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$85,000 Sale at SnapNames Headlines Another Banner Week in the Domain Business   

by Ron Jackson  

The holiday sales season is often a make or break proposition for retail businesses. Many brick & mortar operations are sweating a little this year because their sales since Thanksgiving have been softer than expected. Though customers seem to be waiting until the last minute to show up at retail stores, domain buyers have been packing the virtual aisles at industry sales venues the past two weeks. All signs point to an already outstanding year closing with a bang.


Last week we pointed out how rare it is for a domain selling for five figures to miss making our Top Ten chart. However, for the second week in a row, there have been so many big ticket sales that some that would normally be shoe-ins missed making the Big Board. Of course, that's the kind of crowd no one is going to complain about!

This week SnapNames.com finally broke the stranglehold Sedo.com has held on our chart the past four weeks. During that run, Sedo took at least half of the positions on our Top Ten every week. This time out SnapNames rang up four chart hits including the big winner, SalesTraining.com at $85,200. It is amazing to think that just a few months ago SnapNames was operating with a flat fee system that would have earned them just $69 for catching that domain! Though they were late moving to the auction format, the decision to finally join the crowd (and a new agreement giving them exclusive rights to auction names deleting from NetworkSolutions.com) has restored this drop-catching pioneer's fortunes in a big way. 

As big as that SalesTraining.com sale was, there was one even bigger sale this week involving DigitalPhotography.com. Unfortunately, that one cannot be charted because the parties involved have an agreement to keep the exact price private. However, the buyer, Ian Andrew of DotcomAgency.com, did tell us that he paid six figures for the domain. 

Sedo was overdue for a little breather after their torrid run the past month, though with a top sale of $50,000 for Cultura.com they're not exactly lounging around! Cultura is a Spanish word but the domain was bought by a French company that uses the word as their brand name. Cultura.com placed #2 on our chart and helped .com rack up 9 of the 10 positions on this week's list. 

SDO.com claimed the #3 position after selling for $35,000 at PerfectName.com, a venue that has long been known for having one of the best 3-letter .com collections in the business. As it happens, this sale brought down the curtain on the PerfectName.com site. Owner Greg Ricks sold the domain last week (the new owner currently has it pointed to a PPC page) and will deal with future customers on a person to person basis. 

Afternic.com placed two domains in the Top Ten this week, #4 Digame.com at $22,000 and #10 BooksAnywhere.com at $10,500. SnapNames completed the top half of the chart with their sale of another nice 3-letter .com, #5 VOC.com at $20,100

Baseball fans will recognize the value of the #6 domain, Nationals.com at $20,000Washington's D.C.'s new franchise (formerly the Montreal Expos) will be known as the Washington Nationals. That being the case you won't be surprised to learn that Major League Baseball was the buyer, acquiring the domain from Maryland lawyer John Lilyestrom

In another private sale,  Anastassios Tsiligiannis of Greece sold Travelopia.com for $17,270 to claim the #7 position. Tsiligiannis also sold the .net, .org, .info, .biz and the .us to the same buyer with the latter five going for an additional $532 each. The package was purchased by the owners of Hotelopia.com and HotelBeds.com (part of FirstChoice.co.uk)

Let's take a look at the complete Top Ten, then we'll continue our breakdown of the bountiful sales week that ended Sunday, Dec. 12: 

 

Domain Name Journal's Top Ten 
Reported Domain Sales - Mon. Dec. 6, 2004 - Sun. Dec. 12, 2004
Euro to Dollar Conversion (� to $) is Based on Rates in Effect Tue. Dec. 14

  Domain

Sold For

Where Sold
1. SalesTraining.com   $85,200 SnapNames
2. Cultura.com $50,000 Sedo
3.  SDO.com  $35,000 PerfectName
4.  Digame.com     $22,000  Afternic
5. VOC.com  $20,100 SnapNames
6. Nationals.com $20,000 Pvt Sale
7. Travelopia.com   $17,270 Pvt Sale
8. Beijing.net   $16,988 SnapNames
9. CareerBuild.com  $11,100 SnapNames
10. BooksAnywhere.com   $10,500 Afternic

Keep in mind that these are the highest value sales that have been reported to us in the past week. This column is meant to be an educational tool, not a complete list documenting ALL high value domain sales. Such a list is impossible to produce because many sales are kept private at the insistence of buyers, sellers or both.

As you can see above, SnapNames rounded out their quartet of big winners with a great geographical domain (and the only non .com on this week's chart) Beijing.net at $16,988 and CareerBuild.com at $11,100

Sedo had another five-figure sale that just missed the chart, ErosWeb.com at an even $10,000. Their sales list also included solid hits like SearchFox.com at $9,000, MyCash.co.uk at �6,000 ($7,972) and Surabaya.com at $7,500. Of course, the company can always be counted on for strong German .de sales as well. This week those included Internet-Telefonie.de at �3,700 ($4,917), Paloma.de ("dove" in Spanish) at �3,500 ($4,651) and Siptel.de at �3,200 ($4,253). Other standouts from the Sedo roster were Beethoven.org at �2,900 ($3,854), UKiss.com at $3,500 plus Almousa.net and Genomicode.com at �2,500 ($3,321) each. 

Back at SnapNames, the gold vein runs deep beneath the Big Board. They added $9,400 for Anpe.com, $9,100 for Seesaw.com and $6,400 for ATech.com. Paintings.net and LiveCity.com contributed $5,600 each while WhiteDove.com feathered the nest with another $5,100. Other winners included Lacey.com ($5,050), FirstAidKits.com ($4,655), Retainers.com ($4,544) and Xtremes.com ($4,500). .Org also got in the game with Chicken.org scratching out $5,200. Also notable were Viable.com at $3,402, HorneyWives.com at $3,000 and RiskManager.com at $2,947. Neno.com kicked in another $2,050 and BabyModel.com struck a $2,001 pose.

Afternic supplemented their two new Top Ten trophies with 2S.com and EmeraldPassport.com at $5,000 each. Enom's Club Drop turned in another solid week as well, dialing up $5,207 for CarPhone.com and $4,107 for LeapYear.com. Tranies.com popped up at $3,607, followed by MagicCircle.com at $3,307 and GatlinburgRealEstate.com at $3,009. LamasBonita.com ($2,706) and SegaGames.com ($2,407) were also among the big winners at Club Drop.

At Pool.com, Toelf.com made the biggest splash at $4,300. RioVerde.com and AppleIpods.com contributed $3,900 each while StandardCharter.com brought in $3,300 and TicketSeller.com grossed $2,500. At Namewinner.com, AISD.com commanded $5,020 and OnlineRecipe.com stirred in another $2,560. Meanwhile Moniker.com/DomainSystems.com reported the $4,600 sale of Saw2.com. Elsewhere, Greenhouses.net changed hands for $2,000 in a private sale and ISP.cc went for $400 (notable only because .cc sales have been rare at any price). 

In the Pipeline: An Ebay auction for Assholes.com has ended at $15,700 but the domain hasn't been transferred yet. The seller is a reliable domainer and if the buyer proves to be trustworthy as well this one could be heading for the Big Board next week. One domain mentioned in this section last week, eTrust.com, which went for $25,600 in a SnapNames auction, is still awaiting transfer.

*****

Our Year To Date chart expands to 77 names this week after getting three new members. SalesTraining.com moves in at #21, Cultura.com moves into a tie for #34 and SDO.com takes over at #48. Here is the complete rundown of reported sales above $28,000 thus far in 2004:

Domain Name Journal's Year-To-Date Leaders
Highest Reported 2004 Domain Sales through Sun. Dec. 12, 2004  
Euro to Dollar Conversion (� to $) 
Based on Rates in Effect When Sales Were Originally Reported by DNJ

 - Domains entering the chart this week are highlighted in green -

  Domain

Sold For

Where Sold
1. CreditCards.com $2.75 Million Private Sale
2. Mercury.com $700,000
(700K cash + $400,000 in goods & services)
Private Sale
3. ME.com $460,000 Moniker / DomainSystems
4. Rugby.com  $350,000 Pvt Sale
5. Smoking.com $325,000 GreatDomains
6. Viajes.com
("travel" in Spanish)
 $300,000 Sedo
7. Arab.com $225,000 Pvt Sale
8.  VisitFlorida.com $186,000 Pvt Sale
9.  Commerce.com $180,000 Sedo
10.
(tie)
Animation.com  $150,000 Pvt Sale
10.
(tie)
Beef.com $150,000 GreatDomains
12.  SSM.com $145,000 Pvt Sale
13.  IQTest.de     �123,625 = $147,635 Sedo
14. TourismAustralia.com AUD $201,000 = US$146,200 Pvt Sale
15.  Sexkontakte.de
"Sex contacts" in German
 �110,000 = $141,175 Sedo
16.  MR.com $125,000 GreatDomains
17.  Truck.com  $101,000 Moniker / DomainSystems
18.
(tie)
Net.net   $100,000 Sedo
18.
(tie) 
eCruise.com  $100,000 Pvt Sale
20.  Kreuzfahrten.de
"Cruises" in German
�70,000 = $88,853 Sedo
21. SalesTraining.com   $85,200 SnapNames
22.  Kazalite.com $83,500 Pool
23. Sedo.com $80,000 Private Sale
24.  BackCountry.com $75,000 Private Sale
25.  Boxen.de
"Boxing" in German
�56,500 = $72,509 Sedo
26. IFly.com  $65,000 Sedo
27.  Stop.com  $62,500 Moniker/
DomainSystems
28. FreeCellPhones.com �45,000 = $60,426 Sedo
29. ClearDay.com $60,000 Moniker / DomainSystems
30. Domain.co.uk  �42,000 = $55,783 Sedo
31. GolfCourses.com  $55,750 Moniker/
DomainSystems
32.
tie 
FKK.de  �40,000 = $51,333 Sedo
32.
tie 
Busen.de
"Bosom" in German
 �40,000 = $51,333 Sedo
34.
tie
Cultura.com $50,000 Sedo
34.
tie 
Typing.com  $50,000 GreatDomains
34. 
tie
BoiseRealEstate.com $50,000 Moniker/
DomainSystems
34.
tie 
Harmony.com $50,000 GreatDomains
34.
tie
Mirror.com $50,000 Moniker / DomainSystems
39. CarFinancing.com $46,000 Pool
40. Hardcore.co.uk �25,000 = $45,951 Sedo
41. Mingle.com  $45,000 GreatDomains
42. Meningitis.com $45,000 Private Sale
43. Banker.com $41,000 Sedo/Traffic 2004
44.
tie
Robots.com  $40,000 GreatDomains
44.
tie
Claims.com  $40,000 GreatDomains
46.  Mister.com    $38,800 Pvt Sale
47. Faces.com $38,700 Moniker / DomainSystems
48.  SDO.com  $35,000 PerfectName
49. Metropol.com �30,500 = $38,230 Sedo

50. 

Nackt.de
"Nude or Naked" in German
�30,000 = $38,081 Sedo
51. Marktforschung.de
("market research" in German)  
 �28,000 = $36,630 Sedo
52. FoodPoisoning.com $36,500 Pvt Sale
53.  Fotos.com �30,000 = $35,793 Private Sale
54. WesternAustralia.com AU$50,000 = $35,178 Pvt Sale
55.  Cairo.com $35,001 Sedo
56.
tie 
SinglesTravel.com $35,000 Pvt Sale
56. 
tie
Miss.com $35,000 Afternic
56.
tie
Spamzilla.com $35,000 MarketEvolver
59.  Low.com $32,640 Moniker/
DomainSystems
60.  Refurbished.com  $32,000 Pool
61. CleanEnergy.com $31,950 Moniker / DomainSystems
62. Humor.de �25,520 = $30,449 Sedo
63.  EducationEssentials.com    $30,375 Moniker/
DomainSystems
64.  Single.co.uk  �24,600 = $30,341 Sedo
65.  AccidentAttorney.com  $30,100 SnapNames
66.  DiscountDrugs.com $30,010 Namewinner
67. Stereos.com $30,000 Sedo
68.
tie
Cocina.com
"kitchen/cooking in Spanish"
$30,000 Pvt Sale
68.
tie
Cursor.com  $30,000 Sedo
68.
tie 
WebsiteDevelopment.com  $30,000 DotcomAgency
68. 
tie
DCJobs.com  $30,000 Pvt Sale
68.
tie 
CN.tv $30,000 Sedo
68.
tie 
AntiDepressants.com $30,000 Private Sale
68.
tie
Gray.com $30,000 GreatDomains
68.
tie
Actor.com $30,000 Sedo
76. Infection.com  $29,600 SnapNames
77.  NewYork.info �22,000 = $28,086 Sedo
Unforgettable Footnotes:
Below are landmark sales where the price level (denoted by X characters) was released but not the exact price paid. This will allow us to note significant sales that are among the Year-To-Date leaders but cannot be ranked numerically due  to a confidentiality agreement that kept the exact price private. Date shown indicates when the sale was first reported in Domain Name Journal. High - Mid - Low indicates the range within the price category shown by multiple X's.
Juegos.com (June 29, 2004) High $XXX,XXX Pvt Sale
Woman.com (Feb. 10, 2004) Low $XXX,XXX Sedo
CellularPhones.com (May 11, 2004) Low $XXX,XXX Pvt Sale
Spanish.com (Sept. 8, 2004) Low $XXX,XXX Pvt Sale
DigitalPhotography.com (Dec. 14, 2004) Low $XXX,XXX Pvt Sale
IS.com (May 4, 2004)  (No range) $XXX,XXX Pvt Sale
B�cher.de (Mar. 16, 2004)
{"books" in German)
High $XX,XXX Sedo


New TLD Section

.Info has made some of it's strongest inroads in Germany so it is little surprise that a domain like Deutsche.info ("German" in German) would turn up at the top of our weekly New TLD chart. That domain went for $2,000 in a private transaction. It was one of four .infos on our new list. .US and .Biz took two positions each. 

The #2 slot went to E2E.us which changed hands for $963 at Sedo. That venue also accounted for the 3rd and 4th place finishers; Filz.info ("felt" in German) at $731 and Lady.biz at $600. The seller of Lady.biz told us he has also sold MPM.biz for $1,350 at Sedo but the domain has not yet been transferred to the buyer. Even better he said he has a two-word .biz in escrow at $5,350 but unfortunately we'll never know what that one is as the buyer has asked that the domain remain confidential. The seller is a well-known new extension buyer/seller who has always been true to his word in our dealings with him. 

 Here is a look at the complete new extension hit list for the week ending Dec. 12:

Domain Name Journal's New TLD Great 8 
  Reported .info, .biz & .us Domain Sales  Dec. 6, 2004 - Dec. 12, 2004
Euro to Dollar Conversion (� to $) is Based on Rates in Effect Tue. Dec. 14

  Domain

Sold For

Where Sold
1. Deutsche.info     $2,000 Pvt Sale
2. E2E.us   �500 = $963 Sedo
3.  Filz.info
("felt" in German)
    �550 = $731 Sedo
4. Lady.biz      $600 Sedo
5.
(tie)
Travelopia.biz          $532 Pvt Sale
5.
(tie)
Travelopia.info    $532  Pvt Sale
5.
(tie)
Travelopia.us         $532 Pvt Sale
8. FishingTackle.info  �300 = $399 Sedo

We had mentioned earlier in this column that Anastassios Tsiligiannis had sold Travelopia to one buyer in six different extensions. Three of those tied for the 5th position on our new list. FishingTackle.info anchored the chart after going for $399 at Sedo. Sedo also sold TheTimeIsNow.us for �298 ($396) and Texture.biz for $350. Meanwhile bidders continue to stock up on .info domains in auctions at SnapNames. Among the sales there this week were Edwin.info at $291 and Jaguars.info at $263.

Our Year-To-Date New TLD chart remains unchanged this week as no one cracked the $4,000 entry level. Here are 2004's three dozen best new extension sales reported through Dec. 5: 

Domain Name Journal's Year-To-Date New TLD Top 36 
Highest Reported 2004 .info, .biz & .us Domain Sales through Dec. 12 
Euro to Dollar Conversion (� to $) 
Based on Rates in Effect When Sales Were Originally Reported by DNJ

 - Domains entering the chart this week are highlighted in green -

  Domain

Sold For

Where Sold
1.  NewYork.info   �22,000 = $28,086 Sedo
2. Casino.info �17,500 = $20,899 Sedo
3.  HMS.info �9,280 = $10,492 Sedo
4.
tie
Tampa.info $10,000 Pvt Transaction

4.
tie

Moscow.info $10,000 Sedo
6. SolarStrom.info
("solar energy" in German)
 �8,000 = $9,802 Sedo
7.
tie
Gay.biz   $9,500 Sedo
7.
tie
Vitamins.info $9,500 Afternic
9. RioDeJaneiro.info $9,000 Pvt Sale
10. Stocks.us $8,062 Sedo
11. Erickson.info   $7,500 Moniker/
DomainSystems
12.  Party.info   �6,000 = $7,166 Sedo
13. Book.biz $7,000 Galcomm
14. BDSM.info �5,500 = $6,947 Sedo
15. Reifen.biz
"tires" in German
 �5,500 = $6,894 Sedo
16. Vancouver.info �5,000 = $6,378 Sedo
17. Party.us $6,000 Pvt Sale
18. NYC.biz    $6,000 Pvt Sale
19. Beach.info     �5,000 = $5,972 Sedo
20.
tie
Finanzen.info
("Finances" in German)
�4,900 = $5,888 Sedo
20. 
tie
Steuer.info
("Tax" in German)
  �4,900 = $5,888 Sedo
22. InvestmentFonds.info
("investment funds" in German)
  �4,750 = $5,673 Sedo
23. Vacations.info $5,500 Pvt Sale
24.
tie
Woman.info $5,000 Sedo
24.
tie
Michigan.info     $5,000 Pvt Sale
24.
tie
Minnesota.info  $5,000 Pvt Sale
27. Erotica.info �4,000 = $4,913 Sedo
28. KFZ.info  �4,000 = $4,873 Sedo
29. CityGuide.info 4,000 = $4,773 Sedo
30. Discount.info    �3,250 = $4,319 Sedo
31.
tie
Meningite.biz
("Meningitis in French & Italian)
$4,250 Sedo
31.
tie
Meningite.info
("Meningitis in French & Italian)
$4,250 Sedo
33.  Grafik.info   �3,500 = $4,249 Sedo
34.
(tie)
Houston.info $4,000 Pvt Sale
34.
(tie)
Washington.info $4,000 Pvt Sale
34.
(tie)
ETC.info   $4,000 Pvt Sale
Unforgettable Footnotes:
Below are key sales where the price level (denoted by X characters) was released but not the exact price paid. This will allow us to note significant sales that are among the Year-To-Date leaders but cannot be ranked numerically due  to a confidentiality agreement that kept the exact price private. Date shown indicates when the sale was first reported in Domain Name Journal
Fashion.us (May 25, 2004)  $XX,XXX Private Sale

As always, we welcome all verifiable sales reports from companies, private sellers or individuals with knowledge of an important sale made through any channel. To contribute information and help make this column better,  just drop a note to [email protected].

We truly appreciate the industry leading companies represented on our charts who share their sales information with us to help everyone in the business get a handle on current domain values. Individuals like Richard Meyer of the American Marketing Corporation also provide invaluable help by sending us data for these sales reports each week.

Every Tuesday we publish the highest reported domain name sales for the previous week. On Monday our contributors send us their sales data for the previous 7 days. We then compile that information and write this report for Tuesday publication to give you the freshest sales report in the industry. 

We will close with this standard caution. These are not average selling prices - these are top selling domains. One of the biggest impediments to making sales is pricing domains at unrealistic levels. For most of us, pricing domains at the levels achieved on the Top Ten chart will leave us waiting a long time to make a sale! We hope you will use the information presented here as a measuring stick that will help you price your domains at levels that will put more money in your pocket more often!

Editor's Note: If you wish to review previous Domain Sales columns, they are available in our Archive.

 


 


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