Are cybersquatters still thriving, or have they become an endangered species? I recently attended a domain auction, where thousands of URLs were up for grabs in the drop zone, yet not a single bidder was in sight. Meanwhile, on the aftermarket, a handful of domains were being sold for relatively low prices, while the remainder were merely window dressing, with many sporting unrealistic price tags.

Has the domain market always been characterized by such a lack of demand, or is this a sign of a current downturn? Given the scarcity of buyers, I'm left wondering how domainers manage to offload their inventory.

It's amazing that domainers still think they can sell their garbage domains for thousands of dollars. Nobody wants your overpriced, generic TLDs. The aftermarket is a farce, and the drop zone auction is a graveyard for unwanted domains.
Domainers need to stop drinking their own Kool-Aid and realize that their inventory is worth pennies on the dollar. Until then, they'll continue to cling to their worthless domains, hoping against hope that someone will come along and bail them out.

I've developed a penchant for snagging high-potential domains at the registrar's floor price, often cherry-picking gems that have been orphaned by cybersquatters. Moreover, I'm always on the lookout for a solid website with a sizable traffic footprint, which I believe is a savvy investment opportunity, offering a robust return on investment (ROI) through strategic monetization, such as affiliate marketing or contextual advertising.
By acquiring a website with an existing user base, I can leverage its inherent value, amplify its online presence through targeted search engine optimization (SEO) and content marketing, and ultimately, boost its market valuation.

Domain speculators rarely flip their assets through public auctions, as their primary objective is usually to hold out for a lucrative private sale. It's unlikely you'll spot them engaging in a bidding war, as their strategy is to maximize profits through exclusive negotiations.

It's worth noting that some domainers might employ a shill bidding tactic to artificially inflate the price of a domain, making it essential to scrutinize the authenticity of bids. The presence of a bid doesn't necessarily indicate genuine interest.

Registering a handful of domains in a relatively obscure TLD (top-level domain) is hardly a viable business strategy or a rewarding hobby, to be frank.

To put things into perspective, out of 100 decent domains with moderate search volume, only about 1% will garner significant interest, with a 50% chance of being sold. Keep in mind that these numbers are rough estimates, but they should give you an idea of the scale.

Prices for such domains typically range from 100 to 10,000. However, premium domains are a different ball game altogether, often commanding significantly higher prices due to their exceptional branding potential, keyword relevance, and search engine optimization (SEO) value.

P.S. I'd appreciate it if experienced domainers could share their statistical insights and metrics, as this would provide valuable context for our discussion.