Value of Domain Hacks

[xman]

Here's my question..what is the value of domain hack? I've seen some good domain hack and i was wondering about the value of it. I myself own one and i'm not sure whether or not i should get more. I haven't seen any sale of domain hack. Why do we register domain hack? Is it because the domain looks cool or because there's a potential end user who's willing to buy such domain?

 

[dnrevolution]

Remember that the domain hack 'ca.rs' is truly unique, the domain cars.com is not

Yep, ca.rs is an outstanding hack. I remember trying to get that one back in 2008, but its been in a "reserved" status since then...

Instead, I got superca.rs, and some of the other car classification names (in .rs), but, of course, none of these names could ever compare to ca.rs... A beast of incomparable beauty if ever I saw one

Many 2L ccTLD hacks are reserved or have a hefty premium attached to them, but they could still be worth the effort and/or investment trying to get, because nothing (and I mean nothing) looks as potent as a 2+2 domain such as ca.rs.

I have a few 2+2's that are "in the neighbourhood", in so far as quality is concerned, but ca.rs really is the Holy Grail of Hacks, if such a thing exists.

Yes, .rs is Serbia, but Serbia is solid enough and the country is also backed by the powerful European Union, so you can't expect much better than that really...

Some domainers talk about "exact match" domains, but the only truly "exact" domains are ccTLD hacks, and hacks that are derived from the new gTLD's.

Viva la hack! :sold:

 

[Kate]

Of course I would simply point at the recorded (and accepted) sales to end users, then compare the price of the sold domain hack to the guesstimate of the value of the relevant .com domain.

Perhaps it's time to take off the rose-colored glasses.

Cherry picking the few domains that have actually sold, what does that mean for all the unsold domains.
There is no market really, because these domains are not liquid. Your valuation depends on sheer luck, more than anything else. I really think they are worth zero in general, until you get lucky.

 

[TheBaldOne]

Perhaps it's time to take off the rose-colored glasses.

Cherry picking the few domains that have actually sold, what does that mean for all the unsold domains.
There is no market really, because these domains are not liquid. Your valuation depends on sheer luck, more than anything else. I really think they are worth zero in general, until you get lucky.

Oh, I see, sorry I didn't realise you were talking about .com domains, you know the suffix with 10,000,000's registered. Of course I do understand now that the very small percentage of 1% that are sold do give a misleading impression of the .com's value. Of course that means it is all down to luck and salesmanship.

You see when you start talking about numbers sold it is all relative isn't it. :D

Any domain, and I do mean ANY domain can have value, however, that value is only ever realised when a seller and a buyer agree a price and a transaction is completed. Now most domainers think that .com is the most valuable, some even think it is the only type of domain with value, but the fact is it is what an end-user thinks of as valuable that really counts. Now domain hacks are actually as rare as hell. This, like with most things that are rare often have a greater value to those who appreciate them than those who don't. Domain hack specialists (for want of a better phrase) are lucky in that they can often register or buy low and sell many times higher than someone who specialises in .com's can.

It is not I who is wearing the rose coloured spectacles I think in this case. But that aside think of the number of domain hacks that can be registered, then consider the number of sales, I think you will find in percentage terms it is actually at least on a par with .com sales against registrations. :hearts:

 

[Kate]

All domains are 'rare', because they are unique. LL.pw are rare too, there are only 676 of them. But not everything that is scarce has value. Apparently most domain hacks are still looking for a buyer. The value is not yet obvious to everyone I think. I like to dream too, but I can't and I won't depend on sheer luck to make sales.

 

[.tv]

After seeing a lot of creative hacks like awesm, socl, soccr, cancr and googl.... I couldn't resist adding this short and sweet country geo hack japn to my wallet, especially after knowing that the .an cctld is very restrictive.

 

[TheBaldOne]

.tv - Nice little pick up there.

 

[dnrevolution]

Yes, well done, Dhananjey, it is good to see you continuing to be creative in the domain hack 'space'.

Yesterday, by the way, I contacted Pedago to congratulate them on what I believe is their recent purchase of the smart.ly hack. It is very likely that they will be the new buyers, and if they genuinely did buy the domain then I think they'd at least reply to me, however briefly.

So I will keep this thread updated on their reply, if indeed they ever do get back to me.

 

[dnrevolution]

One or two of you here have contacted me privately, asking me not to question the validity of reported "hack" sales, suggesting that to do so is somehow damaging the domain hack market.

Two things:

1. If you have to contact me via the email address, on domains that I have offered for sale on here, rather than publish your comments publicly in this thread, then you are a coward. No other way to say it really.

2. My questioning the validity of a hack sale is not harming the hack market in any way. Admittedly, if a sale is found to be a fabricated one then it may well effect the fraudster in a negative way, but then fraudsters should always be exposed no matter what the market.

 

[TheBaldOne]

One or two of you here have contacted me privately, asking me not to question the validity of reported "hack" sales, suggesting that to do so is somehow damaging the domain hack market.

Two things:

1. If you have to contact me via the email address, on domains that I have offered for sale on here, rather than publish your comments publicly in this thread, then you are a coward. No other way to say it really.

2. My questioning the validity of a hack sale is not harming the hack market in any way. Admittedly, if a sale is found to be a fabricated one then it may well effect the fraudster in a negative way, but then fraudsters should always be exposed no matter what the market.

@DNRevolution - I would go further and say that actually we NEED publicized domain hack sales to be proven to the same standards as other domain sales are, i.e. proof of escrow payment through a legitimate party and/or demonstrable proof of changed ownership. There is absolutely NOTHING WRONG with you or anybody else questioning a sale as long as the questioning is about whether the normal level of supporting proof has been obtained, the questioning though must not be based on perceived values.

Please anybody who has contacted dnrevolution please post here, this is where we discuss things, and that discussion makes domaining a far safer place and business.

 

[dnrevolution]

we NEED publicized domain hack sales to be proven to the same standards as other domain sales are, i.e. proof of escrow payment through a legitimate party and/or demonstrable proof of changed ownership.

I don't know what Ron Jackson (of dnjournal) considers "proof", however an integral part of said proof should be a screenshot showing the new owner details on whois.

Yes, some sales can take time and involve financing, but as I understand it smart.ly was a straightforward sale. Clearly, the money was paid over 10 days ago, so why aren't the new owner details now showing on whois?.. In fact, why weren't they showing at the time of payment?!

the questioning though must not be based on perceived values.

Yes, ultimately, the only thing that matters is the proof (of sale), and I am perfectly happy to apologise to rocketna.me for having doubted them, if indeed they got a sale.

Based on my experience 'though, this sale makes no sense whatsoever, but i'd be delighted to be proven wrong on this one.

 

[Nitindomains]

Just got this one:-

itch.in

 

[dnrevolution]

Well, lets hope you find someone who's itchin' to buy it!

 

[Nitindomains]

Yeah, really a funny name this.
The world so huge that there are thousands/millions itching every darn moment.

I have a small time idea to turn it into an "itch mmoment sharing site". Hehe.

 

[dnrevolution]

The world so huge that there are thousands/millions itching every darn moment.

Wow, it sounds like every person in the world could become a potential customer of the site then!

Face it. You owe it to the world, to develop this one...

 

[dnrevolution]

It's now Saturday, and although the domain is still showing the previous owner, and Pedago didn't reply to me, I want to apologize to the Guerin Bros. for having doubted their sale.

Smart.ly is no longer available, in their domain inventory, and they are not taking any further enquiries on the domain, which leads me to believe that the sale is genuine.

So congrats to them on their recent sale!

 

[TheBaldOne]

@dnrevolution - Kudos to you.

 

[Kate]

There are domains that reportedly sold for big money, and are still not even resolving years leater.
Example: soci.al.

I am not saying all those sales are doctored, that would be bad faith. But this industry is full of mysteries and I have observed strange things.
I think some people really have money to burn. I am also certain that domain names are being used as convenient vehicle for money laundering, more often than we think.

 

[dnrevolution]

There are domains that reportedly sold for big money, and are still not even resolving years leater.
Example: soci.al.

I remember contacting the seller a few years ago, and I asked exactly how he managed to sell soci.al for $50K.

He told me that he had promoted it via Twitter, and that he was posting messages that made use of the #domain/#domains hash tag's, among other tags.

 

[TheBaldOne]

Just posting this as I have just seen it (6 hours late I should add), Max Guerin has tweeted today that he has sold voc.al for $5k.

This is just reporting his tweet, no other confirmation check done.

 

[dnrevolution]

Max Guerin has tweeted today that he has sold voc.al for $5k.

Good luck to him. Reading through his colourful tweets, I see he has recently regged p.et!