For Robert Brown and John Nabers, the genesis of their new business was a simple question: how REAL is your relationship?
To help answer this question, they launched REALationship.com, an online relationship testing and advice website that allows users to determine just how "REAL" their relationships are.
Some examples of tests REALationship.com provides are the "Love or Infatuation Test", "Is the relationship too physical" Test and the "Big Flirt" Test.
"Our investment has proven to be well worth it. In just a few months of the website being live we already have over 1.2 million page views per month, and over 50,000 unique visitors monthly" — Robert Brown, Co-Founder
Users can also send a test to a friend, boyfriend or girlfriend. Once this person takes this test the results are available for viewing through your personal account.
In addition to offering fun and revealing tests, REALationship.com offers weekly prizes for the funniest date stories, relationship articles, and a forum where users can interact with others — including relationship experts that are there to provide advice or help.
Since the words REAL and Relationship are the focus of the site, it made sense for Robert and John to join the two words to create the domain REALationship.com. However, when they typed it into a browser, they discovered someone had already registered the domain, and that BuyDomains was the current owner.
According to Robert, "We loved the domain name, so worked with a very pleasurable sales agent who not only spent time working with us to get a lower purchasing price, but also helped us do some research on other domain related services. She guided us throughout the process even AFTER the purchase."
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Visit REALationship.com
A recent New York Times story points to a significant evolution in the domain name aftermarket. "The practitioners' fundamental assertion — that names of Web sites can be valuable, cash-generating assets just like stocks, bonds or property — appears to be gaining a broader acceptance..."
Why is there such interest in this active marketplace? The Times story quoted a domain investor as saying: "This industry could probably be an oasis, in the grand scheme of things, relative to the rest of the economy..."
At the high end of the market, headliner sales over the past two years include: Diamond.com for $7.5 million in 2006 and CreditCheck.com for $3 million in 2007. And big-ticket sales aren't slowing down: there were over 100 sales over $100,000 in 2007, up from only 70 in 2006.
What Does This Growth Mean for Business Owners?
So how does the "commoditization" and mainstreaming of the domain name aftermarket affect the small business owner?
The headliner sales are just the tip of a large "domain" iceberg. A recent Investor's Business Daily story cites the growth in "direct navigation" as contributing to the jump in domain prices. Direct navigation is where Internet searchers put "something" dot-com or dot-net directly into the navigation bar of the browser instead of typing a query into a search engine like Google.
The story notes that analysts estimate 15% of Internet searches are conducted in this fashion. The article also notes that year-over-year growth in online advertising topped 60% in 2007. This is because consumers are increasingly moving online, and businesses are following. With a continuing growth in web traffic and a true globalization of online commerce the audience for small, online businesses continues to expand and a great web address has the potential to reach ever-growing numbers of consumers in a cost-effective manner.
BuyDomains customer Braden Pollock of LegalBrandMarketing.com sums it up well when he says: "Never underestimate the power of the internet. I've reallocated a significant portion of my advertising budget to purchasing domain names. I find it much more cost-effective in the long term by purchasing domains that provide ongoing direct navigation traffic. The traffic is free and the domains appreciate in value."
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According to a new study by the Pew Internet Project, 78% of US consumers said that shopping online is convenient — but a nearly equal number, 3 in 4 consumers, voiced concerns over online security.
The study suggests a simple strategy which might help smaller online businesses hurdle this obstacle: offer a trusted third party payment option such as PayPal, or Google.
"A Shop.org survey conducted in September found that one-quarter of retailers had added PayPal or some other third-party e-mail payment service... Anecdotally, those retailers reported seeing new customer counts increase and average order prices rise upon implementing the alternate payment option."
Using security-related services such as HackerSafe and Verisign can also help consumers overcome security concerns, resulting in better conversion rates and higher overall sales.
The following names are coming up for auction on Afternic.com:
[Names are subject to withdrawal during the PreOrder period]
Auctions last five days, and you may bid on a domain at any time during the live auction period. Note: you can place your bid for names in anticipation of live auction during the 35 day "PreOrder" period.
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Table of Contents
- BuyDomains Success Story: REALationship.com
- Domain Names "An Oasis" in Tough Economic Times?
- Overcome the Objections of 3 out of 4 Consumers
- Hot Names at Afternic Auctions
February's Hot Domains At BuyDomains:
Find The Perfect Online Identity! Domain Experts are standing by, call:
1-866-722-9500
(Toll Free in the U.S.)
1-781-839-2850
(Worldwide)
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