[...] 2. It signifies future consolidation in the domain parking business, especially for smaller domain parking companies. (See Domain Name Industry Acquisition Watch). [...]

Thanks for accepting my explanation of my original comment on your article. Your work stands unchallenged from this reader.

On your final question above: “is it a big deal if your parking company or registrar is bought?”

My answer is: “It is a big deal if the acquisition changes the scope of your company’s profit-making platform, or adds significantly to it.”

Looks like people are just waiting to see what happens next.. No action so far this year.

This is going to be be very interesting.

By no means was I directing my comments to you. I know you are a consummate neutral reporter in this business. I’m actually sorry that my comments made it seem this way, I was actually directing my comments to those who read your article and “assumed” Fabulous was in trouble. I’ve talked to Dan and Richard at length, and I know a little bit of where they’re intending to go. Making profits on selling your company isn’t a “red flag” that your company is suffering, although many noobies will think that.

I appreciate your answer (as I know DBS/Fabulous does too!). However, I will make it clear here right now that your article in no way made me doubt your knowledge of upcoming possibilities in the way of acquisitions. I know of a few myself, but because I’m involved with several of the companies, I can’t post them on my blog or comment on them publicly.

I apologize if my comments seemed to question your veracity, which I have never done, and probably never will.

I’m just trying to calm the kneejerk reactions from some of your readers… lol

By the way, did you check out the pic I have of you at the Playboy mansion? It’s on my facebook page bro… NOW you should be worried… but just as a matter of “Elliot can’t be trusted – he’s a sneaky troublemaker…” cuz you’re standing right next to him and he knows you are a top story scooper… WHAT WILL ELLIOT DO TO SABATOGE US??!!!!

First of all, I must say that I am also a fan of Fabulous. I’ve never heard any complaints about them and believe they share their customers interests. All my interactions with Fabulous leading up to the publication of this article have been very professional.

I originally started writing this article when I found out that DBS was talking to parties (plural) about selling off some of its products, specifically inside fabulous. As you know, I never print anything without thoroughly researching it. This article was researched over several weeks.

After communicating with Richard Moore at length, I decided it would be more valuable to readers to write an article about the factors driving M&A over the next 12-24 months rather than discuss Fabulous alone. I subsequently talked to high ranking execs at a number of domain companies to get their take on the industry, which is part of how I came up with the factors that are driving change in the industry (slim margins, Google/Yahoo contract negotiations, et al). Not all of these factors apply directly to Fabulous’ situation, nor should that be implied.

Fabulous is merely a backdrop. I’m not singling them out as being weak and “needing” to sell. In fact, their cash position is the same as it was this time last year. That’s part of the reason I note that they may not sell anything this year.

That said, Fabulous is clearly not as strong as it was a year ago, just like other companies in the industry. They are facing many of the challenges that other companies in the industry are facing. They are not immune, but I think they’re well positioned compared to some other companies. But they’re feeling the squeeze in their services businesses. Had I heard of (and confirmed) another company actively talking about selling one or more of its units, I would have published that.

I know you’re not questioning my integrity or reporting, but I do want to make it clear that I stand by this story at accurate.

Most domainers know that Fabulous is probably the most domainer-friendly/service-oriented registrar/parking service around. They’ve been in the game longer than most, and every domain conference today has sucked the teet of the first-ever domainer meeting by Dean Shannon 8 years ago in LA.

Along with the fact that not one domainer/blogger has EVER legitimately complained about Fabulous.com and their “fabulous” team, comes the reality that DBS’s type of domain industry positioning alone is extremely valuable. I don’t know one domainer who has something negative to say about Fabulous/DBS. (compare that with GoDaddy, where I have stated before that Bob Parsons doesn’t involve himself in promoting the very business community that allows him to think and behave likes he’s Larry Flynt.).

Also missing in this article are other domain industry power punchers, such as Name Media and a few others.

Dub-A is right to “tease” us with this article about buyouts and consolidations, but none of us (that would print it publicly) can really say what the market leaders are going to do… yet.

Stay tuned for a wild ride through 2009, but don’t believe for a moment that Fabulous is “weak” or hurting. Any move they make will be seriously profitable for them, and at the same time, advantageous to the domainer community.