Is it harder to catch at the moment?

[FCP]

I use caught.co.uk to pickup between 0 and 3 .co.uk domains a day. I know I will never get the best names but I am fine with that.

Over the past 2 or 3 weeks I have caught a big fat 0. Is anyone else finding it hard to catch anything at the moment? I am just wondering if there one service that is catching the majority or has the number of people doing this themselves increase significantly over the past month. It could also be that I am going for more contended domains.

 

[monaghan]

I've seen a wider range of tags get the names I've missed recently, so it could be a wider range of people catching.

 

[ScottJ]

I presume it depends on the quality of domains, I had exhibitions displays and also Gem World caught for me recently which I really like, but not contested for like single word domains so maybe you need to lower your sights?

 

[FCP]

Here are the ones i was trying to get over the last few days. I don't think any are amazing but managed to get 0

2008-07-25 home-server.co.uk Whois Details
2008-07-26 hostingbusiness.co.uk Whois Details
2008-07-26 total-photographer.co.uk Whois Details
2008-07-26 stockmanagement.co.uk Whois Details
2008-07-27 metaltrading.co.uk Whois Details
2008-07-28 digitalcontent.co.uk Whois Details
2008-07-29 megapixel.co.uk Whois Details

 

[retired_member12]

Surely the TAG holders who are targeting a single (more appealing) domain name per day are in a far better position to succeed that the catching outfits who have to hit Nominet's servers with say 100+ different domains daily.
Take the next LLL to drop (not currently held by any 'domainer'):

lmn .co.uk (due to drop 1st August 2008 )

I doubt very much that any catching outfit will get this for someone else. We shall see.

 

[ScottJ]

If it continues your only option to increase your chances would be a hosted solution like dropsystems I guess, that way you can use your allocation going after one or 2 names rather than a dropcatcher who may be chasing 20 + that day.

 

[Skinner]

I put that point forward myself a while ago.

If you was smart and played the odds targetting 1 or 2 domains per day and hammered your half million checks (ish) in say 6-9 hours of the day instead of 24, thats 13-15 times a second which could easily make up a few ms loss on your hops and increase your chances of snagging a name.

Where as 10 domains on yoru list means you can only check once every 2 seconds, 100 domains is about twice a minute and so on if you check 24 hours a day.

Again limit the hours you check and you can start cutting it down again.

I think more than 5 domains on a given day and your heading to a wall.

Hope this makes sense as i'm on the phone to a client while typing and think I got to go in a mo, and wanted to type this while I was thinking it

 

[retired_member12]

Also, it's not in Nominet's interests to leave the best domain until the end of the day to drop, their servers would end up being hammered as everyone tweaks to grab it!

 

[Skinner]

I don't think nominet pick and choose when domains drop as such, which is why you play the odds and the odds are fairly good here

End of the day (23:00 and later) isnt even in my top 5 hours to attack

 

[aquanuke]

Its a numbers game really and only TAG/DAC holders will stand the best chance. The caught service will always be aimed at ok to poor names that are low contended (although it has picked up some corkers) where as my DAC hosting is the next level up and still does pretty well picking 3L's consistently over the last 3 months and thats aimed at the more contended names.

But over the last couple of years has been a huge influx in new TAGs and catchers.

To be a good catcher its all about what you know.. tips and tricks and TBH you can catch great names on a slow script. Of course having a fast script and knowing the tricks helps as well.

Even though those names where not high value they where all caught by well known TAG holders. A sign that due to the high contention and influx of TAGs that folks are having to pick up lessor names.

 

[FCP]

So basically, the market it getting saturated.

I suppose I should evaluate if it’s even worth moving up to the next level. Obviously the investment in time and technology needs to provide the returns to cover the cost and make a profit. Are the domains I am trying for selling for more? If not I would be investing more time and money to get the same results.

 

[aquanuke]

Well I would also say its a bit late into the day for anywhere the returns that where easily possible a few years ago. The time required to research and script against the huge amount of competition.

Sure you can still make ok money but then you can also from free to reg. I dont catch myself anymore

 

[retired_member26]

2008-07-29 megapixel.co.uk Whois Details

Hmmmm..............

 

[aquanuke]

Hmmmm..............

Your 5 years too late :-D

But cyber-pixel.co.uk is free

 

[Skinner]

There are a few due to drop today megapixel is just one of them.

 

[aquanuke]

There are a few due to drop today megapixel is just one of them.

Will be another 822 days before that one drops

 

[retired_member26]

Your 5 years too late :-D

But cyber-pixel.co.uk is free

G is not saying the same. Also apparently you were the loser

 

[aquanuke]

G is not saying the same. Also apparently you were the loser

Im trying to catch less, too much paperwork

 

[Skinner]

I'm currently torn between hunting Grant down for being faster or the guy from Really Useful Domains coz he has like 20 names i'm watching that should have dropped months ago and are still hanging there

I think these names like ladders.co.uk and Really Usefuls are there JUST to tie domainers up, and wet our appetites its an evil plot I tell ya!

 

[aquanuke]

Blame Ramsay for telling everyone how to do it.