Aged domains question

Namecheap AuctionsNamecheap Auctions
Namecheap AuctionsNamecheap Auctions
SpaceshipSpaceship
Watch
Impact
56,995
I have a question that I hope someone more experienced in domain investing can provide insight on....

Very frequently I see mention in domain name sales that the domain is aged or how many years old it is, as though this is universally a good thing.

I understand completely how if the domain has been used in a website in a positive way, has received meaningful links from other websites, etc. that being aged is a plus that will make the domain more valuable.

However, what if the domain was first registered say 12 years ago, but has essentially sat parked for most or all of that period? In this case I don't see how being aged is positive, and maybe even it could be negative if an unsuccessful attempt has been made to sell the domain over years. Of course, you may have new ideas for promotion and hope to find success where others have not with the domain name, but I still don't see why per se being aged is always positive and meaningful.

Or am I missing something? Thanks for any insights.

Bob
 
1
•••
The views expressed on this page by users and staff are their own, not those of NamePros.
GoDaddyGoDaddy
Is it a question of age or limitations of the mind ?

“Age is an issue of mind over matter. If you don’t mind, it doesn’t matter.”
M.Twain
 
1
•••
Similar thing happened in 90's for domains. That's why age is a major factor. You can't turn back to 1995 to hand register dozens of 3L.

I think you are allocating the value of domain age to and by equating it with the engine of a time machine :)
Granted, if you were given a throwback line to the past by having the chance to relieve it once again -without the hindsight of the future- would it have turned the other way this time around or would you still be finding yourself missing the bandwagon ? Had you been placed into the magic chamber adorned with domain names instead of amber, would you have found yourself pulling name-containing slips off the wall paper or painting it over with the newest multi-color ? Remember, we have been given plenty of chances to lather, rinse, and repeat the .com gold rush on a smaller scale with crypto-currencies, but instead it led to many pupils repeating the class to get a barely passing grade. The question is: how well did many of us did it right after doing it wrong in the .com boom ? Because according to witnesses, yet once again,the majority was seen being left on the platform holding the tickets to the departing trains :)

Yes, there were great times for the most perceptive of minds to seize the moment of golden registrations, but if you weren't quick enough way back to the dinner table the dinner would have gotten cold or eaten by a dog. Not in the way of dog-eat-dog necessarily, but my dog ate my homework kind of a way:)
 
Last edited:
0
•••
I think you are allocating the value of domain age to and by equating it with the engine of a time machine :)

Exactly. It's a very big factor which we can't disregard.

Granted, if you were given a throwback line to the past by having the chance to relieve it once again -without the hindsight of the future- would it have turned the other way this time around or would you still be finding yourself missing the bandwagon ?

If you don't change any variable the result will not change by repeats.
"insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results"
If you had a chance to go back to the past with the exact same conditions, you would do the exact same things that you did in the past :) This is a bit out of the topic of this thread.
 
Last edited:
0
•••
@namelancer Exceptions don't break the rule in business. This isn't a natural science.
Another point is you can say "x" will be always "y", to emphasize a business-economics rule, while you mean "usually" by "always". Because when something is usual (if an event or pattern is observed more), it's a rule business. Business, as a science, dictates choosing what most likely will happen, is way different than math, physics where a single occurrence of incompatible outcome or event can break the rule . So, I still defend the rules I stated even after you showed me exceptions (eth, 8888888 ) . To break a rule in business, you should show (should logically prove) incompatible events are the majority or the effect of exceptions (amount of money involved in the exceptions ) are majority (more than 50%).


I realized my initial response left much to be desired by way of explanation. I'll now attempt to demonstrate to you whether you main premise could hold the ground if viewed from a changed perspective.

To this effect, two major shape-shifters must be isolated to identify the core weaknesses :

1. Indeed, exceptions don't break the rule understood within the context of always having the meaning of usually, e, reaching and exceeding the 50 percent threshold of observed events. However, it can not be excluded from the realm of the possible, that by some fluke of design or human nature, there couldn't be accumulation of irregularities to the extent that they, en mass, would tip the scales of the reign by majority. Again, it's not probable, nor is it entirely impossible, given that we operate within the limited range of available options, ie. the constraints of registrations are limited to 63 characters in any given extension. Historically, we have had experience where certain extensions got their market valued altered by all sorts of restrictions, as was the case with Australian country code extension where for a long time people couldn't resell the registered domains in a straight-forward fashion (the loopholes were used instead where domain purchases came bundled with acquisition of a company owing the domain to circumvent then valid rule).

Another example is the ever changing ebbs and flows in movements regulating registration of some of the most desirable single and double digit extensions, with registries first allowing registration of rarities at the dawn of internet to discontinue the practice of new ownership for drops, unless it's done by mutual consent prior to expiry, with registries lining up at potentially appropriating deleted domains (the domains who have done their life-time of service) without legacy of passing the torch forward to the next generation.

A third example would be a particular flair gaining traction for booking domains with the number of digits corresponding to postal indexes or company registration numbers, etc.

Finally, one sees the rule-bending irregularities among 5L vs 6L .coms, with the latter selling for higher sums than their lesser counterparts in the pronounceable category. We could, with computational resources, further extrapolate similar data on dictionary/invented words in adjacent locations to look for pattern there..

To sum it up, evolution or restriction of utility for particular digits could bring about deflation in values. Should the number of irregularities reach a critical mass, they would be a force to be reckoned with in overcoming the default rule as stipulated in the source post. .

2. This point will be made in the spirit of making an appeal both to the law of large numbers and infinitely small numbers respectively.
.
Currently, the maximum domain length is 63 characters, while the minimum varies according to extensions (emoji excluded). Starting with comparison of 2N.com vs 3N.com and going on not ad infinity, but stopping somewhere under the 10N.com, the rule may very well hold (except for the real or hypothesized exceptions as noted above or in case of change in circumstances with regards to fluctuation in utility). But move out of the comfort zone, and out of the existing 63 possible N-ed digits, what would be the value of, let's say, 44N.com vs 47N.com ? Well, statistically speaking, 44 N is more scarce than 47 N, and so it's going to be attributed more gravitas. But in real terms of market valuations, would there be a discernible difference in value between these two domains in so far that one is going to be valued higher ? The answer is no, because while mathematically values among the two would be barely distinguishable, since they are separated by infinitesimally small fractions of numbers, their respective (market, e.g.) values would be just as infinitesimally small to make any difference to be perceptible (unless it's an all-seeing algorithm) to the bare eye . Because if the values are close to or are around zero, in market terms they would translate into the rounding up to zero as the financial windfall, or, if we are generous enough, amounting to a registration fee in the best of cases.

Total supply of 3N domains are 10 times of 2N
Total supply of 3L domains are 26 times of 2L (number of letters in English alphabet is 26)

Statistically, randomly chosen 2L will be more expensive than 3L. This is the rule I defend. There might be more exemptions than you showed. But the exemptions don't break this rule.


Actually, in your original statement, you argued for this tendency to be observable across the whole spectrum (from 1N(L), to 2N(L), to 3N(L),, to 4N(L), to 5N(L), etc up to the upper limit, which is now set at 63N(L), or presumed to be even valid for all potential increases in the number of characters) of domains available for registration. This increase in the number of characters, be it specifically numbers or, by implication, letters, is evident from your earlier post, as per :

There are 100 2N.com's, 1,000 3N.com's, 10,000 4N.com, 100,000 5N.com and so on. It's obvious 2N.com will be always more expensive than 3N, 4N, 5N ... domains.
 
Last edited:
0
•••
@namelancer "I realized my initial response left much to be desired by way of explanation."
I forgot your initial responses. This is becoming like a doctoral thesis. I didn't understand all of the details in your reply above and indeed you make extraordinarily detailed posts. To reply to your last post above I will need to read your post for 2-3 times to understand it correctly without getting lost in details, and will need to reply all your questions. This will be a long effort for me with no compensation other than being a winner in a debate. I would rather prefer to be a voluntary writer at wikipedia for such a hobby. I will need to write another long post to reply you and long posts maybe found boring by some readers.

In short, I tried to say rarity is an important factor in investments. Rare diamonds, rare sport cars, rare paintings, anything rare is more valuable. As to max 63 characters and the difference between 43N and 47N, it is just the question of delta (the difference). Difference between 2 and 3 is 50%, difference between 43 and 47 is 10%. But it's only the difference on surface like the visible part of an iceberg. For instance, difference between 2 and 3 is 50%, difference 43 and 63 is also 50% but it's not the same 50%. You need to consider total supply (the whole set, not small sets of the sum total).

While rarity is not the only one factor in pricing, rarity is always a factor in all pricing mechanisms.Because if something isn't rare, you can easily substitute it with a cheaper alternative.

Rarity is always a factor in all pricing mechanisms with no exception. The only difference is how you define rarity. For instance can you assume there is a country, city, brand, movie, planet or a very famous person with 63 character long name? :) Yes it can be possible. Then you should define the rarity not based on the length of its name. However such things aren't usual. Therefore, to make the life easier, it's quite easy to define rarity based on length of its name. This is the reason of why most short domains are aged domains. It was practical to register 2N domains first, while it was possible. They are still valuable domains. It doesn't mean there will never be a valuable domain with 63 letters. It's always possible, but it's a low possibility like winning the biggest prize in a national lottery.
 
Last edited:
1
•••
DomainEasy: flexible LTO options. Close more domain deals with financing.

We're social

Escrow.com
Spaceship
Escrowly
CryptoExchange.com
Domain Recover

NamePros updates

Scheduled posts now show a small calendar icon
When NamePros posts something for you on a schedule, you will now see a small calendar icon before its date. Move your mouse over the...
AIVikings
Catchy
  • The sidebar remains visible by scrolling at a speed relative to the page’s height.
Back