Domain names can cost as little as $5. But if they’re competitive, they can be sold for millions. Here are 10 domain names that are considered the most expensive acquisitions. We decided not to feature any domains with topics of vice as it defeats the terms and conditions of Google Adsense program.
10. Asseenontv.com:
Asseenontv.com is a domain that was bought out by LA Group in 2000 at $ 5.1 million. This domain was used to protect brand name “asseenattv.com” of LA Group. This is biggest domain deal made for brand protection purpose. It is rare for such a long, multi-word domain name to fetch such a high asking price, but LA Group Inc saw some value in the domain. Now the domain is used as a shopping hub.
As Seen On TV is a nameplate for products advertised on television in the United States for direct-response mail-order through a toll-free telephone number. ‘As Seen On TV’ advertisements, known as infomercials, are usually 30 minute shows or two-minute breaks during commercial. There are also stores all over North America that now sell the same products that you see on TV, just instore.
9. Israel.com:
The deal for this domain went through in 2008 at a cost of $ 5.88 million. However, there is not much data available on the domain. Even Google can’t find it! It was purchased by Joel Noel Friedman, who said that he did not intend to make a profit from the domain. He is a Jewish American, and he just wanted to make sure that no-one ever used the domain for the wrong purposes.
8. Diamond.com:
This domain was bought out in 2006 at an astonishing cost of $ 7.5 million. This domain now is used as a diamond online shopping site. It’s really not surprising why the owner paid a huge amount for this site; after all he is using it to sell one of the most precious gems in this world. The story behind the sale: European jeweler, Ice.com, was discontent with their domain name, and wanted something clearer and more traditional, so they paid $7.5 million to buy the domain, diamond.com, from Odimo Inc. The Odimo company was in serious difficulties at the time, and the purchase helped them out financially.
7. Business.com:
This domain was sold for $ 7.5 million in December 1999. Next entry in this list also worth the same amount spent on this deal, but it was made seven years after this one, therefore ranked below. Jake Winebaum and Sky Dayton, the purchasers, wanted to turn the domain into a B2B site. They made their purchase at the height of the dotcom boom, and when the dotcom bubble burst, many people laughed at them for wasting such a huge amount of money. Both purchasers are now successful businessmen and Business.com had everything to do with their success.
6. Fb.com:
Facebook purchased fb.com in November 2010 at a price of $ 8.5 million from American Farm Bureau Federation. At present this domain is redirected to www.facebook.com. In the future, Facebook may use FB.com for other purposes, separate to Facebook.com. The announcement about the purchase was at AFBF’s annual meeting in Atlanta. Reuters picked up on the story and relayed the news. In 2009, Facebook paid $200,000 in August 2005 to acquire TheFacebook.com. In 2013, it purchased WhatsApp application for $19 billion. Go Facebook!
5.Fund.com:
It was purchased in the year 2008 at a whooping price of $ 9.9 million. This domain is meant for a financial service, however, this domain has still not been activated, yet. I don’t know if the owner is waiting to resell this domain in the near future or just in the process of developing the site.
4. Hotels.com:
Hotel.com was sold for the price of $ 11 million in 2001. However, new owner of this domain couldn’t actually confirm at what price the domain has been purchased, in a TV interview with BBC. Now the website is used for booking hotel rooms online and by telephone. The company has 85 websites in 34 languages, and lists over 240,000 hotels in over 19,000 locations. In 2011, Hotels.com launched an iPad application and updated its mobile phone product on iPhone and Android. It still deserves mention on this list, despite some discrepancies about the acquiring cost.
3. Insure.com:
Insure.com’s deal happened in 2009 and happens to be the , when PrivateJet.com broke this record. Deal was made at $ 16 million. Now it stands at no.3.
2. PrivateJet.com:
PrivateJet.com came close to being the most expensive sale of a single domain, but was beaten at the post by a cool $5m or so. How expensive exactly was PrivateJet.com when it was sold in 2012? A lot; $30.18m! Nations Luxury Transportation’s goal was to deliver the most efficient platform to facilitate worldwide chartering, aircraft acquisitions, and the selling of private jets. By the end of 2012, the private-aviation company hoped that the domain would have 250,000 plus unique visitors monthly in more than 52 countries. It also strove to have its new site become the go-to source for all matters relating to private jet travel for both industry professionals and consumers. This site is now a leading website in the private jet industry. The website includes private jet aircraft for sale, charter, and management information.
1. VacationRentals.com:
This deal came through in 2007 and the price was $35 million. This is the highest ever deal made to buy any domain. Brain Sharples, the founder of HomeAway, is new owner of VacationRentals.com and admitted that he purchased it, as he did not want his competitor Expedia to buy it.