URLs.com recognizes missed IZ.com and DBA.com opportunities in domain contest
NEW YORK, NY, UNITED STATES, October 15, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — URLs.com today announced the winners of The Domain That Got Away, its free online contest inviting entrepreneurs, creators and domain investors to share stories about domains they lost, missed, forgot to renew or passed on. Ira Zoot won first place for his story about passing on IZ.com for $15,000 around 2007, while Kevin McKim won second place for removing DBA.com from his shopping cart in 1998 to save about $100.
The full winners post is available at URLs.com/market-trends/lost-domain-contest-winners/.
TWO PAINFUL DOMAIN LESSONS
Zoot’s winning story centered on caution. Around 2007, he had the chance to buy IZ.com for $15,000 but walked away after hearing reports of domain theft and being unable to verify the domain’s ownership history.
“Looking back, it’s almost certainly the best domain acquisition I never made,” Zoot wrote in his submission.
McKim’s second-place story was about a decision that seemed practical at the time. In 1998, he and his wife operated a side venture called ICAN Concepts, using “Dream Believe Achieve” as a slogan and “DBA” as shorthand. During an early domain registration session, McKim added DBA.com to his cart, then removed it because he already owned DreamBelieveAchieve.com and wanted to save about $100.
“These stories may seem amusing now, but in hindsight, it’s striking how many others made the same choice,” said Jeff Garbutt, founder and Broker-in-Chief of URLs.com. “The point of the contest was not just regret. It was to show how domain value, timing and due diligence can change the outcome of a business decision.”
WHAT THE WINNERS RECEIVE
Zoot receives $500 cash, $500 in Spaceship account credits, a one-year Countersign Team subscription, a one-year DomDB Tycoon subscription, an official URLs.com domain appraisal, a brokerage consultation with a discounted acquisition commission and a 30-minute legal consultation with domain attorney Jeff Neuman of JJN Solutions.
Spaceship, known for its domain registrar, Spacemail and SellerHub, which offers lease-to-own options for domains, provided the first-place account credits.
McKim receives a $100 Dynadot account credit and an official domain appraisal from URLs.com.
“The lesson is not that every domain becomes valuable,” Garbutt said. “The lesson is that the right name can become much harder and much more expensive to get later.”
ABOUT URLS.com
URLs.com is a leading domain brokerage that helps buyers acquire memorable digital assets and assists domain owners in bringing valuable domains to market. The firm specializes in premium domain strategy, brokerage and positioning high-value domains for the right buyers. Through The Domain That Got Away, URLs.com highlights real-world domain lessons and gives founders, creators, marketers and domain investors a chance to turn missed opportunities into recognition, expert insight and practical prizes.
Jeff Garbutt
URLs.com
press@urls.com
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