$31.8k and other expired domain name sales — Toot.com for
Toot.com leads expired domain name sales.
Close observers will have noticed the absence of SnapNames results from my last article, which only covered NameJet expired domains. In the week since NamesCon, most of us have drifted homeward and settled back into our normal routines. So this time both auction houses are represented in the charts – 7 days for SnapNames, 5 days for NameJet.
| Domain | End $ | At | Domain | End $ | At |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TOOT.com | 31,805 | NJ | BikeWorks.com | 4957 | NJ |
| Jungu.com | 4910 | SN | Nongle.com | 4660 | SN |
| 53593.com | 4502 | SN | MEAS.com | 4200 | NJ |
| Gesai.com | 3700 | SN | LCDS.com | 3502 | NJ |
| HRX.net | 3401 | NJ | PayRight.com | 3315 | NJ |
| VideoInsight.com | 2650 | NJ | SWHT.com | 2422 | NJ |
| DWJG.com | 2119 | SN | Nilton.com | 2010 | NJ |
By far the biggest expired domain auction was TOOT.com ($31.8k). Most of us will recognize that as an English bit of onomatopoeia, standing for the sound of a trumpet, train whistle, or fart. This image sums it up. Mainly, “toot” is a word taught to us as children through illustrated story books rather than a word we continue to employ as adults; so, in terms of branding, TOOT.com evokes childhood, coming across as cute, irreverent, and playful. Not what you’d name an investment fund or a cyber security firm. But a game or a show or a preschool? Sure.
Words cannot express my disappointment at learning that Nongle.com ($4.0k) won’t rhyme with “dongle” and “mongol”. What might have been, alas, wasn’t so far fetched; for Nongle is an Irish surname. Yet it seems to be a place in China, Laos, and Thailand, as well as a person’s full name: “Nong Le” not “Nongle”. Nowhere near as dear to the ear, I fear.
Both Gesai.com ($3.7k) and Jungu.com ($4.9k) look like Pinyin, which is what we’ve been trained to expect in these charts; but I’ve found no Chinese translation for them. With so many languages cohabiting this tiny planet (and name space), single meanings are rarely guaranteed. For instance, Gesai is a place in Papua Fresh Guinea; Jungu in Tanzania. You’ll find people named Gesai (surnames Garcia, Alvarado) and Jungu (surname Yang). The Swiss website, Gesai.ch, teaches Aikido, a form of Japanese martial arts. Meawhile, “jungu” is what a white guy like me might be called in Swahili. There is no melting pot like the domain market.
Nilton.com ($2.0k) is a first name, albeit somewhat rare in the USA. It might also serve as an upgrade for this clothing brand. LCDS.com ($3.5k) isn’t just a “CHIP”; it means LCD TVs (“liquid crystal displays”).
BikeWorks.com ($5.0k) illustrates the tug-of-war between .COM and the nTLDs quite clearly. Its doppelgänger, Bike.Works, remains unregistered with an annual cost of $500 per year. Whether acting on habit or making a deliberate choice, the buyer has spent 10 times as much to buy the .COM up front. Over a decade, he’d need to double his expense in order to own the matching nTLD; and beyond that decade, the .COM is cheaper. Even writing this for an audience of domainers, I doubt anybody will step in between the registry’s high renewal cost and a sales pitch. Too big a risk of being crushed.
| Domain | End $ | At | Domain | End $ | At |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LinkPro.com | 1988 | NJ | ShoeDoctor.com | 1927 | NJ |
| Gitan.com | 1650 | NJ | Poignant.com | 1645 | NJ |
| Dopplr.com [sic] | 1550 | SN | DotCoin.com | 1507 | NJ |
| Cropped.com | 1500 | NJ | Hipsta.com | 1420 | NJ |
| QianHai.net | 1380 | SN | ZhenPianYi.com | 1365 | SN |
| LandForLease.com | 1309 | NJ | GolfPortal.com | 1302 | SN |
| SeaVista.com | 1215 | NJ | Pison.com | 1200 | NJ |
| 53038.com | 1200 | SN | 622588.com | 1191 | SN |
| Stuttgart.net | 1163 | SN | 410000.com | 1100 | SN |
| CIIG.com | 1100 | NJ | Taiga.net | 1050 | SN |
| NIDP.com | 1013 | SN | Narcan.com | 1001 | SN |
Russian for “forest”, the Taiga is “the world’s largest terrestrial biome”. With that meaning in mind, I’d consider Taiga.net ($1.0k) a good brand name for something related to Russia or the outdoors. Surprisingly, what I’ve found is completely unrelated – a project management platform at Taiga.io (which has an Indian owner) and the buyer of Taiga.net located in Japan. The only thing in life that surprises me nowadays is predictability.
Narcan.com ($1.0k) is the name of a drug used to combat drug overdoses. Pison.com ($1.2k) might be a river in the Garden of Eden; a “rammer” in Spanish; or “poison” in the dialect of Mark Twain’s boy hero, Huckleberry Finn. Huck states:
There warn’t no more popular man in town than what that undertaker was. Well, the funeral sermon was very good, but pison long and tiresome.
Kind of like my articles – “pison long and tiresome”! They ought to be Cropped.com ($1.5k). But then I’d have no space to mention how Gitan.com ($1.7k) is French for “gypsy” or refer you the plural, Gitanes.com, which is an interesting case I noted last September. QianHai.net ($1.4k) seems to mean “shallow sea” (浅海 / qiǎn hǎi). Notice that’s .NET. So is the German city, Stuttgart.net ($1.2k). In both the major non-U.S. domain markets – China and Germany – .NET remains popular. American domainers tend to underestimate its reach.
| Domain | End $ | At | Domain | End $ | At |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| StartSports.com | 1000 | SN | ChiShenMe.com | 980 | SN |
| Muchelleb.com | 976 | SN | ChilliSauce.com | 939 | NJ |
| 54686.com | 935 | SN | AdventureSports Online.com |
915 | NJ |
| SGMI.com | 908 | NJ | Megen.com | 890 | NJ |
| SF77.com | 875 | SN | VineGroup.com | 857 | NJ |
| SmallBusiness Lawyers.com |
822 | NJ | WNOW.com | 800 | SN |
| 963366.com | 800 | SN | StreetArtist.com | 790 | NJ |
| NCCREST.org | 790 | NJ | PrintScape.com | 772 | SN |
| HunterMarine.com | 765 | NJ | HomeBuying RealEstate.com |
760 | NJ |
| DutchPay.com | 757 | SN | Meridians.com | 704 | NJ |
| IndigoMedia.com | 700 | SN | SZW.biz | 685 | SN |
| SSDS.net | 685 | NJ | UltraRich.com | 676 | SN |
SmallBusinessLawyers.com ($822) is perfect for attorneys under 5’6″. NCCREST.org ($790) has nothing to do with mountain peaks in North Carolina but everything to do with the federally funded “National Center for Culturally Responsive Education Systems“. Yes, Huck – pison long and tiresome.
Muchelleb.com ($976) used to be one young woman’s lifestyle blog. (A twisted version of Michelle, I’m guessing.) She must have had followers and back links aplenty to justify that bidding. Domains related to real estate often fetch sizable prices, but I admit finding HomeBuyingRealEstate.com ($760) quite awkward. Probably this matches actual search queries. Still, give me something more idiomatic like LandForLease.com ($1.3k) or more succinct such as SeaVista.com ($1.2k).
| Domain | End $ | At | Domain | End $ | At |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SEDU.net | 675 | SN | Urged.com | 674 | NJ |
| Bikel.com | 660 | NJ | eWiki.com | 654 | NJ |
| Raska.com | 640 | NJ | AIGM.com | 625 | SN |
| TurkBasket.com | 620 | NJ | Helicopter Flight.com |
615 | NJ |
| SanPi.com | 602 | NJ | Conventum.com | 577 | SN |
| MedicalGrade.com | 560 | NJ | Fevers.com | 532 | NJ |
| RNX.biz | 525 | SN | 02974.com | 525 | SN |
| VineRipe.com | 515 | NJ | Secure Gateway.com |
513 | NJ |
| DAAW.com | 506 | NJ | VanDen Bossche.com |
506 | SN |
| MongolBox33.com | 502 | SN | AgainstTCPA.com | 500 | SN |
| ITHN.com | 500 | NJ | 365VR.com | 477 | SN |
| AnimeStars.com | 476 | SN | EduFarm.com | 475 | SN |
| TinyPaw.com | 474 | NJ | 7777988.com | 460 | SN |
| LaRotonda.com | 460 | SN | 2379.biz | 460 | SN |
| 2738.biz | 455 | SN | Tantoo.com | 451 | SN |
eWiki.com stands out as a good buy at just $654. Ditto HelicopterFlight.com ($615), given the money to be made in that niche. Van den Bossche ($506) is a Dutch surname. MedicalGrade.com ($560) is a common phrase. Beyond that, it has also been used to brand websites such as MedicalGradeScrubs.com. Raska.com ($640) might be a Serbian town or river, or it may be Swedish. Then again, many domainers will regard it as a “brandable” blank slate.
| Domain | End $ | At | Domain | End $ | At |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| OXXN.com | 450 | SN | BabyFat.com | 430 | NJ |
| CZ100.com | 429 | SN | Model-Pussy.com | 429 | SN |
| AUFE.com | 420 | NJ | KAZB.com | 412 | NJ |
| AigaDesignJobs.org | 410 | NJ | BluesBash.com | 410 | NJ |
| APKH.com | 405 | NJ | DaZheCun.com | 404 | SN |
| Meezy.com | 400 | SN | Umera.com | 400 | SN |
| XECN.com | 390 | NJ | CIIJ.org | 390 | NJ |
| SelfStory.com | 385 | SN | Qelios.net | 382 | SN |
| 88183.net | 380 | NJ | ElDiccionario.com | 379 | SN |
| QYIJ.com | 378 | SN | FoxHotel.com | 377 | SN |
| 虚拟游戏.com (xn--unuyrl6y9jy.com) |
370 | SN | Garnelen.com | 360 | NJ |
| LJUC.com | 360 | NJ | Administrations.com | 356 | NJ |
| Cerean.com | 352 | SN | SanCap.com | 352 | SN |
| CashMachine.net | 350 | SN | OpenThis.com | 350 | SN |
Finding an IDN in these charts is exceptionally rare. Indeed, I’ve only had occasion to note an IDN once ahead of. That was a higher price, but it was a single Chinese character for a very lucrative topic. Clearly, this 4-character item must be something special. What does it mean? Well, 虚拟 (xū nǐ) means “virtual”; and 游戏 (yóu xì) means “game” / “to play”. Given the size of the gaming industry and all the buzz surrounding virtual reality, this isn’t a shock. At such low levels, the presence of IDNs in these charts may be nothing but noise; but if they were to begin showing up with greater frequency, then that would be quite significant.
Garnelen.com ($360) are shrimps, prawns in German. SelfStory.com ($385) might be my favorite brandable in this stretch’s list. But let me ask you: Say you receive an email from OpenThis.com ($350); isn’t your natural reaction to recoil as if from malware? Maybe that’s just me.
No way I’d pass up BluesBash.com ($410) as a pretext for inserting some gratuitous music clip. Son House is the raw stuff. Watch his “Death Letter Blues” for a guitar sound that’s mercilessly messy and as big as a backing band.
| Domain | End $ | At | Domain | End $ | At |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| QWUW.com | 346 | SN | 25252525.com | 339 | SN |
| BackLights.com | 338 | NJ | TimeDoor.com | 332 | NJ |
| 551238.com | 331 | NJ | Kreativos.com | 329 | SN |
| XFinite.com | 329 | SN | AppleLink.com | 329 | SN |
| GastroMarketing.com | 327 | SN | DKN.co | 326 | SN |
| Dewmocracy.com | 326 | SN | SLW.biz | 325 | SN |
| FangDiChan.net | 325 | SN | LocalTaste.com | 311 | NJ |
| AboutDomains.com | 306 | SN | Zokem.com | 301 | SN |
| JJXT.net | 300 | SN | SJZT.net | 300 | SN |
| GranadaDigital.com | 300 | SN | YCSS.net | 297 | SN |
| THFY.net | 296 | SN | ZLKS.net | 296 | SN |
| DCHL.net | 296 | SN | TYJR.net | 296 | SN |
| DGWJ.net | 293 | SN | CYTW.net | 290 | SN |
| MCJS.net | 284 | SN | ZKSD.net | 282 | SN |
| SHWBD.com | 282 | SN | IQAuto.com | 281 | SN |
| FMLR.net | 280 | SN | YTCK.net | 280 | SN |
| ZTFM.net | 279 | SN | CyberBulevar.com | 276 | SN |
Most of these 4-letter .NET “CHIPs” bore me. But FangDiChan.net ($325) – that catches my eye. Yet another Pinyin .NET. And what does this one mean? If it’s really true that fáng dì chǎn (房地产) equals “real estate”, then I’m aghast seeing a .NET meaning “shallow sea” sell for 4 times as much! One would think real estate is more valuable. But, of course, it’s impossible to gauge the real meaning of words and phrases using a dictionary alone. Learning the language, inhabiting the culture – that’s the only way to be sure.
Dewmocracy.com ($326) hurts in that way only a treacherous pun can. Luckily, AboutDomains.com ($306) is plainspoken enough to assuage Dewmocracy’s sting. I suppose XFinite.com ($329) could be regarded as brand protection for the well known firm Xfinity. But other people are using the name.
| Domain | End $ | At | Domain | End $ | At |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 265118.com | 275 | SN | PCNT.net | 275 | SN |
| 313398.com | 275 | SN | KZBG.net | 275 | SN |
| BLXF.net | 275 | SN | ZNTZ.net | 275 | SN |
| SpyGear4U.com | 275 | SN | XLHG.net | 275 | SN |
| XZLZ.net | 275 | SN | HXCC.net | 275 | SN |
| WDDZ.net | 275 | SN | GGDT.net | 275 | SN |
| TMGP.net | 274 | SN | TMLR.net | 274 | SN |
| NZHM.net | 270 | SN | HDWZ.net | 267 | NJ |
| HXGL.net | 267 | NJ | MFNX.net | 265 | NJ |
| JWGJ.net | 265 | SN | WDWT.net | 265 | SN |
| CTCD.net | 264 | SN | 925525.com | 262 | SN |
| LSGT.net | 262 | NJ | JFFC.net | 262 | NJ |
| JGTD.net | 261 | NJ | BriefTherapy.com | 260 | NJ |
| GroupBonus.com | 260 | NJ | QHYD.net | 260 | SN |
| DHCN.net | 260 | SN | LCFG.net | 260 | SN |
| FLMK.net | 260 | SN | WT33.com | 260 | SN |
| QYRL.net | 259 | SN | HGFG.net | 259 | SN |
| 17138.net | 258 | SN | RKPY.net | 257 | SN |
| DNBS.net | 256 | SN | ZLHQ.net | 255 | SN |
| 229878.com | 255 | SN | TenTimesOne.com | 255 | SN |
| JCYZ.net | 254 | SN | Ismene.com | 253 | NJ |
| 252728.com | 251 | SN | JXQQ.net | 251 | SN |
| THZF.net | 250 | SN | 336353.com | 250 | SN |
You’ve all heard how Oedipus killed his dad married his mom. Well, he and his mother had a daughter named Ismene ($253). All in all, a strange thing to name any subsequent child or brand.
| Domain | End $ | At | Domain | End $ | At |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JCJZ.net | 250 | SN | FZNZ.net | 250 | SN |
| SMXQ.net | 250 | SN | RDMM.net | 250 | SN |
| MBKR.net | 250 | SN | TYPN.net | 250 | SN |
| HWHB.net | 250 | SN | NBTQ.net | 250 | SN |
| PRBB.net | 246 | SN | 8172222.com | 246 | SN |
| DMGS.net | 246 | NJ | BMYX.net | 245 | NJ |
| XHLG.net | 245 | NJ | MFBK.net | 245 | NJ |
| HCHG.net | 245 | SN | WXFT.net | 245 | SN |
| Nose Reshaping.com |
244 | SN | Health Dimension.com |
244 | NJ |
| 8881689.com | 242 | SN | YDFB.net | 240 | SN |
| FYCD.net | 240 | SN | DJKS.net | 239 | NJ |
| Hearts-Ease.org | 235 | NJ | NYPY.net | 232 | NJ |
| Coupe-Mag.com | 232 | SN | 339896.com | 231 | SN |
| MarcheNoir.com | 228 | SN | Poppis.com | 225 | SN |
| YunTrip.com | 224 | SN | Sporting Venues.com |
219 | NJ |
| 31531.net | 215 | SN | 990989.com | 214 | SN |
| EclecticArts.com | 214 | SN | IPFMA.com | 211 | SN |
| Redefining Readiness.net |
210 | SN | Sociala.com | 209 | SN |
| FutureWave Shaper.com |
209 | SN | 809788.com | 205 | SN |
| 27383.net | 205 | SN | IsNateSilver AWitch.com |
200 | SN |
As you can see, 4-letter .NETs range between $232 and $300. To find out what they’ll be worth next year, just ask Nate Silver. Apparently, everybody was once agog to know: Is Nate Silver a Witch? First of all, who is Nate Silver? Pop culture and I parted ways long ago; so I’d never heard of Nate Silver. He isn’t a witch. But he was briefly a meme, thanks to his electoral prognostications.
