question Anyone hearing crickets lately? (xxx range sales)

[twiki]

I had a sudden stop of low-to-mid xxx range sales this month. None.

Since pandemic started, they sold nicely but in September everything stopped on this tier.

I'm cutting some fat off (about 1k names) and I'm not getting any sales on these while not renewing them when they expire. All listed low xxx range, I know for sure that price is not the problem.

I can't complain overall, as this month I've had a few very good 4-fig names. BUT. This is weird and unprecedented.

Anyone else seeing the same?

 

[twiki]

Just got an $199 sale today, a domain that was also expiring today. Now that's good timing.

Fingers crossed further...

 

[Ostrados]

For me September was a good month but in the xxxx not in the xxx range. I think lower priced names may suffer because they are of lower quality? for me for example my domains that are priced at xxx rarely sell.

I checked Namebio it seems sales volume are not down in September:

September Sales (.com):

https://namebio.com/?s==IzMyQDM4kjM

Last 3 months sales (.com):

https://namebio.com/?s==YDMzQDM4kjM

I couldn't pick August in Namebio so I picked last 3 months, however it is easy to calculate the monthly average from last 3 months:

• Average sales per month = 27.8k /3 = 9,266
• Average dollar volume = $22.2m /3 = $7.4m

So it seems September is just fine with 9573 total sales vs 9,226 (3 months average), and $7.6m vs $7.4m (3 months average)

 

[twiki]

For me September was a good month but in the xxxx not in the xxx range. I think lower priced names may suffer because they are of lower quality? for me for example my domains that are priced at xxx rarely sell.

I checked Namebio it seems sales volume are not down in September:

September Sales (.com):
Show attachment 168872 https://namebio.com/?s==IzMyQDM4kjM

Last 3 months sales (.com):
Show attachment 168873
https://namebio.com/?s==YDMzQDM4kjM

I couldn't pick August in Namebio so I picked last 3 months, however it is easy to calculate the monthly average from last 3 months:

• Average sales per month = 27.8k /3 = 9,266
• Average dollar volume = $22.2m /3 = $7.4m

So it seems September is just fine with 9573 total sales vs 9,226 (3 months average), and $7.6m vs $7.4m (3 months average)

Thanks for this.

Well, maybe it's just a fluctuation of some sort. Again this was only speculating. There are other NP members who had a bad month - or even a bad year, but it's clear not everyone has the same experience at the same time.

Some posters thought I'm making a statement. No I wasn't - just sharing what happened, some agreed, some disagreed, that's the process. I do however share some concerns about the near future, but not that much as they will keep me awake at night, nor do/did I expect them so soon, but rather next year (if any).

Edit: I definitely think the US election is adding some turmoil, although obviously not dragging the whole thing down, but it can be reason for fluctuations.

Also, September should probably be a more active month as people are back from vacations etc. And it seems the same as August, which I find a little odd.

 

[Ostrados]

Thanks for this.

Well, maybe it's just a fluctuation of some sort. Again this was only speculating. There are other NP members who had a bad month - or even a bad year, but it's clear not everyone has the same experience at the same time.

Some posters thought I'm making a statement. No I wasn't - just sharing what happened, some agreed, some disagreed, that's the process. I do however share some concerns about the near future, but not that much as they will keep me awake at night, nor do/did I expect them so soon, but rather next year (if any).

Edit: I definitely think the US election is adding some turmoil, although obviously not dragging the whole thing down, but it can be reason for fluctuations.

Also, September should probably be a more active month as people are back from vacations etc. And it seems the same as August, which I find a little odd.

September is the back to school month and many people were busy for that. From my experience best months are usually January and February (most people delay the launch of their business after Christmas) and worst month is August (always).

 

[eyedomainous]

I had a sudden stop of low-to-mid xxx range sales this month. None. Since pandemic started, they sold nicely but in September everything stopped on this tier.

A free new Malicious Domain Blocking and Reporting (MDBR) service, from U.S. Homeland Security to the web's 'content gateways' began in late August to "help organizations improve security by preventing IT systems from connecting to malicious domains"... most of which are new regs and parked domains.
https://www.securityweek.com/government-backed-mdbr-service-blocks-connections-malicious-domains

Perhaps this is impacting the 'bad actors' doing pump & dump domain buying in the low-end market.

 

[DaveX]

I always want more sales but I sell passively. September has had decent sales. For me, doesnt seem too different.

I am seeing more traffic on the roads so i assume more people are going back to work. In transition.

I think folks are also captivated by the election.

 

[uzver]

For me, everything seem to be back to (my) normal.

Sold three domains within a week (although one of them was negotiated since mid September).

 

[Bob Hawkes]

My portfolio size and ratio rate is too low to conclude much, but in last couple of weeks I have had 4 offers (on 4 different domains) in $$$ range, and that rate is actually more offers than I normally would have at $$$+. None are yet a sale - 1 I declined without counteroffer, 2 others I declined but with counter offer one of which waiting response the other declined by buyer, and 1 is a pending sale but I know that does not always mean a sale until completes. The offers were spread over 1 .com, 2 .ca and 1 .org.

I think small number statistics for a portfolio just in the hundreds means sometimes things seem very low (e.g. I had almost nothing happen Feb-Apr this year), other a few offers one after the other, but it is mainly just way small number stats work naturally. At 2% sell-through a 400 name portfolio expected to have 8 sales per year, and maybe a 20 or 30 offers in the year (based on my guess of ratio of offers to sales). Most of the time, domaining is similar to watching paint dry.

Bob

 

[twiki]

Most of the time, domaining is similar to watching paint dry.

Bob

Hell I'd like that. For me it is a ridiculous amount of work, now getting close to 5K names and growing.

 

[twiki]

Finally some insight into what's going on, cause something is definitely going on ( it's been a month since this trend is here for me):

https://www.namepros.com/threads/as...in-name-sales-are-way-off-2019s-pace.1210624/

In brief from the article, it appears that .com sales are indeed eroded a bit by other gTLD's, but the main drop since 2019 would be the 30% overall reduction in price. While number of sales is projected to be somewhat similar, overall sales volume is impacted. Not dead by any means but yes, affected.

As I expected, buying power has to decline when a significant number of businesses went down. Since my domains cater mostly to SMB's and less for tech companies with high buying power (for example), it pretty much started to make sense. Grants dried up, reserved dried up at least for some... etc.

 

[twiki]

I even have several potential customers who said they are postponing all sales cause the financials are uncertain. Not that they don't need the domain, we'll discuss later but rather they need to get sure the revenue will not be needed elsewhere.

Edit: BTW, folks with different types of portfolios might see very different results

 

[twiki]

Several fellow domainers have told me their sales went down, including "quiet" which is a word that makes me cringe.

My own sales went down as well (significantly) during the last 30 days. I have resumed selling low xxx range (several sales, one each day or couple days) but so far no 4-fig sales. These small sales are keeping the spirit up but not so much for any high hopes.

It continues to be weird, I must observe.

I believe the trend matches the "K" depression. Top firms go up, so are top domains. On the other hand domains catering for SMBs are going down in price and possibly in demand, as state funds have dried up and people find themselves closing the business and looking for a job.

If your sales continue to be booming, you might be the lucky dude with clients on the upward branch of the letter "K".

 

[twiki]

BTW - one thing I tried and worked over the last days is this clearance price strategy. Give it a try, I recommend it, especially if you have a lot of supply and enough clearances.

I've rechecked sales list and I have 2 sales per day on average since then (for about a week or 10 days), so I've made quite a few bucks from mere clearances. Still no large sales, but I finally broke the glass of bad luck.

Edit: It also tells me that demand has definitely increased on pricing <$100 so my $75 sales are quite numerous, which hasn't been quite like that in the past.

People still need domains, perhaps even in large numbers than before, but have or are willing to commit less money, on the lower tier. (broke or nearly-broke SMBs will definitely fall in this segment).

Edit2: Maybe we need to simply adjust, when things aren't going as they used to be. At least that's what I do. Adapt.