New gTLD domain sold for $12,500 – 12 domains sold for $3,000 each (+ 32 domains sold for $1,000+)

Last week 7 new gTLD domain names sold for $12,539,99 a piece in the first few hours and then something remarkable happened.

The domain name cree.lighting was registered for $12,500 at Name.com. What was remarkable was that the registration was done exactly 20 minutes before the cutoff time that would have changed the price to $3,000. To make matters worse the registrant Cree, Inc. has a trademark for the term “cree” but it is NOT registered with the Trademark Clearinghouse. Registrant also owns creelighting.com. Panic and ignorance are the key terms here.

Then 12 domain names sold on the 2nd day for about $3,000 each at GoDaddy, Enom, 101Domain and Instra Corporation Party Ltd. (price is $3,164.99 at Go Daddy)

.Equipment and .photography had 3 domain names each, while .gallery .graphics and .estate got 2 each. There were no $3k registrations for .camera and .lighting.

Here are the 12 $3k domain names:
casa.estate
wohnungen.estate
clipart.graphics
vector.graphics
hunterlift.equipment
landscape.equipment
snowremoval.equipment
natureforums.photography (registrar paid $12,539,99 for nature.photography)
vivianmaier.photography
photography.gallery (Gallery.photography is reserved by Donuts.)
serpentine.gallery
event.photography

8 of the domain names were registered at Go Daddy, 2 at 101Domain and 1 each at Enom and Instra Corporation Party Ltd.

3 of the corresponding 12 $3k domainnameNewgtld .com domains are free:
hunterliftequipment.com
natureforumsphotography.com
wohnungenestate.com

Only the registrar of vivianmaier.photography also owns the corresponding domain name: vivianmaierphotography.com.

Considering that most of the new gTLD domains above have generic keywords a lot of the corresponding .coms are owned by domainers.

Then the next 24 hours another 32 domain names were registered for $1,000+ each:
SteveJobs.estate
stevenjobs.estate
stevenpauljobs.estate
etc.

There was the occasional trademark domain name like realtor.estate. I wonder why National Association of Realtors have not bought a DPML block.

Here is an example of wasting money. Company that owns lightingsupply.com bought:
lightbulbdistributing.lighting
lightingsupply.lighting (that would have been more than enough)
lightingsupplyco.lighting
lightingsupplycompany.lighting

And an example, in my opinion, of how NOT to use New gTLDs:
lasvegasreal.estate (because there is a new gTLD .realestate coming soon)
brooklynreal.estate (because there is a new gTLD .realestate coming soon)
realestate.estate (repeating the gTLD)
blackandwhitephotos.photography (because it is 4 words including a variation of the new gTLD that is also a new gTLD coming soon: .photos)

Amazon did a DPML activation with fire.graphics probably to block other “fire” trademark holders from buying the domain name.

Finally, Go Daddy did a test registration with dasfasdfasfsdsadfsf.photography. And then they deleted the domain. I wonder if Donuts will demand it’s $10,000 for this one… I guess not!

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Here are a few points about how Donuts’ Domains Protected Marks List (DPML) works:
• Eligible marks must be validated in the TMCH with proof of use
• You can choose to block an exact match or a term containing the exact match
• The block lasts for five years and is renewable
• Blocked terms are inactive (ie they can’t point to a website)
• Anyone with a trademark exactly matching your blocked term can have the block removed for one or more registries at a later date – this includes you, if you decide you need to activate a name

You can register a (.camera .equipment .estate .gallery .graphics .lighting .photography) domain name using the Donuts EAP that is available in registrars that sell Donuts gTLDs. EAP prices start at about $12,500 and are lowered within the course of the week until they reach the regular registration cost after the 7 day period. The EAP wholesale registrar prices are:
$10,000 (day1)
$2,500 (day2)
$950 (day3)
$500 (day4)
$100 (days 5-7)

Go Daddy’s early access prices are $12,539.99 for day one, $3,164.99 for day two, $1,239.99 for day three, $689.99 for day four and $189.99 for days five to seven. After day seven the regular registration cost applies.