In business, branding is everything. And companies are willing to pay a handsome fee for everything. Look at the domain name market. When ToysRUs wanted an online hub for its various retail properties, it spared no expensive in buying Toys.com. If you sell handwoven neck ties, wouldn't you want ties.com, even if it only served as a way to funnel buyers to your real site? Sure you would. It also works the other way. Companies have shelled out major paper for domain names. Keep reading to learn the story behind the 20 Most Expensive Domain Names Ever Sold.
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20. Candy.com, $3 Million
19. Vodka.com, $3 Million
18. AltaVista.com, $3.25 Million
17. Shop.com, $3.5 Million
16. YP.com, $3.85 Million
15. FreePorn.com, $4 Million
14. Clothes.com, $4.9 Million
13. SEO.com, $5 Million
12. AsSeenOnTV.com, $5.1 Million
11. Toys.com, $5.1 Million
10. Casino.com, $5.5 Million
9. Slots.com, $5.5 Million
Year: 2010
Buyer: Calvin Ayre
We do, however, know a lot about the sale of Slots.com. We'll let the buyer tell you why he spent such a crazy amount on something that's not sure to bring a return on his investment:
"Even at $5.5m, I'm convinced the Slots.com price was a steal. It's the strongest gaming-related domain out there and just a very cool domain to turn into a global brand. In that regard, it certainly doesn't hurt that we're getting a lot of help in publicizing our brand from the sex-crazed media. The press we garnered from the initial Slots.com purchase was massive, but now every single press mention of the Sex.com sale has also mentioned Slots.com by way of comparison. There have been over 100 press mentions across the globe in the past week alone. When you look at the costs involved in fostering a brand identity on a truly global basis, the free publicity has already made up what we paid for the Slots.com domain. History will bear me out – this is one of the best deals I have ever made."