works. You can't exactly blackmail the companies into giving you money for the name..I'm pretty sure there have been legal cases that have given back the domain to the company and I'm sure someone more knowledgeable can point them out.

[MumblingRagDoll]

Search engines aren't as simple as they appear and large companies wont worry about this...they have experts on the job all the time who make sure that anyone googling "Duvet covers" for example will be hit by "John Lewis Duvet Covers" in the top 3 sections of the search listings on Google....it's the name of the company that matters in searches...not the tag.

Also if I want to shop in BHS and google that....there programming and SEO is so good that your DHs one wont even show up.

[MumblingRagDoll]

BHS is an example...the same goes for all the big stores.

[RourkesWife]

Trying to answer some questions here:

Fimbo: No, no-one in the know as such. Was a coincidence/accident. He has a very small business (like £50 a month). Has recently added a string to his bow, so needed a new website/link. Went onto Fasthosts to buy a domain and the only one left with the name he wanted had this new tag (is that even the right term?). Asked his geeky friend about it and geeky friend told him that it was a new tag that had been released. This got him thinking and he started typing in big company names (merecedes, adidas, vodafone etc) till he found some that were still available.

Adagoo: He is trained to do a job, but isnt making any real money from it yet. He wont look for any other work as he only wants to do this job.

Worraliberty / wholelottarosie and others. I was surprised at some of the names he has bought - some seriously big companies.

[gallicgirl]

I thought I read that the company that issued the domain names would ask the company to prove that they have a connection to that name so I'm surprised your DP has been able to do this.

YANBU at all I think.

Yup, here's the report I read www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-13835997. It looks like your DP has just bought the last dregs of the old-style names.

[DontGoCurly]

What's the domain name? This really has only worked for.com and .co.uk etc (top level domains)
People thought the same thing would happen with .eu and .tv for example but it never did. The gold rush is over, domains are not a 'sexy' product any more.

[RourkesWife]

Thank you for the links - exactly what I expected really and the BBC one scares me somewhat

Ahh its called a 'Domain Suffix'. What he's done is buy (for example, this isnt one of his) [email protected]. So he could now set up a link to his own website if someone type vodafone into google and his link comes up. (I think - I really dont understand )

applechutney: The 'insignificant little man' comment was more what I thought a big company would think of him, not what I think, but I get that it reads that way! I am seriously pissed off with him though, so maybe a little of me does feel that way

[M0naLisa]

yeaha i would be pissed off too.