K, I just got a hot lead that I need help with (this is where you come in). But first a back story.
Seven years ago I was about to move my site from AOHell to a real host, and in the process get my own domain name. I checked for 'coolcats.com' and it was available. A few weeks later the site was transferred over and I was all set to get that domain name...except someone beat me to it by just a few days. So I settled for 'coolcats.net'.
I just got an e-mail from the owner of 'coolcats.com'. He's selling the name and would like to give me first shot.
My question to you is, do you think it's something that is needed? On one hand, everyone still finds the site just fine at a .net domain. However, it would be nice to have, easier for newbies to find, plus it's a golden opportunity that probably won't happen again.
Input?
I'd get it if he is reasonable, and just redirect from one site to the other.
If he is wanting to retire off of the proceeds I don't think it's worth it.
Sounds like you've thought on it a bit already. Without going into numbers is his asking price reasonable?
I like the dot net, sounds better! :2c:
Um....no! LOL! It's a few grand. I have the money; just wondering if anyone else thinks it would be a good investment.
No way! If newbies can't find your site from ".net" that is their problem. Hell, I found your site from a SEMA links page back in 1998 or so. ;)
I would use a few grand for another project or another car, dude. Anything but that.
(get another car!)
DON'T!!!.. .net is your coolcats identity. for a few grand?!?! hell no man!.. coolcats.net is you.. as he said, if Noobs can't find it, tough luck.
I can't tell you what to do, only what I would do. I'd forget it. I can think of a lot of things I could spend "a few grand" on beside a coolcats.com domain name that probably gets lesshiznits than coolcats.net. :2c:
But then again "a few grand" to you may be pocket change to me. :)
EDIT: I found the site by searching google.ca for "thunderbird"
anything you search for cougar related, coolcats.net is - if not the first- in the top 5 results.
What he said ^
"What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet."-William Shakespeare
10-4 That's expensive
Eric, a few grand just isn't worth it IMO. It's so easy to find coolcats.net it isn't even funny.
Plenty of fun things to spend a few grand on
plus, if you really want coolcats.com.. now that it's for sale, and there are no buyers, he will most likely not renew the registration right away, so just grab it on the day it expires.
EDIT: i just did a Whois on it and Expiration Date is: 09-nov-2007 so.. for a few grand.. heh i'd wait that long.
There is a buyer...that's why time is of the essence. I get first shot.
Rule one of a business sale, always say there's another buyer.
How many times have i heard that when buying a new car or house? I always tell the sellsperson "if they want it, sell it to them. I'll just take my business elsewhere" suddenly the deal falls threw.
I found coolcats a couple years ago just by google. Just checked google again for "88 Cougar" and coolcats.net is Number 1 hit !
So I wouldn't change a thing...
Which is exactly what popped into my mind first. But, since his record expires in 2007, why would he lie about a buyer? He's still going to keep his business, just under a different name. Which means the legitimacy of a buyer seems more likely.
My thought was that the .com would point over to the .net. My e-mail address would be the same, and essentially nothing would change. It's just nice to have a .com point to a .net when possible. Anything associated with 'coolcats' as a domain name seems to be fairly hot right now. That adds to the urgency in hopping on this offer.
I waited 8 years for my convertible. I waited 7 years for an opportunity to get this .com domain. Fate...?
It seems like you have your mind made up. You want the .com name so, if you can justify spending "a few grand" to get it then, go ahead and get it. It really would have no effect on us or, in my opinion, any future users of the site.
My mind is not made up. Just presenting the facts.... .com, .org, .tv and .cc are all taken. .net is mine; .com is up for sale. Not trying to 'collect them all' but from a business (and logical) point of view it makes sense.
If it makes sense to you, seriously, how about explaining that logic to us? Because we don't seem to share the feeling that it makes sense to spend a few grand on a ".com" when the ".net" already works just fine. Do you honestly expect to make that money back in some way by getting the second domain? Your second-to-last post before this one (in reply to BaXo) seems to be an attempt to explain this.. but other than "good idea" and "hot domain name", I don't really see how it translates into a good investment.
It sounds a little like the Underpants Gnomes from South Park.. :giggle:
Step 1: Underpants.
Step 3: PROFIT!
What's Step 2?
Step 3: PROFIT!
First rule of business on the Internet: when getting a unique domain name, get as many similar names as you can. In other words, if you get a .com name, you should get the .net, .org, etc. names with that (if they're available). That way you have a backup if needed, and you have plenty of room to play if you receive an offer for one of the names. Some businesses use the .com for their site and .net for their e-mail system. And doing this will thwart 'cyber-squatters' from snagging the name, then making you an outrageous offer/extortion for it.
And that is NOT what's happening here. The .com is a legitimate business with an established clientele. They do use their site for business purposes. Therefore this is not an extortion. Chances are the other offer was for a similar price and he's just extending a professional courtesy to me.
Anyone that knows anything about the Internet also knows that a .com name means more than anything else. Even though technically it's incorrect for most sites (.com is short for the computer domain, .net is for Internet), it's the one that sticks out in everyone's mind. Over the years, lots of people have told me they tried to find my site at .com first, only to do a search and eventually find the .net domain. That's a step I could eliminate by having the .com in my arsenal. Everyone and their brother knows a .com address...that cannot be argued.
The site is established enought that, yes, it could hold its own indefinitely as a .net. And since .net is always the underdog, I enjoy that status. But does Cool Cats deserve .com status after 7 years? Frick yeah it does!
Money is irrelevant to me. I spend money, I make money. That's why I go to work. Life is a big checking account: money in, money out. Long as there's a flow you're alright. Besides, the site was never conceived to line my pockets. It's an enthusiast site that will always remain free of charge to anyone in the world. I'm not worried about the money involved...I AM worried about the time factor.
You know what, heh you only live once. If money's not an issue, get it. Sounds like that's what you're waiting to hear anyway ;).. it would be cool to have both .com and .net
But are you doing the sort of business that justifies spending thousands on a redundant domain name? How long before you think you can make it back? Days? Weeks? Months? Years?
That might've held more truth to it a few years ago, but now there's ".tv", ".biz", and a bunch of other garbage. A ".com" isn't as important now as it was years ago.
And yes, even I've typed in the .com by mistake at least once for this site. But erasing .com and putting in .net fixed that. (I don't type in the name of the site very often.. I have my own little start page for my browser on my hard drive, and I just edit links into it for sites I frequent)
Perhaps you put far more value behind the .com status than we do? If that's the case, you might as well go ahead and buy it for your own sake. Otherwise, it doesn't seem to make much sense. Coolcats is Coolcats, whether it's .net, .com, .biz, .tv, .to, .ca, (heh) whatever.
Wait, I thought .com stood for "commercial"? It was a question on that game show "Greed" (if anyone remembers) - it would be funny if they got it wrong :screwy: . The only reason I remember it was because I got it wrong (my answer was "company"). I don't know if that affects the decision, but anyhooo....
I'd say do it. The way CJ is going, a percentage of the profits would more than pay for the domain name in a few years, and I don't think anyone would object to having some of those funds used for this project.
On second thought, let's do: "Coolcats.edu"
:giggle: :brick: Okkkk, back to work for me.
You all have to admit, though... .com is the king of all domain suffixes. Look at the site we're posting on right now. Using that .com would sort of double the base for enthusiasts. It'd sort of make coolcats into 2 sites in 1 without any real duplication.
Here's a PRIME example. Go to your address bar and type http://www.foofle.com Where's it go? How many times have you swapped letters in when typing addresses? I rest my case. Someone could hear about coolcats from word of mouth, not neccessarily remember the extension, and then never find the site. This .com thing DOUBLE'S the chance of getting the people to coolcats (and eventually over to here!). I rest my case.
Go for it.
No no no....CJ is separate because it's for charity. Those funds will never be used for my site. It's only for the show. Good thought though. ;)
Again, it's not about the money. I could care less if that money ever finds its way back into my pocket via the site. Hell, if I want that much money, I'll sell two of my cars (which I'm going to do in the spring anyway). Bonus for me.
I'm looking beyond the dollar sign to the principle of the thing.
Well I gotta admit, the principle of it does make sense. So if you are looking to buy a christmas present for yourself, i guess for the man who has it all (Cougar wise), can't get better then this.
if money isn't an issue i say go for it. i plan on racking up all the domain names i can for my website. of course it won't matter to the ppl who are already here because they know about the .net instead of .com. i remember forgetting (a long time back) about the .net and keep typing in .com and figured the site was changed or moved. somehow i stumbled across it some time later and was quite relieved. bookmarked it asap!!! heck... who knows what will be on the next stie there, lol. one can only imagine. ^_^
plus seven years waiting for anything is gotta be more sentimental than monetary.
I'd tell 'im to get bent. Hell, your site could be called camaroz28.com and Cougar lovers would still find it. Besides, all of those stickers...
I find it rather funny that somebody who swears up and down that Macs are real computers just has to have a .com because everyone else does :D
I can see your point, though, Eric - I was gonna register my site as "thundercats.com" but it was taken. I could've done "thundercats.net" but it just wasn't the same, so i went with "foxthundercats.com". Of course, I didn't have somebody offering me a domain name for sale, though, and I'm so stubborn that I'd have refused to pay it...
Obviously the money isnt a problem to you so WTF are you waiting for? Youve been waiting 7 years to get it, now the opportunity comes up, you can afford, it and you are waiting on others opinions about it! Are you willing to wait possibly another 7 years for this chance? I say go for it, if you dont your gonna be kicking yourself in the but for a long time.
So go! right now! DO IT!
Besides it sounds to me like your minds already made up ;)
I say you take the money and start marketing those freakin side skirts! :slap:
I think it’s too much money for the value you would get out of it, but if it means that much to you get it. I mean look at our cars. We have probably ALL spent more on them than their actual value.
And that's another thing that popped into mind. I've sent an e-mail to him, asking about the purpose of the other buyer. Will post his reply here.
No.
Do you think it will be hot in 2007?
I think this is sort of like Cougar memorabilia. Some of us pay for it because it means something to us, while the rest of us don't care.
So far we don't know the buyer's motive, nor their deadline. So this may or may not be an ongoing process. It's something I just have to contemplate until the time comes to make the decision.
Thanks everyone for the input! It's given me a lot to think about...
sounds like a great idea but i would be like you and wonder what the owner of your wish list is up to.
Nah I'm too used to typing in "coolcats.net" :)
honestly, .net fits the site better, you're primarily not a commercial site. But Im a big believer that dead sites such as coolcats.com shouldnt be allowed to sit on site names for more than 3 years. They've JUST revamped their site for the first time in how many years... and its a pretty py revamp for a web design company.
Just dont rush into things, do your homework, think about it and like my father always said, "If its not their when Im ready to buy it, then its not meant to be and your probably better off without it."