This is a guest post by DomainNewsReports:
The .com.au domain industry in Australia has started going crazy with many major corporates starting to buy up premium generic names for use in addition to their own brand websites.
Here are some recently registered and traded names in the .com.au market.
The gold rush is obviously here!
Many have been bought for 5 figure sums some even six figures apparently.
www.happybanking.com.au now owned by BANKWEST www.bankwest.com.au
www.bestbank.com.au now nowned by St.George Bank Limited www.stgeorge.com.au
www.smartbanking.com.au now owned by National Australia Bank Limited www.nab.com.au
www.mortgage.com.au now owned by ING Bank (Australia) Limited www.ing.com.au
www.businessbank.com.au now owned by Macquarie Bank Limited www.macquarie.com.au
www.privatebanking.com.au now owned by Commonwealth Bank of Australia www.cba.com.au
www.photocopier.com.au now owned by Fuji Xerox Australia Pty Ltd www.fujixerox.com.au
www.milk.com.au now owned by National Foods Milk Limited www.natfoods.com.au
www.vodka.com.au now owned by CARLTON AND UNITED BEVERAGES LIMITED www.fosters.com.au
www.rum.com.au now owned by Guinness United Distillers and Vintners Australia Ltd www.guinness.com.au
www.beer.com.au now owned by CARLTON AND UNITED BEVERAGES LIMITED www.fosters.com.au
www.scotch.com.au now owned by 3M www.3m.com.au
www.tennis.com.au now owned by Tennis Australia www.tennisaustralia.com.au
www.honey.com.au now owned by Honey Corp of Australia Ltd www.capilano.com.au
www.cows.com.au now owned by George Weston Foods www.georgewestonfoods.com.au
www.pigs.com.au now owned by George Weston Foods Ltd www.georgewestonfoods.com.au
www.ham.com.au now owned by GEORGE WESTON FOODS LIMITED www.georgewestonfoods.com.au
www.itjobs.com.au now owned by FAIRFAX DIGITAL AUSTRALIA & NEW ZEALAND PTY LIMITED www.fxj.com.au
www.bikini.com.au now owned by Tiger Lily Swimwear Pty Ltd www.tigerlily.com.au
www.kettles.com.au now owned by Sunbeam www.sunbeam.com.au
www.toasters.com.au now owned by Sunbeam www.sunbeam.com.au
www.oil.com.au now owned by Valvoline Australia Pty Ltd www.valvoline.com.au
www.documentsmanagement now owned by HDIS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD www.claromentis.com.au
www.prawns.com.au now owned by Paulos Bros Seafoods www.poulosbros.com.au
www.drinks.com.au now owned by CADBURY SCHWEPPES www.cadburyschweppes.com
www.drink.com.au now owned by CADBURY SCHWEPPES www.cadburyschweppes.com
www.chocolate.com.au now owned by CADBURY SCHWEPPES www.cadburyschweppes.com
www.truck.com.au now owned by Western Star Trucks Australia Pty Ltd www.westernstar.com
www.batteries.com.au now owned by Bob Jane T-Marts Pty Ltd www.bobjane.com.au
results can be confirmed via http://ausregistry.com.au/
http://www.melbourneit.com.au/successbox/online-marketing/important-dotau-land-boom-starts-1-june-2008/
http://www.smartcompany.com.au/Blog/Paul-Wallbank/20080407-Beat-the-domain-name-gold-rush.html
http://www.google.com/search?q=domain+name+gold+rush&rls=com.microsoft:en-us&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&startIndex=&startPage=1
http://www.smh.com.au/news/technology/domain-name-gold-rush-hits-cyberland/2007/08/03/1185648143743.html
It would be good to see the marketing industry news magazines (Brandweek / Ad age ) pick this up and run an editorial to include Jonston & Jonston baby.com baby.co.uk & other corporate registrations. I for one will forward the seed to a few newsdesks, feel sure others could do the same !!
Altrough I do think that country code domain names are a great investment the .com.au domain names are a waste of time and money since they contain the .com.au exten. and not like other country code domains (like .cn – which stands for China).
Interesting. I wonder if Fabulous and Michael Gilmour had any influence on this.
Also, bodes well for TRAFFIC down under.
Congrats to the Aussies.
So who says all the important domain/business trends have to start in the states?
Since many of these cos are large multinationals and/or high-visibility national/international leaders in their respective product/service categories, expect this development to further boost sales and prices of the premier, world-leading .com extension as well.
Once well-known and respective cos take the first move, others find it easier to follow in their footsteps.
This is an awful example of hype, these look like simply old registrations and a couple of very old sales.
names like anzcredit.com.au, westpaccredit.com.au etc are still available….
OBVIOUSLY SNOOPY MISSED THE BOAT ON THE INTERNET AND STILL THINKS THE INTERNET “WONT WORK”..
THE EARTHS ROUND ALSO SNOOPY! WAKE UP
why doe multinationals buy and use them to increase their business? shouldwe listen to them or you? If they spent Billions on their own brands why did they bother to go crazy for generic domains also?
because people type in generic names! not brands! people want to see who owns the best name and they respect that company the most.
snoopy has been having a sleep!
Oh AUDA says 800 .com.au’s have been resold in the last month. seems like even more companies are buying now!
http://www.steel.com.au owned by BHP STEEL
http://www.fuel.com.au owned by CALTEX
http://www.petrol.com.au owned by CALTEX
“Snoopy // Jun 17, 2008 at 7:06 pm
This is an awful example of hype, these look like simply old registrations and a couple of very old sales.”