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.

 

[Garet]

I had enough of the different issues that are currently plaguing Afternic and changed the nameservers on over 90% of my domains that were pointed at Afternic to Sedo yesterday.

Woke up to a name that was sold via Afternic Fast Transfer this morning, luckily I noticed that the domain had been placed on hold the day before and left the nameservers for that domain pointing to Afternic.

Given the volume (duration and escalation) of problems, it would be appreciated and appropriate for GoDaddy/Afternic to remove the NS penalty. It won't happen but it should.*

GoDaddy's Carrot and Stick policy -- Boost is the bitter, withered carrot of reward. Their punitive NS policy is designed to force us to "stick" around.

* Item #7,241 in the master list of GoDaddy Won't but Should's.

 

[DN_Hunter]

I tested the process for buying a domain name at Afternic using the BIN Price.

I Just noticed AN/GD automatically adds a 1-year renewal fee of $21.99 USD to the BIN Price

Have they always done that?

 

[End Game]

Well, it definitely takes time and experience to get things right. But honestly, they should really take advantage of what Dan.com has left behind and also look at the opportunities that other platforms are creating. There's a lot to learn from them, and it could really help streamline things!

I'm not giving up on Afternic just yet. GD and Afternic should just pay up and bring on some of the builders of Dan's platform to fix some things. I think they will as the merger completes. Meantime we may be able to pick up some cheap domains over the next month.

 

[Recons.Com]

I tested the process for buying a domain name at Afternic using the BIN Price.

I Just noticed AN/GD automatically adds a 1-year renewal fee of $21.99 USD to the BIN Price

Have they always done that?

I don't think so. They shouldn't if the name is not moving between registrars and if it is not expiring shortly.

The attempt to squeeze every dime with no regard to fairness is astounding.

AN landers + GD pathway might sell combined 6k-8k names a year. So this makes them around $70k-100k a year profit.

Most large companies won't move a finger for that kind of incremental profit, let alone for unfair/unpopular one.

 

[Kyle Tully]

The review process is twofold. First, it monitors for status changes, such as Whois changes, expiration, or deletions. This ensures expired names in your portfolio are removed from the general system.

The second aspect is compliance. Domains that fail trademark checks, for example, are put into review for manual inspection by the support team.

It also freaks out if you change prices in Afternic.

 

[Future Sensors]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1839408770306527561

 

[bmugford]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1839408770306527561

I have less than half of my domains priced. They can stay at Afternic.

However, for the ones I have "make offer" on there is not a compelling reason to use Afternic after Dan is shutdown.

Dan.com had a superior system and self-brokerage.

If I use the Afternic "make offer" landers all it will do is put some random broker in my place to deal with the leads. That's not appealing to me.

I am still considering my options.

Brad

 

[zomainhacks]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1839408770306527561

There's also the No Lander No whois Privacy option

 

[ArielT]

@GoDaddy

I see that in the spanish version of the "Custom lander" there is a decimal format added to the end of the price ( ,00 )

That ,00 is not needed and makes the price look higher

The english version is OK, I've only checked the spanish version but I guess in other languages could be the same

I would like it without the ,00 ending

Thanks

 

[silentg]

Hi @silentg,
We have upcoming changes to the TA system, incorporating some of Dan’s automation into the Afternic TA process. We’ll share more details soon, and we’d love to get your feedback once it’s released.

I'll need that right now.

Sold a domain that has transfer lock and Afternic is waiting for buyer to respond if they want to accept the domain push at current registrar.

If this was Dan, sale would've been closed on the same day.

 

[davidc1]

I'll need that right now.

Sold a domain that has transfer lock and Afternic is waiting for buyer to respond if they want to accept the domain push at current registrar.

If this was Dan, sale would've been closed on the same day.

Be happy, if it was an LTO, they just cancel it. It happened many times for me...

 

[DomainRecap]

My lead center has been frozen for weeks, no new leads are showing.

I also have a pile of old leads that are frozen, and it seems that the tiny squad of Afternic brokers has been overwhelmed by the rapid influx of Dan domains and the team is in quick retreat.

More news at 11.

Keeping an eye on your Afternic Lead Center is like watching paint dry while in suspended animation.

 

[Garet]

I'll need that right now.

Sold a domain that has transfer lock and Afternic is waiting for buyer to respond if they want to accept the domain push at current registrar.

If this was Dan, sale would've been closed on the same day.

In my experience, Afternic pushes only happen for names that are registered at GoDaddy. The majority of my sales for names within the first 60 days for names registered at GoDaddy do not wait out the hold.

For names registered elsewhere, Afternic has told me that they will check with the buyer about a push. Strangely, none of them want one. Never. I'm not at all sure that they ask.

The Dan method would represent a huge improvement. Sadly, it will not happen. I'd like to be wrong but I'm not.

In other news, I hear that bulk search is coming soon even to my account. Breath not held. GoDaddy represents the bad side of the cutting edge. They cut. We bleed.

 

[NorthernDomains]

In my experience, Afternic pushes only happen for names that are registered at GoDaddy.

Incorrect. They have other holding accounts.

 

[silentg]

I asked TA and they do have holding account at Spaceship where the domain is at right now.

 

[Garet]

Incorrect. They have other holding accounts.

In my experience.

I did not say they do not have them. Thank you.

Having them and actively using them are not the same thing. I've completed well over 1,000 transactions at Afternic. I do not remember any of my transactions that involved a push to a registrar other than GoDaddy.

 

[Garet]

I asked TA and they do have holding account at Spaceship where the domain is at right now.

Hopefully it gets used to expedite your sale. Let us know. Thank you!

 

[silentg]

Another sale posted on X - Buyer searched name via GoDaddy Auctions:

https://twitter.com/x/status/1840105168647426385

 

[DomainRecap]

This guy is getting sales completed at Afternic in under a day, yet it takes Afternic brokers at least 2 days to even respond to my potential buyers, and up to 2 weeks before I get back a counter offer.

To be more concise, my buyers don't even know my sell price for 2 days, so how the hell am I supposed to sell a domain on Afternic in under 24 hours?

 

[the_poet]

@GoDaddy
Why doesn't Afternic provide invoices for their services?

This week I sold a domain on Afternic via their brokerage/escrow service for which I paid a 15% fee. Since I'm a business based in the EU, for compliance with the reverse charge mechanism, I'm required to pay VAT on my purchases and to store the invoices I receive as a customer.

I have never had any issue with other marketplaces: Sedo, Dan and even smaller ones like DaaZ have always automatically generated an invoice for the commission whenever I have sold domains via them.

For the last couple of days, I've been exchanging emails with their support and they're telling me all they can provide is a pdf with a general overview of the sale.

What I fail to understand is: given that is a service I purchased (and paid $2,500 for it), why in the world can't Afternic provide an invoice like every other business?