Amazon wins another new top level domain, but it was out shadowed by more expensive auctions.
The latest round of new top level domain name “auctions of last resort” at ICANN took place today.
Three auctions for the rights to run top level domain names closed for prices ranging from $2.2 million to $5.6 million:
Amazon.com won .spot for $2,200,000, beating applicants Google and Dotspot, LLC.
Fegistry won .realty for $5,588,888, beating Donuts. Fegistry is Jay Westerdal’s company. I’m surprised the two companies didn’t settle this privately. Both companies are in Seattle and I saw a photo of Donuts CEO Paul Stahura hanging out at Westerdal’s house this summer. I assume Westerdal was the hold out that didn’t want a private auction since Donuts has participated in many.
Donuts won .Salon for $5,100,575, beating L’Oreal, DaySmart Software (software for spas and salons) and Aesthetics Practitioners Advisory Network (Australian trade group for aesthetic and beauty industry)
In last month’s auction, the top sale was .tech for $6,760,000. Amazon bought .buy in that auction for $4,588,888.
todd says
I would have never thought that .realty and .salon would sell for almost the same amount of money.
aus says
realty is pretty limited really – not all countries use the term “realty” – I think “property” is x10 better.
DNPric.es says
Very right indeed.
Phil Buckingham says
ICANN now is sitting on $27.8 million from 6 auctions with another 150 ( better ones ) to go. So $1Billion profit Not bad for a Californian not for profit.
Do you notice that all the winners are portfolio players . So when is ICANN going to repay that money to the losers equally on the second highest bid – as per a private auction – to the applicants who cant compete on bid price. Beyond a joke now.
Andrew Allemann says
Anyone who read the guidebook before applying would have realized that most of these strings would go to the highest bidder.
Domenclature.com says
It’s stunning that .Realty string is allowed, whereas a certain real estate company has been hounding investors out of their ‘examplerealty.com’ domain names! If the trademark belonged to them, how come an entire extension can exist in highest bidder’s hands?
DNPric.es says
Thinking about running another league for new TLD auctions. Would love to here more about those upcoming auctions.
Andrew Allemann says
My guess is most of these continue to get settled privately, meaning you won’t “officially” know how much they sold for.
DNPric.es says
The truth is, a domain name is a domain name. Looks like some new TLDs are still cheaper than some premium .coms.
Ian says
There are many new gTLDs that I don’t get. .spot is definitely one of them.
Dante says
Amazon has more money than brains. The gtlds are a spectacular waste of money