Typo domains - must declare

[woopwoop]

There should be a rule about declaring typos in domain sales threads.

Maybe the seller doesn't know the domain is a typo or maybe they do... when I see these names (in some it's not obvious that it's a typo) I really don't want to poo on someone's thread by pointing out the spelling, but really don't want someone to get scammed either.

 

[newguy]

I mentioned this before. Totally agree.

 

[binny]

Sorry but my views on this are that someone who can't spot a typo on their own really should not be buying domains and maybe the kick up the backside they'd get from it would be for their own good.

If you are buying a name (other than quirky brandables) without Googling it, checking search volumes, insights, etc.... which are all going to highlight your mistake then tough cookie.

 

[Edwin]

I think it depends a bit if the typo's buried in a long list of names. I agree that in general it's "buyer beware" but on the other hand if it's in a 500+ domain thread your eyes just glaze over...

Really, though, it's about "intent". It would be nice to think that IF people KNOW they are selling a typo that they'll label it as such, but of course we live in the real world...

 

[HariSeldon]

Maybe the seller doesn't know the domain is a typo or maybe they do... I really don't want to poo on someone's thread by pointing out the spelling, but really don't want someone to get scammed either.

Really, though, it's about "intent". It would be nice to think that IF people KNOW they are selling a typo that they'll label it as such,

A rule on declaring wouldn't work for these reasons, many times the owner won't realise it's a typo. I'm sure we've all at some point got excited about a domain only to realise at the last minute it's a typo. (The vv looking like a w gets me every time! )

Maybe it should become accepted practice that we all do point out typos on a thread but in a positive way ("Great typo, definitely caught my attention! ")

 

[retired_member13]

Caveat emptor for me unless a domain is being mis-sold.

Selling typo names is a well established thing in the domain world, and in some cases they do have value.

I've seen all sorts of typos for sale on Acorn, sometimes mixed in with non-typos, sometimes marked as "typo", sometimes not. I think trying to sell a typo and labelling it as a "Geo" or a "Generic" is out of order, but if it's a list of domains with prices and no other info then really it's the buyer's job to work out what is being sold, why, and what is a reasonable price.

We all have access to dictionaries and common sense, and having a name like "Mortage.co.uk" listed with a price of £100 (just a made up example) is hardly trying to defraud anyone in my opinion.

 

[woopwoop]

Really, though, it's about "intent"...

I agree. But not only intent (as in intent to screw someone), but also knowledge that it's a typo and selling it at a non-typo price (which may make people not even question the spelling)

I'm also not talking about obvious mis-spellings. Some words have weird spellings and ask 100 people and 70+ would spell it the other way - that kind of thing.

A rule on declaring wouldn't work for these reasons, many times the owner won't realise it's a typo. I'm sure we've all at some point got excited about a domain only to realise at the last minute it's a typo. (The vv looking like a w gets me every time! )

Maybe it should become accepted practice that we all do point out typos on a thread but in a positive way ("Great typo, definitely caught my attention! ")

Maybe. But if it was a rule, then maybe more people would comment on typos.

You mention the 'too good to be true names, and then we realise the typo', I'm talking about the domains that seem reasonable for £500 (sometimes more) and then you see that it's a typo and you wouldn't pay £10 for it.

Those are the names that make me wonder about some level of intent or knowledge without disclosing.

...We all have access to dictionaries and common sense, and having a name like "Mortage.co.uk" listed with a price of £100 (just a made up example) is hardly trying to defraud anyone in my opinion.

I agree, but this example (also made up):

morgage £2500 BIN

Even if the name is worth £2500 as a typo, I still feel like the typo should be declared.

I know it's buyer beware too. If I did something like this then I should only have myself to blame... but it all just seems a bit dirty.

For the record I haven't seen a lot of this type of thing on Acorn and really do think that this is a great community of very trust-worthy people

(just every now and again I see something like this and don't always want to be the person that says in the seller's thread that it's a typo)

 

[binny]

A typo is there for the buyer to see with their own eyes and common sense.

Trademarks, pre-DRS action, Adsense abuse, blacklisting from indexes....... are all damaging to domains and sometimes impossible for a buyer to find out about.

Unless someone is putting the non-typo version in the sales thread and then trying to transfer a typo I can't see the problem.

It's all going a bit nanny-state here innit?

 

[redbird]

The way I see it is if you post a typo and don't declare it then you must accept that someone may point it out.

If I posted morgages (NOT made up)) and I forgot to mention it was a typo, I wouldn't want to sell to anyone who didn't realise what it was and I'd like to think most people on here would feel the same.

NB - it isn't for sale by the way, just couldn't help using it as the example

 

[HariSeldon]

It's all going a bit nanny-state here innit?

I don't see it as being nanny state at all. For me it reinforces that this is a community where many of us are in competition but are also prepared to help each other (especially newcomers) out in a variety of different ways.

The way I see it is if you post a typo and don't declare it then you must accept that someone may point it out.

Agreed and I can't see any downside to someone pointing it out.

 

[binny]

I don't see it as being nanny state at all. For me it reinforces that this is a community where many of us are in competition but are also prepared to help each other (especially newcomers) out in a variety of different ways.

Newcomers to reading?

If you are buying a domain then first and foremost you are buying a word or words followed by an extension, if you haven't the intelligence to make sure the word is the correct spelling of the word then get out of the game.

Have you thought about where this ends? If a multi-word term offered up is not most commonly used variant then do we need to flag that up?

 

[Admin]

There are other angles to this, such as color.co.uk and colour.co.uk, it's not a typo - so should domain sellers also point out when it's a non-UK selling?

I can add something to the rules but for me and the mods to check long lists of domains and check spellings on all of them is a lot of work.

Admin

 

[julian]

does the samwe rules apply for this J0BS.co.uk or is that a hack?

 

[mat]

You do have to laugh though when you see prebids of £xxx on sites such as domainlore for typos. Some people obviously have more money than sense!

 

[HariSeldon]

Newcomers to reading?

Have you thought about where this ends? If a multi-word term offered up is not most commonly used variant then do we need to flag that up?

Julian posted a good example of J0BS.co.uk where a newbie could be misled regardless of whether they can read or not...

I'm not in favour of it being a forum rule as I don't see it being workable however I do think the community could do its bit to make sure no-one gets caught out. And the community can use its collective common sense as to what's appropriate and what's not.

 

[Edwin]

I think we can all agree that J0bs (with a "zero" not an "oh") is pretty much worthless. Certainly not worth starting a sales thread for. It's so very 1999 to have domains that are look-alikes-but-junk-really...

 

[HariSeldon]

I think we can all agree that J0bs (with a "zero" not an "oh") is pretty much worthless. ... It's so very 1999 to have domains that are look-alikes-but-junk-really...

Agreed, there's an irregular Acorn member who touted a zer0 one last year and was still trying to sell it on Sedo last time I checked.

Reflects poorly on the seller and on domainers in general in my humble opinion.

 

[Edwin]

Reflects poorly on the seller and on domainers in general in my humble opinion.

I think it's about time that stuff that reflects poorly on domainers be given a big thumbs down, at least on Acorn. It would be great if these forums led by example in being cleaner and more "pro" than other domain forums (already true to a degree, btw!).