Opinions

Mike Mann: “Read my lips gTLDs are D*E*A*D, absolutely no demand!”

Mike Mann shared on Facebook my article about the bad landrush phase that .Blog domains had last week and also shared his views on the New gTLDs in general:

Read my lips gTLDs are D*E*A*D, absolutely no demand! This was the best out of thousands, along with .web and .app Better luck with other snake oil. .Com stays king. If you also voted for Hillary, rough week. TYVMI.

He also made several other comments about new extensions such as:

How about don’t but them at all, they serve no purpose and cause many problems, and waste a lot of time and money.

Now that everyone knows gTLDs are dead, please Google “Mike Mann gTLDs” and you will see I hit the predictions spot on.

He continued by quoting my article:

Ruggh ruoggh, too many scooby snacks: “So the .blog registry made more than $150,000 from the landrush phase. That doesn’t seem bad but the registry spent $19 million to get rights for the .blog new extension.” Not counting millions per year of overhead. Lesson learned, listen to the mann next time and stick with .Com

He then made more comments like:

“Don’t renew your fancy new gtld domains. The expiriment is over. No material resale market will take root.”

Mike replied to a comment made by Phil Harris (“26 million registered and new sites being launched daily .. X.company being used by Google , Rightside stock just raised to buy status by zachs investment firm .. Awareness growing , secondary 6 figure sales being made , Mike I would say you should watch the movie God is not dead ..“) by saying “sure sounds like a bubble“.

Mike today talked about Google and .soy:

“Google spent some energy telling me how “.soy” domain extension was going to be the next big thing a while back, I tried to splain what was up….. Not to discount the fine folks, fancy offices, and great buffet. Googs, gimme a buzz, I’m still a know it all.”

Drinking own Koolaid instead of listening to grassroots in the streets

Technically I havent checked the sales numbers but lets take a wild guess, dramatically lower than their expenses…….. like I told them nicely before they invested

Sold.Domains

About Konstantinos Zournas

I studied Computer Engineering and Computer Science in London, UK and I am now living in Athens, Greece. I went online in 1995, started coding in 1996 and began buying domain names and creating websites in 2000. I started the OnlineDomain.com blog in 2012.

57 comments

  1. Nobody in the domain industry does hyperbole like Mike Mann.

    Does he own any nTLD domains? Hard to gauge demand unless one has inventory to sell. Hard to admit even a trickle of demand if one’s business is based on selling a competing product.

    Sedo just paid me for an nTLD domain. Literally, their notification email was what I opened immediately prior to clicking on the link that brought me to this article, where Mann declares there’s “absolutely no demand”.

  2. Hello Konstantinos,
    Google loves Algorithms and New TLDS, for their abilities in effectively covering up their traffic stealing schemes. The Google Platform Cartel controls both incoming (New Tlds) and Outgoing (Algorithms) , In other words the complete Cannibalism and control of all Digital codes in their Traffic Rustling Matrix. The Google SEM Style Business Platforms are small Online Businesses largest Predatory Enemy.

    SEO, SEM(Search Engine Manipulation), is a cesspool of Digital Thieves employed to steel businesses lifesblood traffic through the SEM Platform. Its the largest assemblage of Bad Actors ever assembled in history. All supported and coddled by the SEM culture, that google initially created and has been copied by other search companies on a Global basis.

    ICANNs position on the front of the stage has always been well framed as introducing the New TLDs as fulfilling the need for more competitive choices for small business owners. The real reality is the new TLDs have created an extension of the SEM Cartels ability to crush Competition inside the SEM Platforms Digital Rustling Maze. ALL new TLDs require EXTENSIVE ,and Expensive Google Ad support.If you use new TLDs your stolen Traffic as the result of Google Ad Support, will explode.

    Bottom Line : Googles glaring Anti-Competitive Stranglehold is standing in the way of Maximum Online Business Expansion. This Mass Fraud created by the SEM Model is damaging the Worlds ability to expand Online Business Expansion JAS 11/14/16

    Gratefully, Jeff Schneider (Contact Group) (Metal Tiger) (Former Rockefeller IBEC Marketing Analyst/Strategist) (Licensed CBOE Commodity Hedge Strategist) (Domain Master ) (UseBiz.com)

  3. Anyone who quotes Zacks Investments loses all credibility, instantly. I won’t double penalize him for spelling Zacks wrong because there’s no credibility left to lose.

  4. @Konstantinos,

    This 1 was nothing impressive. BIN in the mid $xxx. .ONLINE. By no means a premium keyword. Bottom 20% of the barrel.

    Point is, there are a lot of nTLD domain sales like that flying under the radar. Although I’ve sold a number of them in the $x,xxx range, it’s much more common to get offers and sales in the $xxx territory. What’s important to note is that they’re all inbound offers. So it’s simply false to declare that there is “absolutely no demand”. When strangers stop by to knock on your door, that’s something.

    • Understood, but GTLD’s cost more to play, and renew.

      So in the end you need to register, and carry more, and in all essential reality you need to achieve higher overall selling prices.

      2016 has had very little opportunity, it is basically suckers registering very expensive terms, that you need to mark up to levels where you are going to have inquiries bounce at close to 100% rates.

      Phil Harris needs to sell alot of Chevrolets to make his renewals, he his bleeding renewals, his business plan is flawed.

      • Rich, I’ve sold over 100k in the past 12 months .. I have turned down offers of 50k on a single letter .car my average sales price is well over 6k I get offers almost every day in the 1-3k range and several offers in the 5-10k range . Forgive me for saying that without knowing my business that I will gracefully disagree with my failed buisness plan. The media kept saying trump didn’t have a chance , just because people with an agenda say something it isn’t always true. As Joseph says lots and lots of 5 figure sales happening. As far as my primary business , thank you we are blessed to have double digit growth for over 4 years running.

      • You are not being honest with yourself, on what your renewals are.

        So what you are selling your best names for $100K per year run rate, you are piling up $500+ renewal names, you will burn before you profit.

        At the same time you are selling your best names, and carrying the subpar names, it is a bleed out.

  5. “Mike Mann” is only one Mike Mann nothing else. The NewTLD IS NOT DEAD, and it will contenue to rise and it will bloom!. You stay what you believe and keep it to yourself. You want sex.dead or Porna.dead; or you rather want Sex.live or Porna.live. People who believe in newTDNs will renew.period. I believe in all TDN new or old breath. But this does not give me any right to through shity convencing…to people. NewTLD is the bummmmmmm! ?

  6. While we all know that MM is a successful domain investor, his declaration of gTLDs being “dead” is extremely premature. And I say this as someone who firmly believes that 95%+ of them are pretty worthless.

    Two problems with that conclusion:

    1) A lot of these extensions haven’t been around long enough for successful site to even be built atop these brands – so we’re only in the beginning of the first inning, and

    2) That ‘DOA’ viewpoint comes from the perspective of an aftermarket trader – NOT from a site owner who would be interested in building a brand using a specific gTLD

    • Many .com have been around forever, and they still are not in the hands of the right users for them. Imagine GTLD’s with their premium renewals, and contract framework, big uphill mountain to climb here.

    • “While we all know that MM is a successful domain investor…”

      Do we? I know all the namepro newbies love Mr Mann but are they bowing to a false idol? How much does it actually make from his domain name investments today? Anyone seen some financials? I bet he makes less than six figs per year with his portfolio. I just don’t see enough sales being posted by him and his minion of regurgitators.

      • Based on his portfolio I think he makes 6 figures easily. Of course he is not posting all his sales.

      • @Charles,

        It’s worth pointing out that a person’s statements about the domain market are simply true or false. Whether the person speaking earns lots of money or not has no bearing whatsoever on questions of empirical fact.

        If Mike Mann says X or Frank Schilling says Y, we don’t decide who’s right by looking at their bank accounts.

        Would it be any better if people were bowing to a “true idol” instead of a “false idol”? How about having enough self-respect not to bow down to idols, successful or not?

      • How many domains Mike Mann has in his portfolio, and how much he pays every year to renew them?

        $xxx,xxx – $x,xxx,xxx? Big question! 🙂

      • This is more or less known. He has about 250,000 domains paying about 10x that per year in renewals.

      • Well then he spends about $ 2,500,000 for renewal each year. Does he make more than $2,500,000 every year selling domains? I don’t think so…

        If yes, or not, anyway new TLD are the big problem for .com owners, because I buy new TLD, my friend buys new TLD, my neighbor buys new TLD, big companies buys new TLD… Millions will buy NEW TLD! 🙂

      • “Does he make more than $2,500,000 every year selling domains? I don’t think so… ”
        What do you think he does? Loosing money?

  7. The Mann is right. 🙂

  8. “new gTLDs are D*E*A*D” – says the guy that owns a huge .com portfolio.

    Most of the new gTLDs are not generic, and therefore it is wrong to compare them with a generic extension like .com.

    Consider, for example, an extension like .cleaning. Comparing the success of this extension to the success of .com is meaningless. It would be more logical to compare it to the success of .com domains that end with “cleaning”.

    The amount of .cleaning domains that have resell value is limited, in the same way that the amount of Cleaning.com domains that have resell value is limited.

    Having said that, I do believe that Home.Cleaning will eventually be worth more than HomeCleaning.com, since it is shorter and cleaner.

    • 100% agree with this Dan “Home.Cleaning will eventually be worth more than HomeCleaning.com, since it is shorter and cleaner” It might be a slower market, but having two relevant meaningful names for searches has been very helpful for us.

      • How can you make a statement like that when you have no idea what the renewal cost will be for home.cleaning 5 years from now?

        Just because a domain is shorter doesn’t necessarily mean it will have more long term value. Could increase marketing value but maybe not overall financial value.

    • We already know this equation does not work because the traffic flows to the .com.

      Consumers know .com is where credible companies usually operate, especially the more generic it is, gtld’s like .xyz and others have hosted so not so desirable sites, so valuation cannot be more so.

      I understand everyone wants to sip the oh I bought a GTLD in 2015, and now I am a billionaire because my domains will be worth more than the .com’s.

      The guys who are invested in GTLD’s have paid out thousands in EAP, are paying tens of thousands in renewals, and have a zilch to .05% sell rate.

      Do the math, many of them are going to ruin their lives trying to save their GTLD dream, their wives will resent them, just you watch.

      • @Rich,

        Of course, that’s true of many people who’ve bought nTLD domains. It’s also true of many domainers who’ve been renewing .COMs for years without a single sale.

        Believe it or not, between the blinding whiteness of Heaven and the utter darkness of Hell, there’s a real world with all sorts of subtle complexity. Most of us live there.

  9. Hello Konstantinos,

    Does anyone who supports new TLDs understand what they are invested in?

    New TLDS are catalysts to encourage SEM (Search Engine Marketing)

    SEM is the surest route to Online Business Failure.

    The new GTLDs are only supported by SEM/Centric Advertisers, and have no Economic Fundamental Use.

    Mike Manns vested interest in the SEM industry is documented.

    Why would Mike Mann Diss new TLDS that are the backbone of the SEM Shakedown?

    Simple Answer: Because very much like Frank Schilling who also owns large positions of .COM Equimoddities, Mikes largest Portfolio position consists of .COM Equimoditties and he knows the real future values of .COM equimoddities can only be Supercharged by New TLDs ability to send his .COM Equimoddities Traffic and lots of it. JAS 11/14/16

  10. Did anyone watch Sherpa ? Rightside just sold homes.forsale for high xx,xxx if you go to http://www.gtld.link you can read about the new G’s that have been sold , being used , and a great place to learn without all the noise from anti gTLD’s … Kontanious I hope you don’t mind I shared the link , if so just delete .. You are always welcome to post a link to your blog there as well , sharing that you have unfiltered no biased domain info on online domains .

  11. The real problem is, what Mann points out, is the fact that all recorded sales total well below operating costs. As far as I know, none of these gTld’s are non-profit, except those that were grabbed for company identity i.e.; .disney. No one goes in to business to lose $. This is what has prevented me from going after these new domains and building around one. If the registry goes under, all your marketing efforts and domains goes under with it. How long will these guys go losing $? No one will buy it either unless icann drastically lowers the operating costs.

  12. Everything is constantly changing.You will not have the same wind tomorrow.

  13. GTLDS will be like trump ( Only Around For The Next Four Years ) then fizzle out, a total bust.

  14. .Blog killed my hope for the nGTLDS….

    They should of let anyone to register any .blog domains at affordable prices. $8-$15 per year would be a good pricing strategy.. Instead, all the great and not so great keywords are starting from $250/year and goes up to $125,000/year. That’s a big F-YOU in WordPress users faces.

    I’d keep my one word and 3L .xyz but not invest in more gtlds.

    • exactly,
      when i saw that you have to pay 30$ to start a blog

      it does not make any sense,
      why a Teen, student or any young person want to start a blog,
      they will search for nice .com and start for 8$
      these are the providers of some of the highest traffic blog on the planet

      one .blog domain cost 3+ .com domains

      bad move is bad

  15. Mike Mann is right about GTLD are dead at least for 99.9% of the people. However, Mike Mann loses money in domaining. His renewal costs are more than what he brings in per year, so Mike not a very smart dude.

  16. MM is .com master, but his opinion about GTLD’s are useless just like his daily tweets or FB posts. You will go nuts if you read all his tweets or FB posts. I suspect the reason being pressure to sell his huge portfolio of names.

  17. .COM is something Domainers/Investors focus on and I believe it is good for the new gTLD industry. New gTLDs require more time for adoption and credibility.

  18. People like Schilling that say new gTLDs require more time for adoption and credibility are full of it. They just want to trick domainers into wasting their money for 10 years, so they can collect money for 10 years and get out themselves. They made all their money on dot coms, and are still sitting on their dot coms since they know that’s their real long term investment. They are trying to get some fast money off the new gTLD’s by marketing to domainers as a long term investment. Proof of them knowing it’s not a long term investment is right in the stocks. Schilling is selling tons of his Rightside shares and Negari sold ALL his Rightside shares.

      • Bulls make money, bears make money, pigs get slaughtered.

        .com is still the only proven investment. The new extensions are like stock options, the average investor will lose money with them, a few disciplined and lucky will make money.

        If you buy a quality .com and don’t overpay you will on average make money or at least don’t lose it.

        With the new extensions anything can happen.

        Most will lose money and the registries know it.

      • “.com is still the only proven investment.”

        Nonsense.

        At the moment I’m in the middle of 3 negotiations apart from .COM domains. Opening offers were

        .ME … mid $xxx
        .ORG … low $x,xxx
        .NET … low $x,xxx

        A month ago I sold a 2-word .NET for $7,500. Paid less than $200 for it 2 years prior. One of many 2-word .NET domains I’ve sold in that range.

        “.com is still the only proven investment.” Blue is the only color on earth.

      • I have sold many .org domains even a few for 5 figures. Just sold one for $6,500 and the wire transfer has left escrow.com and is heading my way.

      • This post was about new gTLDs, I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt, and think he completely forgot about .net and .org and that just the any of the new gTLDs were not proven

      • 5 minutes ago, just got a $500 opening offer for a .DOMAINS domain. But it probably didn’t happen because there’s “absolutely no demand”.

    • yeah i agree probably fake, I’ve been getting a lot of fake offers lately too.

  19. exactly,
    why invest XX millions on a 4 letter GTLD,
    when you could have got a nice 3 chars, with higher chance of success

    these Unicorn have always being dysfunctional,
    too much cash to burn

  20. Glad to hear Mike won the .soy debate

    I told porkbun not to buy .blog @ namescon 2
    Glad they listened. 🙂

    I have received offers this year in the low x,xxx for .Global, Media, .Direct, .Tech, .Digital and even .Fish!

    Fitting he posted on Facebook check out Facebook.Design

    The momentum is building
    Happy Hunting!
    Cheers

  21. I exaggerated a little about no demand, however, I am just telling what I honestly believe always other than the exaggerated part of it. If you Google what I said about it years ago “mike mann gtlds”, and then look how things transpire now and later, you will find I hit the nail on the head. There is very little long term profitable demand. Few people will profit. They will help, not hurt .Com because of flight to quality, non confusion, plus if any gtld sites launch the corresponding .Com goes up, not down, in value, competition is good for .Com and bad for others. BTW, I still own the worlds best collection of .Org .Net and great .Co -And dude who cant handle my FB posts, go find a safe space, a teddy, and some liberals to huddle with

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