Dopedomains Blog

It looks like ALEXA rating can be spoofed much like google Pageranking. I will be adding code to detect fake ALEXA ranks in the very near future.

-Jason

I've been hearing about this from several different fronts, including some grumbling about my favorite whois site.

ICANN probing "insider trading" allegations with domain name registrations

The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) has begun an investigation (PDF) into accusations that some insiders may be using inside information to collect data and purchase unregistered domain names that get a lot of DNS lookup requests—nonexistent domains that surfers frequently try to access. ICANN refers to the practice as "domain name front running," adding that it—along with several registrars and intellectual property attorneys—has received a number of complaints from registrants suggesting that such a thing has occurred. While the organization currently has no solid evidence on the matter as of yet, it feels that an investigation is warranted in order to nip in the bud any perceptions that the domain name industry is involved in unethical activity.
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ICANN's Security and Stability Advisory Committee (SSAC) likens the practice to stock and commodity front running, which occurs when a broker makes a personal stock purchase based on inside information before fulfilling a client's order. An insider to one of the popular domain registrars can see which domain names are popular with visitors, even if they are not yet registered. That person can then register the domain, knowing how much traffic it could get before the general public does, with the intent to resell it at a profit later.

I found this interesting from: http://domainnamewire.com/

Cowboys.com was the highest sale in the silent auction, which just concluded. Unofficial results show the next highest sale is Xmas.com, which sold for $294,000. Here are other notable sales from the auction:

FishingPole.com $58,900 - this will make a good fishing enthusiast site. I think FishingPoles.com is better, but this is still a good name.

Carburetors.com $40,000 - Tough to spell; worth buying the typo versions as well

HawaiianCruises.com $38,888 - Good category killer for Hawaii tourism

TrainSets.com $36,300 - Strong e-commerce potential

Math.net $35,300 - Strong price for a good .net; revenue potential and use unclear but many possibilities

PaymentCalculator.com - $35,300 - Great lead gen domain; provide a loan calculator and capture info for mortgage refinancing

Locket.com $33,000 ...

There are many more domain names and prices listed.

-Jason

Many people come to DopeDomains for domains with valid page rank.

Sometime late Friday, early Saturday Google disabled the check we were using to verify pagerank. I spent 4 days coding, testing, recoding, cussing, and stressing. Finally last night I had an epiphany and a stroke of lucky forethought 3 years ago.

Pagerank verification is back, accurate, and here to stay.

We are also now collecting Alexa ranking data, DMOZ listing data (including Category), and age for some domains. We will slowly expand this to all domains once we are sure it's data people want.

Non-Members will start seeing the data on domain specific pages. Members will additionally start seeing options to sort and search this additional data, as well as having the data added to their daily emails.

If you have any feedback, questions, or concerns, please contact us.

Remember for the rest of October we are offering 50% off the first months subscription rate.

-Jason
DopeDomains.com

For a relative site to claim 100s of visitors a day, 1000s of uniques a month and ask $100/mo you'd expect some real traffic.. even just a little bit.. (digpagerank.com for the curious).

According to google analytics, after 4 full Days (Banner went up on the 6th, today is the 10th) I have only had 1 valid click (more than 5 seconds on the site). We average over 2 minutes per visitor from all traffic, but just 4 seconds from this banner.

Of course that click came suspiciously after one of my emails complaining about the lack of activity.. But that could have just been a coincidence.

So, after realizing my money was wasted, I asked politely for a partial refund (figuring 1/2 a months rent for 4 days of banner exposure was a good deal for him, and with his impressive stats I am sure he has advertisers lined up out the door...)

Well apparently people aren't breaking down the door because he's not interested in "stats", or rational discussion, or pocketing 1/2 a months rent for 4 days worth of banner hosting and moving on to the next advertiser.

After investigating further, I was told the banner would appear on every page of the site, and would not be in rotation with any other banners.. It in fact only appears on the first page.

-Jason

As an introductory offer, anyone who subscribes during the month of October only pays $50 for the first month!
Benefits:

• Optional daily exclusive email of the "Best Deals of the day" every morning.


• Set custom filters based on name, extension, length


• Optional daily exclusive email based on your specific criteria. (PR, Hits, Verified PR, Yahoo Backlinks, length, CVCV what ever). If the list is specific and targeted, items emailed to you will automatically be hidden from the public site for 4 hours.


• Ability to hide Auction items from non-members.


• Ability to see all auctions, including the ones hidden by other members


• Automatic auction reminders, and snipe capability (Nominal fee TBD)


• Access to wholesale auction lists (ie bazaar.afternic.com) with metrics and alerts.(coming soon)


• Limited memberships available. Whats the use of a exclusive email if 10,000 others have received the same information? We will only allow 25 active memberships at any time.

Signup here

-JasonR