Domain investor Andy Booth tweeted about his recent acquisition of XPay.com, a domain name he called his “favorite pick-up in the last decade.” Knowing some of the domain names he has bought and sold over the past ten years, that is a pretty strong statement:
I would go as far as to say that I think https://t.co/LjE8E8pbzV may be my favorite pick-up in the last decade. I am always looking for names of quality with obvious commercial application – that’s what something like XPay has over a random word or letter combination.
— Andy Booth (@Chain) June 26, 2020
Domain investor and broker Andrew Rosener replied to Andy’s tweet, mentioning that the X at the beginning of XPay.com could limit the domain name to an adult related business:
To me “XPay” says adult/porn payments.
The simple fact that this is the implication to some folks, means no large corporation will ever use this as a brand.
Great name, but it is pigeon holed.
— Andrew Rosener (@andrewrosener) June 26, 2020
Booth and Rosener went back and forth a bit after that, discussing the placement of the X as the delineator for whether the domain name would likely be adult-related or not. In essence, the discussion about XPay.com revolves around whether this domain name is limited to adult usage or limitless in its potential usage because the X comes before Pay rather than following Pay.
There are a number of well known brands that use the hard X at the beginning of the branding and are unrelated to adult businesses. XBox, X-Men, and X-Golf, among others. In fact, Business Insider published an article in 2012 about branding with a leading “X”, The Indisputable Power Of Starting Your Brand Name With An ‘X’.
According to NameBio, there have been a bunch of 4 letter .com domain names with the word “pay” in them that have sold for 5 figures. I think XPay.com is better than all of those domain names. While it could be used by an adult payment service, I also think it could be used by a mainstream financial business. To me, a leading or following X with a strong keyword has the x-factor.
Definitely more limitless than limiting. Elon Musk acquired x.com and it’s not for adult purposes. The worst case argument against the domain was the one Rosener chose. Great domain much like xgo.com a few months ago by someone else.
Good name. That Business Insider article puts it in perspective.
I’m pretty sure that at one time (late 90’s early 2000’s) xpay.com was used for an adult affiliate site.
I think it would be a good fit for something relating to cryptocurrencies.
Definitely limited, existing trademarks in financial services in EU (XPAY) and US (XPays).
Hey Rosener…
“XXXPay” makes more sense as the adult payment brand, but “XPay” is broader in meaning and not necessarily adult.
Even X.com was an online bank before it became PayPal, so a single “X” no longer means adult anymore as it has been superseded by “XXX” in today’s times.
In Rosener’s imaginary world of trying to bash other investor’s domains, Ron Jeremy is an X-men and Microsoft produces porn boxes. He chooses the top ones though like domain porn aka domainx.
I am thinking that its history that is sticking on this one. payx.com would be the alpha but in anycase I think its a great domain
Can apply to something X-rated, but I think in this generation, X represents more of a variable like in math. And like others here have mentioned, there are plenty of brands that have become successful using X-something with no connotation to adult material.
Elon Musk said that he didn’t used X.com for the actual Payal because X would be confused with the XXX industry
I think a lot of this depends what age you are. I am 51 and think of “adult” for it, but younger kids may think of “X” as “extreme” like for extreme sports, or SpaceX (Elon Musk again). For something more modern, like a phone payment system or crypto or something like that, people might not think anything negative about it.
My first reaction was, good domain, but I actually saw the xp (msft). I didn’t at all thing adult industry. Now that it’s being discussed, I can’t seem to see it any other way than adult industry payments or something.
Really good domain though.
That is Rosener being a typical pr*ck again. He still can’t admit when he is wrong and still out to cause damage.
Rosener claimed his domain etho.com was a one word .com on Sherpa, he said is the singular of ethos. Not true! No such word as etho. He makes up his own rules depending on whether it his name or someone else.
I don’t know either of these guys and don’t have a dog in any fight.
What I do have is a shared interest with a vast multitude of people in the cause of “truth in domaining.”
Rosener is talking absolute bullsh*t. Judging from his public persona, it also seems inconceivable he does not know that. Which means I strongly suspect he is also lying to begin with. Perhaps there is some typical misguided sense of competition or strife, or worse. People often don’t even need a reason, just a feeling or desire. He is doing domain names, the industry, and himself a disservice. I wanted to include a few more strong colorful terms to describe him for this, two in particular, but you get the idea.
That said – what a great name! Most definitely limitless. Total limitless choice between “adult” vs. “non-adult,” or BOTH/AND.
PS – my perspective is both as an end user primarily who sees how great this name is for actual use (the real target market) and a domain investor and occasional seller second.
I did the “radio test” with a female friend of mine that has nothing to do with domains or the industry at all. Just what comes to her mind when she hears it.
XPay: Sounds like a credit card or bonus program
GoDaddy: Sounds like a dirty picture website
There you go. That said, I’m pretty sure there was an adult payment provider with the name Xbilling or Xpay around the early 00’s somewhere. 🙂
Something else I found interesting, before xpay.com was redirected to xpays, it was owned by the legendary domain investor George Kirikos. I wonder what George had planned when he owned it in the early 00s?
> GoDaddy: Sounds like a dirty picture website
Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!!
Even worse when you realise that GoDaddy was actually their second pick for the rebrand. The first was BigDaddy lol 🙂
Xpay is a great brand for a Neobank fintech payment system or a new crypto altcoin called Xpay.
Let’s stop shit … Andy I buy the domain for the price you paid and period. End of discussion