Like other businesses noted for their recession-proof nature, cyber squatters aren't just toying with the idea of making big bucks from their domain names; they're bucking the trend. Sales for top generic domain names are booming, despite ugly economic conditions.
In a bankruptcy court auction last week, global toy conglomerate TOYS R US purchased the Toys.com domain for a massive, wish-we-had-thought-of-registering-it-first, US$5.1 million. The bid, a record for 2009 and one of the biggest domain sales in years, suggests that domain names are still a highly valued commodity.
Another sale saw US$1.9 million paid for Auction.com, while 2008's best domain sale was for fund.com, which fetched US$9,999,950.
The other top domain names for 2009 include Body.com and Top.com. They sold for between US$400,000 and US$500,000. Not bad for a domain name setup cost that start from as little as $12.00 a year.