My 2024 domain name sales were relatively flat year over year. I sold more domain names in 2024 than I sold in 2023, but it was by a slim enough margin that I will call it flat. My sale revenue was also slightly higher in 2024 than in 2023. I would still say the year was *good* but it’s always nice to see growth.
In looking at year over year sales at Namebio, the number of sales was relatively flat (145,025 for 2023 vs. 144,633 for 2024). I am sure there will be more sales added to the database, but it will likely be relatively flat YoY when all is said and done. Domain name sale dollar volume was higher in 2024 ($185.3 million) than in 2023 ($159.2 million). Keep in mind that this data only counts publicly reported sales.
In general, the sale revenue and income from sales is far more important to me than the number of domain names I sell. In fact, my pricing and willingness to sell domain names is impacted by my sale income. If my sale revenue is up, the volume of domain names I sell doesn’t matter as much to me.
Because I am growing the number of inventory-quality domain names I have listed for sale at BIN prices, I would have hoped and expected the number of sales to rise in conjunction with the growth of my portfolio. The BIN prices and asking prices I set may fluctuate a bit based on how my revenue/income is doing, but most inventory quality domain names aren’t usually priced above $5k in my portfolio.
There are a few things that could have led to a flat year in terms of the number of domain names I sold. In the coming days, I will evaluate this and potentially make some changes. Some of the factors that could have led to this flat year include the following:
- Choosing the wrong domain names to buy at auction.
- Setting BIN prices too high.
- Landing page choice and/or design not working well for me.
- Poor communication with potential buyers.
- Removing higher value domain names from Afternic.
- Not listing higher value domain names on Sedo.
- Not optimizing my portfolio at Atom.
- Not trying additional domain name sales platforms.
- I should try more outbound sales.
I definitely could have added to my sales by accepting offers I opted to reject. Since this happens every year, I don’t think that impacted my business any more last year than in prior years.
Hi Elliot,
Do you think AI might be having an impact on domain sales in any way? For instance, could advancements in AI be shifting buyer preferences, changing how businesses choose domains, or influencing the perceived value of domains? It would be fascinating to hear your perspective on whether this emerging technology might be playing a role, even indirectly, in shaping the domain market.
Comment: Flat sales in domain investing could indicate a saturated market or a shift in consumer preferences, highlighting the need for investors to adapt and diversify their portfolios.