A simple way to weed out bad domain name offers.

If you receive a lot of inquiries about purchasing your domain names, then you probably get frustrated about responding only to have the person disappear after the first contact.

There are many ways you can manage this, but I thought I’d pass along a tip a couple large domain owners tell me works. Whenever you receive an inquiry, tell the person to make an offer to you via Network Solutions’ Certified Offer Service.

The first benefit is that the buyer will have to pay $19 to make the offer. You’ll know right away if the buyer is a serious end user or not. An end user should be willing to pay a measly $19 to submit an offer.

The second benefit is Network Solutions will handle the negotiations and escrow. They charge the buyer a 5% fee if the deal goes through. (I should note that Network Solutions “certified offers” aren’t completely certified.)

Now this tactic isn’t for everyone. If you get a lot of domain investors interested in your domains they probably won’t bite. Some smaller buyers will balk at this as well. But even if they do, they’ll probably come back with an explanation that at least shows their level of interest.

An alternative is to send them to Sedo or Afternic to purchase the domain, although you will have to cover the commission. Still, this may be worth it if the broker will work on your behalf. Go Daddy also offers a service similar to Network Solutions, but it is $69.99 plus a 10% buyer premium.

Blasting Demand Media is to be expected from the mainstream media.

Demand Media’s biggest weakness might not be its reliance on Google for much of its profit (both through search traffic and ad revenue). It’s that the mainstream media will never give it any love.

In just the past couple days, Fortune wrote a scathing article while CNN named the company one of the 10 biggest tech “fails” of 2010.

These articles focus mostly on Demand Media’s eHow web site. They make some fair points about the business model and the quality of content, which often times is lacking in quality.

But all articles by the mainstream media blasting Demand Media need to be taken with a grain of salt. After all, the authors have a grudge against the company. They feel that its model (including paying authors about $15 an article) threatens their livelihood.

So while there may be some holes in the company’s business model, don’t expect to get unbiased coverage from the media.

Company files arbitration cases to get domain names.

If you registered domain names with “Kinect” in them with plans to develop sites related to the XBox Kinect system, you better watch out.

Microsoft has filed 7 UDRP cases at National Arbitration Forum since Christmas, all targeting domain names with “Kinect” in them. Among the domains targeted: MicrosoftKinect.com, KinectWorld.com, KinectPro.com, and KinectReviews.us.

Most of the domain names being challenged have parking pages with video game ads. But one of them could be a challenge for Microsoft: wwwKinect.com.

Microsoft doesn’t actually own Kinect.com. It’s owned by a marketing group called Kinect under the CorbettAccel umbrella. (Don’t be surprised if they end up selling the domain name to Microsoft. It used to forward to a web site but no longer resolves.)

So can they win a UDRP for a typo of a domain name they don’t even own?

Cricket.com domain name challenged as cybersquatting.

The storied domain name Cricket.com has been hit with a UDRP according to records at National Arbitration Forum.

Although National Arbitration Forum does not disclose who the complainant is until after a case is decided, it’s possible that it’s wireless company Cricket Communications. The company uses MyCricket.com as its domain name and has used National Arbitration Forum in the past to recover domain names.

Cricket.com was owned by Live Current Media for a long time, and for a while featured ads for wireless phones. Then the company developed it out at the same time it struck a long term deal to provide another web site for Indian Premier League (IPL) cricket.

The deal with IPL later collapsed. Live Current Media eventually sold the Cricket.com domain name as well.

So how could Cricket Wireless go after Cricket.com when the site is clearly developed as a fantasy cricket game?

Just look at the ads on the site. Every single Google Adsense ad is for a wireless provider. There’s even an affiliate ad for wireless services.

A thinly veiled attempt to masquerade as a cricket site while generating ad revenue based on the now famous Cricket Communications brand? That would be a huge leap for a UDRP panelist to make. If it really is the wireless carrier who’s going after this domain, then this is a case best settled in the courts rather than within the narrow confines UDRP.

What domain name conferences am I missing?

Each year on the Domain Name Wire survey I ask which domain name conference is best. The list typically includes major U.S. conferences. But I know there are some good international conferences that should be on the list.

Here are the options from last year:

T.R.A.F.F.I.C.
Domain Roundtable
DOMAINfest
GEODomain Expo
Domainer Mardi Gras

I’m looking to add domain name conferences that meet three criteria:

1. At least 100 people at the latest event
2. Conference has been held for at least two years
3. Open to everyone; not just company events

Please leave a comment if you know a conference that meets these criteria. Now is not the time to comment about which conference is best — you’ll get your chance shortly on the Sixth Annual Domain Name Wire Survey.