Joseph Peterson analyzes the past week of expired domain name sales.
Once again, China tops these charts – but not in the customary way. Rather than numerical domains, 4-letter “CHIPs”, or even Chinese Pinyin, we’re looking at an English domain about China: ChinaTech.com.
The auction outcome itself ($4.7k) isn’t at all unusual, since domains that can serve as upgrades for multiple existing websites often fetch high prices. And that’s the case, based on brands like these:
- China-Tech.com
- ChinaTech.com.tw
- ChinaTechNews.com
- AllChinaTech.com
- ChinaTech.com.vn
- ChinaTechSourcing.co.uk
- etc.
Yes, we see sales like this every week. But something unusual has happened. Normally when an English domain is purchased for resale as a brand upgrade, who is the buyer? Some reseller outside China. Someone oriented to end users in the West. Someone who buys specific domains for targeted flips.
During the 2015 surge, Chinese buyers didn’t behave this way. Mainly they purchased interchangeable domains as specimens of some large category – as if buying shares of stock or gold bullion. Not only was the domain type different; so was the goal. Chinese domainers were banking on continued appreciation, aiming to trade amongst fellow traders.
But buying keyword-based English brandables? Studying small business niches? Estimating end-user appeal? Few Chinese domainers have done that. After all, why should they bother while wholesale prices on liquid categories were doubling week to week? Now, however, ChinaTech.com has changed hands, traveling from New York to Beijing. In my view, that’s symbolic of the mature Chinese domain market yet to come – outward-facing rather than insular, with a focus on multilingual communication, and calibrated against the real needs of end users.
| Domain | End $ | At | Domain | End $ | At |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ChinaTech.com | 4712 | NJ | HangLian.com | 4710 | NJ |
| Cheeze.com | 4555 | SN | BEGS.com | 3900 | NJ |
| TechLabs.com | 3633 | NJ | MultiMax.com | 3601 | NJ |
| NPost.com | 3200 | NJ | LaHong.com | 2910 | SN |
| QHCF.com | 2910 | NJ | ShopGreen.com | 2655 | NJ |
| DiamondBox.com | 2600 | NJ | ALXNet.com | 2351 | NJ |
| FHTQ.com | 2119 | NJ | BarTV.com | 2002 | SN |
The 2nd-highest sale is, of course, Pinyin. HangLian.com ($4.7k) seems to be a personal name. Meanwhile, LaHong.com ($2.9k) is the name of an Austrian fashion designer of Vietnamese ancestry; but, as the buyer is Chinese, this domain may also hold some Chinese meaning.
At $2.9k, QHCF.com sold 50% above the current floor price for “CHIPs”. A $2119 sale preserved that emotionally important first digit: “2”. But KPNJ.com ($1871) and YWSR.com ($1858) clearly show the category’s dwindling strength. Not shocking. CHIPs started their marathon at a sprinter’s pace. You can cross your fingers for a 2nd wind; but even if it comes, it won’t be like that early burst of exuberance. Three months back, some of us suggested this overeager runner would be in for trouble.
| Domain | End $ | At | Domain | End $ | At |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mending.com | 1908 | NJ | VOYR.com | 1890 | SN |
| KPNJ.com | 1871 | SN | YWSR.com | 1858 | SN |
| BET80.com | 1850 | SN | OutlawDesignBlog.com | 1850 | SN |
| GoldRates.com | 1800 | NJ | SourceOECD.org | 1725 | NJ |
| 866886.com | 1710 | NJ | WashingtonAccord.org | 1650 | SN |
| CashKings.com | 1600 | NJ | Laini.com | 1550 | SN |
| Dulingo.com | 1500 | SN | 7707.net | 1335 | SN |
| ATree.com | 1334 | SN | Bazuca.com | 1235 | NJ |
| Goons.com | 1210 | NJ | DermCare.com | 1160 | NJ |
| WY88.com | 1110 | SN | HIFY.org | 1100 | NJ |
| Douches.com | 1014 | NJ | AgriPort.com | 1000 | NJ |
| HostServers.com | 1000 | NJ | EarthSummit2012.org | 1000 | SN |
Most search results for “Bet 80” deal with a New Hampshire income tax form. But to the new Chinese owner, this may mean gambling – significantly, using the English loan word “bet”, followed by lucky numbers. That’s just a guess. But you may recall seeing many numerical domains with an “HG” prefix. Those were tied to gambling; so it’s possible “bet” functions in a similar way.
As a woman’s first name in English, Laini.com ($1.6k) is fairly uncommon; so, with a Chinese buyer, I assume some other meaning is at work. DuLingo.com ($1.5k) looks like a typo for the language-learning site DuoLingo.com. Bazuca.com ($1.2k) is must-know Spanish for anybody purchasing anti-tank weaponry while on vacation in Colombia. A word to memorize along with “baño” …
Often a bone of contention at academic conferences is the question of lingua franca – whether talks are to be given in French, French + English, or just English. (Old rivalries know no expiration date!) So depending on your viewpoint, it’s either the OCDE or the OECD, either “L’Organisation de Coopération et de Développement Économiques” or else the “Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development”, that promises to unify us! Their failure to unify even themselves under a single name or domain is an irony that apparently escapes them – as SourceOECD.org ($1.7k) escaped them. Currently SourceOCDE.org (the French version) does belong to them, although it forwards to OECD-iLibrary.org (in English). At least both languages can agree on “source”, a word they share across the English Channel.
| Domain | End $ | At | Domain | End $ | At |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FSTC.org | 930 | NJ | Spasms.com | 910 | NJ |
| SEMIsland.com | 879 | SN | PlayStars.com | 876 | SN |
| 3331888.com | 831 | SN | PhaiDep 247.com |
807 | SN |
| Aspia.com | 783 | NJ | MotorTax.com | 780 | NJ |
| HuiShouJia.com | 755 | SN | Qualifa.com | 750 | SN |
| RenExpo- Budapest.com |
750 | SN | NBPTWeb.net | 730 | SN |
| RXAmerica.com | 730 | NJ | SharedValue.com | 727 | SN |
| Ricoo.com | 727 | SN | Europe Dating.com |
710 | NJ |
| GrandFinal.com | 681 | SN | CACHH.org | 673 | NJ |
| MURJ.com | 656 | SN | ArchTek.com | 633 | NJ |
| 881266.com | 630 | NJ | TSEA.com | 630 | NJ |
| SNNV.com | 625 | SN | Idiota.com | 621 | NJ |
| DNA Technology.com |
610 | NJ | TheRooms.com | 604 | SN |
| YDW.org | 600 | NJ | 998816.com | 595 | NJ |
| Selax.com | 591 | NJ | FilterBox.com | 579 | NJ |
| EarBuddy.com | 578 | NJ | CDN Architect.com |
560 | NJ |
| EEKS.com | 552 | NJ | SeeThe Interview.com |
533 | NJ |
| 882336.com | 531 | NJ | 991918.com | 526 | SN |
| TSHO.com | 525 | SN | Impact Technology.com |
520 | NJ |
| 1Billion Hungry.org |
519 | SN | WWDE.com | 515 | NJ |
| Alace.org | 510 | NJ | ITGW.com | 510 | NJ |
| BVMI.com | 510 | NJ | 826Seattle.org | 508 | NJ |
| EquineWeb.com | 501 | SN | 967718.com | 500 | SN |
It’s interesting to see another “tech” domain, TechLabs.com ($3.6k), among the top expiry results. Farther down the charts, a pair of “technology” domains also make an appearance: DNATechnology.com ($610), which is descriptive, and ImpactTechnology.com ($520), a non-descriptive “brandable”. Also, let’s not forget ArchTek.com ($633).
Speaking of technology, CDNArchitect.com ($560) is a job related to servers – specifically, content delivery networks (CDNs), which are “globally distributed network[s] of proxy servers deployed in multiple data centers”. We may not understand them, but we rely on them while browsing the internet. Idiota.com ($621) is my nickname south of the border – an honorific, I’m told.
RenExpo is a conference dedicated to renewable energy. It seems to rotate through Europe. So, in addition to RenExpo-Budapest.com ($750), there are active websites at RenExpo-Belgrade.com, RenExpo-BIH.com (Bosnia), RenExpo.de, and so forth.
| Domain | End $ | At | Domain | End $ | At |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 266889.com | 484 | SN | 268686.com | 483 | SN |
| 4Drone.com | 479 | SN | Skinetrin.com | 477 | SN |
| KEKV.com | 475 | SN | Sique.com | 475 | NJ |
| Nashville MusicCity.com |
473 | NJ | AboutHF.org | 460 | NJ |
| HVVI.com | 455 | SN | TheNova.com | 454 | SN |
| DWInfo Center.org |
450 | NJ | ComfyBaby.com | 440 | SN |
| OrganArt.com | 425 | SN | FlexLogic.com | 419 | NJ |
| Dallas Motorcycles.com |
414 | NJ | Growled.com | 411 | NJ |
| WBPE.com | 410 | NJ | TennisCoats.com | 409 | NJ |
| JuCaiShu.com | 409 | SN | UG88.com | 407 | SN |
| SZD.biz | 405 | SN | Manage Domains.com |
405 | NJ |
| Style Lingerie.com |
400 | SN | 8577.biz | 400 | SN |
| 7567.biz | 400 | SN | CarFree DaysOut.com |
394 | SN |
Skinetrin.com ($477) seems to be a pharmaceutical that clears up toenail fungus in Hungary and Poland. “Music City” is the nickname of Nashville, Tennessee, thanks to venues like the Grand Ole Opry and musicians like Chet Atkins:
That explains NashvilleMusicCity.com ($473). No, SiQue.com ($475) isn’t Spanish. Nor is it the correct spelling of comedian Louis C.K.’s last name. Bizarrely, that’d be Szekely (pronounced like his stage name, “C.K”). Si Que seems to be part of the Chinese for “canary” (金丝雀 / jīn sī què).
| Domain | End $ | At | Domain | End $ | At |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 88UO.com | 388 | SN | NNNP.net | 386 | SN |
| 1798.biz | 385 | SN | MindOf TheGeek.com |
379 | SN |
| BeautyFly.com | 379 | SN | RailzMini World.com |
376 | SN |
| 6918.biz | 375 | SN | Nationalist Party.com |
364 | SN |
| AYE Conference.com |
362 | NJ | Theatre Source.org |
361 | NJ |
| PrivateYacht Charter.com |
361 | SN | UIQU.com | 360 | SN |
| Dextel.com | 360 | NJ | JonLucien.com | 359 | NJ |
| 666458.com | 354 | SN | UCWM.com | 353 | NJ |
| RunDesign.com | 352 | SN | MackGroup.com | 352 | SN |
| BigSleep Books.com |
351 | NJ | 1632.biz | 350 | SN |
| 5531.biz | 350 | SN | 9683.biz | 350 | SN |
| YWD.biz | 330 | SN | SoilGroup.com | 329 | SN |
| HonZe.com | 329 | SN | HMall.net | 329 | SN |
| ZYT.biz | 327 | NJ | YRS.biz | 325 | SN |
| 2117.biz | 325 | SN | 9136.biz | 325 | SN |
| MangaSky.com | 319 | SN | 775ME.com | 319 | NJ |
| 9137777.com | 316 | SN | 615156.com | 315 | NJ |
| EuroPie.com | 305 | SN | YouNiDai.com | 304 | SN |
| 9253.biz | 304 | SN | 15YX.com | 301 | SN |
| 2786.biz | 300 | SN | 335266.com | 300 | SN |
| 5836.biz | 300 | SN | Krabby.com | 300 | SN |
| EatLon.com | 300 | SN | 336373.com | 300 | NJ |
Most of you won’t remember the musical career of Jon Lucien. The Virgin-Islands-born singer died in 2007. Here he is singing a slick version of Herbie Hancock’s “Maiden Voyage” … with lyrics added:
Until just recently, JonLucien.com ($359) had commemorated the late singer. But websites are even less permanent than people.
| Domain | End $ | At | Domain | End $ | At |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JS66888.com | 291 | SN | ServisPlus.com | 290 | SN |
| WhyPay FullPrice.com |
290 | NJ | ExtendedEd.com | 280 | SN |
| DotPirate.me | 279 | SN | NaturalPay.com | 279 | NJ |
| System Kamera.com |
276 | SN | 1552.biz | 275 | SN |
| 2936.biz | 275 | SN | 2938.biz | 275 | SN |
| 6975.biz | 275 | SN | 389358.com | 275 | SN |
| 388132.com | 274 | NJ | 875689.com | 270 | NJ |
| 268872.com | 270 | NJ | MusicalEnglish Lessons.org |
269 | SN |
| HarvestRoad.com | 265 | NJ | 388162.com | 264 | NJ |
| 366126.com | 261 | NJ | PropSearch.com | 260 | NJ |
| Chathams.com | 257 | SN | NNFN.net | 255 | SN |
| NordLight.com | 255 | SN | 535133.com | 254 | SN |
| BJNS.net | 251 | SN | NDDB.net | 251 | SN |
| LCXD.net | 251 | SN | 317315.com | 250 | SN |
You know that moment in Hollywood movies where the character is hanging onto the cliff’s edge by the fingernails of one hand? Well, you can just about see LLLL.net “CHIPs” doing that at the $250 brink. A few of them are still clinging to the bottom of the chart – 4 of them, to be exact, between $251 and $254. A triple repeater, NNNP.net, made it all the way up to $386. But I count dozens spread continuously through a $160-$240 range. The median CHIP .NET price at SnapNames last week was $219. Half above that, half below. The decline has lasted over a month; so it seems likely that this character will slip off.
We own BeijingBrands.com and fully expect a worldwide major to buy this name at some point. Very informative post here Joseph-thank you.
Yes this is interesting – I have ChineseCult.com & 888yunqi.com so I just wonder whether it is of any value to the Chinese Market?
Surprised at the low prices of many of these domains, including Dermcare.com, VOYR.com, Goons.com, Goldrates,com and more.
Seems like the only domain sales (at least those made public) that are fetching high prices/sales: still the short LLL & NNN domains, one word generic .com (or brandables), and .com domains wherein the company had been using another extension prior to reaching milestones and making serious revenues.
Joseph, curious to hear your insight into this decline in domain valuations and demand?
@Steve,
I haven’t seen data suggesting a decline in retail domain prices or sell-through rates. And it isn’t my impression that market demand is waning. But I can understand why it might look that way.
A few points:
1. These are all expired domain auctions. Most bidders are domainers. So we’re primarily looking at wholesale prices. $1.2k for DermCare.com would be a bargain for an end user; but, for someone in the middle of the supply chain, a domainer with only a speculative chance at profitable resale, $1.2k is actually a substantial amount of money to tie up.
Far from being on the decline, domainers’ wholesale costs at venues like NameJet have been steadily rising. NameJet hasn’t raised the cost of a backorder. No, domainers are competing more aggressively for the opportunity to flip domains. And that suggests they’re motivated and funded by a healthy retail market, whether their sales get reported or not.
2. During 2015, the Chinese surge was so remarkable (and required so much recruiting) that it dominated discussion. There’s an impression that other domain categories are selling less, but that’s partly because they’ve been less talked about. End users in the USA, Europe, and elsewhere have the same appetite for good domains they had prior to the Chinese surge. But novelty makes more exciting headlines than something fairly stable.
3. Naturally the sales charts will seem diluted by Chinese-style inventory. Keyword domains will occupy less space. But that doesn’t mean that market sector is declining in absolute terms. More sales from China must be included; so, to make room for them, other domains were bumped down in relative terms. Genetics.com ($150k) might have been DNJournal’s top sale. Instead it’s runner up to 417.com ($169k). But it sold at $150k either way.
4. In some sectors, wholesale prices have been depressed. If domainers diverted their funds to buy Chinese-style domains and reinvested their profits in that same asset class, then that’s money that wouldn’t be available to buy something like Genetics.com ($150k) or SouthAmerica.com ($30k). But this doesn’t affect retail value at all. No genetics company considering the purchase of Genetics.com would say, “Nah, let’s go with 419.com instead”. The only cause for complaint would be if you were hoping to sell Erotica.com to a domainer at the height of domainers’ distraction, thanks to China. But for domainers aiming to buy, distractions like that are very welcome. Depressed wholesale prices and neglected market sectors let some of us go on a bargain-priced shopping spree!
5. Category killers and descriptive, niche-specific domains sell slowly. If they didn’t, they’d have been put to use a decade ago. In contrast, the liquid stuff changes hands rapidly. I’ve tracked an LLL that had 5 owners in 2 months! Naturally, domains in these categories will flit across sales charts more frequently. In fact, they’ll be overrepresented because they take up more “transactional space”.
6. It’s true that exact-match, multi-term, keyword domains are not as sought after as they were several years ago, prior to certan Google algoritm updates. This is a real trend, reflected in retail market prices.
7. Most small businesses begin with a hand-registered domain. And those that (wisely) expand their search still mostly confine themselves to a budget of $500 – $2500 or so. That range is where the bulk of sales at Sedo and Afternic occur. If you look at the charts, you’ll see plenty of multi-word English domains. Price-wise, they’re hardly suffering. Sedo reported a mean sale price of $1829 for .COM during 2009. Even before the surge, we were up $1k from there, ranging $2.5k – $4.7k depending on the quarter (Q3 2014 – Q2 2015).
8. Actually looking at DNJournal reports (where the retail market is better represented than here), it’s not all 1-word / LLL / NNN .COM. Web.Hosting came in at $52.5k. And VanHire.co.uk beat $19k.
“There’s an impression that other domain categories are selling less, but that’s partly because they’ve been less talked about.”
Hit the nail on the head, and I will change your statement a bit: “..because of the consistent pump, hype and blatant hysterics over anyone opposing the supremacy of the Chinese market.”
Have had traffic recently on my parked ChinaPatentSearch.com, ChinaWineries.com and ChinaExportClub.com. Perhaps the rest of the world is finally waking up to the fact China is a world power? Just in case, I’m also hanging on to ChinaNetworth.com and ChinaTopStocks.com …
Hi Linda-we own ChinaBrewers.com as well as mentioned above BeijingBrands.com and will hold on to both. Any thoughts on best place to market them? Thank you.
Hi there, I’m a newbie, so can’t help. Eventually, I will auction mine on Sedo. Good luck with yours.
@Joseph
Solid analysis. Thank you