There has been a lot of discussion about the Uncle.com sale. Many calling it a steal, with one Namepros member commenting, “Definitely a 6 or low 7 figure domain.” I do not share the sentiment that Uncle is a 7 figure domain name.
But a reader emailed me and asked me a little while ago if most blog and Namepros commenters are broke? Their point was this was a public auction that many knew about, if it was such a steal why didn’t any of these domain name experts bid?
The owner tried to sell it earlier in the year and the bidding ended unsold at $25k. This time it ended at $66K. This was an auction it was not the perfect end user sale, you like how Braden Pollock secured Detour.com for $65,006 a name I would rather have over Uncle.com.
I replied to the question posed by the reader, that this is quite commonplace, happens several times every year, a domain name sells and many say it was cheap. It’s domaining discussion 101.
Now one could argue there is a difference when you see a name sell to an end user privately compared to a public auction when anyone could have bid.
I thought Josh summed it up best on Uncle.com:
Better to dump at $66k than the $25k our community offered him prior.
Is the name potentially worth 6 figs to an end user, absolutely, maybe, one day, who knows when.
Some people chose to hold out to the their death bed and can afford to, some want to enjoy the money while they are still here or have other pressing matters.
The market has spoken, $66k is it, especially considering it couldn’t exceed $25k months ago.
There will always be debates on why people don’t buy or buy like this post from 2018 “there’s no money in domain names.. this industry full of bullsh*t.” .
If you thought Uncle.com was worth 7 figures then you should have put a bid on it.
You should have just answered YES!!! most don’t have a pot to piss in.
Not True! I have a pot to piss in! And more.
Definitely was not a “steal” How undersold was it? The person who said 7 figures, have they ever done a 7 figure transaction. I mean fucking Kick.com went for $276,000 much, much better than Uncle.com imho.
Most broke, probably. All, no.
The better debate here…. you’d seriously take detour over uncle?? Radio test, spelling test and brandability go to uncle (IMHO).
I wonder what TheDomains readers think.
Vote now:
A. Detour
B. Uncle
🤔
I never knew anyone having a problem spelling detour maybe if English is not someone’s first language. But I like the name better yes.
I would take Detour, what are you using Uncle for ? As a standalone? In this PC world I would never want to own Uncle, get a million people emailing you sexist, misogynist what about aunts? LOL.
Detour.com for me, not even close.
Family terms are more commonly used. When do you use or even see the word detour? During construction..I guess?
To each his/her own 🤜
I don’t love either name but detour is not a commonly used word, at all…unless you live around a bunch of construction.
Radio test, not even close. JMHO
Ramahn, I don’t think you understand what the ‘radio test’ means.
It’s used in reference to domain names which, when hearing someone read it aloud, could lead to confusion or misunderstanding by the listener as to what was said or indeed meant.
On hearing somebody say “detour.com” there is no possible confusion, just like there is no confusion for “uncle.com.”
Some domain names have a potential to fail the radio test in ways which are not at all obvious. An example might be JoeBloggs.com.
This could be deciphered by a listener as:
JoeBloggs.com (a man called Joseph Bloggs has a website)
JoBloggs.com (a woman called Josephine Bloggs has a website)
JoeBlogs.com (Joseph runs a blog)
JoBlogs.com (Josephine runs a blog)
JobLogs.com (the same domain as above, but this time it’s a man called Job who sells logs)
It could even (however unlikely!) be construed as JobeLogs.com
The point is, if you do close inspection on “detour.com” like above, there is only one way to interpret it in the English language.
So, no, you are wrong to say that it fails the radio test – that’s why I don’t think you understand what the radio test is.
How many domainers stumbled upon whilst reading something along the lines of: “How To Make Money Online”?
What does that tell you?
That you are one of them.
Josh said it perfectly. Look the market spoke, both castello brothers commented in the original post, if it was such a steal why didn’t they bid, we know they are not broke. Maybe Braden did or Oxley, where is Berkens or Schwartz if this was a 7 figure name going for $66K? They don’t like money anymore?
I would say for Michael Berkens and Rick, Michael has said to me in the past they want 10x min so Uncle.com only makes sense if it’s being resold in the $660,000 range.
My comment was from the article where I first heard that the name was for sake and sold. Doesn’t mean I would have bought it. I have said many times that a company or individual should develop a good generic. Having them sitting, only helps Google.
I am more about selling the names I’m not developing. I’ve been selling generics since 1996. I mostly buy or negotiate names for friends these days. Last one was HorrorCon.com which will be a convention for horror films, stars, merchandising and production. I tracked down and negotiated with the previous owner through FB. I’ve taken no fees or percentages. I’m just helping others create great ideas into great names.
Story is old and tired, investors with little money talk about things they cannot even fathom. Like when a football fan talks your ear off on how he knows more than the coach. They could not sniff 5th tier of English football.
I was the first place loser in this auction. I tapped out at $65k. Uncle.com is a great name which will certainly sell in the 6-figs.
6 figures is not saying a lot it’s only $34,000 away. I agree on 6 figures, 7 figures is pure poppycock.
Agreed. Congrats on Detour.com! Both names are solid investments.
Never forget all these people like pollock and oxley will always talk up that every one word .com is certainly selling for six figures. It’s in their best interest. Snoopy appears to be saying one word .coms sell for cheaper everyday.
People are blowing smoke saying names that that are perennially unpriced. The name is good but at $60k a decent ROI is far from certain.
A name like this will take 50 years as an average to find an enduser, it is no home run. So if you spent $3million on 50 similar names you’d get maybe one enduser sale a year. It would return maybe 10% a year.
I think people don’t understand the math of the industry, the fact that a 5-10x return is not that great when the STR is 1-2%.
Paul, I don’t understand why you always talk down the value of these names while simultaneously making $75k offers for my one-word .coms. I hear that many investors get mid-high 5-figure offers from you for their one-word .coms. Perhaps you’re much more bullish than you let on.
The post above isn’t talking down” the value. The value of Uncle.com is $66,000.
Yes. Wholesale value.
I sold a 5-letter, one word first name for under $2K this year (don’t remember exact amount). VERY uncommon name, but seemed brandable. Bought on godaddy drop auction for $300 a couple years ago. Am I broke? Nope, not even close. Reality is, it could have taken 20 years for a $20K sale of that domain.
I don’t think the uncle.com sale was a bad price — average, and average always beats no sale at all.
Uncle is not such a versatile generic. Didn’t Alp sell for $50-70k a couple of years ago (to a well known investor)? Granted prices have moved on somewhat.
Uncle is a great buy at 66k if that’s your brand, but as an investment it wouldn’t interest me. I’d pick it up for 20k though. But 25k+, no probably not. I don’t have that much money to sink into such a speculative term in that price bracket.
From a real world end user perspective as well as domain investing, “Alp” actually sucks compared to Uncle, three letters notwithstanding.
Ok, but why?
Alp = 3 letter generic with good connotations, visuals of stunning lofty peaks… strength, grace, power, nature…
Uncle = grizzled, plump, familial semi-authority, and possible benefactor…
Sounds okay on paper, doesn’t it? “ALP” is actually a great domain, but only as an acronym. As a word it sucks in a huge way. Even Detour is a million times better as a word. I can speak for the US market, and I suspect it’s similar in Europe and the UK: nobody thinks “Alp.” If you asked about “Alp” in the US people wouldn’t even know what you’re talking about and would have to ask. For all intents and purposes nobody is thinking of the “Swiss Alps” either, and they are caring even less if they do think of them at all. As a word it’s pure awkwardness, relative obscurity, and it’s even a bit awkward just to articulate out loud. If anyone sees “Alp” or “Alp.com” without having some preexisting reason to pay attention, they will not care or be interested or motivated enough to check it out.
“Uncle” is what I said below – “evocative” – in the extreme. Top of mind, heart, and soul. It doesn’t matter that some people may even have bad uncles. They are thinking of everything positive “Uncle” can be, may even really be in their life experience, and everything positive they wish it to be, and even wish “Uncle” to be for those who actually are “uncle.” Beyond the personal and including the symbolic. If anyone sees “Uncle” or “Uncle.com” branding, they will be drawn and want to know more, let alone if they already have a preexisting reason.
“Uncle” is end user branding gold in the right hands; “Alp” is not, except as a possible acronym for a larger name.
Big +1 John. You covered it all.
Thanks Steve.
And our religion shall be called Uncleology. Who dare blaspheme the Holy Uncle.com!
Your ‘rational’ opinion is noted.
Josef, what would be the advantage of “talking up” the value of one word .coms within the domain investment community? If anything that would simply increase the auction prices and I’d have to spend more on inventory, further diminishing my potential ROI. Certainly, not every one-word .com is worth 6-figs. I have one-word .coms priced in the low 5-figures and some in the low 7-figures. I price my names for what I think they’re worth to end-users.
Spot on
i don’t like detour nor uncle for that price.
I doubt Rick nor Berkens would buy that for $30k…that’s half price….they still would pass.
Just because it’s one word dot com does not mean it’s worth over $50k…most one word domains don’t make sense for a business enduser.
Most commenters are newbie domainers….they never even heard of Frank, Rick, nor Berkens.
There is a lot of cash out there right now with the stock market booming to new highs.
Domains are selling at inflated prices especially at domain auctions. If u buy a domain from a domain auction, don’t expect to resell that domain for a profit anytime soon.
Just like snoopy said…you’ll end up buying 1000 domains and sell only one per year which is not a profitable business model.
Too many newbie robinhooders on namepros want to strike it rich cause they hear stupid stories like someone buying a domain for $100 and selling it for $10k. They don’t know that this guy prolly owns over 10k names and finally sold one.
The owner of Uncle.com was not a domainer and does not own 10 domain names.
I agree it’s not a name Mike would pay $30,000 for.
RoyalBlue.com was a better wholesale buy IMO for less than 1/3 the price yesterday at auction.
The two names are at very different value levels in my view. RoyalBlue.com is a very good name but in no way comparable to Uncle.com. I don’t know if one was better value than the other.
I bet there is a bunch of people who think RoyalBlue.com was overpriced or underpriced much like Uncle.com. Market has spoken on both names!
I might just be partial to the name RoyalBlue.com I love that name, can see naming my company that, I would never name my company Uncle and I am an Uncle.
Uncle sounds like the kind of name that a Silicon Valley startup would use whereas Royal Blue sounds like a more traditional business.
A startup could easily write a BS story about how the founders uncle always brought sweets whenever he visited at holiday time and they decided to name the company “Uncle” because of all the great vibes that Uncles give out.
Good take Raymond. Meaning & “image” is everything.
I would never name my company Go ‘Daddy’…but they created a successful brand.
Uncle Sam . com sold for $185k.
Much different meaning than the one word uncle, .
UncleSam.com was one of the biggest overpayments of the 2004-2007 boom Rahman. Wouldn’t read much into it. Would be under 20k today.
As evidenced by the results obtained for the domain in this instance if one were able to sell the same domain 7x over one would achieve 7 different prices.
Thank you Ray, I haven’t been quoted in 6 years lol
As to the point of are all the “sold to cheap” crowd broke.
That I cannot answer but what I will say is I bet many have a vested interest in what names like this do trade for, big and small.
cyber threat intelligence, crypto insurance or blockchain intelligence company will buy uncle
I did not know it was for sale and often don’t know about ones that get announced after the fact.
You don’t have to be broke to properly and correctly evaluate a domain as a “steal” or “7 figures,” etc. And if you are only a domainer and not also an end user, then frankly you can’t really properly evaluate a domain at all. Having a good end user perspective is essential.
It’s a bit like your attraction to women if you are a straight guy. Although one of my friends has declares it does not apply to him, I suspect it does apply to most: you, as a straight guy, can often appreciate that certain specific women and are objectively beautiful and attractive, but nonetheless they may simply not be your type. Not even your type at all. Can anyone else relate to that? I’ve been that way my whole life – can easily say “I can appreciate how she’s definitely beautiful and attractive, but just not my type at all.”
Now of course domains are a bit more complicated. So for example, you can appreciate how a domain might be worth 6 or “7 figures” (or more), but knowing your own situation better than anyone you might also know that such a domain is not the kind you personally could do much with, either as an end user or as a seller, whereas you might also know or be confident beyond any doubt that there are many who can.
So a short answer might be, “I know it’s a great domain with great potential for commercial use, or resale in the right hands, but that kind is just not my ‘thing’.” And it’s not like there’s a guarantee that one like “Uncle.com” is going to fly off the shelves at 6 or 7 figures quickly (which I doubt), so you may not want to be tying up anything in a domain that’s just “not your thing” and seems doubtful in terms of the short term.
Your analogy, while a bit amusing, is not relevant to this discussion.
You’re wrong.
Yes John, if you are “only a domainer” you can’t evaluate a domain. Need to be an “enduser and domainer” like yourself to correctly value those 4 words .com’s.
You’re pathetic sometimes, Snoopy, but at least you read it.
LOL good one Snoopy
No, “shill,” you are just a dupe. Snoopy has been pushing the “4 words .com” theme to smear me for some time. He stopped for a while, but now he’s started up again. But if you want to be so easily manipulated and duped, go ahead…
Hi
so, if uncle.com sold for $66k, then how much would Auntie.com be worth?
or cousin.com or neice.com or nephew.com
imo….
Seriously? Ok. Auntie is somewhat worthless though not completely. Certainly in the US market.
Cousin is similar to Uncle, a good one.
Niece has spelling issues. “Uncle” and “Cousin” are truly “evocative.” As such their commercial potential is good. Niece and Nephew, not, and they fall into the “not so much” category by a mile.
And that, Internet friend, is how you look at a domain with an essential end user perspective.
Hi John
it was a facetious question
but thanks for answering
🙂
Okay. I’ll buy that for a dollar.
For me i should prefer Uncle.com to Detour.com , Uncle is common / more popular english word. its a good buy at 66k
Yes, Detour.com sucks. I would hate to have that domain compared to many good two worders and some three as well.
Yeah Braden Pollock spent $65K and it sucks, and you have done what in this business?
Braden paid $65,000 because the name doesn’t suck. Not in any way shape or form.
Well isn’t this funny, Raymond. I didn’t read the post as closely as one would think, and when I said Detour.com sucks, I had not even noticed that it was mentioned right in the post that Braden Pollock bought it and for that much.
And I’m glad to discover that this morning, because that is what led to me saying something honest and frank about how I really feel about that domain as both an end user and a domain investor. Because – surprise, surprise – despite how commenting as I do makes me feel freer than I otherwise would to say things in the blogs which really need to be said and can benefit everyone and everything in the industry, I still sometimes and even often exercise restraint and refraining from saying plenty of things regardless. And if I had known it was Braden’s and he’d paid that amount for it, I would not have said anything like that about it now.
But now that the cat’s out of the bag – yes, that’s how I feel about Detour.com. That doesn’t mean it’s a completely bad and worthless domain. It means it sucks in terms of the big and complete (and real) picture regarding what to invest in, why, when, and realistically imaginable real world usage potential. Sure, it’s *conceivable* that it could be put to some good and profitable use, but not very realistic, not by a mile. That one falls squarely in the category of fanciful visionary wishful thinking, and not in the good sense of “visionary.” Even I could come up with a number “visionary wishful thinking” uses for the domain which sound great on paper, perhaps even more than most – real world and realism being another story altogether. That one smacks more of “one word .com intoxication made me do it” than anything else. Did you ever see the “visionary” Rick Schwartz’s comment on Lane.com in comparison to FastLane.com and ExpressLane.com? Detour.com is like that.
So my statement is honest and from the heart: “I would hate to have that domain compared to many good two worders and some three as well.” Not many three worders – since Snoopy might start barking with his lying b******t again – but definitely there are even some three word .coms that are of such high quality and *immediate* real world commercial potential that even they are far more desirable than one like Detour.com. Or Lane.com, etc.
So this is one of those times when someone accidentally told the truth. Not as Nancy Pelosi accidentally told the truth recently about abortion, how the Democrats know the Republicans are bluffing about overturning it and didn’t do anything when they had the chance, and how the Republicans engage in money-raising and manipulative political theater about that while the Democrats do the same in reverse, i.e. truth vs. falsehood, but accidentally told the truth in the sense of truth vs. not saying anything. 😉
Here’s a case in point that is MUCH worse than Detour.com. Detour.com is an absolute gem by comparison:
“Shun.com closes at $57,504”
That’s all I know. So as not to influence myself to abstain and refrain from saying something, I will not look into the who, what and where of that domain. Instead, I will candidly just say that domain is absolute trash in the big picture. Someone would have to be nuts to buy it for that in an honest arms length transaction. For that one, there are definitely *many* three word .coms I’d rather have, not just a few, let alone two word .coms.
Unless you can make such a $57k+ case for the Chinese Pinyin, though, ay? Mustn’t forget that. 🙂
You are dumbing down the whole site will comments like this John, embarrassing yourself and the rest of us by association also
Detour.com is a very good name and the market spoke. If you think otherwise John that is on you. As long as you keep buying ridiculously long names you continually to get nowhere. You need to listen more and speak less!
Stop lying and deceiving, you treacherous troll.
Hi
since many men, who were/are an “uncle”, may also be/been a “husband”
then…
as domain names, would they be considered “comparable”?
and if so…
husband.com has BIN Price of $65K
on other hand
a name like “shovels.com” is priced at $16K and since winter is coming….
i’d rather have that for the money.
🙂
No, they aren’t comparable. Husband.com sounds like a Russian dating site. Uncle.com could be anything.