DomainBanana
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When you pay for your annual GoDaddy Auctions membership, you might think you're buying the chance to bid equally with other domain investors in the GD aftermarket.
Unfortunately, this isn't the case. Because GoDaddy only grants API access to its top buyers, these buyers have a massive advantage in both auction and closeout purchases. They can control bidding on a large number of auctions automatically, and they can snap up closeouts before the average user even has a chance to see them.
This is very wrong. Auctions should be a level playing field, where every bidder has an equal opportunity to secure a domain.
When I tried to request API access by email, the auction team apparently lied to me about why I couldn't have access:
I am stunned and disappointed by GoDaddy's unethical auction practices.
How do other domainers feel about this?
Unfortunately, this isn't the case. Because GoDaddy only grants API access to its top buyers, these buyers have a massive advantage in both auction and closeout purchases. They can control bidding on a large number of auctions automatically, and they can snap up closeouts before the average user even has a chance to see them.
This is very wrong. Auctions should be a level playing field, where every bidder has an equal opportunity to secure a domain.
When I tried to request API access by email, the auction team apparently lied to me about why I couldn't have access:
Thank you for contacting Aftermarket support. Unfortunately we are currently not granting any new access to the API due to an impending update to the platform. This may change in the future however there is no expected time frame.
...
There is nothing further that will be done at this time. We apologize for any inconvenience.
When I contacted @Joe Styler about the case, he said the team "worded their response poorly":...
There is nothing further that will be done at this time. We apologize for any inconvenience.
They are saying then that you donβt do the volume. It could be worded better. There is not an exact number it is more a case to be made that you cannot do the purchasing you are trying to do with the web interface.
Joe could not give me an exact volume of buying that I would have to meet to gain API access. More troubling, when I tried to discuss the injustice of giving only some users API access for closeout purchases, Joe did not respond.
I am stunned and disappointed by GoDaddy's unethical auction practices.
How do other domainers feel about this?
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