Recently, we published an article looking at how various animal domain names are used. We highlighted animal .COM domains since they are a versatile type of domain name that is coveted by investors and end users alike. Another niche that is highly desirable is color domains. Exact match color domains like Orange.com are owned and operated by some of the biggest brands in the world and are therefore difficult for investors to acquire.
Here, we are going to take a look at seven exact match color domain names and how they're used.
Red.com
Red.com has to be one of the most valuable color domain names in existence. From a domaining point of view, it's just three letters, memorable and easy to pronounce. The rest of the world will see "red" as a color that's used in numerous brand names including (RED), the company that produces branded products to financially help the AIDS cause.
The domain name is owned and operated by Red.com LLC, a digital cinematic camera company that looks to have been using the name since 1999.
Orange.com
To readers in Europe in particular, Orange may already be a familiar brand. The Orange Group is a multinational telecommunications company with over a quarter of a billion customers worldwide. According to estimates, the group had revenues of β¬41.4 billion in 2018.
Orange has owned Orange.com since the early 2000s after acquiring the name from a Maryland based technology company. Orange also operates the .ORANGE extension.
Yellow.com
This domain name has some history with domain investors, but now it's firmly in the hands of an end user. In 2017, Andy Booth (@andyboothsi) sold the domain to Internet Real Estate Ltd for an undisclosed amount of Bitcoin. After holding it for a year, the name was sold to a blockchain company for an undisclosed fee.
According to an article by Elliot Silver (@EJS), Chris Zuiker of Media Options brokered the sale.
Purple.com
This is the first domain on our list that has a publicly disclosed sales price. Up until 2017, Purple.com was owned by Jeff Abrahamson, who hosted a very simple website for twenty-three years. A significant $900,000 offer was enough to get Jeff to part with the domain, and he subsequently registered ISoldPurple.com.
The name was acquired by mattress maker Purple, a company that was reportedly acquired for a reported $1.1 billion in July 2017 and became a publicly-listed company in 2018. With this information in mind, was $900,000 a fair price?
Brown.com
In 2006, DomainNameWire reported that Brown.com sold to investor Rick Latona for $300,000. There was speculation that UPS may acquire the domain thanks to their strong connection to the color. It seems like the delivery company never acquired the name as it now houses the homepage of Brown Distributing, a beer delivery company.
According to DomainIQ, the name was under privacy protection until early 2011 when the WHOIS revealed Brown Distributing as the new owner. It's unknown how much Brown paid for the Brown.com domain.
Magenta.com
Another color domain that moved in the six-figure range is Magenta.com. The name sold in 2016 for $100,000 with the mobile network T-Mobile listed as the buyer. T-Mobile has a strong connection to the magenta color, as their major branding uses a strong magenta tone.
In a recent news release, T-Mobile announced that it would introduce Magenta and Magenta Plus cell phone plans. Currently, Magenta.com shows a very basic T-Mobile site.
Indigo.com
In early 2018, the Indigo.com domain name moved in a sale that was likely seven-figures. Up until then, the name had been owned and operated by Indigo Instruments, but the company opted to sell the name after a likely lucrative offer.
The buyer was Indigo Books & Music, who spent $2.7 million on domain names between 2017 and 2018. Although specific domain acquisitions have never been revealed, itβs likely that a fair proportion of that is from Indigo.com.
Here, we are going to take a look at seven exact match color domain names and how they're used.
Red.com
Red.com has to be one of the most valuable color domain names in existence. From a domaining point of view, it's just three letters, memorable and easy to pronounce. The rest of the world will see "red" as a color that's used in numerous brand names including (RED), the company that produces branded products to financially help the AIDS cause.
The domain name is owned and operated by Red.com LLC, a digital cinematic camera company that looks to have been using the name since 1999.
Orange.com
To readers in Europe in particular, Orange may already be a familiar brand. The Orange Group is a multinational telecommunications company with over a quarter of a billion customers worldwide. According to estimates, the group had revenues of β¬41.4 billion in 2018.
Orange has owned Orange.com since the early 2000s after acquiring the name from a Maryland based technology company. Orange also operates the .ORANGE extension.
Yellow.com
This domain name has some history with domain investors, but now it's firmly in the hands of an end user. In 2017, Andy Booth (@andyboothsi) sold the domain to Internet Real Estate Ltd for an undisclosed amount of Bitcoin. After holding it for a year, the name was sold to a blockchain company for an undisclosed fee.
According to an article by Elliot Silver (@EJS), Chris Zuiker of Media Options brokered the sale.
Purple.com
This is the first domain on our list that has a publicly disclosed sales price. Up until 2017, Purple.com was owned by Jeff Abrahamson, who hosted a very simple website for twenty-three years. A significant $900,000 offer was enough to get Jeff to part with the domain, and he subsequently registered ISoldPurple.com.
The name was acquired by mattress maker Purple, a company that was reportedly acquired for a reported $1.1 billion in July 2017 and became a publicly-listed company in 2018. With this information in mind, was $900,000 a fair price?
Brown.com
In 2006, DomainNameWire reported that Brown.com sold to investor Rick Latona for $300,000. There was speculation that UPS may acquire the domain thanks to their strong connection to the color. It seems like the delivery company never acquired the name as it now houses the homepage of Brown Distributing, a beer delivery company.
According to DomainIQ, the name was under privacy protection until early 2011 when the WHOIS revealed Brown Distributing as the new owner. It's unknown how much Brown paid for the Brown.com domain.
Magenta.com
Another color domain that moved in the six-figure range is Magenta.com. The name sold in 2016 for $100,000 with the mobile network T-Mobile listed as the buyer. T-Mobile has a strong connection to the magenta color, as their major branding uses a strong magenta tone.
In a recent news release, T-Mobile announced that it would introduce Magenta and Magenta Plus cell phone plans. Currently, Magenta.com shows a very basic T-Mobile site.
Indigo.com
In early 2018, the Indigo.com domain name moved in a sale that was likely seven-figures. Up until then, the name had been owned and operated by Indigo Instruments, but the company opted to sell the name after a likely lucrative offer.
The buyer was Indigo Books & Music, who spent $2.7 million on domain names between 2017 and 2018. Although specific domain acquisitions have never been revealed, itβs likely that a fair proportion of that is from Indigo.com.
