.com Are you a CuteMonkey or a HappyMonkey?

[Keith DeBoer]

Yesterday CuteMonkey.com sold in the Go Daddy drops for $1210.

Today HappyMonkey.com sold for $3850.

Sixteen people bid HappyMonkey.com up to $1400. Then a new bidder dropped in: Bidder 17.

Bidders 16 and 17 then proceeded to wage a one hour plus price war that took the sale to the final price of $3850.

Which domain name do you think is more valuable and why?

 

[webm]

My domain CuteMonkey.com was sold as a pre-release auction on Namejet, it wasnt a Godaddy drop.

So let me get this straight: Since Pre-release are the expired inventory, you didn't get a penny out of that sale, am I right ?

 

[Bram C.]

So let me get this straight: Since Pre-release are the expired inventory, you didn't get a penny out of that sale, am I right ?

No, pre-release in this case means I listed the domain on Namejet as a partner and got the money from the sale (minus the commission that goes to namejet of course).

 

[Keith DeBoer]

HappyMonkey is by far the better domain. The word Happy can fit into multiple concepts but Cute would be a pretty niche term that fits mostly into kids ideas.

There are only 6 domains that have the words CuteMonkey in their domain but there are 59 that have HappyMonkey in their domain name. HappyMonkeyYoga.com, HappyMonkeyClothing.com, HappyMonkeyBoutique.com, HappyMonkeyCoffee.com etc........many companies using this as their company name so the value is much higher because the term is much more popular. At $3,850 it was definitely an end user buying this domain. Way to much for a smart investor to pay.

I tend to agree with this but the other bidder went at high as $3800. So if Hookbox and I are right then there were two end users bidding against each other? That would explain why the other 15 bidders (domainers) all dropped out at $1400 (the approximate auction price of CuteMonkey). It makes sense, doesn't it?

 

[disaac81]

Hard to put it down in writing, but for me happymonkey is more aesthetically pleasing than cutemonkey.

Happy monkey also flows better in the mouth, as the position of the tongue is in a more natural state to traverse from 'y' to 'm'.

And... happy is more energetic and evocative than cute'. Therefore the value comes from brandability, stickiness and emotion. Nothing to do with search results imo.

 

[wcpthree]

Happy monkey is awesome! No if's, and's or but's about it. It's so broad. Cute monkey, we'll you can't do much with it. Shoot, I'd wash my car at a happy monkey carwash. HAPPY, is such a powerful keyword and can be used for ANYTHING!!!........

 

[Michael M]

I believe it just comes down to psychology and how words make us feel.

Cute Monkey invokes a small "aww" type feeling. Makes you feel a little warm inside. Maybe it would encourage me to buy a stuffed animal or take my kid for a hair cut. More than likely though it would make me want to see a video of a monkey. I just hear the keywords "cute monkey"

Happy Monkey feels more upbeat. Has more energy to it. It might encourage me to go to a car wash, a gym, a bar, buy a server/domain, etc. I am less inclined to think of this one's keywords and wonder more about the company that uses the name.

Basically, I would rather my domains be happy than cute.

In the end these are both Brandables. I personally would have only paid about 1/10th of their sale price. But to an end user I think both domains sold for what I would expect.

 

[Bram C.]

But to an end user I think both domains sold for what I would expect.

HappyMonkey.com (which now belongs to the organization "Happy Monkey Heavy Industries", according to whois ) was indeed sold to an end user. CuteMonkey.com though was sold to a big domain investor (F. S.).

 

[Keith DeBoer]

HappyMonkey.com (which now belongs to the organization "Happy Monkey Heavy Industries", according to whois ) was indeed sold to an end user. CuteMonkey.com though was sold to a big domain investor (F. S.).

Good detective work! But the company has no web presence, the registrant's address is a Seattle residence and the Admin address is "1 Main" in SF. That address doesn't appear to be real by my research. So it sounds like a startup company in someone's garage.

 

[Keith DeBoer]

Good detective work! But the company has no web presence, the registrant's address is a Seattle residence and the Admin address is "1 Main" in SF. That address doesn't appear to be real by my research. So it sounds like a startup company in someone's garage.

........and the registrant phone for HM Heavy Industries is 555-1212. Something is fishy there. Not sure this is really an end user. Hard to say really.

 

[ismailbiz]

Happy Monkey begs the question "Why is he Happy?" Which shoe horns into a business angle.

Becauae monkey never sad. Wkwkwkwk

 

[Embrand]

HappyMonkey.com is a 1998 domain, so it seems these animal domains were popular already back then. Taken in several extensions as well.

 

[pdevananth]

Another one today. MoneyDog.com for $600+

 

[disaac81]

The use of animals in brand names causes emotional attachments to the brand in ways that could not otherwise be achieved. Think of the word 'cat', how many people are cat lovers on the planet?

If your a brand that wants to say, hey we are friendly, approachable and sell really cute things, then you might use the word kitten, or mouse etc.

Brands speak volumes through their names, which is the reason why domain names are so valuable when a company wants it.

 

[pdevananth]

The use of animals in brand names causes emotional attachments to the brand in ways that could not otherwise be achieved. Think of the word 'cat', how many people are cat lovers on the planet?

If your a brand that wants to say, hey we are friendly, approachable and sell really cute things, then you might use the word kitten, or mouse etc.

Brands speak volumes through their names, which is the reason why domain names are so valuable when a company wants it.

agreed

 

[Keith DeBoer]

HappyMonkey.com is a 1998 domain, so it seems these animal domains were popular already back then. Taken in several extensions as well.

Yes, I also noticed that HappyMonkey is taken in 5 extensions and they are owned by different people. That indicates significant demand for the name.

 

[Recons.Com]

Definitely HappyMonkey.

Great brand for any kid related service: attractions, inflatables, games etc... Nobody is forgetting that! CuteMonkey is limited and Monkeys have more of a happy image than a cute image...

 

[Bram C.]

Definitely HappyMonkey.

Great brand for any kid related service: attractions, inflatables, games etc... Nobody is forgetting that! CuteMonkey is limited

I agree that CuteMonkey is indeed more limited compared to HappyMonkey. Eventhough I'm pretty sure that CuteMonkey is unforgettable as a brand name as well.

and Monkeys have more of a happy image than a cute image...

This I do not agree with. With a monkey the first thing that comes to mind is usually "cute" or "funny", not "happy".