| Domain names are the names that are used to | | | | market their names, suggest possible branding ideas |
| identify web sites. The best known types of domain | | | | based on the name, or even develop web sites on |
| names end in .com, .net, or .org, although there also a | | | | them (in the hoping of flipping both the domain and |
| vast number of other types of domains - some of | | | | web site later). |
| which are intended to be used for sites associated | | | | * A cybersquatter is somebody who registers |
| particular countries, or for particular purposes (such | | | | trademarked terms, in bad faith, in the hope of |
| as government, educational or academic institutions). | | | | extracting money from a trademark holder. Note: |
| As far as .com, .net, and .org domain names are | | | | There are however methods by which trademark |
| concerned, these can be registered for just a few | | | | holders can use to recover such domains with paying |
| dollars per name per year. Apart from rules about | | | | up - either domain name dispute procedures, or |
| what types of domain names are valid, the main rule | | | | through the courts. |
| is that whoever registers a domain name first, | | | | Of course, if you want to earn an income through |
| generally speaking, continues to own it until they | | | | domain speculation and flipping domains, you will need |
| either stop paying renewal fees, or until they transfer | | | | to follow the legitimate route, sticking to generic |
| it to another person or business. The | | | | names. I won't pretend that such a business is |
| first-come-first-served basis of the domain | | | | without risk - if you buy domain names but then fail |
| registration system, has led to the development of a | | | | to sell them, you would be out of pocket for the |
| marketplace and speculators - people buy domains in | | | | registration fees. Therefore, if you want to turn a |
| the hope of reselling them later to others for a profit. | | | | profit, you will need to understand the domain |
| Since many people confuse the two, it is important | | | | market and do your search. It also wouldn't hurt to |
| however to realize that there is a different between | | | | learn from people who have personal experience in |
| speculation and cybersquatting:- | | | | this kind of business - if you don't personally know |
| * A speculator is somebody who does the research | | | | anybody, you might want to consider reading guides |
| to recognise value in a previously unregistered | | | | such as Edwin John's "How I Sell My Domain Names", |
| generic name, and buys it in the hope of selling it | | | | or Brian Pubrat's "Domain Cash Vault". |
| later for a profit. In many cases, speculators will | | | | |