Afternic - Official Thread

[GoDaddy]

Hello NamePros!
By popular demand, we have launched a dedicated feedback thread for Afternic, the GoDaddy-owned domain name marketplace.

We have created this thread as a way for you to tell us what works, what doesn't work, and what features you'd like to see at Afternic (please be constructive with your feedback). We're looking forward to hearing from the domain investment community to help us shape the future of Afternic.

We will also be sharing Afternic product updates in this thread.

Please note that this thread is not meant for support. Please email our support team at [email protected] for assistance.

 

[Gabriele]

Point of view of any European citizen who wants to buy a domain, DAN vs. GoDaddy.

DAN Landing Page: "Here's your domain for $50,000. VAT will be added at checkout."

Show attachment 259535

DAN Checkout: "Here's your domain for $50,000 + $10,500 VAT = $60,500."

Show attachment 259536

GoDaddy Landing Page: "Here's your domain for $50,000."

Show attachment 259538

GoDaddy Checkout (translated to English for clarity): "Surprise! Your domain is now $61,000. Why? We won't tell you."

Show attachment 259539


The issue here isn't the VAT itself; any EU business knows how to handle it. The problem is GoDaddy showing one price on the landing page and a higher price at checkout, without explaining if it's due to VAT, taxes, or something else. This can easily make potential buyers change their minds. On DAN, both the landing page and checkout clearly explain that VAT will be added and how it works.

Same for AU GST. No mention of it on the lander at all, just a 10% price bump in the cart with ZERO explanation.

How this lander will convert anyone is a mystery.

Unfortunately, this issue has not been resolved yet, and until it is, good luck selling anything to anyone outside the USA.

Don't think this is just a problem with the new landers, because it affects the entire GoDaddy site: both for those searching for domains through regpath (if the buyer is not already registered and logged in with a business account) and for those selling through brokers. For instance, if after a long negotiation the broker sends a checkout link to buy a domain for $10k, the European buyer (who in 99% of cases represents a company) will directly see a price of $12k if not logged in or logged in with a personal account. And good luck having the American broker, who likely knows nothing about VAT (Value Added Tax, a type of sales tax in Europe), explain that the user will have to log out of their personal account, click on the checkout link with the inflated price, register a business account, enter their VAT number, then magically the price will return to $10k. If they don't do this, the negotiation will magically stall.

The only solution, as I wrote previously, is the one that practically every other site adopts: add the correct taxes only when the user can enter their billing information. This way, if the user is a private individual, VAT will be added; if the user is a company with a valid VAT number, it won't. GoDaddy is the only one that does the exact opposite, showing an inflated price for everyone and not even explaining that part of it consists of VAT (if they did, at least 25% of buyers would understand that at a later stage they can enter their VAT number details and the price will decrease).

If you're looking for a reason for the decline in sales in recent times, this is certainly number 1.

 

[disaac81]

deleted

 

[disaac81]

@GoDaddy could you look into this issue asap.

 

[GoDaddy]

We are excited to announce Afternic Boost! A new program designed to increase your domains’ visibility on GoDaddy and, ultimately, drive more sales.

We have a dedicated thread for this. Please feel free to head there to read more about Afternic Boost!

https://www.namepros.com/threads/in...-domain-visibility-more-domain-sales.1332052/

 

[Mister Funsky]

We are excited to announce Afternic Boost! A new program designed to increase your domains’ visibility on GoDaddy and, ultimately, drive more sales.

We have a dedicated thread for this. Please feel free to head there to read more about Afternic Boost!

I originally posted below in the new thread but since it was off topic, I moved it here.

The added 5% will keep me away from the 'new' feature.

PLEASE just drop DDC club price (79.95) and you will get hundreds of my domains back in a hurry.

 

[bmugford]

We are excited to announce Afternic Boost! A new program designed to increase your domains’ visibility on GoDaddy and, ultimately, drive more sales.

We have a dedicated thread for this. Please feel free to head there to read more about Afternic Boost!

https://www.namepros.com/threads/in...-domain-visibility-more-domain-sales.1332052/

It kind of seems like a way of returning to the previous 20% commission.

I think this should be an opt-in, not an opt-out.

Just to confirm, you can opt-out or opt-in at any time?
You are not locked into your decision forever?

Does the 20% option only comes with upgrades or is the 15% also receiving downgrades from the current setup?

Brad

 

[silentg]

@GoDaddy: Instead of asking sellers to opt-in for all the domains. Allow sellers to select which domains they want to apply the Boost to on a domain-by-domain basis. This would enable sellers to target their marketing efforts more effectively and only pay the additional 5% commission for the domains they choose to promote.

 

[Optimal Names]

@GoDaddy: Instead of asking sellers to opt-in for all the domains. Allow sellers to select which domains they want to apply the Boost to on a domain-by-domain basis. This would enable sellers to target their marketing efforts more effectively and only pay the additional 5% commission for the domains they choose to promote.

and fix the bugs, too.

 

[cabotower]

on another topic...if I enable "hold my payments" and down the road choose a payment, does afternic release all money on hold or can I request a partial payment? example a $5000 payment from $10000 on hold.

 

[accuname]

It kind of seems like a way of returning to the previous 20% commission.

Just got the "boost" email. First thing I thought after reading it was "oh, back to 20% commisions then".

 

[freety85]

on another topic...if I enable "hold my payments" and down the road choose a payment, does afternic release all money on hold or can I request a partial payment? example a $5000 payment from $10000 on hold.

Where do you enable the hold? Thanks

 

[cabotower]

Where do you enable the hold? Thanks

go to your payment settings page. it is listed under select a payment method.

 

[cabotower]

on another topic...if I enable "hold my payments" and down the road choose a payment, does afternic release all money on hold or can I request a partial payment? example a $5000 payment from $10000 on hold.

anyone? afternic/gd rep maybe.

 

[Sameh]

We are excited to announce Afternic Boost! A new program designed to increase your domains’ visibility on GoDaddy and, ultimately, drive more sales.

We have a dedicated thread for this. Please feel free to head there to read more about Afternic Boost!

https://www.namepros.com/threads/in...-domain-visibility-more-domain-sales.1332052/

I'll opt out for sure.

The "Verified Domain" button you are promoting says, "Verified Premium Domains use GoDaddy's Fast Transfer system for fast delivery - Non-Verified domains can take 7-10 days, Verified Domains average less than an hour."

Are you going to lie to your customers if I don't use Afternic Boost and say that my domains don't use GoDaddy's Fast Transfer and it will take 7-10 days to be transferred?!

Instead of working with domain investors (your cash cow) or at least making their day-to-day easier by fixing your platforms, you are taking advantage of them.

15% commission is a lot, but I have no problem paying 20% if you are adding real value to your current setup. You did nothing new; you are just taking advantage of your position.

15% of something is better than 20% of nothing.

 

[DomainRecap]

It kind of seems like a way of returning to the previous 20% commission.

And don't forget that those who do not use GD nameservers will now pay 30%.

 

[cabotower]

anyone? afternic/gd rep maybe.

question answered...all funds released at once, no option for partial payment. contacted afternic through email and got a reply within the hour, impressive.

 

[GoDaddy]

@GoDaddy: Instead of asking sellers to opt-in for all the domains. Allow sellers to select which domains they want to apply the Boost to on a domain-by-domain basis. This would enable sellers to target their marketing efforts more effectively and only pay the additional 5% commission for the domains they choose to promote.

Boost is enabled at an account level to ensure consistent marketing and visibility across your entire portfolio. While you can't select individual domains for Boost, this comprehensive strategy is designed to maximize the potential benefits for your entire portfolio.

 

[silentg]

Boost is enabled at an account level to ensure consistent marketing and visibility across your entire portfolio. While you can't select individual domains for Boost, this comprehensive strategy is designed to maximize the potential benefits for your entire portfolio.

Thank you for the response. My main concern is getting with UDRP because of email outbound that comes with Afternic Boost. I don't want it to turned on for all domains.

Check out recent example of: Young.com UDRP (this is just one sample, there are so many cases like this)

This will force sellers to create second account if they want to add Boost.

 

[GoDaddy]

Thank you for the response. My main concern is getting with UDRP because of email outbound that comes with Afternic Boost. I don't want it to turned on for all domains.

Check out recent example of: Young.com UDRP (this is just one sample, there are so many cases like this)

This will force sellers to create second account if they want to add Boost.

The tools and services of Boost aim to increase the sales performance of your portfolio. If increased exposure, visibility, email promotions and other proven tactics we know work for selling domain names don’t fit in your strategy, then Boost might not be the right solution for you.

 

[bmugford]

If increased exposure, visibility, email promotions and other proven tactics we know work for selling domain names don’t fit in your strategy, then Boost might not be the right solution for you.

Well, that's kind of a snarky response there.

It's not that, it's the added 5% including on sales that sell via the regular channels.

It's a guaranteed higher commission with only potential higher sales, not based on any quantifiable data that any seller has actually seen.

It's the auto opt-in.

It could also be the lack of explanation. For instance, outside all the rest, I don't really want another party pitching my domains without some explanation of what that actually looks like.

Brad