Highlight Aftermarket Domain

[johno69]

I'd like to suggest some sort of highlighting of aftermarket domains to encourage bid on these.

I know you will say just bid on all, but I know a few people that still let auctions end in the hope to hand register.

For example, buyers may look at a domain and think that it's ok for a few dollars but not $66. So they let the auction end, only to find out it was not an expiring domain but an aftermarket domain.

If this was somehow highlighted (different colour background?) Then the potential buyer would have bid and paid the extra as they then know it's not going to hand reg status at end of auction.

Just an idea.

 

[findtim]

+1 , all NF need is an icon next to it, its frustrated me before as well.

i CAN see NF point of view on this subject and not doing it, but the reality is we all know how to check these things anyway so lets just cut to the chase and make it easier for us.

i think making it obvious that is an AMA will promote bidding.

tim

 

[TpD]

+1

I would like to distinguish between "drops" and "aftermarkets"

Maybe it could be a feature only seen by registered members?

 

[Rhythm]

FYI: You can click the domain and on the domain's page it is noted whether "this seller is registered/not registered for GST".

 

[johno69]

FYI: You can click the domain and on the domain's page it is noted whether "this seller is registered/not registered for GST".

Nice find. thank you.

 

[CyberClick]

+1

Missed quite a few small ones thinking they were drops and that I could hand reg them after. All went through without bids.

 

[AnthonyP]

The entire point of the current auction format is to have as little differentiation as possible. It seems to be working out well for the sellers with the volume and overall value climbing month by month.

I am not even close to being convinced this is a good idea for the Aftermarket.

 

[neddy]

The entire point of the current auction format is to have as little differentiation as possible. It seems to be working out well for the sellers with the volume and overall value climbing month by month.

I am not even close to being convinced this is a good idea for the Aftermarket.

I haven't used the AMA too much yet, but I'm going to give it another try.

The thing that appeals to me the most as a seller is the fact that there is no noticeable differentiation between drops and ama listings. Everything is in the mix. So I totally agree with Anthony here.

From a buyer's perspective, there are ways to filter drops from ama's if you really want or need to.

But the simple fact / filter is that if the domain isn't also on Drop, then it must be an AMA (all things being equal).

And we all look at (and/or bid) on both platforms don't we?

Imho.

 

[Chris.C]

Ahh... the old "let it drop and hope to hand reg it" technique.



I used to miss out on quite a few domains with this strategy.

I eventually came around to the concept of just ponying up the extra few bucks up and letting NetFleet take care of all the hassle of registering it.



So I'm actually with Neddy on this one. I like that all domains at the auction look the same.

I like everything being the same so much that I'd even make the AMA domains that have still yet to meet reserve also appear on the main auction page.

I say just group everything in the one auction and if one of the AMA domains doesn't meet reserve just have an "X" come up next to the domain at the end of the auction like it would is NetFleet doesn't catch the name.

 

[CyberClick]

Ahh... the old "let it drop and hope to hand reg it" technique.



I used to miss out on quite a few domains with this strategy.

I eventually came around to the concept of just ponying up the extra few bucks up and letting NetFleet take care of all the hassle of registering it.

I understand Chris but when you have a large portfolio saving $50 a throw on low end domains adds up. If they were important domains I would have bid. If I knew they were after-market auctions I also would have bid.

Why would I pay $60 for something I think I can pick up for $20?

If I were NF, I'd be listening to the feedback from buyers that hiding after-market domains within the drops is resulting in some bids not being placed and as a consequence the loss of sales and income from these domains.

From my perspective, this typically affects low end domains in the sub $100 area. Some may argue this makes up a large percentage of the daily combined auction offering.

Of course, this needs to be balanced against the benefits of hiding the domains.

 

[Oz.]

The thing that appeals to me the most as a seller is the fact that there is no noticeable differentiation between drops and ama listings. Everything is in the mix. So I totally agree with Anthony here.

+1!

 

[Oz.]

I like everything being the same so much that I'd even make the AMA domains that have still yet to meet reserve also appear on the main auction page.

Big +1 here.

 

[johno69]

I agree mixing them in is causing more to be passed in that would now pick up a small bid and increase the volume of sales.

Not saying separate them again, as that never worked.

Either way, their is more then won way two skin a cat.

 

[James]

I don't see the issue with it been mixed, imo it will entice more bidding, you can put a reserve price on the domains too if you are selling them, I put a few domains up for sale in the AMA, if they sell for a decent price I will be happy, if they bomb out, oh well I have my reserve on the price I think is very fair and happy with =)

 

[johno69]

Any domains with a reserve are not really mixed in though. They never show on the main auction page until they hit the reserve.

I have a few solutions now so it makes no difference to me any more

 

[Oz.]

Any domains with a reserve are not really mixed in though. They never show on the main auction page until they hit the reserve.

I have a few solutions now so it makes no difference to me any more

I'd prefer if the Reserve domains were mixed in (by default) as it would give them more exposure - especially seeing you need to pay to add a reserve (which I agree with btw). Of course having an optional filter to remove the reserves is an ok idea, but not as a default.

 

[AnthonyP]

There is no cost for setting a reserve if the domain is with Netfleet, so the default view will just get cluttered up with domains with huge reserves. Nice way to get a domain appraised, not a very good way to produce a result.

Right now you have to be very sensible with setting a reserve, since you need to make it low enough to get it met and the domain onto the front page.

 

[James]

There is no cost for setting a reserve if the domain is with Netfleet, so the default view will just get cluttered up with domains with huge reserves. Nice way to get a domain appraised, not a very good way to produce a result.

Right now you have to be very sensible with setting a reserve, since you need to make it low enough to get it met and the domain onto the front page.

Yeah I got hit with a 36 dollar fee for adding a reserve price

 

[Chris.C]

There is no cost for setting a reserve if the domain is with Netfleet, so the default view will just get cluttered up with domains with huge reserves. Nice way to get a domain appraised, not a very good way to produce a result.

Yes I can see how that could be a "potential" problem, but I think your fear of "cluttering" the auction is overblown and I personally think it is stifling NetFleet's chances of closing extra AMA deals everyday.

The way I see it is there is loads of upside for NetFleet (more deals everyday) and potentially lots of upside for buyers as well (ie the ability to potentially buy better quality domains) and at the same time there are a number of simple things you could do to avoid "cluttering" the auction.

The simplest would just be to limit the number of domains someone can put up for auction on any given day, maybe to something like 10 (maybe to start off with have it as little as 2 or 3 just to see how it goes).

And you could make it so people could still add an unlimited number of no reserve domains to auction.

That said, I wouldn't be really worried, because the real question is how many domainers are out there that would be actually willing to list the maximum 10 domains for sale everyday? 10? 20? 50? 100?

And let's not forget there is nothing stopping us all from adding our domains to the AMA today with outrageous reserves for free to the be "valued", and I've never seen the AMA with "appraisal hunters".

Sure some MIGHT, but MOST won't.

And let's not forget that according to AusRegistry there are ONLY 44 portfolio holders in all of Australia that have 1000+ domains!

That's only 44 sellers that could "potentially clutter" your auction for longer than a couple of months...

And if you have a limit on the number of domains that can be listed how much "cluttering" can such a small bunch of domainers really do?

Truth be told I'd be impressed by your marketing abilities if you could get 25% of them to list domains on a regular basis!

Plus to "clutter" the auction, a domain must first receive a bid and rise to the top otherwise it will be lost in the long list of other domains that don't have bids and will be no hindrance to anyone.

Now I'm sure you can review your own AMA data to confirm that at least 90% of all AMA domains don't receive the minimum bid (I wouldn't find it at all surprising if you told me only 3% of AMA domains get bids).

So let's say in the WORST case scenario, 100 domainers turn up on a given day (if that many even exist), putting 10 domains up for sale with outrageous reserves just looking for them to be "valued", when only 10% of them get bids, that still only means that there are 100 AMA domains with bids on the day...

There have been tons of times where over 100 domains have been bought on Snapper. So even in the WORST case scenario the auction would be anything out of the normal.

I don't know about most people on these forums, but I'm pretty pragmatic about my domains, they are just another asset to me, I have no love attachment too them, and I don't own them to "boast" about their "values" at dinner parties so if I'm putting them on the AMA I genuinely want to sell them and genuinely hope they reach reserve.

When they pass in I consider it a "waste of my time" which is precious to me and I suspect those with domains worth selling will generally see it the same way. So I wouldn't be underestimating domainers sincere desire to sell.

That's also why I've suggested previously to have a "push to market" button for domains on the AMA (which other serious domainers have supported), precisely because often domains I've listed on the AMA have got "decent" bids that are close enough to my reserve that at that point I just wanted to remove the reserve to get the deal done.

So I think you'd be surprised by the number of domainers that would be willing to remove their reserves mid auction if they received decent bids on their domains, but of course to give yourself the best chance to get those decent bids you need the domains to be front and centre of the auction.

Another benefit I have also suggested previously, why not have the reserve price automatically sent to the winner of the auctions that pass in to give them the option to "buy it now" at reserve. Who knows how many deals might get over the line if that happened, and it gives sellers the incentive to keep reserves priced realistically.

And let's not forget in many other industries auctions passing in isn't the end of the world.

I went to the car auctions a couple of months ago and their clearance rate would have been less than 20%. Home auctions are REGULARLY below 50%.

It's really not the end of the world if domains pass in.

And there will always be people who MUST sell for various reasons and will price their domains accordingly. So it's not like the sales will dry up if you allow people to have reserves on their domains AND get exposure on the front page of the auction.

And I don't know what everyone else thinks but for the last month or so there has barely been a day were more than 20 or 30 "expiring" domains have sold. It's like the expiring domains part of NetFleet isn't that exciting anymore...

Even when there are days where I'm not interested in anything I can't help but feel that it's the AMA domains more often than the Snapper domains that make me want to rock up at 1pm to see what happens, yet they are hidden away most of the time.

And on top of all that, who knows, if listing your domain on the AMA (even with a reserve) was going to get your some serious exposure then maybe we'd see some serious domains go up for auction like:

Watches.com.au
Computers.com.au
DigitalCameras.com.au
Accommodation.com.au
MobilePhones.com.au
WebsiteDesign.com.au

Which are currently just sitting in the standard catalogue of NetFleet.

Do you really think if a domain like watches.com.au went to auction and fetched $100,000+ and still passed that it wouldn't still create a huge amount of buzz for both NetFleet and the industry?

Imagine if domains like that went to auction every month!



And who is to say that having a domain like that wouldn't bring some real serious bidders out of the woodwork...

Look, I totally understand why you guys might be fearful of really opening up the platform to domainers, and some of those fears might be justified to a degree, but at the same time I just keep thinking back to how regulated the AMA was when it was first launched and ever since then you guys have slowly but surely relaxed the restrictions, first removing the listing fees, then removing the cost for reserves, then letting the ones that have met reserve be listed with Snapper domains etc and I think every step you've taken to incentivise domainers listing their domains on the AMA has been a huge success for NetFleet, domainers and the industry.

Yet I know that with each of those those decisions you guys were also fearful about the consequences as well... but everything turned out better than ever.



And let's not forget, you can always go back to the current method, but you guys will kick yourself everyday for all the time you've wasted if you try it and it turns out to be a huge success, and you will never be able to get that time back...

 

[Oz.]

No cost of reserve if the domain is with Netfleet? That's good to know.
Add a cost to that (same as it is now for domains with reserves not at Netfleet) and that will also reduce the risk of people setting unrealistic reserves....plus what Chris said above - lots of good suggestions there.