Money from NSI for expired domain

They just sent me a check for doing nothing

[cyberair]

I had been holding a domain for the past years, but decided to let it expire this year since I had other better names and probably wouldn't get around developing the domain.

To my surprise, I get an e-mail from NSI saying that I am eligible to receive a percentage of the net proceeds that were generated from the renewal and transfer of the domain name I chose not to renew.

Anyone know what that percentage is? I can't find it anywhere?

[davezan]

You're one lucky guy! Apparently you're not aware, but here's why.

NetSol and SnapNames have an exclusive agreement wherein the former will auction an expired domain
name with the latter. Whoever backordered it alone or won thru an auction will be awarded the name.

NetSol will then send about 20% of the proceeds from that auction to the last registrant of the domain
name. And apparently, you're it!

[mincklerstraat]

Sounds like a very interesting, but also slick, business tactic. You encourage letting non-used domain names expire. But you also indirectly encourage domain name speculation with the word going around from domain name owners who let the few worthwhile domain names expire. Hopefully the first effect outdoes the second; it's a pity seeing how many great domain names aren't developed, and this diminishes net relevancy for all but big-money web developers (who often don't do much content development).

[cyberair]

Yes, it's a shame how many great domains are being held in domain portfolios with no intention of being developed.

Right now I am getting more financing to buy and develop good names, however I've promised to myself not to buy any more names until I develop the ones I have.

Imagine this... create a Web venture capital firm by webmasters with around $5 million in capital. Then, all we do is go out there to domain holders of valuable names and offer them a partnership where they get some cash, maybe even hold some stock, and the firm develops the entire site. With all the traffic from all the sites and a solid partnership with G's Adsense, YPN, and/or M$ I think it would make loads of cash and make a contribution to improving net relevancy.

[cyberair]

Thanks Davezan for the info. You know, the domain transfered immediately after I didn't renew the domain. It was weird that it didn't go through the usual long deletion process.

The domain expired February 17, a month later it was already in the hands of the new owner.

[davezan]

If you checked NetSol's deletion policy in their website, you'll notice that they'll transfer
the name to the SnapNames winner instead of it going thru the usual domain lifecycle.

The new expired domain deletion policy should change that, although it won't take effect
until June, I think.