Rom L. together with his technical co-founder Jeph B. has created a tool that not only tracks the historical sales data of domain names but also helps users understand the trends and factors that influence domain values, appropriately housed at DomainSalesHistory.com. This platform serves as a bridge between past transactions and future opportunities, offering insights that could redefine how we view domain investment and strategy. As we delve into our conversation, we look forward to uncovering the story behind DomainSalesHistory.com, the challenges faced along the way, and what the future holds for this dynamic sector.
Mike: You and I have not previously crossed paths. Can you share a bit about your background and what led you to enter the world of domaining?
Rom: Certainly! I ventured into the world of domaining in December 2021. After profiting from the 2018 crypto bull market, I sought avenues for further investment. Realizing the limited returns in real estate, averaging about 7-10 percent annually, I explored alternative asset classes. It was during this search that I stumbled upon posts by Swetha and TonyNames on X.com (formerly Twitter), where they shared their lucrative domain sales experiences. Inspired by the remarkable ROI of more than 10X – 100X, depending on the names, I quickly took action and began registering domains. On the very same day, I acquired pharmaceutic.xyz for the registration price, although I later dropped the name since I think it was worthless.
Mike: What inspired the creation of DomainSalesHistory.com?
Rom: The inspiration came from observing the success stories of individuals like Peter Askew and Drew Wash, who utilized exceptional .COM domains to build impactful websites. When I came across DomainSalesHistory.com listed for sale on Dan at just $100, I saw an opportunity I couldn’t pass up. The name itself succinctly communicates the site’s purpose – to showcase domain sales history data. This niche resonated with my passion, and I envisioned that by providing more comprehensive sales data, the platform could also enhance my own domain investment strategies.
Mike: How does DomainSalesHistory.com differentiate itself from other domain sales tracking platforms?
Rom: Our vision for DomainSalesHistory.com is to become the premier destination for investors and buyers seeking comprehensive insights into domain name valuations. While we acknowledge that the site is still in its early stages, our goal is to continuously expand our data and content offerings. This expansion aims to provide both investors and end-users with valuable educational resources on the domain name aftermarket.
Mike: What challenges did you face while developing DomainSalesHistory.com, and how did you overcome them?
Jeph:ย Developing the app has been quite a journey, filled with numerous hurdles. Fortunately, we received valuable suggestions from the developer community and dedicated many hours to research and trial and error. One notable challenge arose when our records approached a million, causing the MYSQL database to struggle with more complex computations. To address this, we made the decision to refactor some of the code and transition to using POSTGRESQL instead. Additionally, we encountered compatibility issues with REGEXP codes and struggled to find solutions online. After days of research, ChatGPT came to the rescue with its insightful suggestions. Implementing its recommendations proved successful, and we were able to overcome this obstacle.
Mike: What features are you most proud of on DomainSalesHistory.com, and why?
Jeph:ย The ability to customize search filters to suit your specific requirements is an incredible feature. Additionally, we take pride in offering numerous trends that can be filtered on yearly, monthly, and daily periods. This functionality greatly assists in forecasting trend projections and enables informed decision-making for your upcoming domain prospecting endeavors.
Mike:ย ย ย How do you see the domain sales market evolving in the next few years?
Rom: In the near future, I anticipate a surge in the number of eight-figure sales for high-quality, single-word .com domains. Additionally, I foresee a growing acceptance of fractional ownership of domain names as a viable investment option among the general public. This trend might even extend to decentralized and tokenized forms of ownership.
Mike: What role do you believe AI and machine learning could play in the future of domaining and valuating domain names?
Rom: I think it’s an idea worth exploring. AI is incredibly powerful, and leveraging it to analyze domain sales data could lead to more accurate domain valuations through the development of AI models.
Mike: What advice would you give to someone just starting in domain investing?
Rom: I’d suggest investing in education first. Utilizing resources like the GoDaddy Domain Academy can help newcomers avoid spending unnecessarily on worthless domains, ultimately saving them money in the long run.
Mike: What are the top three factors that you believe significantly impact a domain’s value?
Rom:ย Firstly, the number of users utilizing the Second-Level Domain (SLD), which is the keyword before the .COM (TLD). Secondly, the profitability of the industry associated with the keyword (SLD). And thirdly, the extent of extensions registered on that keyword. A higher number of extensions registered on the SLD indicates greater demand, making the domain more valuable.
Mike: What future features or developments can users expect from DomainSalesHistory.com?
Rom: We’re considering leveraging AI to enhance our tools, providing users with greater accuracy in their domain pricing decisions.
