Tucows / YummyNames Auction on NameJet

Tucows owns a fantastic portfolio of keyword domain names. I’ve found that when they sell, the company seems to get top dollar for their names. YummyNames is the division of Tucows that manages the sale of the company’s premium domain assets.

In February, Tucows / YummyNames ran a private auction on NameJet, and although many of the high value names didn’t meet reserve, I believe the auction netted tens of thousands of dollars in sales. Once again, the company is offering a substantial number of keyword domain names for sale on NameJet, some of which I listed below. There are just under 100 domain names in this private auction.

Many of these domain name auctions have undisclosed reserve prices, and  NameJet has gotten better about letting people know that the domain names do have reserve prices prior to the auction. Listed below are the names I like. Visit NameJet to find out the back order date if interested.

  • Drummers.com
  • BasketballPlayers.com
  • Pounds.com
  • TennisPlayers.com
  • Actresses.com
  • evolution.net
  • MUI.com
  • Macaws.com
  • Weaver.com
  • Jumper.com
  • Alligators.com
  • Snowboarders.com
  • MathTeachers.com
  • Rattler.com
  • BUI.com
  • Pope.org

FYI, I’m not being compensated by either NameJet or Tucows for this post. I think they’re great names and hopefully the reserve prices are reasonable.

Elliot Silver
Elliot Silver
About The Author: Elliot Silver is an Internet entrepreneur and publisher of DomainInvesting.com. Elliot is also the founder and President of Top Notch Domains, LLC, a company that has closed eight figures in deals. Please read the DomainInvesting.com Terms of Use page for additional information about the publisher, website comment policy, disclosures, and conflicts of interest. Reach out to Elliot: Twitter | Facebook | LinkedIn

7 COMMENTS

  1. There are some nice domains on the list.

    However, it is well known that Yummy Names (Tucows) acquires many top domains when they expire. I assume most of these were acquired the same way.

    Instead of letting them drop they just decide to renew and selectively retain the best domains for their own portfolio.

    Tucows has admitted doing this in the past, and while they will state it is perfectly valid and within policy, many believe it is also a shady practice.

    And just because you say something is valid, does not make it that way. The ICANN RAA contains language that would seem to make this practice against ICANN policy –

    “3.7.5 At the conclusion of the registration period, failure by or on behalf of the Registered Name Holder to consent that the registration be renewed within the time specified in a second notice or reminder shall, in the absence of extenuating circumstances, result in cancellation of the registration by the end of the auto-renew grace period (although Registrar may choose to cancel the name earlier).

    3.7.5.1 Extenuating circumstances are defined as: UDRP action, valid court order, failure of a Registrar’s renewal process (which does not include failure of a registrant to respond), the domain name is used by a nameserver that provides DNS service to third-parties (additional time may be required to migrate the records managed by the nameserver), the registrant is subject to bankruptcy proceedings, payment dispute (where a registrant claims to have paid for a renewal, or a discrepancy in the amount paid), billing dispute (where a registrant disputes the amount on a bill), domain name subject to litigation in a court of competent jurisdiction, or other circumstance as approved specifically by ICANN.

    3.7.5.2 Where Registrar chooses, under extenuating circumstances, to renew a domain name without the explicit consent of the registrant, the registrar must maintain a record of the extenuating circumstances associated with renewing that specific domain name for inspection by ICANN consistent with clauses 3.4.2 and 3.4.3 of this registrar accreditation agreement.

    3.7.5.3 In the absence of extenuating circumstances (as defined in Section 3.7.5.1 above), a domain name must be deleted within 45 days of either the registrar or the registrant terminating a registration agreement. ”

    Brad

    • +1 to what Brad said.

      I’ve always been baffled by the domain communities’ relative lack of outrage on this subject.

      ICANN continues to be a very bad joke as a regulatory body. Much more interested in enriching themselves with nonsensical, confusing, unnecessary TLD’s that virtually no one wants, than enforcing a level playing field with clear rules for registrars, registrants and trademark holders.

    • While as a registrant I’m not a big fan of registrars taking over domains at expiry, the premium names at Tucows also stem from their purchase of Netidentity, who originally bought those names in order to sell email addresses.

      Not sure which is which, I didn’t check whois history for these specifically, but I seem to recall at least Snowboarders.com and MathTeachers.com from this purchase.

      And, while no justification for taking over expiring domains, at least Tucows is up front about the practice and stands to it publicly. It took them a while to jump onto this bandwagon when a number of other registrars have been practicing this a lot longer:

      http://www.tucowsdomains.com/renewal-and-expiration/what-happens-to-domain-names-when-they-expire/

      Others hide this in their terms & conditions.

    • I don’t like it at all. Maybe GuitarPlayers.com would have value but I don’t see value in the longer name. Aren’t guitar players called guitarists?

  2. Yes! They are profiting from domains that they should not get their hands on! ICANN rules are very clear for years but not even ICANN wants to know about it.

    WHEN will our community take some action? I know why there is no action after all these years. There is plenty of money moving on for all. But that will end you know. And when you have these Regitsrars go after domains on open market, competing with everyone of us, with MONEY gotten from years of this shady practice THEN we will wake up.

    I suggest everyone to submit complaints to ICANN showing examples of this practice because later they will not be able to say they didn’t know. and THIS will make a lot of pressure on the management i guarantee you.

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