While Rate.com certainly has some serious value, when it comes to making some serious money with financial development (Like BankAHolic.com) the value comes in great content and services. Bankaholic.com could have just as easily been BankMatter.com, BankMan.com, or JankyBanky.com, the value was in what was done with the property.

It seems that this is a major point that many domainers miss, yes, domains do have some serious value, but a good domain will not “make” a business. To say that the Castillos should make rate.com a priority might be good advice, but the truth of the matter is that making rate.com a priority would be a HUGE business development and in the end, having Rate.com as the website would probably not make that much of a difference. The value would be in what they put at it.

Many domainers don’t seem to understand that a domain is not the only thing required for a killer business. (I am not saying this is you).

Many business people don’t understand just how much a killer domain can help.=)

The real money will be found by the people the understand the importance of a legitimate business, as well as the value of a quality domain.

Domainers should be endusers, it would revolutionize the industry.

I was not aware of this. $15 million could buy some high level accretive domains. One that comes to mind is RATE.com owned by the Castello’s. Bankrate would do well to invest in that one, imo.

there are rumors on a forum that the price was 30 times his annual revenue from affiliate commisions

Here we go again. Its the age old argument of the non owners of premium domain addresses dissing the completely detached importance of a key root domain name address in the success of a businesses that gets the importance of using them. Yes I know that it eats you alive that you missed out on the best names that are the foundation to success on the alphabet controlled reference world on the web.

The fact is that to be accessed on the web you need a call letter identified address. Without a good identifying address a company is unrecognizable, if it cannot be easily remembered and have some source of identification. You have to locate a company through its address. You can argue all you want how unimportant a web address is , but without its foundation you will not be located. KISS , location,location,location or Locate,Locate,Locate.

Gratefully , Jeff

We understand this but the price being paid 17X revenue is nice to see and would the company have gotten in 2 years to this point without a great domain?