"What's in a name? That which we call a rose by
any other name would smell as sweet." Shakespeare's one of the most
noted dialogue from Romeo and Juliet appeals some universal truth; but
it seems not prevailing when it comes to domain name games. You will
know why it’s so if you get to know the whopping money which had been
spent to get the happening domain names. A few weeks ago, Investing.com
was sold for a whopping $2.45 million. But that's not even close to the
highest price someone's paid for a domain name. Not surprisingly, sex
and gambling-related domains were the biggest money makers. Here are the
25 most expensive domain names of all time as compiled by Business
Insider in collaboration with DN Journal.
#1 Sex.comSold for: $13 million
Year sold: 2010
It’s a adult content site. Sex.com entered the Guinness Book of World Records for the highest domain-only sale in history. Escom LLC sold it to Clover Holdings Ltd.
#2 Fund.comSold for: $9,999,950
Year sold: 2008
Fund.com Inc. is a publicly traded Internet company operating in the financial services, product development, licensing and publishing sectors, based in New York City. The company serves the needs of financial institutions, investors and the general consumer seeking information regarding investment fund options, including hedge funds, mutual funds, exchange-traded fund (ETFs), index funds, and others.
Clek Media brokered a deal that few people believed were real: Fund.com was purchased in an all-cash deal in 2008.
#3 Porn.comSold for: $9,500,000
Year sold: 2007
It is an adult content site, at the time of its sale, Porn.com was the biggest, all-cash transaction for a domain name ever and the second largest domain sale behind Sex.com's $12 million exit. Moniker helped sell the domain to MXN Limited.
#4 Diamond.comSold for: $7,500,000
Year sold: 2006
The site provides helpful information about jewelry, where you can learn about diamonds, precious metals, selecting a jewelry gift, or choosing a diamond engagement ring.
Odimo.com handed over the domain to an online jewelry retailer, Ice.com in a private sale for one of the priciest domain name swaps of all time.
#5 Slots.comSold for: $5,500,000
Year sold: 2010
At Slots.com you can play slots, the site also offers best slot machines, online slots games, slot reviews and other great casino games.
As TechCrunch pointed out at the time of the sale, that's more than $1 million per character.
#6 Toys.comSold for: $5,100,000
Year sold: 2009
It’s online toy shopping sites which offers wide range of toys and good offers.
ToysRUs paid just over $5 million to have the powerful domain name, just months before Candy.com was acquired for $3 million.
#7 Clothes.comSold for: $4,900,000
Year sold: 2008
It’s an online shopping site for apparels, accessories, beauty products, shoes and many more.
Zappos coughed up almost $5 million for the domain, Clothes.com. Now both are owned by Amazon.
#8 Vodka.comSold for: $3,000,000
Year sold: 2006
The site says that it’s an online destination for all things vodka, where you can register to become a part of the first vodka community on the web. After becoming the member, you can get everything from the history of vodka to the latest trends in cocktails, entertaining, and drinking and dining out.
A billionaire in Russia who founded the country's largest vodka maker purchased Vodka.com for $3 million in December 2006.
The other domain name in tie with is:
#9 Candy.comSold for: $3,000,000
Year sold: 2009
The site is an online candy shop that offers candy by brand, nostalgic candy or chocolate candy bars, and others at the best prices, widest selection and fastest shipping.
G&J Holdings purchased Candy.com for a sweet $3 million in 2009. Toys.com outdid that earlier in the year though, when it was bought by ToysRUs for $5.1 million.
#10 Shopping.deSold for: €1,960,000
Year sold: 2008
Unister GmbH purchased the domain to go along with its portfolio of other destination sites, including Auto.de, News.de and Kredit.de.
#11 CreditCards.comSold for: $2,750,000
Year sold: 2004
CreditCards.com is a free online resource where consumers can compare hundreds of credit card offers by category, including low interest credit cards, credit cards with rewards programs, airline credit cards, cash back credit cards, small business credit cards, student credit cards, instant approval credit cards as well as prepaid debit cards.
ClickSuccess L.P, a firm that sells financial tools and products online, purchased CreditCards.com in 2004. It was the biggest domain-only sale in years. Casino.com was part of a massive $5.5 million deal in 2003, but its sale included a number of other assets.
#12 Social.comSold for: $2,600,000
Year Sold: 2011
Moniker brokered a deal to sell social.com for $2.6 million in July, 2011.
#13 Investing.com Sold for $2,450,000
Year sold: 2012
Investing.com, as the site says is a definitive source for tools and information relating to the financial markets such as real-time quotes and streaming charts, up-to-date financial news, technical analysis, brokers directory & listings, an economic calendar, and tools & calculators.
Forexpros.com bought Investing.com earlier this month for $2.45 million. It was the largest domain sale of the year.
#14 Computer.comSold for: $2,100,000
Year sold: 2007
Computer.com connects the users to the services related to computers like PCs, computer bags, computer Careers, computer Degrees and many other computer stuff.
In October 2007, Computer.com cleaned up at the T.R.A.F.F.I.C. / Moniker domain name auction. WallStreet.com was almost sold for $3 million there, but it didn't "meet the set reserve prices," according to DomainRich.
#15 Seniors.comSold for: $1,800,000
Year sold: 2007
Seniors.com helps mature singles create and build meaningful relationships online.
It was a big 2007 for a man named Page Howe. He sold two domains that year for 7-figures each. He sold Guy.com for $1 million, and Seniors.com for $1.8 million.
#16 Fly.comSold for: $1,760,000
Year sold: 2009
Fly.com is an airfare search engine that makes looking for airfares both quick and easy. The site is not a booking engine but only helps you decide which flights are right for you, and show you where to book. When you find the right flight simply click on the “select” link to be taken directly to the supplier’s Web site.
Fly.com was launched by Travelzoo to help people find the best airfares. Travelzoo has been publishing the best travel deals for millions of subscribers for over 10 years. Travelzoo spent big bucks on Fly.com in January 2009.In the summer of 2008 and launched its U.S. site in February 2009, U.K. site in August 2009 and German site in July 2010.
#17 Dating.comSold for: $1,750,000
Year sold: 2010
As dating.com says in its website, it is a place for meeting top-rated escorts and clients. The site also states that it is run by a bunch of open-minded people who believe in privacy, friendliness and the right for consenting adults to do what they want.
Dating.com was acquired at the at DOMAINFest auction in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida in May 2012. The next highest domain name to go at that auction was Boardgames.com, for $450,000.
#18 Auction.comSold for: $1,700,000
Year sold: 2009
Auction.com is an online real estate marketplace that deals with selling residential, commercial, luxury homes, multi-family and hospitality properties, land, as well as performing and non-performing notes and loan pools.
Auction.com was rumored to be selling for even more money -- $2.5 million. But it came in at $1.7 million, and was purchased by Real Estate Disposition Corp.
#19 DataRecovery.com Sold for: $1,659,000
Year sold: 2008
ESS Data Recovery was formed in 1997 and incorporated in 1999. Minnesota's Associated Computers, Inc sold the domain Datarecovery.com to ESS Data Recovery on February 1, 2008. In 2010 ESS changed the domain name to Datarecovery.com, Inc. to better distinguish themselves in the industry.
It is one of the first data recovery companies in the world, that have developed technology used in every major recovery laboratory and has consistently researched and implemented new data recovery methods and techniques.
Datarecovery.com has the capacity to handle large RAID arrays, data tapes, flash media, and any brand of desktop or laptop hard drive. Major clients have included NASA, Sprint, Lockheed Martin, and Microsoft.
#20 Ticket.comSold for: $1,525,000
Year sold: 2009
This website is a STAR approved ticket retailer site that offers wide range of theatre, west end, musicals, concerts, festival and sports tickets and sometimes with exciting offers.
Ticket.com raked in a lot of cash for Afternic.com when it was sold off in October, 2009. BuyDomains brokered the transaction.
#21 Tandberg.com Sold for: $1,500,000
Year sold: 2007
"Tandberg Data, a leading global supplier and manufacturer of backup and archiving solutions, decided to take the cash offer for Tandberg.com from Tandberg, a leading global provider of visual communication products and services with dual headquarters in New York and Norway," The DN Journal wrote at the time of the sale. The deal was done in December 2006 but wasn't made public until early 2007.
#22 Russia.com Sold for: $1,500,000
Year sold: 2009
Sedo.com brokered the deal back in 2009. Paley Media, based in Seattle, sold the pricey domain off.
#23 Cameras.com Sold for: $1,500,000
Year sold: 2006
The cameras.com is a site to buy cameras, camera accessories, camera batteries and many other related services related to cameras.
"Cameras.com attracted the highest bid in the live domain auction conducted by Moniker.com at the recently concluded T.R.A.F.F.I.C. East Conference in Hollywood, Florida," The DN Journal wrote in 2006. "The winning bidder, Sig Solares (the CEO of Parked.com), wasted no time ponying up the $1,500,000 due, making that domain the first from the live auction that we have seen change hands."
BONUS: Business.comSold for: $7.5 million
Year sold: 1999
Business.com, as the site says, it is the premier online destination for businesses of all sizes to research, find, and compare the products and services they need to run their businesses. It offers how-to guides, price comparison tools, expansive library of white papers, and leading online B2B directory. Business.com's "Purchasing Engine" assists purchasers at all stages of the buying process, whether they are just starting their research or ready to make a purchase.
BONUS: Hotels.com
Sold for: $11,000,000
Year sold: 2001
As the site says, hotels.com is a hotel accommodation provider and operates worldwide. It offers booking services through its own network of localized websites and telephone call centers.
0 comments:
Post a Comment