WIPO Takes Away a Geo Domain; Hayward.com

[sarcle]

Talk about a scary decision.

Decision D2009-1493 (http://www.thedomains.com/wp-content/Decision-D2009-1493.doc)

A domainer just lost a domain he paid $20,000 to acquire and recently valued it at $100K.

A three member WIPO panel took away, what most of us would regard to be a Geo domain, Hayward.com and wwwhayward.com and awarded it to the trademark holder Hayward Industries.

Hayward is a city in California with a population of 150,000 people (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hayward,_California)


Um, WTF?

http://www.thedomains.com/2010/02/09/wipo-takes-away-a-geo-domain-hayward-com-putting-it-on-our-worst-of-2010-list/

[jacksonm]

Um, WTF?

http://www.thedomains.com/2010/02/09/wipo-takes-away-a-geo-domain-hayward-com-putting-it-on-our-worst-of-2010-list/


This would seem to be google's fault for (seemingly) allowing Hayward's competitors to bid on the keyword "hayward". And so the WIPO panel shot the messenger.

I'm pretty certain that this can be overturned with appeal, if Google hasn't already covered their ass and removed evidence.

[sarcle]

This would seem to be google's fault for (seemingly) allowing Hayward's competitors to bid on the keyword "hayward". And so the WIPO panel shot the messenger.

I'm pretty certain that this can be overturned with appeal, if Google hasn't already covered their ass and removed evidence.

That's what scares me. Even if you have a totally generic keyword; competitors of other business can throw ads up on them. And you have no control over it.

Parking until development is the best way to gather data on your visitors. Hence making a better site and surfing experience. Are they trying to ban parking period? It seems that way.