Archive for September, 2010
Group Buying Site WordPress Update: Demo now available for evaluation
Group Buying Site (GBS), currently the only ”group buying theme” for WordPress users, announced this week access to its live demo web site.
I still haven’t evaluated the software or any of its features, but many people have inquired about an evaluation so I’m providing an update to readers after the owners contacted me last night, announcing the launch of their demo web site.
For those anxious to see what GBS is all about, you will now be able to evaluate the tool beyond screenshots, with the demo site online.
Taking the Leap into Group Buying?
Before you decide to take a leap into the $5 billion group buying space, you should do your homework. While group buying has become popular in the United States, the space is fast becoming crowded.
But if you can find a niche in your community, and keep your costs down, it could be worth a try, particularly if you have a domain name chomping at the bit. And of course, the time.
If you happen to evaluate or buy GBS’ WordPress software, I’d be interested to hear your comments, as I’m sure many readers would.
BoardGames.com which sold for $450,000 at Moniker, unveils new web site
While news of Twitter unveiling a new web design is drawing lots of attention, a lesser known web site that made buzz in June 2010 within the Domain Industry after selling for $450,000, also unveiled a new web design – BoardGames.com.
Currently, BoardGames.com is #10 in the highest reported domain sales of 2010, followed closely by Poker.ca, LongIsland.com, and CGM.com.
Who Bought BoardGames.com?
One on One, a company that is constantly looking for new verticals to enter, acquired the domain.
If you’re not familiar One on One, they’re a Marketing company that was started from scratch from $2,000 in 2002. Today, according to their web site: “One on One has grown into a crack team of over 60 new and traditional media specialists and online marketing and technology experts who specialize in 7 results-driven marketing services.”
The company’s resume includes: Widow.com, ClassesandCareers.com, Injury.com, Phonics.com, Protect.com and more.
An article last month in Purple Pawn, shed some light on the new owners of BoardGames.com and plans for the category-killing domain.
How did the acquisition come about? It kind of fell into their lap. A local acquaintance of Nick’s saw the listing and passed it on to Nick, who thought about it and made the offer.
Since acquiring the site, 1on1 has hired an entirely new set of staff to create the business, including people knowledgeable in both the web and game industry. They are working on the site, making deals with distributors, and designing functionality that goes beyond the traditional board game store.
The updated web site still has some sections under construction, but the new design promises to be more social according to the Purple Pawn article, even though the links to BoardGames.com’s Facebook and Twitter page are broken.
Submit your .CO website and find domains in use
Enom Central uses Connect.co to promote the domain
Enom Central uses Connect.co to promote the domain
Francois Carrillo’s Flipping.co, a .co domain marketplace, is one of many websites listed on .CO Internet’s directory of active .co domains.
.CO Internet SAS, which has been marketing its domain on many social media channels, has created an alphabetical directory of .co domains that are actively being used.
While the directory only lists a couple hundred websites, the number of active .co websites is growing.
And if you can’t find your own developed .co website, you can submit it to the directory. The submission form only asks for a few pieces of information, including your domain name, your company name, and a brief description. You can also send along your logo, which then gets featured on the footer of Opportunity.co.
Can a Group Buying WordPress Theme turn a Domain Name into the next Groupon?
Is "Group Buying Site" the first to offer a WordPress theme, that will let the average person create their own Groupon-type website?
Can a WordPress theme transform your group buying domain name into the next Groupon?
Chances are: No.
But a number of start-ups are springing up all over the internet and taking a gamble, even as the group buying space becomes more and more crowded with each passing day.
And if you own a geo domain, or have been thinking about launching a group buying web site in your city or town, being able to rapidly build a site could be the motivation you need to give it a shot.
Even Microsoft has entered the group buying market.
In Australia, that is.
The startup, named Cudo, launched last week and sees Microsoft, publishing giant PBL and NineMSN (itself a joint venture between Microsoft and PBL) join forces to try and dominate a local market that has seen a raft of new, but relatively small, group buying startups this year.
Is "Group Buying Site" the first to offer a WordPress theme, that will let the average person create their own Groupon-type website?
Can a WordPress theme transform your group buying domain name into the next Groupon?
Chances are: No.
But a number of start-ups are springing up all over the internet and taking a gamble, even as the group buying space becomes more and more crowded with each passing day.
And if you own a geo domain, or have been thinking about launching a group buying web site in your city or town, being able to rapidly build a site could be the motivation you need to give it a shot.
Even Microsoft has entered the group buying market.
In Australia, that is.
The startup, named Cudo, launched last week and sees Microsoft, publishing giant PBL and NineMSN (itself a joint venture between Microsoft and PBL) join forces to try and dominate a local market that has seen a raft of new, but relatively small, group buying startups this year.
The article points out that Cudo wants the number one position in Australia. But unlike Groupon, which has a global footprint, Cudo doesn’t look to have its sights set worldwide.
Cudo runs on cudo.com.au. Not cudo.com, which is owned by a registrant in China.
Now, if you’ve been looking for a chance to start your own group buying web site without the development costs, a new Premium Theme to the WordPress market just went online this week called Group Buying Site.
About Group Buying Site
I haven’t evaluated the WordPress theme yet, but the theme that launched this week, appears to be the first of its kind in the Group Buying space.
The owner of Group Buying Site contacted me via Twitter after the Fusible story titled Group Buying can make starting an online business, low-cost: with Domains and Development.
At the time the article was posted in July, surprisingly, there didn’t to be any WordPress themes available to help webmasters launch their own group buying websites quickly.
But now, one web site claims to finally have the answer: Group Buying Site.
However, before saying the WordPress Theme is worth purchasing, I’ve requested an evaluation copy. Currently, Group Buying Site has no online demo, just screen shots.
So as soon as I’ve evaluated a copy, I’ll share my findings.
According to Group Buying Site, the Theme and Plug-in allows publishers to:
Create a niche daily deals website, launch a group buying site for your own city, or simply add a deal-of-the-day section to your existing WordPress blog!
Voke Entertainment Technologies purchases four letter .COM domain from Frank Schilling
Voke.com will serve as the web site for Voke Entertainment Technologies, which currently displays a landing page with its company name and logo.
Frank Schilling has been posting lists of domain names that interested parties have inquired about on DomainNameSales.com.
In July, recent inquiries included tastebuds.com, bicker.com, flopping.com, headbutting.com, yodo.com, and more than 200 other domain names, including one four letter .COM domain that was recently reported as sold on Sedo for $35,000.
Which domain name sold?
Voke.com will serve as the web site for Voke Entertainment Technologies, which currently displays a landing page with its company name and logo.
Which domain name sold?
Although there were a number of great domains to choose from on the list, VOKE.com, a four letter domain, sold for $35,000 – placing the sale price higher than many three letter .COM domain sales, such as XMG.com, SUS.com, UDE.com and dozens of other sales reported in 2010.
VOKE.com was purchased by Voke Entertainment Technologies, a company that incorporated in March 2010.
About Voke Entertainment Technologies
Based in New York city, the company provides Internet and Software, Internet services, packaged and custom software, web site development, and web site hosting services.
At the time of this story, nothing more than a 1-page web site is online.
VokeEntertainmentTechnologies.com was registered in January by a different registrant who currently parks the domain at GoDaddy.
VokeEntertainment.com isn’t registered.
Months after its release, the only iPad domain Apple owns is iPad.co
In April 2010, Apple released the iPad and has since sold millions of units.
Good news for Apple, but bad news for Apple when it comes to domain names.
The company’s only iPad domain: iPad.co. A name the company acquired in July, but doesn’t use.
Instead Apple settles for using the web address apple.com/ipad – the top search result in Google for the keyword “ipad”.
Will Apple buy iPad.com?
In January, TechCrunch writer Robin Wauters wrote an article title “Apple Doesn’t Own A Single iPad Related Domain Name“, but despite all the attention the article attracted, nothing has changed.
Though Apple purchased the domain name iPhone.com for seven figures from businessman Michael Kovatch months after it released the iPhone, there haven’t been any signs of the same happening with iPad.com.
For now, the owner of iPad.com continues to receive thousands of visitors per month, spiking well over 100,000 visitors some months. Traffic that appears to be for the most part, type-in traffic. As of today, ipad.com displays a Coming Soon page.
iPad.net is a developed web site, that hosts a blog dedicated to news, reviews, tricks, accessories, and more centered around the iPad. It too, is not affiliated with Apple Computer in any way, but shows up on the first page of Google Search results for the keyword ipad.
Who knows what will happen with the .com domain?
Maybe Apple has no interest in buying the .com domain, or maybe a plan is in the works to turn another domain owner into an instant millionaire as other writers and bloggers have suggested in the past.
Apple isn’t the only big company that doesn’t get domain names, as Mike Berkens points out in a story posted today, MySpace is another company that has difficulties.
