Tech Cocktail published an extensive article about the 8.CO domain name that is now up for auction via Heritage Auctions. You’ll notice that Tech Cocktail uses Tech.CO for its website, so it isn’t a surprise that the author wrote that 8.CO “may just be the luckiest domain on the Web.”
I think the auction is going to do well, and the article cites quite a few factors that could drive the price significantly higher. Some of the factors cited by the author, in addition to some of my own factors:
- 8.CO is one of the shortest domain names possible. It doesn’t get shorter than single letters, and there aren’t any extensions that have fewer than 2 letters.
- Major companies have been using single letter .CO domain names: Twitter (T.CO), Google (G.GO), GoDaddy (X.CO), and Overstock (O.CO).
- .CO has gained popularity amongst startups and is regularly used by startups.
- 8.com is not available to purchase due to IANA regulations, so it’s not like another company could get that traffic.
- Numeric domain names are in demand and have been selling for ever increasing prices on the aftermarket. There was a major price increase on 4 number .com domain names, and I’ve seen longer names selling at NameJet and other venues of late.
- 8 is arguably the most popular number to have in a domain name because of the Chinese market. It is associated with prosperity and success.
- Numeric domain names with 8 in them have sold for lots of money. For instance 88888.com sold for $245,000 in 2013 and 888.ca sold for $20,000 in 2014.
The live auction will be held at the Waldorf Astoria hotel in New York City on February 9, 2015. Pre-auction bidding has already started, and the current high bid is $17,000 (if you include the buyer’s premium, the price is $19,550). I do not know what the reserve price is, but the estimate is $50,000+. There are just 30 domain names up for sale in the auction.
What do you think 8.CO is worth? Vote in the poll below:
$50k+, because some Chinese buyers have deep pockets and if they want it…
8.com should be released to the public in a completely fair and transparent lottery in which everyone has the same opportunity to win it and pay a normal registration fee, and no sale, bidding, or unfair advantage for the rich, influential and deep-pocketed. Same goes for every other similarly reserved or restricted single character .com.
Anyone not agree with that?
I think it would be the largest sale of all time, and that would likely bring considerable press covering the business.
Yes, I think it would probably be the largest sale of all time too, *after* someone has a had a fair opportunity to win it and pay only reg fee the way other domains were originally registered, after which it could easily be sold for $50 – $100 million or more.
The 8.co is the great name to start and promote the websites to customers. I vote under $ 25,000. In china most people like 8 numerical number.
Under $25,000?…? Much too low. You wouldn’t be bidding in the auction or be associated with someone planning to bid, would you? 😉