What’s in a name… domain name, to be exact? People like us who use the internet on a daily basis might think it’s just a matter of typing our favorite website in the browser’s address bar. Truth is: some of the more prominent, familiar-sounding URLs we know in the market today are cloaked in gold. An eight-letter word can be valued at millions of dollars depending on the need and demand of interested buyers. Consider as lucky those brilliant fellas who were the first to snap up the names before anyone did during the much-vaunted dot com boom.
The rule of thumb for domains is simple: the shorter and easier to remember the names, the better (and more valuable!). Below, we list down the top 10 most expensive domain names recorded in history. domain
10. Fb.com – $8.5 million (2010) Fb.com was owned by the American Farm Bureau Federation until it was acquired by the social networking giant at a handsome price of $8.5 million in 2010. The reason is obvious. Today, fb.com redirects to facebook.com.
9. Porn.com – 9.5 million (2007) Porn is a multi-million dollar industry and ranks high in internet searches.It’s just understandable that a company would pay a high price to have exclusive rights and control to this domain name. The sale of porn.com to MXN Limited for more than $9.5 million in 2007 is said to be the ‘largest all-cash domain transaction in history.’
8. Fund.com – $9.9 million (2008) It’s surprising that an entity paid a whopping amount to buy this domain name considering that no content, not even an ounce of advertising, can be found here at the moment. This just goes to show that when it comes to domain names, some people have the money to burn.
7. Hotels.com – $11 million (2001) In 2001, paying $11 million for a domain name was already considered steep. Looking back, hotels.com president David Roche considers it a bargain. It just goes to show that buying top-level domains pay off huge dividends. Today, hotels.com is one of the major online booking sites on the internet, specializing in lodgings and accommodations for all types of travellers across the globe.
6. Sex.com – $13 million (2010) There’s something about sex, especially if it’s only three letters that cost a lot. Records show this domain name has been existing since the 90s and has been caught in nasty legal battles for ownership. Clover Holdings was able to acquire the name at an auction in 2010, but the price of $13 million it paid was only a little more than the $11.5 million that the bankrupt owner, Escom LLC, paid for it in 2006.
5. Insure.com – $16 million (2009) Money always has a ring to it and it is understandable that a site dealing with comprehensive insurance would command a premium price. Insure.com’s former owner has changed its name to Life Quotes after being bought by California-based online marketing company Quin Street.
4. Internet.com – $18 million (2009) Another Quin Street acquisition is internet.com which it bought from WebMediaBrands for $18 million in cold cash. It is now an ad-free site for the tech trade focusing on ‘technology news, product reviews, and technical advice for IT professionals.’
3. Privatejet.com – $30.1 million (2012) Privatejet.com was acquired by Atlanta-based Nations Luxury Transportation, LLC from Don’t Look Media Group. One might say the purchase price of $30.1 million is staggering but it’s just in keeping with the ultra-high net worth clients that the website seeks to attract. Privatejet.com is being marketed as a major online medium for jet charter travel and its landing page currently sells flights starting at $1980 per hour.
2. Vacationrentals.com – $35 million (2007) Vacation Rentals was an active website until Texas-based company HomeAway bought it for a cool $35 million, just to keep it off the hands of its nearest competitor Expedia. Today, the site remains a marketplace for all sorts of vacation deals, not only in the US but all over the globe. So “whether you’re looking for pet-friendly accommodations, panoramic ocean views, a private pool or direct beach access….,” the site is the place to go.
1. Insurance.com – $35.6 million (2010) This high-value domain name was bought by Quin Street, the same owner behind insure.com and internet.com. Insurance.com is a car insurance comparison-shopping site although it also offers its services for life, home, health and motorcycle insurance, aggregating insurance quotes from the leading companies. Quin Street was certainly looking at the long-term when it made the $35.6 million purchase.
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