Sex.com is worth a lot, but other domain names might be worth more.
The headlines have been screaming about Sex.com the past 24 hours, saying that the world’s most valuable domain name is for sale.
But is it? Is Sex.com the most valuable domain name (by the domain itself) in the year 2010? Ask me five or ten years ago and I’d say “of course”. But now things have changed.
I’m not an expert on online adult entertainment. Michael Berkens knows quite a bit more about it than me, and he has seen a radical change in online adult sites over the past decade first hand. What he says makes sense to me.
But if Sex.com isn’t the world’s most valuable domain name, what is?
When I think of high dollar categories, I think of:
-Financial products
-Online dating
-Online gambling
Many of these are developed web sites, but I’d consider contenders for the most valuable domains to be CreditCards.com, Mortgage.com, Casino.com, and Poker.com.
Of course, finance has taken a big hit in the recession. But that’s cyclical, whereas the changes in online adult entertainment are a technological shift. Online gambling has also hit legal challenges over the past five years. But I expect that to reverse course going forward.
What do you think? Is Sex.com really the world’s most valuable domain name by itself? If not, what domain is?
Mike Sullivan says
Sex sells, no denying it.
don says
I would have to vote for insurance.com
multiple product lines, millions of cars…
mike says
sex is the biggest. Sorry, don I dont look up insurance once a day, neither does my 14 year old son.
Andrew Allemann says
@ Mike Sullivan – sex may sell, but selling sex online isn’t as easy as it used to be.
John Berryhill says
The assumption that the domain name would be used for pornography is probably correct, but really unfortunate. It would be a great name for an online publication and forum about sex, which is a much more interesting topic than photographs of people engaging in it as a profession. It is a vital dimension of health, about which there is more popular misinformation than not.
Michael Berkens says
Mr. Berryhill
As the owner of SexEducation.com I agree with you.
Andrew Allemann says
Coincidentally , Sex.com tried to get a mainstream advertiser like WebMD.com to try to “legitimize” the site to potentially sell it to a more mainstream company.
Michael Berkens says
Andrew But did they have the content support such an advertiser?
Andrew Allemann says
@ Michael Berkens
– I doubt it. From the documents I saw it looked like a last ditch effort to sell the site.
Jon says
I would definitely include insurance.com, RealEstate.com, cars.com, travel.com into 10 most valuable domains. And I would pick insurance.com if I had to choose one.
And I would make sex.com a dating site. A large percentage of people – both men and women – are not looking for serious long-long relationship any more. Sex is basically what they are looking for, although many are in denial about it. And I am noticing more and more women are now being a lot more upfront that they are mainly interested in sex and little else.
Kevin says
It’s a great domain, but $15 Million? That’s an enormous investment into a single property, especially considering how hard it is to make money in the adult arena these days.
I agree with John. Would be interesting to see it as a mainstream sex discussion forum. I think that’s the best way to structure it if the objective is mainstream advertiser monetization.
But bottom line, for $15 Million, I’d rather acquire 15 one million dollar domains to spread the risk out.
Jamie says
I would say no.
Poker.com
Money.com
RealEstate.com
Loan.com
CreditCards.com
Toys.com
Clothes.com
All rank up there for me. Sex does sell, but another thing to keep in mind is that search engines show little love towards adult related sites as well. Only one part of traffic, but it does hurt the industry some IMO and that includes Sex.com . I also think past development on Sex.com has hurt it, considering it was basically a parked page.
Bryan says
If I had to name 1 name as the most valuable domain alone I’d go with Insurance.com.
Andrew Allemann says
Insurance.com is a good one. You always need it, even in a down economy.
Josh says
I would say no as well, it is a highly search term for sure, maybe vastly more than others…however the others pay better, period. If sex.com paid the same as insurance.com its another story but it doesnt.
domain guy says
i could see offers not coming in up to specifications..and then mike mann taking over the site sex.com and developing it as part of washington vcs.under this sceneary the site would move from speculation and removing the risk into the catagory of developed business. mike has done this before…then mike could obtain the highest potential value for this “tainted” asset.
as credit cards moved from 2.2 million to over 100 million with the public offering.
Brad says
I am not even sure Sex.com would be in my top 20 to be honest
There are far more usable keywords out there to build a profitable business on.
RealEstate.com and Homes.com would be at or near the top of my list and there are countless others I would rather have as well.
Brad
Andrew Allemann says
@ Jay – their site creation and directory software is good, but in the back end they have a nifty sales channel and process.
DR.DOMAIN says
No. Sex had it’s heyday.It’s like a ballplayer who can only DH these days.I immediately looked to see what was on FOOD.COM after reading this.That would be my bet if I had to pick one.There are about 15-20 domains with more upside than SEX.
Jim Holleran says
I would have to say a “gambling” type name would be the most valuable, Poker, Casino, Gambling, Slots, etc.
After that, high ticket item such as RealEstate.com, Homes.com, etc. After that, Travel, Insurance, Stocks, etc.
This may surprise some people who are not familiar with the spanish market but I would put “Juegos” in the top 10 for sure, maybe top 5. Juegos means both Games and Gambling in Spanish. I know Juegos.com only sold for $800,000 years ago but that has 5-10 Million potential sale in it some day. Wish I had the money for it back then.
Thanks, Jim
sohail roshni says
its surely overpriced at 15M.
you could use the same money to fuel a startup and take it big.
but then again, sex sells and so will sex.com.
who knows.
J. Alberto says
Have you ever visited internet.com, online.com, or email.com … we think those names but we never visit them.
GenericGene says
Ask any marketing man in the world does sex sell? this domain says it all, a marketing mans dream name – price? Vegas, Macau where are your check books –