Valuate.com’s solid user interface gives quick access to domain data.
It’s been a couple weeks since Cybertonic, the same company behind Domaining.com, launched Valuate.com in beta. Valuate uses Estibot 2.0 in the background to create domain appraisals.
Now, I’m not usually a fan of automated appraisals. I think I’ll hit the next person who tells me a domain sold below market value “because Estibot says it’s worth x”. But there’s something to be said for the underlying stats used in automated appraisals. The way Valuate.com pulls them together in a simple interface makes it a valuable tool.
There are three ways to get a valuation on Valuate.com. One is to cut-and-paste your list of domains into the input box at Valuate.com. Another, which could be very useful, is a Google Gadget that lets you just click a button when you’re visiting a domain to get the valuation. And finally, you can just type valuate.com/domain.com to get an appraisal. (This is how I usually visit DomainTools.com.)
After entering your domain(s), Valuate.com quickly offers a valuation of the domains. But beyond the valuation, you get one click access to Google Trends for the domain’s terms, DomainTools.com, Archive.org, Adwords preview, and more. You also get data on traffic rank, Adwords competition, and cost per click.
Valuate.com doesn’t change my opinion about automated appraisals. But it’s one of the first systems I’ve seen with a simple, clean interface that gives quick access to the real value in such tools — the underlying data.
John says
I’ve used both Valuate and estibot to gauge domain appraisal, and have found huge differences in appraisals between both for the same domain, does valuate not use the same platform (estibot 2.0) as estibot?.
Francois says
Thanks Andrew for have kindly shared your opinions about our new valuation service.
…
John, we don’t use the current version of Estibot but the next one (supposed much more powerfull and accurate) still in beta.
jorge says
Wow. That’s a nifty user interface.
Riq says
I’m not sure why some folks are so impressed already; my own first impression is not good at all. Let me explain why? Lets just one major domain category (Geo domains) and the same TLD (.info) and see the results; here’s what I got:
Tucson.info $4600
Flagstaff.info $2500
Tempe.info $3900
NewOrleans.info $1600
SaltLakeCity.info <$50
You decide..!!
Andrew Allemann says
Riq – first of all, by showing the values of these domains, you clearly didn’t read the post. I don’t believe in the values these auto appraisal systems put out for the most part; it’s the underlying data.
Second, I get $1500 for SaltLakeCity.info. Ini this particular case, I’d say the results aren’t that far off.
Riq says
Andrew, I would have completely agreed with you keeping my mouth shut if your response was just the first paragraph, however, saying that “results aren’t that far off” when the system shows values of Tempe and Tucson more than double that of major cities like New Orleans & Salt Lake City…Cummon.
Andrew Allemann says
Riq – point taken.
I suspect the reason here is that New Orleans and Salt Lake City are more than one word, which somehow gets taken into the equation.
Riq says
Andrew, I think you’re absolutely correct; I’ve noticed myself that these automated tools tend to allocate too much of a premium to single (versus two or three) word domains.
Robert Haastrup-Timmi says
Andrew, thanks for bringing the new valuate interface to our attention. Here is what i’ve observed and have suspected to some degree…check this out:
housinginsurance.com – $5700
housinginsurance.co.uk – $8300
Why does the .co.uk hold more value? I’m wondering Andrew if this is because there is more adwords bidding intensity in the UK on .co.uk terms. What do you think Andrew?
Essentially, valuate has given alot of my .co.uk domains very impressive valuations. e.g incentiveprograms.co.uk is coming up $27,000 only $1000 less than incentiveprograms.com.
Even though auto appraisals are way off, I have to say the interface metrics on valuate.com is very impressive and should help boost sales once more end user buyers start checking this out! As for .co.uk domains, I believe good .co.uk domains may be construed as gems!
Nebraska says
If and when valuation companies start backing their estimates up with an offer to buy the domain – even at a steep discount – I think then we could take them seriously. Who knows, maybe they would create the market that Bido has been trying to do.
Heck, for many of my domains I would sell for 10% of the auto-valuation. Personally, I think they value domains on the high side so that domainers will talk about their services. Would we really be interested in a service that assigned values that were closer to Bido sales?
Robert Haastrup-Timmi says
Nebraska, Interesting point you make! here is what I think should happen an is probably the missing piece:
1. The big domain registrar’s and influential domainers should convene to create a benchmark standard i.e “Domain Book Value”
2. Base book value on a “backed” metric model that is mostly transparent to everyone and stable like gold i.e google “keyword” results.
3. Start with a dollar parity of $1.00 multiplied by google keyword results, divided by 1000, to achieve domain book value.
E.g: CarInsurance.com currently shows 97,400,000 X $1.00/1000 = $97,400 domain book value.
Now that domain name can be traded anywhere e.g auction, listings, or private sales at a discount or premium to it’s “theoretical” book value. If it sells at say $974,000, which is above book value, then it is trading at a multiple of 10x domain book value, if it trades less than $97,400, then it simply sold at a discount to it’s domain book value.
This is how CPM’s are generally derived in any form of advertising e.g print, internet and tv. It can certainly work for domain names and would help create & ferment more credibility for the domain industry that desperately needs the end user buyer to acquire domains as “ASSETS”. I’d like to know anyone’s thoughts and response to my suggestion here.
The mathematical formulae can easily be plugged into any appraisal site such as estibot or valuate and then promoted on websites such as sedo, godaddy, buy domains etc…
jorge says
@Robert I like your idea, but people would argue endlessly about the formula.
BTW: DomainBookValue.com is for sale.
Robert Haastrup-Timmi says
Jorge, you are right that folks would argue endlessly about the formula, however if we take a step back and look at this closely, it makes perfect sense. IMHO, it is probably the most transparent metric to utilize. Google results, provides the benchmark that anyone can easily relate to. The domain industry must set the standard, just like oil cartels set benchmark oil prices. Infact, every asset e.g oil, currencies, stocks etc all have benchmarks and they all trade at a premium or at a discount potentially to ZERO! I believe once this sort of benchmark is set, buyers from all walks of life can make sense and base intelligent buying decisions on domain assets going forward. Plus, the metric will provide excellent arbitrage opportunities as well, as google keyword results fluctuate on a daily basis. Think prudently about the market psychology of what i’m suggesting. Everyone wins!