Francois Carrillo, owner of Domaining.com, just announced the sales total for the domain sale to benefit domain bloggers. In total, the sale grossed $20,789, with 9 domain names sold (10 domain names were actually sold but one person didn’t pay).

The sales consummated through this joint effort between domain bloggers and domain forums were:

• GoldBangles.com … $7,000
• Winy.com … $3,900
• PartyAccessories.com … $3,000
• MarketingService.com … $3,000
• DesignerPens.com … $899
• Mung.com … $1,600
• Anibal.com … $750
• CreditCardFaqs.com … $390
• ImpressFriends.com … $250

24 domain blogs participated in promoting the sale, and with 4 blogs opting to not  participate  in the payout, the 20 remaining bloggers will receive $102 each, which is the 10% sales commission from ECOP.com. Forums that participated include  DNForum, DomainState, and AcornDomains.

I think it was a neat idea, and I am sure the recipients will appreciate the shared sales commission for their efforts.

There’s an article about domain names that I found interesting on NorthJersey.com, an online publication covering northern New Jersey news and people.  The article is primarily about the sale of 45.com and the story behind it, which is described  as “a window into the weird, arcane and occasionally profitable world of Internet domain names.”  The former owner of 45.com is Glen DiGirolamo, who is from Wayne, New Jersey.

I’ll let you read the article for yourself, but I thought it was pretty neat how  DiGirolamo was able to come into possession of the domain name, and how he stuck to his asking price to make a solid profit on the sale.  I don’t really agree with the author’s description of the domain business being weird or arcane (maybe 10+ years ago), but it was interesting to read.

Do you have any similar stories about acquisitions or sales that you’d like to share?

Etta James’ version of At Last is one of my wife’s favorite songs and was almost the song we used for our first wedding dance. Sadly, Ms. James passed away this morning at the age of 73 reportedly after suffering complications from leukemia.

On DNForum this afternoon, the domain name EttaJames.com was put up for sale. According to the sales post, “ettajames.com for sale Accepting offers.” I don’t believe I know the seller of the domain name, I didn’t ask for the asking price or the price he would accept to sell the domain name, and I wasn’t asked to post this thread.

EttaJames.com has a 2002 creation date, and although other extensions had been registered in the past, they are currently unregistered. I would think there are ways to use the domain name to honor Ms. James that wouldn’t infringe upon her estate’s intellectual property rights. Hopefully that’s what happens in this case. Kinda morbid though.

RIP Etta James.

When you have a chance, please take a look at BH.com and I think you will find the landing page interesting. Click on the left side, and you’re taken to the Bell Helicopter website. Click on the right side, and you’re taken to an Elsevier website. I believe both of these companies are publicly traded and very large.

If you don’t choose which page to click, visitors are automatically redirected to the Bell Helicopter website after waiting 15 seconds.

It appears that the BH.com domain name was transferred from Elsevier’s ownership sometime between August 30, 2010 and September 7, 2011,when Bell Helicopter became the domain registrant. I did some research, and I don’t see any information about the sale of the domain name, although I imagine it must have been sold for a good deal of money.

Other potential suiters for this valuable domain name may have been Berkshire Hathaway or BH Photo & Video, a HUGE photography store in New York City.  I wonder how long the companies will “share” the landing page, and if the domain sale/acquisition  will eventually be reported publicly.

Thanks to  George Kirikos  for the tip.