Pregnancy-related domains among past week’s expired domain inventory.
This week, we answer the age-old conundrum, “Which came first – the chicken or the egg?” Sort of. No hens made the charts, and eggs did’t come 1st; but they do rank 2nd, 5th, and 56th. Getting pregnant isn’t always simple. Sometimes EggDonors.com ($5.2k) participate; or, conversely, women may act as Surrogates.com ($7.1k), carrying a child they will not raise and who may not be genetically theirs.
Neither approach is easy; consequently services are expensive. Egg donors are paid roughly $8k, not counting medical and agency fees, while surrogacy totals $98k – $140k. As you’d expect, PPC competition for these search phrases is generally high, with a suggested bid of $8.92 for [egg donors] in Google AdWords. While [surrogates] is less competitive, the U.S. search volume is 5-10 times higher.
Interestingly, DonorEggs.com sold for $787 – just 15% as much as EggDonors.com. Why? The CPC is 86% as high. Search volume 67%. Unlike many backwards search-query phrases, “donor eggs” makes sense. If domain value were based entirely on search stats, we might expect DonorEggs.com to fetch 58% = 86% x 67% as much as EggDonors.com. Instead, it’s off by a factor of 4.5.
Chance may play a role, but most experienced domain investors can sense a real qualitative difference at work. EggDonors.com was perceived as the category killer, whereas DonorEggs.com wasn’t. That alone may affect domain value by a factor of 4.5 at least. Another subtle difference has to do with marketing. Women wishing to donate eggs are unlikely to seek “donor eggs”. Meanwhile, both audiences for these 2-sided market places might search for “egg donors”.
What a bonanza for any end user in this space! If they’d been paying attention, all 3 domains could have been theirs for under $13.1k. And what a waste for the former owner(s). Andrew Allemann saw 1 of these coming, by the way. He’s now recommending upcoming auctions each week – a feature that was once part of this series but which I eagerly set aside. Worth a gander. Yes, ganders can lay golden eggs.
Domain | End $ | At | Domain | End $ | At |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
XingBao.com | 16,001 | SN | Surrogates.com | 7066 | NJ |
Indien.com | 6210 | NJ | UGGSAustralia.com | 5270 | SN |
EggDonors.com | 5200 | NJ | AirportDelays.com | 4600 | NJ |
GFTS.com | 4300 | NJ | BrightWater.com | 3737 | NJ |
川崎.com (xn--8ltrs.com) |
3569 | SN | RealityLapse.com | 2991 | NJ |
TheScience.com | 2766 | NJ | WASCWeb.org | 2719 | NJ |
TERR.com | 2700 | NJ | NSSG.com | 2500 | NJ |
Last week’s top expired domain auction belongs to SnapNames: XingBao.com ($16.0k). In Chinese, xīng biǎo (星表) means “star catalog”. Although we’ve all heard about the Chinese zodiac, this phrase seems to refer to astronomy not astrology. It’s also a first name – and not strictly for humans. Most images belong to the Madrid Zoo’s star panda, Xing Bao.
Purely as a name, my favorite item this time around would be RealityLapse.com ($3.0k), which used to be a popular website for Anime and Manga. Indien.com ($6.2k) means “Indian” in French … and “if”or “in case” in Dutch. TERR.com ($2.7k) suggests ideas as disparate as territory, terrain, and terrorism. So, while it’s terrible to pronounce or hear, it’s visually familiar. GFTS.com ($4.3k) sold far above the going “CHIP” floor price, undoubtedly because of its resemblance to “gifts”. The Hong Kong buyer has an Indian name; so he’d appreciate both the Chinese market and the English reading.
WASCWeb.org ($2.7k) stands for the “Western Association of Schools and Colleges … one of six regional associations that accredit public and private schools, colleges, and universities in the United States”. Stanford gets its “license” to teach from these folks. At some point, they abandoned their old site and are now found at ACSWASC.org. Maybe a merger. I’m sure that left a mother load of coveted .EDU back links attached to the older domain.
Small chance defending UGGSAustralia.com ($5.3k) in a UDRP if the buyer isn’t the maker of UGG boots. That American company was founded by an Australian surfer while studying in California. To this day, its official name is UGG Australia; and its website is UGGAustralia.com.
To pat myself on the back, 2 of my recent predictions came true in 1 domain: 川崎.com ($3.6k). At the end of January, I suggested we’d see more Chinese IDN sales; and that has happened consistently since. Indeed, 川崎.com is the highest ever reported in these expiry charts – more than 3 times higher than the previous record. Also, in mid February, while explaining the sale of TeSiLa.com (which isn’t a typo), I said we’d see more sales based on transliterated brand names. Well, here we are: Chuān qí (川崎) is how Chinese renders the Japanese surname “Kawasaki”. You may have heard of them; Kawasaki makes motorcycles. Coincidentally, another automotive brand.
Domain | End $ | At | Domain | End $ | At |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
QMSF.com | 2250 | NJ | FODY.com | 2188 | NJ |
RGNC.com | 2188 | NJ | XCTF.com | 2101 | NJ |
CSZL.com | 2100 | NJ | HowToGo Organic.com |
2100 | NJ |
NPCK.com | 2089 | NJ | UltimateCare.com | 2075 | NJ |
YH777.com | 2005 | SN | SSC999.com | 2004 | SN |
NeiHanShe.com | 1920 | NJ | PJ21.com | 1700 | SN |
RadioStation.org | 1610 | NJ | Global Automation.com |
1433 | NJ |
DaJiaHui.com | 1335 | SN | Javis.com | 1309 | NJ |
Quest Consulting.com |
1301 | NJ | Sparty.com | 1270 | SN |
Panthalassa.com | 1263 | SN | 686869.com | 1260 | SN |
PaperWhite.com | 1222 | NJ | TwonkyMedia.com | 1075 | NJ |
BackWeb.com | 1060 | NJ | AJAH.com | 1010 | NJ |
GlobalGrid.com | 1009 | NJ | AskPhil.org | 1009 | NJ |
Here’s where most 4-letter “CHIPs” are selling: 5 of them between $2089 and $2250. After 9 weeks of steep decline, they had 1 week of upward price motion, getting back to a median of about $2350. A week later, they’re down as much as $250, erasing most of that gain.
Pinyin, on the other hand, seems to be going strong. If I had to guess, NeiHanShe.com ($1.9k) might mean “inside” (内 / nèi) + “my humble home” (寒舍 / hán shè). I could cobble together a whole bunch of (mostly erroneous) guesses for DaJiaHui.com ($1.3k). But I don’t speak Chinese; so better not waste breath.
Let’s AskPhil.org! Phil, can you dance? Phil, can you feel it in the air tonight? Phil, can I hurry love?
As usual above $1k, only 2 “Not COM” gTLDs show up. .ORG racked up 3 sales – half as many as last time. And .NET is represented by Klaxons.net ($1.0k). Most Americans won’t recognize that word, but it is English. What we call a car “horn” is a “klaxon” in the UK. There’s even a British band called the Klaxons. At this point, I can almost feel French readers’ anxiety to tell me that it’s French as well. Yes, yes, yes. Your empire is not forgotten. Derp! Je vous demande pardon! Autrement dit, oui … mais non. Votre empire n’est pas tout à fait oublié.
Domain | End $ | At | Domain | End $ | At |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Klaxons.net | 1001 | SN | GoldenDeals.com | 979 | NJ |
AboutTravel.com | 951 | SN | VGL.org | 910 | NJ |
StudentBook.com | 909 | NJ | VentureQuest.com | 909 | NJ |
ThinkGrid.com | 885 | NJ | KVest.com | 852 | NJ |
Zenma.com | 840 | NJ | Travel Portfolio.com |
831 | NJ |
EdoCorp.com | 810 | NJ | IdahoAging.com | 810 | NJ |
Kronic.com | 800 | NJ | W4D.com | 792 | NJ |
WebParking.com | 791 | NJ | DonorEggs.com | 787 | NJ |
558557.com | 780 | NJ | SuperAnt.com | 750 | NJ |
EJCC.org | 730 | NJ | SIDIUSA.com | 726 | SN |
TXME.com | 719 | NJ | Diviner.com | 710 | NJ |
Zenma.com ($840) ought to upgrade the study-abroad language site C-Zenma.com. Despite the hyphenated “C”, they call themselves simply Zenma. KVest.com ($852) can also cure a case of unsightly hyphens – this time for a motion-tracking vest designed to improve your golf swing.
A lot of brands share the name Kronic. Researching them just now, I was disappointed to learn that 1 of my old haunts between Charleston, SC, and Folly Beach – Kronic Coffee – closed. 2/3 my life is spent in coffee shops, the remainder being sleep. Definitely a chronic customer. Ah, well. This sip’s for you, Kronic! R.I.P.
Domain | End $ | At | Domain | End $ | At |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
OP-StJoseph.org | 700 | NJ | 686862.com | 695 | SN |
998827.com | 670 | NJ | SeoHae.com | 661 | SN |
SSSSX.com | 660 | NJ | FeatureWeb.com | 648 | NJ |
Dubrovsky.com | 644 | NJ | 378787.com | 640 | NJ |
DarwinPorts.com | 635 | NJ | 858583.com | 635 | SN |
Utah.Travel | 631 | SN | Drakensberg- Tourism.com |
625 | SN |
JTSoft.com | 610 | NJ | ABoyAndHis Computer.com |
610 | NJ |
LWSIR.com | 609 | SN | CheMiaoDai.com | 605 | SN |
At $660, SSSSX.com is 1 of the higher 5-letter “CHIPs” I can remember seeing. SeoHae.com ($661) may bear no relation to search engine optimization. There’s a Seo Hae Fishery in Maryland and a Korean restaurant called Seo Hae Kwan in Chicago. DarwinPorts.com ($635) refers, of course, to an Australian capital.
It’s unusual to see a state .TRAVEL domain expire and go to auction. And it’s interesting to see Utah.Travel ($631) and Drakensberg-Tourism.com ($625) sitting side by side. We saw another pair of “travel” domains rank even higher: AboutTravel.com ($951) and TravelPortfolio.com ($831). Of the 4, Utah.Travel would be my pick.
Domain | End $ | At | Domain | End $ | At |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
T8X.com | 592 | NJ | Sarong.net | 587 | NJ |
BartMan.com | 585 | NJ | SquareTwo.com | 580 | NJ |
404.biz | 580 | NJ | CCC7.com | 574 | SN |
HoneyBadgers.com | 563 | NJ | Adimps-Perf.com | 562 | SN |
BedfordHotel.com | 560 | NJ | PMG Consulting.com |
559 | NJ |
Domain Analytics.com |
551 | NJ | AccreditedNursing Programs.com |
550 | NJ |
Health Promotions.com |
542 | NJ | 9369999.com | 535 | SN |
FashBook.com | 532 | SN | Linkedia.com | 526 | SN |
DeMarchelier.net | 526 | NJ | Lauwersmeer.org | 525 | SN |
Lokos.com | 519 | NJ | OORW.com | 511 | NJ |
AffliateSource.com | 510 | NJ | BobAllen.com | 510 | NJ |
985557.com | 510 | NJ | Pahef.org | 508 | NJ |
LexLibris.com | 506 | SN | EventVR.com | 505 | NJ |
Bianni.com | 503 | SN | GMRO.com | 500 | NJ |
HelperBee.com | 500 | NJ | Ceyiz.net | 500 | NJ |
BartMan.com ($585) seems to refer to a 1990 collaboration between Bart Simpson and the King of Pop, Michael Jackson – a rap called “Do the Bart Man”. Terrible as it is, it topped charts worldwide. Even as a fan, I can’t bring myself to embed that drivel; but you can listen at your peril here.
Most of you will recognize Sarong.net ($587) as a garment. Bianni.com ($503) is an Italian surname. Ceyiz.net ($500) may be Turkish for “dowry” (çeyiz). At least a couple of e-commerce websites use the word; and they both sell inventory for home decor such as bed linen, towels, etc.
Domain | End $ | At | Domain | End $ | At |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
NASAKids.com | 498 | NJ | DLAZ.com | 494 | NJ |
FuckedUpShit.com | 494 | SN | BBBR.net | 492 | NJ |
SafeWheels.com | 472 | SN | CRRV.com | 460 | NJ |
CSGOBoost.com | 460 | NJ | ElectroAsylum.com | 460 | NJ |
SourceDC.org | 456 | NJ | MansHealth.com | 451 | SN |
EHPK.com | 450 | SN | Bonsmara.com | 450 | NJ |
005.biz | 450 | NJ | Schusters.com | 445 | NJ |
Beamy.com | 435 | NJ | TrainTheBrain.com | 426 | SN |
TsarBooks.com | 426 | SN | KulturaPlus.com | 420 | NJ |
UAHH.com | 420 | NJ | ScienceOnline 2012.com |
419 | NJ |
WTTU.com | 416 | NJ | 511212.com | 416 | SN |
BKKLao Embassy.com |
414 | SN | FreeResort.com | 410 | NJ |
Constructive- Media.com |
410 | NJ | BioMare.com | 409 | NJ |
PisosBaratos.com | 400 | SN | ShenQiangShou.com | 394 | SN |
ShenQiangShou.com ($394) might mean “sniper”; at least, that’s how a 2009 film title was translated. CSGOBoost.com is a domain I explained 2 weeks ago when it reached $1.2k at auction. Apparently the winning bidder didn’t pay, because the name was re-auctioned for a much lower $460.
PisosBaratos.com ($400) was a steal. Literally it might be translated as “cheap floors”, but we’re not talking about tile and linoleum. “Pisos” also means apartments / flats. In Spain, you’ll see plenty of rooms for rent advertising with this phrase. MansHealth.com ($451) looks dangerously close to a well known magazine: Men’s Health. Their lawyer’s reaction – in standard legalese– might be, “That’s some FuckedUpShit!” … .com ($494).
chris brennan says
on the one hand we are led to believe that vowels and v are out as far as china is concerned and then XingBao.com is a top seller because of what it means in Chinese. so to vowel or not to v, i don’t know, do you.
Joseph Peterson says
Apples and oranges, really.
“Xing Bao” is Pinyin – actual transliterated Chinese. Pinyin does use vowels, but words tend not to BEGIN with vowels. As a result, acronyms – which use only the first letters of words – will rarely contain vowels in Chinese.
As far as “V” goes, I’m pretty sure Chinese simply doesn’t use that letter anywhere.
That’s why “CHIPs” are usually defined as vowel-less, “V”-less, 4-letter strings. Theoretically, they’re supposed to be acronyms for Chinese Pinyin. In practice, though, CHIPs are rarely put to use as anything meaningful – just tossed around between domainers.
website says
surrogacy is a chance for many single couples to become parents. I know that in Ukraine there is a mmmm clinic that provides surrogacy services. I think it’s a noble thing to make someone happy