Atom / Atom.com - Marketplace (formerly Squadhelp)

[JudgeMind]

Hey Folks,

I've just started using squadhelp.com to list some of my brandable. So far I have 76 domains listed, there is no fee to list. I've had some decent action so far in the way of interested buyers but no sales as of yet. I've only been with them for 1 week now.

A bit of a summary review of SquadHelp:

PROS

• No Listing fee
• No Logo design fee
• Ability to submit your names to end users holding naming contests
• Ability to chat directly or send a message directly to end users.
• Stats of your marketplace domains are shown in the marketplace dashboard.
• Their customer service and support has been great, 24hr a day chat.
• Ability to increase or decrease the list price of your domains or to show a discount. You can decrease or increase the price yourself by $200. If you want to lower more, you can contact support.
• End users can shortlist your domains before they make a decision on which they want to purchase. The number of shortlists is shown in you marketplace dashboard.
• When you submit your names you get to set the price you wish to get. Because their commissions are high I recommend listing at a higher price to offset the commission costs.
• Their landing pages are fairly basic but they work. Because the marketplace is fairly new, I'm sure we will see style improvements in the future.
• One thing I really like is they accept multiple extensions. I have listed .co and .io along with .com
• Each seller gets a direct link to their marketplace portfolio, HERES MY PORTFOLIO. It is handy if your trying to p[promote your portfolio through social media.
• I like that their marketplace doesn't have tens of thousands domain listings like BB. They are fairly strict on the domains they accept to list and so this helps keep the number of domains in the marketplace down and gets your listings more exposure.

CONS

• Their commissions are very high, depending on the domain name they are usually between 30% and 35%. However, there are no listing fees, no logo design fees, so in the end their commission is very similar to brand buckets.
• Their logos are not top quality, in fact I requested to have some of my logos remade.
• I think they have a big backlog of logos to design, the wait time for logo design has been around 1 week, but your names are still listed while the logos are being designed.
• After your names are accepted you need to agree to their commission rate, at this point you also need to apply your own keywords, descriptions etc. I found this was very time consuming.

 

[Future Sensors]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1895027223528096196

 

[King]

Just a tip for those with a lot of domains. Be sure to check your "Delisted" domains every once in awhile, I found one of my premiums was delisted for some reason. I think it was from having the afternic verification nameserver in NS3.

Happened to me too, I told support and still waiting for them to relist it...

This is why we need a quick option in our dashboard to relist domains back to their past state.

 

[Abdillahi Abdillahi]

Seriously? You're talking out of your butt about Atom's infrastructure like you run IT department, and then pull a hissy fit when I call you on it. I have the support transcripts, what do you have?

Good luck with your attitude.

And just to be sure, you really believe the system inserting an LTO button (that doesn't work) on a LTO-disabled listing for 4 days is a "caching issue"? That's a bug and Atom tech fixed it.

I have a name that in the Dashboard says 0 months installments, and I did disable the installments 4 days ago, and still, I dee it offered in the landing page. I did think it was cache issue, but it is taking longer to update and after seeing your post here, I think it is common and I should contact the support team.

 

[DomainRecap]

I have a name that in the Dashboard says 0 months installments, and I did disable the installments 4 days ago, and still, I dee it offered in the landing page. I did think it was cache issue, but it is taking longer to update and after seeing your post here, I think it is common and I should contact the support team.

The difference is that I have NEVER enabled installments (they are disabled in my Profile), and just the fact of adding a BIN price then somehow auto-enabled a 24-month installment plan on the lander.

 

[DomainRecap]

Oh yeah! Oh yeah!

 

[Abdillahi Abdillahi]

Oh yeah! Oh yeah!

Show attachment 271493

Another sale? That is great, congrats. If you dont mind me asking and sharing, how many domains did you move to Atom?

 

[DN_Hunter]

Was looking at WLM (WhiteLabelMarketplace) / View configuration instructions / and it says it is by invite only -- is that still the case, or can anyone setup a WLM?

Also, one of my names got an offer and in the email that Atom sent me it says I can "counter this offer one time with a different price." Does that mean I am limited to replying with a final price -- there's no back/forth negotiation with the buyer?

 

[DomainRecap]

Also, one of my names got an offer and in the email that Atom sent me it says I can "counter this offer one time with a different price." Does that mean I am limited to replying with a final price -- there's no back/forth negotiation with the buyer?

I'm in several negotiations and back-and-forth is certainly supported - I feel this just means you can only counter each individual offer once. Then you need to wait for it to expire or for the buyer to send a counter.

 

[DomainRecap]

Another sale? That is great, congrats. If you dont mind me asking and sharing, how many domains did you move to Atom?

All of them, and it has nothing to do with numbers.

I had a lot of offers at Afternic too, but due to their closed, archaic system, these leads were just wasted and never went anywhere. From talking to irate customers who contacted me via WHOIS email (and even Dan messaging) I now know why, as all they kept getting were "Are you still interested" canned responses every 2-4 days, then it would go to "Stalled" or "Confused".

I literally have nightmares about how much money I lost by trying Afternic out for Jan-Feb 2025 with zero sales. In 5 days at Atom, I already have two very nice sales.

I was successful at Dan, I sold virtually nothing at Afternic, and now I'm immediately successful again at Atom. That's all anyone needs to know.

 

[Abdillahi Abdillahi]

All of them, and it has nothing to do with numbers.

I had a lot of offers at Afternic too, but due to their closed, archaic system, these leads were just wasted and never went anywhere. From talking to irate customers who contacted me via WHOIS email (and even Dan messaging) I now know why, as all they kept getting were "Are you still interested" canned responses every 2-4 days, then it would go to "Stalled" or "Confused".

I literally have nightmares about how much money I lost by trying Afternic out for Jan-Feb 2025 with zero sales. In 5 days at Atom, I already have two very nice sales.

I was successful at Dan, I sold virtually nothing at Afternic, and now I'm immediately successful again at Atom. That's all anyone needs to know.

Thank you. I can understand that Stalled and Confused messages. I had like I think some of those in Afternic since Oct 24.

 

[NameGroove]

All of them, and it has nothing to do with numbers.

I had a lot of offers at Afternic too, but due to their closed, archaic system, these leads were just wasted and never went anywhere. From talking to irate customers who contacted me via WHOIS email (and even Dan messaging) I now know why, as all they kept getting were "Are you still interested" canned responses every 2-4 days, then it would go to "Stalled" or "Confused".

I literally have nightmares about how much money I lost by trying Afternic out for Jan-Feb 2025 with zero sales. In 5 days at Atom, I already have two very nice sales.

I was successful at Dan, I sold virtually nothing at Afternic, and now I'm immediately successful again at Atom. That's all anyone needs to know.

Afternic should be used for BIN only. Their brokers are absurd. I've been trying to buy a 4 figure name for mos. I respond with paragraphs and offers. They say "I'll check with the seller". Weeks later I get a "are you still interested email". This happens every month. As a buyer, I'm frustrated beyond words. Do NOT use Afternic for anything other than BIN.

 

[DomainRecap]

Afternic should be used for BIN only. Their brokers are absurd.

But that's the Catch-22. If the Afternic brokers aren't doing their job, why stay there and pay 15-30% commission when you're doing all the work and potentially taking a lower price due to the BIN.

If Afternic only works with BIN, then it really doesn't work at all.

And this "Are you still interested?" email scam the Afternic brokers run is a common complaint I got from buyers, as it's clearly just them 'looking like they're working' when really it's just picking a drop-down selection and hitting Send.

The Homer Simpson Domain Brokerage House at work.

 

[Mister Funsky]

Afternic should be used for BIN only.

Only about 1/2 of 1 percent of my names are using Afternic landers at this time.

I've done some 2025 update pricing and I plan to test a few dozen of the more popular names using the BIN landers. Just can't figure out what set of nameservers would be the best.

There are a couple of brokers that have worked on some deals for me that are stellar but BIN is the way I am moving.

 

[NameGroove]

But that's the Catch-22. Is the Afternic brokers aren't doing their job, why stay there and pay 15-30% commission when you're doing all the work and potentially taking a lower price due to the BIN.

If Afternic only works with BIN, then it really doesn't work at all.

And this "Are you still interested?" email scam the Afternic brokers run is a common complaint I got from buyers, as it's clearly just them 'looking like they're working' when really it's just picking a drop-down selection and hitting Send.

The Homer Simpson Domain Brokerage House at work.

I hear ya. Afternic represents 20% of my landers now, down significantly from the past. I use them for reg path sales from Afternic FT partners. Not everyone uses GD.

Meanwhile as a buyer, I can't get anywhere. I'm sure if I could talk to the seller i could buy this name. But they literally don't respond with anything other than "I'll talk to the seller". Weeks pass. And I get a fu email (not always from the same broker) with "are you still interested?". It's mind boggling and mind numbing.

Atom is now 50% of my landers. Slowly moving away from Afternic/GD.

 

[DomainRecap]

Atom is now 50% of my landers. Slowly moving away from Afternic/GD.

It should be 100% and unless they do something crazy, I'm at Atom for life. To me, it's the new Dan, and even better in some respects, such as the advanced stats.

 

[Abdillahi Abdillahi]

Afternic should be used for BIN only. Their brokers are absurd. I've been trying to buy a 4 figure name for mos. I respond with paragraphs and offers. They say "I'll check with the seller". Weeks later I get a "are you still interested email". This happens every month. As a buyer, I'm frustrated beyond words. Do NOT use Afternic for anything other than BIN.

I have BINs there and they contacted me saying a buyer offerrd like 50% of the BIN. Name is on Atom, wil even 1K difference BIN but potential buyer seems to know Afternic.

But that's the Catch-22. If the Afternic brokers aren't doing their job, why stay there and pay 15-30% commission when you're doing all the work and potentially taking a lower price due to the BIN.

If Afternic only works with BIN, then it really doesn't work at all.

And this "Are you still interested?" email scam the Afternic brokers run is a common complaint I got from buyers, as it's clearly just them 'looking like they're working' when really it's just picking a drop-down selection and hitting Send.

The Homer Simpson Domain Brokerage House at work.

This is then what causes theze Stalled and Confused messages. I have 5+ names having these messages. What is strange is those names are using Atom nameservers, yet potential buyers are going to Afternic.

 

[NameGroove]

I have BINs there and they contacted me saying a buyer offerrd like 50% of the BIN. Name is on Atom, wil even 1K difference BIN but potential buyer seems to know Afternic.


This is then what causes theze Stalled and Confused messages. I have 5+ names having these messages. What is strange is those names are using Atom nameservers, yet potential buyers are going to Afternic.

Atom allows all their listings to be on Afternic - and this is why it's good. In fact, I never would've started with Atom if I couldn't list concurrently on AN. Some corporate buyers are mandated to buy via GoDaddy/AN. Others do it out of trust. You simply can't lose those that are forced in that direction. I still like Atom - but I need choice for the buyer. @DomainRecap - this is why it isn't 0% (I know, doesn't mean NS couldn't be 0%). But some names lend themselves to different marketplaces.

 

[DomainRecap]

Atom allows all their listings to be on Afternic - and this is why it's good. In fact, I never would've started with Atom if I couldn't list concurrently on AN. Some corporate buyers are mandated to buy via GoDaddy/AN. Others do it out of trust. You simply can't lose those that are forced in that direction.

You lose either way with Afternic BINs. If you put the NS at Afternic to get the 15% commission on BINs, then you are locking yourself to Afternic, no matter the buyer. But if you use Atom NS, you're taking the risk of a 25% hit, or if you've raised your BINs to compensate, then potentially lower sales due to the higher price.

I do it the other way - I list all my domains at Afternic too, but I put the BINs on Atom. If the buyers *must* use GD, then they need to inquire there on a MO and then I have a lot of different options to use.

The majority of buyers aren't going to be forced to use GD, so I plan for them, but I also leave myself an out for the small percentage who are locked in to Afternic.

 

[DN_Hunter]

I've been trying to export my listings. A few days ago it would email a link to download the file. But today I have tried it 3 different times and nothing is being emailed to me. Anyone else having problems downloading their domain names?

 

[DomainRecap]

I've been trying to export my listings. A few days ago it would email a link to download the file. But today I have tried it 3 different times and nothing is being emailed to me. Anyone else having problems downloading their domain names?

I find the whole Atom system is really slowing down. I used to run Verify Domains and it would maybe take 10-15 minutes and display constant updates, but now it can take upwards of a day to finish and there is no "XX domains unverified verified" counter shown on the screen.

I have a feeling they're either performing work on the system, or a few serious domain investors are loading their portfolios onto Atom this weekend.