labrocca said:
Yeah if it's available then isn't the value reg fee automatically? I don't see Estibot being used to create value on a domain that's unregistered imho.
You are correct that by definition, an unregged domain name should be valuated at Reg Fee. However, I've programmed Estibot to try to look for
potential value in order to help domainers to research available domain names. Basically, if it gives an unregged domain a high value, it is meant as an indicator that the domain is worth a second look - worth further research.
nparab said:
Well, I regged another .com domain the other day, when Estibot was putting it's (unregged) value at USD 700 approx.
After I regged it, it shows the value at > 1K USD
Estibot is based on statistical analysis of a massive number of domain names, sale prices and keyword characteristics. It is very clearly true that a registered domain name is likely to be more valuable than an unregistered one. That's why the valuation of a regged name is higher than an unregged name.
If you want to test this in your head, try an extreme example: Sex.com is registered. It is worth millions. fdsa39f83falwefkjs.com is unregistered. It is worth nothing. All the other domains fall somewhere in between, but a registered domain is always more likely to be valuable than an unregistered one. Registered status further indicates that at least the domain name is worth something to someone, therefore it has some desirability and is likely to be worth more than a random domain name.
It's like asking, is hot water more likely to burn your skin than cold water? Test it with extremes in your mind: is boiling water more likely to burn than ice water? Obviously yes, so it follows that 80-degree (celcius) water is more likely to burn your skin than 10-degree water.
Note that I say "more likely". Since Estibot is based on statistics, it deals with probabilities. It cannot give an absolute value to any domain. In other words, it knows that a registered domain name has a higher probability of being valuable than an unregistered domain name; therefore it factors a value increase in to the rest of the equation.
Also, if the .net tld is registered, a domain name is more likely to be valuable than when the .net tld is available. It's part of the "desirability" analysis. So if you register the .net, the .com Estibot valuation will increase.
Obviously you cannot increase your domain name's value by pushing the Estibot valuation higher by regging other tld's. Estibot only deals with the present, the data that is available at the time of the analysis. It is of course possible to manipulate Estibot results, but as a tool it's meant for bona fide domain research, where the user also uses his/her own discretion and knowledge to complement the keyword analysis and valuation.
It's meant to be used as one of the tools in the domainer's toolbox, nothing more.
