Domain Name Wire Podcast Tweak, measure, and keep testing – DNW Podcast #580
Mar 30, 2026
Darpin Munjal, CEO of Atom and domain-marketplace builder, talks product experiments and fast feature cycles. He describes testing payment plans, instant-transfer badges, a new registrar, AI-powered Domain Hunter, and sales events. Short, curious updates on pricing tiers, buyer behavior, and tools Atom uses to boost conversions.
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.ai Now Drives A Quarter Of Revenue
- Atom now gets about 36% of revenue from non-.com domains and 25% of total sales revenue from .ai domains.
- Darpin links the rise of .ai (and recent rebound in .io) to market demand and price dynamics making .io a cheaper alternative for some buyers.
Payment Plans Shift Buyers Toward Pricier Names
- Payment plans grew from ~25% of Atom sales to about 36% in Q1 2026 as buyers stretch payments for affordability and risk management.
- Buyers use plans to afford higher-quality names, raising LTO average price to $11.5k vs $7.3k for BIN this quarter.
Ask For A Down Payment To Cut Defaults
- Require a down payment on payment plans to lower defaults and recoup value; Atom found 54% of plans include a down payment and it reduces defaults by ~19%.
- Even if a buyer defaults, sellers typically recover initial investment within first one or two installments.