The RoghtOfTheDot Domain Name Live Auction at NamesCon 2016
One person’s clever phrase is another’s million investment. That’s why the Right of the Dot Domain Name Auction is one of the biggest events at NamesCon. This year, 130 domain names were up for grabs in the live auction as the Keynote Hall filled with excited bidders, with 300 available in the extended auction that runs until January 21.
While online voting is available, NamesCon co-founder Jothan Frakes warned in-person attendees that they’d be “at the mercy of the WiFi”: actual paddles don’t lose connectivity. RightOfTheDot President Monte Cahn introduced the auctioneer, and the action began at full tilt.
LASVEGAS.ONLINE sold for $4,750, but FUNTIMES.COM, perhaps its spiritual cousin, only sold for $1,200. STRIP.CLUB sold for $10,000, while NIGHT.CLUB sold for $12,000. Surprisingly, EROTICA.COM, which sold for $800,000 eight years ago, sold for just $80,000 this year at NamesCon 2016.
PENIS.COM sold for $110,000, and DOCTORLOVE.COM sold for just $1,500. TRAILERTRASH.COM? $3,750. However, the more family-friendly LAWN.COM outperformed all three combined, selling for $245,000, while WEDDING.GIFT sold for $8,500. THEQUEEN.COM sold for $5,500, though CORGI.CO.UK was not for sale at this particular auction today.
WORSE.COM may or may not describe your hangover after tonight’s party at Hakkasan, but it drew bids of up to $8,000: bidding will continue in the online extended auction. METROCARD.COM sold for $5,500, though it’s somewhat unclear why New York’s MTA doesn’t already own it.
The numbers got even bigger. 380.COM drew bids of $450,000, and will go to the extended auction. So will DEGREE.COM, drew bids up to $375,000.
Maybe this was a bit meta, but AUCTIONS.COM was also on auction. Bidding started at half a million dollars, and nobody stepped up. That domain will go to the extended online auction. Same for FW.COM, which sought opening bid of $1.1 million. AT.COM started at $2 million, but the bid got steadily reduced to $1.6 million before getting sent to the extended auction as well. BY.COM commanded a bid of $900,000, but will also go to the extended auction.
PALEO.DIET, which was given away only hours ago, sold for $1,700. Indeed, acquisition at auction is only the first step in a domain name’s life cycle:
Wow.. Berkens just bought https://t.co/zFdbaPPdiA for $16k (he had plural).. Sold pair to Lau for 60k 15min later!! pic.twitter.com/jg30mocWtG
— Frank Schilling (@Frank_Schilling) January 12, 2016
From here, these 130 names will find new life as investments and community hubs.
NamesCon in Full Swing
This was only the first full day of NamesCon 2016, there’s much more to come. It’s impossible to see everything at the conference, so keep an eye on our Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram feeds. Also, check back in on the blog as NamesCon 2016 continues.
