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August 27, 2012

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Cruises.co.uk Changes Hands for Over $1 Million in Largest .co.uk Sale Ever Reported

The operators of Great Britain's Cruise.co.uk website have purchased the plural version of that domain, Cruises.co.uk, from German travel company Nees Reisen in the largest .co.uk sale reported to date. The price was £560,000 ($1,099,798). 

The news was not supposed to be released until Wednesday (Feb. 6) because Cruise.co.uk had placed an embargo on the advance press releases they sent out. However someone broke the embargo and the news spread across the internet early today. It is common for advance releases to go out with an embargo date and time so that various media outlets will have the news ready to go when the release time arrives. Breaking the embargo is a violation of trust and once the offending oulet is identified they can expect to find themselves shut out from receiving similar advance word in the future.  

By Ron Jackson

Cruise.co.uk said the plural domain will become a new online social networking site featuring user-generated content with the current domain remaining the core business site. The photo below (sent out with the advance release), shows Cruise.co.uk Managing Director Seamus Conlon with a depiction of the company’s record-breaking domain name.

Conlon said: “The cruise market is one of the fastest and most consistently growing sectors in the travel industry – a trend predicted to continue – and our website, www.cruise.co.uk, is the market leader. This year we are launching a number of initiatives to cement that position and to increase user-generated content. ‘Cruises’ is consistently ranked first on Google, with ‘cruise’ just behind. We wanted the top positions so that when internet users are searching for cruise deals, reviews or news we are the first port of call."

This is the first reported 7-figure sale of the new year and it naturally tops our new weekly Top 20 chart which also sports a pair of six-figure sales. There would have been a lot more strong numbers this week but both Sedo.com and SnapNames.com were missing in action when our deadline arrived (we do have one SnapNames sale that we received just after deadline last week that is included this time out - #5  NoLmitTexasHoldem.com at $38,742). Their numbers for the past week will have to be added to next week's report 

Another big gun was #3 HotPorn.com, a name that Moniker.com sold in their live auction at the Internext Expo for $107,000. 

Moniker also announced this week that they had brokered a monster $4 million sale of the adult entertainment portal FreePorn.com (a developed site that has been online since 1996). We understand that they will soon be announcing another website sale that will top this one at $4.5 million. 

The cruises.co.uk sale was one of two ccTLDs on the Big Board. The other was #18 VV.ca (Canadian country code) a name that went for $10,000 in a deal completed through DNForum.com. A 2-letter .org also made the elite list with #7 PL.org sold by Moniker for $28,850. The only other non .com domain on the chart was #16 (tie) Pig.net, also sold by Moniker (at Internext) for $11,000.

Here is how all of the top sellers stacked up for the week ending Sunday, February 3:

 

The DN Journal Top 20 
Reported Domain Sales - Mon. Jan. 28, 2008 - Sun. Feb. 3, 2008
Euro to Dollar Conversion (€ to $) is Based on Rates in Effect Tue. Feb. 5
  Domain

Sold For

 Where Sold
1. Cruises.co.uk £560,000 = $1,099,798 Pvt Sale
2. (Name removed after publication at buyer's request) $200,000 Pvt Sale
3. HotPorn.com $107,000 Moniker/Internext
4. HelpLine.com $70,300 NameJet
5. NoLimitTexasHoldem.com $38,742 SnapNames
6. Airland.com $38,500 AfternicDLS
7. PL.org $28,850 Moniker
8. Masturbate.com $27,000 Moniker/Internext
9. FBS.com $25,000 DomainState
10. GayBar.com $22,500 Moniker/Internext

11. Ingot.com $14,000 AfternicDLS
12. FreeWebmail.com $13,000 AfternicDLS
13. BestTeacher.com $12,750 Moniker
14. RockCity.com $12,000 NameJet
15. LifeDelivered.com $11,500 AfternicDLS
16.
tie		 Pig.net $11,000 Moniker/Internext
16.
tie		 PhotoBin.com $11,000 AfternicDLS
18. VV.ca $10,000 DNForum
19. NIQ.com $8,750 NamePros
20. PCPlus.com $8,600 NameJet

Keep in mind that these are the highest value sales that have been reported to us in the past week. This column is meant to be an educational tool, not a complete list documenting ALL high value domain sales. Such a list is impossible to produce because many sales are kept private at the insistence of buyers, sellers or both. Our procedure for verifying the accuracy of domain sales reports is available here.

For the many newcomers entering the domain industry we also want to point out that the reasons why a domain name sells for a certain price can be varied and are not always clear to those who are unfamiliar with the domain market. If you do not understand why specific domain names command the prices they do, you are likely to make unwise domain registrations or purchases. We highly recommend that you do some basic research before you buy anything! As a starting point we have built a sister site specifically for you at NameNewbie.com.

CLICK HERE for our Year-To-Date Charts.

.Com Supporting Cast

There were lots of solid four-figure sales this week with the top name in that group being iChicago.com, sold at NameJet.com for $8,300. They also sold Uplan.com ($8,200), Emeklilik.com ($7,800) and GetCertified.com ($7,700). SpyMagazine.com spotted $7,000 while EroticTalk.com and CarpentersTools.com turned in $6,000 each. BingCherries.com brought $5,300, HighEnergy.com hauled in $5,200 and SMSShortCodes.com kicked in $5,100. 

Also at NameJet, SexMuseum.com displayed $5,099, WoodenClocks.com chimed in at $4,900 and NaturePhotographs.com captured $4,600. Doscover.com drew $4,200, ArtsOnline.com added $3,700 and BarterStore.com banked $3,100. EasyMover.com made $2,900 while SubliminalAdvertising.com and GEPS.com generated $2,600 each. BabyTote.com bagged $2,500, FinanceWatch.com fetched $2,200 and PhatChicks.com chipped in with $2,010.

In addition to their four domains on the Big Board, the AfternicDLS piled up dozens of additional four-figure sales including PegasusCapital.com ($8,200), MetropolitanArt.com ($8,188) and QCAC.com ($7,041). BabySchool.com buttoned up $6,200, BritishEducation.com conferred $6,000 and ECAGroup.com clicked for $5,088. 

Four other names were clustered at $5,000 each; WorkingWeb.com, Realis.com, ProSystem.com and GoJungle.com. NationOnline.com netted $4,888, GotCredit.com grabbed $4,800 and PatientAssistance.com posted $4,500. Cedel.com sewed $4,488, EnterTheDragon.com cornered $4,288 and TexasTea.com brewed up $4,200. QUEB.com and Oreja.com each coralled $4,088 and IASN.com commanded $4,085. 

The Afternic DLS had 126 more .com sales ranging from $2,000 to $4,000 that are listed in the table below.

Additional AfternicDLS Sales Between $2,000-$4,000
    widelens.com $2,500
slowmusic.com $4,000 wealthyliving.com $2,500
iguild.com $4,000 temos.com $2,500
a-pro.com $4,000 pixability.com $2,500
causecast.com $3,999 obesitysurgeon.com $2,500
OfficeShirts.com $3,965 catholicstudies.com $2,500
openplaces.com $3,900 binfo.com $2,500
manhour.com $3,900 AskTheTrainer.com $2,500
noturno.com $3,888 5minute.com $2,500
creditmarketplace.com $3,888 motomarket.com $2,488
taxpress.com $3,788 libertychristian.com $2,488
studentroom.com $3,688 kruder.com $2,488
fitnesslinks.com $3,688 greenpastures.com $2,488
futuremaker.com $3,588 fourleggedfriend.com $2,488
freecafe.com $3,588 ticketnavigator.com $2,470
keywordadvertising.com $3,550 paleo.com $2,388
pareve.com $3,500 masterdavid.com $2,388
namebrandshirts.com $3,500 reconstructivesurgeons.com $2,300
vacorp.com $3,488 planetkid.com $2,300
e-vents.com $3,488 healthcareagents.com $2,300
tpao.com $3,388 footballschool.com $2,300
stocksystems.com $3,388 eco4u.com $2,300
xold.com $3,288 tinky.com $2,290
spysurf.com $3,288 totalpolitics.com $2,288
remt.com $3,288 theatrix.com $2,288
life-skills.com $3,288 sigis.com $2,288
dernekler.com $3,288 doubleglazed.com $2,288
gastrichealth.com $3,200 artisangroup.com $2,288
faircars.com $3,200 thenod.com $2,270
tradea.com $3,188 urbanbeats.com $2,250
islandgames.com $3,188 youlookgood.com $2,236
basecare.com $3,188 winningtoday.com $2,188
studynetwork.com $3,088 webtrafficbuilder.com $2,188
savile.com $3,088 unipi.com $2,188
megacell.com $3,088 scotchandsoda.com $2,188
erholung.com $3,020 populararticles.com $2,188
sourcea.com $3,000 motard.com $2,188
neuralnetwork.com $3,000 play-win.com $2,160
murfreesboro.com $3,000 sourcework.com $2,115
merchantshop.com $3,000 scooterdome.com $2,100
eventpromoters.com $3,000 brightweb.com $2,100
xmsinc.com $2,988 whattheywant.com $2,088
salehub.com $2,988 rentables.com $2,088
lufthaus.com $2,988 onlineenterprise.com $2,088
ademe.com $2,988 newindian.com $2,088
northeastphiladelphia.com $2,900 mototrack.com $2,088
clicksaver.com $2,900 hope4all.com $2,088
webkings.com $2,888 fabmag.com $2,050
summitshop.com $2,888 legolf.com $2,029
schoolcancellations.com $2,888 webweave.com $2,000
maxvid.com $2,888 tankcommander.com $2,000
flashelectric.com $2,888 servicemind.com $2,000
fakewood.com $2,888 s0ftware.com $2,000
ecovias.com $2,888 publicmarkets.com $2,000
agrimed.com $2,888 PROASIS.com $2,000
masterdirect.com $2,788 nterprise.com $2,000
fazzini.com $2,750 managedrisk.com $2,000
trimandslim.com $2,688 lorianne.com $2,000
jobclassification.com $2,688 lafo.com $2,000
interactiveresume.com $2,688 internationaltoys.com $2,000
cityadz.com $2,688 epicentr.com $2,000
visionstream.com $2,600 chemicalbusiness.com $2,000
megamanager.com $2,588 1talk.com $2,000
invasora.com $2,588   

Moniker closed more sales from three of their recent live auctions, including these from Internext; LesbianWomen.com ($7,000), BlackThumbs.com ($6,000), SwingersDirectory.com ($4,000) and InterracialPics.com ($2,250).  Sales from the GeoDomain Expo included ColombiaNews.com ($5,900), NorthDakotaNews.com ($4,000) and PasadenaNews.com ($3,530). Also at that event, CentralMissouri.com sold for $3,000 and eBrooklyn.com brought $2,250.

Moniker also sold PinkLemonade.com for $4,300 at Pubcon and in sales on their long established website they moved DAAS.com ($5,149), LunaPark.com ($3,999) and BathroomRugs.com ($3,649). 

At TDNAM.com, Edgeless.com landed at $2,505, Yoge.com yielded $2,005 and Motvongtroi.com tacked on $2,000. SBZ.com went for $6,850 in a private sale and Pool.com sold Reje.com for $2,100. Pool has a big one in the pipeline. An auction there for Shoppers.com ended at $166,000 today. If that transaction goes smoothly that name will appear on the Top 20 chart soon.

Global Contenders (.biz, .info, .mobi, .net & .org)

You already saw the top two names on the Global Contenders chart earlier on the all extension leader board. The first name in this category that you haven't seen is #3 Softwares.net, sold for $4,000 at the AfternicDLS. That was one of 13 .nets on the GC chart. The other seven positions all went to .orgs. 

The AfternicDLS easily won the race among venues by taking 12 of the 20 chart entries in this category. Here's how all of the Global Contenders stacked up for the week ending February 3:



 Global Contenders Top 20
 Highest Reported Non .Com Global TLD  Sales 
(.Net, .Org, .Biz & .Info) Mon. Jan. 28, 2007 - Sun. Feb. 3, 2008
Euro to Dollar Conversion (€ to $) is Based on Rates in Effect Feb. 5

  Domain

Sold For

 Where Sold
1. PL.org $28,850 Moniker
2. Pig.net $11,000 Moniker/Internext
3. Softwares.net $4,000 AfternicDLS
4. KidsCorner.net $3,500 AfternicDLS
5. Murfreesboro.org $3,000 AfternicDLS
6. WorldLibrary.org $2,688 AfternicDLS
7. MyPetStore.net $2,500 AfternicDLS
8. Ludo.net $2,400 AfternicDLS
9. Transaction.org $2,388 NameJet
10. eCommunities.org $2,300 AfternicDLS

11. HolidayCity.net $2,150 AfternicDLS
12.
tie		 SushiBar.net $2,000 NameJet
12.
tie		 Nabati.org $2,000 TDNAM
14. AMNB.net $1,988 AfternicDLS
15. RawFood.net $1,976 AfternicDLS
16. EarthVision.net $1,850 NameJet
17.
tie		 OrthopedicSurgeon.net $1,800 AfternicDLS
17.
tie		 CancerSurgeons.net  $1,800 AfternicDLS
19. TVStands.net  $1,788 AfternicDLS
20. Forrest.org  $1,710 NameJet

CLICK HERE for our Year-To-Date Charts.

There were dozens of additional four-figure GC sales just off the chart. NameJet sold Gina.org ($1,709) and Alle.net ($1,700). They also moved Edition.org ($1,600), HIF.org ($1,560) and GastricBypass.org ($1,010).

TDNAM turned over Mazzika.info ($1,700), FreeGameWorld.net ($1,500), TheGarden.net ($1,005) and PlayMetal.info ($1,000). 

The AfternicDLS piled up 29 more four-figure sales ranging from $1,000 to $1,688. Those are listed in the table below:

Additional AfternicDLS Global Contenders Sales Between $1,000-$1,688
promotionalitems.net $1,688   golfvacations.org $1,400
luxuryapartments.net $1,688 fitnessstudio.net $1,322
rockclub.org $1,588 creativeit.net $1,300
amso.net $1,539 hoteli.net $1,288
summerschool.net $1,500 icfm.net $1,252
platinumservices.net $1,500 satyagraha.net $1,200
mediaonline.net $1,500 adventureworld.net $1,200
commercialfinance.net $1,500 mobilebroadband.net $1,188
acceptcreditcards.net $1,500 heartsurgeon.net $1,100
realestatevideo.net $1,488 eurocapital.net $1,100
blackfriday.biz $1,488 megacell.net $1,088
franciscan.net $1,435 islamicbanking.net $1,088
partygames.org $1,400 eurotrash.net $1,088
heartsurgeon.org $1,400 gebo.net $1,056
   MedicalRecord.net $1,000

At Moniker VikingBay.org and ChristianCommunity.org added $1,075 each.

Country Codes

The big news in the ccTLD category was of course that monster $1,099,798 sale of Cruises.co.uk that we talked about at the top of this report. You also saw the #2 country code sale, VV.ca on the all-extension leader board. Sedo usually accounts for the vast majority of ccTLD sales. With them missing our deadline this week there are only two other country code sales to report; DMV.cc for $3,125 at Moniker and Satel.us for $1,453, a sale made by PPCIncome's Howard Hoffman in a private sale. 

Now that you're up to date on what happened over the past week, check out how the leaders stand year to date in all categories by visiting our Year To Date Charts page.

*****

As always, we welcome all verifiable sales reports from companies, private sellers or individuals with knowledge of an important sale made through any channel. To contribute information and help make this column better,  just drop a note to [email protected].

We truly appreciate the industry leading companies who share their sales information with us to help everyone in the business get a handle on current domain values. Richard Meyer of DotCom Group, LLC also provides invaluable help in collecting data for these sales reports each week.

Every Tuesday we publish the highest reported domain name sales for the previous week. On Monday our contributors send us their sales data for the previous 7 days. We then compile that information and write this report for Tuesday night publication to give you the freshest sales report in the industry. 

Editor's Note: If you wish to review previous Domain Sales columns, they are available in our Archive.

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