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.

 

[domainer8888]

Self-Brokerage at Afternic just got better. Following our launch earlier this year, we've added a lot of features and upgrades, including:
Lease to Own
Smarter Lead Insights
"Seen" message statuses

And much more, all covered on our blog: https://blog.afternic.com/self-brokerage-updates/

We’ve streamlined the sign-in experience so buyers can now express interest by simply entering their email address and verifying with a one-time code. No passwords, no lengthy forms – just a quick way to get started.

This actually sounds reaaaaally good!

So I guess the post-inquiry questions (first time buyer, reason for acquiring etc...) come AFTER an offer has been placed?

 

[domainer8888]

@GoDaddy this is how search looks on Safari 18 on Mac OS 15.

And same on Safari 17.6 on Mac 12

I also encountered issues yesterday where the add to cart button would just crash the site.

 

[domainer8888]

New "insight" rolled out for domains that have been sold before. This is good information for domain investors, but for most first time buyers?

 

[GoDaddy]

Does the "Simplified Buyer Login" mean that potential buyers no longer need to create a GoDaddy account to make an offer on a domain name?

Also, when is Self-Brokerage coming to the Request Price Lander?

To access the buyer negotiation panel, an account is still required, but we've simplified the process. Buyers just need to enter their email address and verify it with a code we send them

Right now, we're focused on Self-Brokerage on the Custom Lander.

This actually sounds reaaaaally good!

Show attachment 278759

Show attachment 278760

So I guess the post-inquiry questions (first time buyer, reason for acquiring etc...) come AFTER an offer has been placed?

We're glad to hear you love this update!

The post-inquiry questions will appear after the buyer enters their verification code, if they're joining for the first time. This keeps the process consistent with how it was previously.

@GoDaddy this is how search looks on Safari 18 on Mac OS 15.

Show attachment 278767


And same on Safari 17.6 on Mac 12

Show attachment 278768

I also encountered issues yesterday where the add to cart button would just crash the site.

Thanks for letting us know, we'll let our site team know. Since this is GoDaddy-related, rather than Afternic, please feel free to us this thread in future!

 

[domainer8888]

Thanks for letting us know, we'll let our site team know.

Thanks, appreciate it!

 

[DomainRecap]

I've had quite a few offers from GD Brokers, but this is the first time I've ever sold one through that venue. Most are lowballs or hobos, but this guy rose to the occasion and hit my price.

The problem is, I have no clue what's going on and the transaction is sitting in a Get Paid status with the following message:

A payout amount of $XXXX USD is waiting for you.

Not sure what "waiting for you" means, as I have a Payee already attached, so is it automatic or will I have to do something to release the funds?

 

[Future Sensors]

Tried Afternic Self-Brokerage and seen it pay off? Let's hear your feedback.

Your stories matter, too.

 

[dfav]

Today, I transferred the 3,300+ domains I had listed on Afternic to Spaceship.

You're seriously unreasonable in every way:

1) I receive payments in euros. There are significant fees for the USD/EURO conversion and for the money to reach me. You or your bank might be doing this, but it's incredibly annoying. Dan.com used to do this conversion, and there were no losses.

2) It's really strange that you still don't offer crypto for payment. If you're not open to innovation, you're really going to lose customers.

3) Some of your employees aren't communicating well with potential customers.

For all this, I'm transferring to Spaceship...

 

[wwwweb]

Time for afternic to have an audit page, or activity log page like sedo for domains that are being removed from our accounts, or moved to other accounts. I noticed a few lawsuits where people were sent fast transfer emails for domains that they had not listed on afternic, but they clicked, and lost their domains, and were not assisted in having them returned. These are legal firms, and real businesses that use their domains for commerce, and never even had afternic accounts, but their employees somehow clicked the fast transfer link, and they lost their whole online footprint with one click.

It is time for afternic to be accountable if the email, or linking godaddy/afternic account don't match, put up a red flag for the fast transfer to require a manual approval before moving. There is no way to see what is fast transfer activated, and to what account, give user accounts the same internal tools you have within your employee accounts. I see multiple lawsuits about this very issue, one multi million dollar one before the courts right now also.

 

[wwwweb]

Today, I transferred the 3,300+ domains I had listed on Afternic to Spaceship.

You're seriously unreasonable in every way:

1) I receive payments in euros. There are significant fees for the USD/EURO conversion and for the money to reach me. You or your bank might be doing this, but it's incredibly annoying. Dan.com used to do this conversion, and there were no losses.

2) It's really strange that you still don't offer crypto for payment. If you're not open to innovation, you're really going to lose customers.

3) Some of your employees aren't communicating well with potential customers.

For all this, I'm transferring to Spaceship...

Given when Godaddy bought Dan, they implemented Bitpay, which assumes the control and accounting of the crypto within it's verified accounts, but won't integrate it into Afternic, when they have the know how, and employee knowledge base boggles the mind. Also give Asia side more payment friendly options they use in their country.

 

[wwwweb]

Tried Afternic Self-Brokerage and seen it pay off? Let's hear your feedback.

Your stories matter, too.

You do all the work, and pay them the same commission, even if they lowered it to 12.5% would so some respect for their customers. You are not even trusted to be able to see the lead data of the customer you refer, they essentially own the customer, and data, being your domain, your on the outside, looking in. How can you be a partner with someone who doesn't even trust you to share relevant data with you.

 

[DomainRecap]

How can you be a partner, without someone who doesn't even trust you to share relevant data with you.

That's the key element, GoDaddy is NOT your partner and they own everything about the customer and the transaction.

 

[Jeff_Libert]

"The domain was priced outside what they wanted to spend" has NO "value in use" to me, as a domainer open to selling a domain. Yet, that's the standard message GD's / Afternic's brokers post when an inquiry stalls.

It would be far more helpful to draw out and pass along SOME USEFUL information from the interested party . . such as their budget OR of their evaluation. Who knows? Maybe we might adjust our prices.

I've had quite enough of the pro forma "explanation". I assume I'm not the only domainer who finds the lack of information a dis-service. Old domainers have thick skin so I / we can live with "Their budget was $750" for a domain priced at $15,000.

 

[wwwweb]

"The domain was priced outside what they wanted to spend" has NO "value in use" to me, as a domainer open to selling a domain. Yet, that's the standard message GD's / Afternic's brokers post when an inquiry stalls.

It would be far more helpful to draw out and pass along SOME USEFUL information from the interested party . . such as their budget OR of their evaluation. Who knows? Maybe we might adjust our prices.

I've had quite enough of the pro forma "explanation". I assume I'm not the only domainer who finds the lack of information a dis-service. Old domainers have thick skin so I / we can live with "Their budget was $750" for a domain priced at $15,000.

Something happend to brokers when Self Brokerage went live, I am noticing brokers STALLING same day inquiries that are not even priced, how can they do this, when they don't even know the price? I don't know if hours got cut, or personnel got scaled back, but involvement seems to be very surface level. Then again, not like we get a ton of details, they really need to evaluate some of those stalls, and audit them internally.

 

[Springs77]

@GoDaddy Some chatter on Twitter has been hinting that Afternic domains registered at Namecheap will no longer show in the GoDaddy registration path at some point .... any truth to this ?

 

[domainer8888]

Today, I transferred the 3,300+ domains I had listed on Afternic to Spaceship.

I changed DNS from Afternic to Spaceship for 4k domains as well now. I wish you good sales!

Something happend to brokers when Self Brokerage went live, I am noticing brokers STALLING same day inquiries that are not even priced, how can they do this, when they don't even know the price?

Something happened to the brokers earlier than this. Maybe their commission got deboosted

 

[SpareDomains]

You do all the work, and pay them the same commission, even if they lowered it to 12.5% would so some respect for their customers. You are not even trusted to be able to see the lead data of the customer you refer, they essentially own the customer, and data, being your domain, your on the outside, looking in. How can you be a partner with someone who doesn't even trust you to share relevant data with you.

Reason I don't use them. NamePros 0%, SpaceShip 5%, Atom 7.5% and all 3 share buyer info.

 

[DomainRecap]

@GoDaddy

I recently sold and transferred a domain through GoDaddy Domain Broker Service and now it's just sitting there with a status of:

A payout amount of $XXXX USD is waiting for you.

Waiting for what? Hell to freeze over?

I've read the GD help file (https://www.godaddy.com/en-ca/help/domain-broker-service-a-sellers-roadmap-5687) and there is no mention of this status. This transaction already had a Payee attached so how do I request or release this payment from 'waiting for you' status?

Thanks, as this is extremely confusing, and I've sold everywhere and seen everything.

 

[DomainRecap]

Does anyone know what any of this means?

Get paid!

I'd love to, if I knew how!

A payout amount of $XXXX USD is waiting for you.

What's it waiting for, the second coming of Christ?


P.S. There should be no holding/authorization on the payment, as it was made about 3 weeks ago because the registrar hold needed to expire.


@GoDaddy

 

[NicTraders]

Does anyone know what any of this means?

Show attachment 279034

Get paid!

I'd love to, if I knew how!

A payout amount of $XXXX USD is waiting for you.

What's it waiting for, the second coming of Christ?


P.S. There should be no holding/authorization on the payment, as it was made about 3 weeks ago because the registrar hold needed to expire.


@GoDaddy

This is another 'feature' of using Afternic. People claim they don't innovate, but one could argue that they're so innovative they're miles ahead of our understanding...

Hmm... in other words... sorry, I've got no idea.