I am here in the Apple store on Fifth Avenue again checking some things out, and they have some awesome point of sale (POS) technology. There are people walking around with handheld credit card scanners to complete the purchase. The only catch is that they don’t print receipts. How do you get your receipt, you ask?

Email!

What a great way to build the customer database for future direct marketing efforts. When they email you the receipt, they can probably send you an offer to make an upsell purchase. They may also re-offer you that extended warranty you passed on before. The sky is the limit with this technology. I am constantly impressed with the way they do business (the rep next to me is speaking in Spanish to a customer, BTW), and I am glad I bought some AAPL stock a couple of weeks ago.

I am curious if buyers are automatically opt-ed in to receiving future solicitations by allowing them to send your receipt via email. I may just have to make a purchase to examine their after sale direct marketing efforts. Regardless, they are certainly building a huge database with a ton of transactional information.

While running on the treadmill last night, I was wearing my TrafficZ shirt with the “I ♥ Domains” graphic on it. I hate running, so I like to think about various things to get my mind off of running to shorten my workout. I looked in the mirror, saw the shirt, and thought about why I ♥ Domains, and I wanted to share a list of some of the reasons:

1) Opportunities to find success no matter what the focus
2) Global industry allows networking with folks throughout the world
3) Develop, Park, Blog, Arbitrage, Hybrid…etc… You name it, you can do it
4) Fun and interactive investment vehicle
5) Industry is under the radar
6) Doesn’t matter how large or small you are
7) Personal background doesn’t matter
8.) Unexplored ideas are waiting to be found
9) No matter the location, you can impact the world
10) Hundreds of ways to prosper

I ♥ that there are so many opportunities in this industry for everyone who is willing to work hard. Whether you are a large or small entity, you can educate yourself about a niche and become successful. You can do so many creative things with domain names, and whether anyone says you are right or wrong, the bottom line is your bottom line.

There aren’t many shortcuts to take, but if you work hard, listen to advice, be creative and think outside the box, you too will ♥ Domains.

MostWantedDomains.com, a closely held company founded by domain industry veterans Michael and Judi Berkens, just launched launched their blog, TheDomains.com. One of the features they created is the “Domain Parking Stock Index,” a weighted average which tracks all public companies which either own large domain portfolio’s and/or make a significant income from parked domains or PPC revenue.

The initial DPSI index includes Google, Yahoo, Baidu.com, Dark Blue Sea, Marchex, and Banks.com. It will be interesting to see if the DPSI becomes a barometer for the health of the domain investment business.

I wish Mike and Judi all the best with their new blog, and I look forward to reading their insight.

Gordon is a domain investor who I met and had several conversations on DN Forum and in person at Grand Central a few weeks ago.  He is knowledgeable about SEO and about domain names, and is a genuinely good person.A few days ago, I briefly noticed a new industry blog at the domain name DailyBull.com.  Little did I know, Gordon was the person behind this blog.  I think it’s the perfect domain name for a blog, and it’s great to see that it’s going to be a blog in this industry!

I am a proponent of giving back to the less fortunate when possible, and Gordon has a great idea. In almost every organization with which I have been involved (college fraternity, Interfraternity Council, corporate job…etc) the group raises funds for a specific cause as a way to help, show unity, and show strength.  I like the idea of working together as a community to help a cause that is important to people of all backgrounds.  Kudos to Gordon for this idea.

No matter what causes we support, it is important to give back and help the less fortunate.