Tips for choosing brandable domain names that sell on BrandBucket

The marketplaces for brandable domain names are flourishing. The websites offer catchy domain names for end users at a relative high (around 2-3 000 USD) price. Of course, this market has caught the attention of domainers’ as well: many of them want to sell their domain names on the most popular brandable domain marketplace, BrandBucket.

In order to help domainers, there have been an analysis and also a list on the names sold on BrandBucket around. Although these post provide useful information on BrandBucket domain name sales – however, in order to be able to give advice on hand-registering or buying tactic, a comparison of listed and sold domain names is much more relevant.

Thus, we have made a thorough analysis and comparison of different parameters of listed and sold domains on BrandBucket with the assumption that we provide a useful tool for domainers. Much to our surprise we came to the following conclusion…well, let’s see.

The sold domains names were taken from the above mentioned list from dngeek.com. We have randomly selected 524 domains (see the Table below) from the more than 20,000 domains currently for sale on BrandBucket.

Domain NameExtension
aboutreadycom
activityfundcom
adbrewcom
advaxocom
adviseboxcom
advisetreecom
advitascom
advuacom
ahxicom
alapcom
aldovocom
allelacom
alltherecom
altvacom
altvucom
amerivacom
anariocom
arrendocom
artcrunchcom
artixuscom
athletiocom
avuacom
beatfullycom
besteracom
bidobocom
bigarmorcom
bigstepupcom
bipzocom
bitazacom
bitenocom
bloomorocom
bloomratecom
bluemystcom
bluewavescom
bouncehookcom
bovatocom
boxalacom
boxamacom
boxpulsecom
brinacom
burstfeedcom
buyococom
buyyocom
buzzascom
capitalaricom
capitalbirdcom
capitalclickcom
capitalfundercom
capitalpledgecom
capitalrabbitcom
cartfishcom
cashcometcom
cekkucom
changelycom
chargechipcom
chargecorecom
chatwildcom
chipzacom
ciovacom
clarvacom
cleanworkflowcom
cleomicom
clothacom
cloudorbcom
companypackcom
completegamblecom
contactpeoplecom
coolanalysiscom
correcttonecom
coscoutcom
costiocom
crawlocom
crewly
crowdnetworkcom
crusicom
cubesycom
cutlycom
cyberboticcom
dalucicom
dashzacom
datadeckcom
datimacom
decoratrcom
defensecirclecom
deluxercom
deluxestartcom
designellecom
designetocom
deviagocom
dibzacom
digipeakcom
digitalpastcom
divrtcom
docteracom
doxaricom
dreamerocom
drivecircuitcom
dronucom
earnlabscom
earnwisecom
eatablycom
ecotrocom
ecoviewcom
edoxocom
ejalacom
elemeracom
elxucom
emergiencom
emutucom
engagemodecom
epicbashcom
equariscom
estavocom
etisocom
evantcom
eventhatchcom
everarmorcom
everhatchcom
everpincom
eververacom
everyphasecom
exosacom
exotiumcom
expectiscom
expertsoundcom
extragrowthcom
faboscom
fasheecom
fashionjunglecom
fashionosacom
fastcollabcom
fastmanagecom
fastseatingcom
favasacom
favazacom
feasibly
feedmicom
finetastecom
firstmeridiancom
firstrolecom
fixamacom
flashbycom
flavycom
flexzucom
flirtiercom
flowfundingcom
focasocom
foldincom
foodablycom
foodbrightcom
foodviewcom
freshgrabcom
frontcorecom
fueldockcom
fundablescom
fundhillcom
fundingbitcom
fundlendcom
fundrisingcom
futureocom
gathersycom
genoxocom
genuineideacom
getbackingcom
getstrongercom
giantmomentcom
gigadacom
glamaticom
glamatocom
goodjuicecom
greatbuddiescom
greatresolvecom
groupconceptcom
growphasecom
guardstoragecom
gustamoscom
habucom
happyagencycom
healthcubcom
healthexamcom
healthlenscom
hellomacom
hellopadcom
helpingteamcom
heycartcom
heythankscom
hovarocom
huloacom
inchartcom
incubiacom
influenceupcom
influenceupcom
injectracom
injeticcom
innzocom
inobycom
inridecom
inspriocom
investmentspotcom
investouscom
investphasecom
izazocom
jetavacom
jetphasecom
keepingstockcom
kexxacom
kidexocom
kidexplorecom
kidwondercom
kindsycom
kiricom
klesocom
latonkacom
leadingfactorcom
lemonycom
lentracom
lijocom
localareacom
logicbloomcom
logicpagecom
loohacom
lookadorablecom
loopucom
luckycarrotcom
luveycom
luxavocom
luxovocom
luxuroncom
maagiccom
magnacloudcom
marketerlycom
marketroundcom
maskrcom
maxymocom
mecrowdcom
medoviacom
miavicom
mintbitcom
mintivocom
mixfoliocom
mostsecurecom
motionswipecom
movefreshcom
murimocom
mybackercom
nevaxacom
newfundercom
nexavacom
nexenacom
nextbunchcom
nicegrowthcom
niceprivacycom
nowlendcom
nutriatocom
nybiocom
oberucom
odosocom
offiracom
okolucom
olqocom
omnicrowdcom
onboltcom
ondirectorycom
opomicom
oprexacom
oprezacom
opricocom
orbexocom
orloxcom
ortemiscom
ovaloocom
oveenacom
oveetacom
oveqcom
ownzocom
packwagoncom
pandovacom
pathzocom
payosocom
peachspacecom
peakpulsecom
peerworthycom
pepocom
perfectappealcom
perfectzacom
performzacom
photazacom
piqoscom
pivotscoutcom
planvacom
playicocom
popiocom
popsoutcom
preciselookcom
prelimcom
premierbitcom
presivocom
preveoncom
privacythreatcom
privegocom
prividiocom
procopycom
profitcogcom
profitpeachcom
profitshubcom
proposiacom
prospexacom
proxaracom
proxirocom
prozatocom
publishedworkcom
pushsnapcom
qurvocom
ralettacom
rankologycom
readcloselycom
readyadvertisecom
readyadvisecom
readybasketcom
readycodercom
readydelivercom
readydetectcom
readydevelopcom
readyluxecom
readypackagecom
readysurgecom
readytofundcom
rechatcom
rectificom
redmarlincom
refuelingcom
relayocom
renozocom
restaurantrowcom
revisrcom
rexzocom
riivercom
rocketdeskcom
roketicom
romagiocom
samantracom
savlycom
schoolpandacom
scopestreamcom
scoutacom
seatowlcom
seatowlcom
securehaulcom
secureradiuscom
selaxiscom
selxacom
sendioscom
sendthroughcom
sendyocom
sentrydefensecom
seohealthcom
serviceycom
sharelyticscom
sharespherecom
sharingtimecom
shellproofcom
shieldascom
shipgocom
shopiagocom
shymmercom
signalowlcom
signfilecom
simpleformatcom
siteanchorcom
slidacom
slidacom
slideacom
smartcarrotcom
socialblokecom
socialchimpcom
socialfibercom
socialorbitcom
socialzrcom
solidblockcom
soundupcom
spacebitcom
specialsignalcom
splitloopcom
sproutphasecom
spycloudcom
squabacom
stackhighcom
stackvoltcom
startbloomcom
startgrovecom
startingoffercom
startupstercom
startvaluecom
statfulcom
statsonlycom
staxacom
stepmedcom
stillgoldcom
strategicscalecom
strongersalescom
strongphasecom
strotacom
studeecom
superadorablecom
supervuecom
sureequitycom
surelocalcom
surgeecom
surgesycom
sytescom
takingnoticecom
talentbitecom
tastyideacom
teamatacom
teamcubecom
techavocom
techycloudcom
tejocom
tekzucom
telviracom
teserocom
testyourluckcom
thepicniccom
thinkorocom
ticketpickupcom
tigercrabcom
tipzucom
tonxacom
touchfulcom
tourivacom
trackfastercom
transendacom
transparitycom
travaliscom
travelomacom
trendizacom
trevedocom
trolcom
tronifycom
truefundingcom
truereliccom
turbofusecom
tuvvocom
tyconacom
udoxocom
uiexpertscom
ultavacom
ultorocom
ultrabloomcom
ultravacom
ultrazacom
upbouncecom
upclixcom
upcubecom
upfusecom
uphitcom
uppadcom
vaccucom
valeniocom
varexocom
vaxlocom
vaxxucom
vaxzocom
velaxacom
velojacom
verifocom
verifocom
verycustomcom
verypromptcom
vexxucom
viachroncom
vidsiacom
vipsycom
viraxiocom
virtualcrowdcom
virtualdoorcom
virtuzacom
visionopscom
vitagenixcom
viumcom
vizodacom
vlisscom
vodixocom
voduxcom
voilaracom
voocucom
voqiacom
voxanecom
voxanocom
voxyncom
voyoracom
vozomcom
vultexcom
vumiacom
vuxiccom
vynacom
webettocom
webiagocom
wellixacom
wellseencom
wellxacom
wemodocom
whaqcom
whatastartcom
whozucom
winnoviacom
wiredvillecom
wixiccom
workgocom
xerenacom
yescrowdcom
yumiomcom
zalloocom
zaptivacom
zaptivocom
zaxlicom
zenpilecom
zentivocom
zercocom
zirxocom
zolococom
zoroxocom
zoventcom
zyolacom

As the number of analyzed sold (1105) and listed (524) domain names is not the same, so the distribution percentage of a given parameter was taken into account. If the distribution of parameters does not differ between listed and sold domain names that means that the given parameter is not a determining factor. As an example, the fact that most domain names beginning with the letter ‘s’ does not mean anything if the highest number among the listed domain names also start with ‘s’. On the contrary, a huge difference of a given parameter between listed and sold domain names reflects to a possible influence on sale success.

We have analyzed and compared the following parameters of sold and listed domain names:

  • First letter
  • Last letter
  • Domain length
  • Domain age

So let’s see:

First letter distribution of sold and listed domains on BrandBucket

First letter distribution of sold and listed domains on BrandBucket

We consider large differences between red (sold) and green (listed for sale) columns. The relative chances for sales are greater in case of a domain name starting with a character with greater sold than listed ratio. This means that we have more chances of selling our domain if it starts with the letter ‘a’, ‘j’, ‘m’, ‘q’, ‘x’, ‘y’ and ‘z’, whereas the worst choices are domains starting with ‘v’. This is true assuming that the relative small number of listed domains remains with the exception of ‘a’ and ‘m’, where the chances of sales are high in spite of high number of listings. As we can see from the figure, the highest number of domain names starting with ‘s’ are sold. However, the ratio of listed domain names starting with ‘s’ is even higher, so our chance to sell a domain name starting with ‘s’ is lower than average. These results are not surprising: it is known that start-ups are advised to choose a starting letter for their product either from the beginning or from the end of the alphabet.

Next, let us consider the ending characters:

Last letter distribution of sold and listed domains on BrandBucket

Last letter distribution of sold and listed domains on BrandBucket

As can be seen,’x’,’y’ and ‘u’ are the characters where a difference between listing and sold ratio exists. Domains ending with  ‘x’ and ‘y’ are easier to sell, whereas domains ending with ‘u’ do not have a high chance of a successful sale. Since the domains listed on BrandBucket cannot be sorted according to their end character, this figure proves that comparison of relative listing and sold ratio shows the true sale chance of a domain listing.

Next, the effect of domain length on sale success was analyzed:

Domain length distribution of sold and listed domains on BrandBucket

Domain length distribution of sold and listed domains on BrandBucket

From the figure it is obvious that domainers’ and buyers’ point of view on the ideal character number is quite different: buyers would definitely not go for a domain longer than 9 characters, no matter how many of these long domains are listed.

And the most exciting one is the domain age. Nowadays many domainers still hand-register .com domains in spite of the fact that .com is just oversaturated in the hope of selling them at one of the brandable domain name marketplace.

Domain age distribution of sold and listed domains on BrandBucket

Domain age distribution of sold and listed domains on BrandBucket

Here is the truth: the chances of hand-registering a domain today and sell it for thousands are very low. 60% of listed and only 10% of sold domains on BrandBucket were registered this year. It should be noted that we did not have information on the dates of sales (i.e. a domain name registered back in 2013 and sold on the same year is indicated as a 2 year old domain in our figure), so 10% of the sold domains is probably underestimated. However, we can state that at least 50% of the sold domains are aged i.e. more than 5 years old.

In summary, based on the analysis above, simple rules can be defined that maximize the chance of selling a domain:

  • Domain name should start with ‘a’ or ‘m’  (‘j’, ‘q’, ‘x’, ‘y’, ‘z’ are good as well, but a bit risky if many new domain names come with these letters)
  • Domain name should end with ‘x’ and ‘y’
  • Domain name should be possibly under 7 character long
  • The chances of selling your domain will be increased if it is older than five years. Of course that does not mean that hand-registering is over, as you register a domain even for $1, whereas buying an aged domain costs much more, so your profit might be higher by hand-registering.

So now go and check if xerox.com is available, since it fulfills all these rules 😉

 

10 Comments

  1. Tim December 4, 2015
    • Eszter Hazai Eszter Hazai December 4, 2015
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    • Eszter Hazai Eszter Hazai December 16, 2015
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