opinion Bad Days for Domaining

[xbank]

Hello,

I notice the recent COVID wave causing a lot of incomplete sales .. I sold 2 names on different platforms and they both not completed the payment.

Sedo I sold 5 names in the last 6 months - 4 different buyers unable to pay.

It seems like we need to hold and stop considering domains @ a virtual real estate investment.


thank you.

 

[karmaco]

5 name sales failing in the last 6 months cannot mean the virus accounts for all failed sales. Virus only been full blown for 3 months.

I suggest you place BINs if you want to avoid fake offers and time wasters. Many people myself included are having consistent normal sales. Stay positive and concentrate on getting the best names you can. Sales will come, virus or not.

 

[Joe N]

Like @Bob Hawkes I have heard and read varying opinions on how COVID has affected domain sales. The more well-known personalities in the industry seem to feel that the market is very much alive and well.

Personally, I made my largest sale ever in April, so the last three months have been quite positive for me.

Either way, it is too early to draw any conclusions. We won't truly know how the industry has been impacted until we're looking back on this time a few years from now.

 

[Bob Hawkes]

I see, and hear from other domainers, mixed signals. Some seem to be selling more, especially in April. Many seem to be seeing more browsing of domain names in certain niches, but not seeing sales close. Some see this as a golden era with more businesses going online only. Some are reporting more failed sales.

On NameBio of last few months it seems to me that there are more sales related to health, delivery, remote education and conferencing. BuyDomains in particular seem to be selling in these niches very regularly. When I tried to use the NameBio classifications though, to get statistics to support that premise, it did not seem definitive (still working on it).

Personally, the time since December has been the slowest over the past two and a half years for me. On DAN it does seem that names related to medical and health are getting viewed more, but that has not translated into sales or even offers, other than a few low value ones to other domainers.

I am hoping to work out some statistical measures of what has happened from January 1 until now.

I did in early April write a NamePros Blog post on the topic and it has an associated poll of what people were reporting at that time.

Bob

 

[jim h]

This is a fact. Although many people refuse to admit that the volume of transactions is indeed declining and the demand is shrinking. Although some domain names are sold at high prices, the market as a whole is declining. Go to see the transaction price of Sedo, which is declining as a whole.

 

[TheBaldOne]

It would seem to me that the present domain market at worst is just going through one of its regular readjustments, but it is gearing up for a boom in many areas. It should be remembered that the financial crisis of 2007/8 saw a real downturn in market activity, and this followed the severe downturn when the .com bubble burst back at the turn of the century.

The difference now is perhaps that online business is now recognised by a far greater number of businesses, small, medium, and large, to be the way to recover from the present downturn. Also many existing businesses will flounder with indeed many failing, this will lead to newcomers coming into the market to fill the voids left in numerous niches - and these new businesses will all look at their online presence as paramount and invest in such including domain names. In the meantime it is also likely that those existing businesses which survive will also realise the importance of their online presence and invest in making their share of the market expand wherever possible.

From the above I think this temporary blip, if indeed one is occurring, will soon be overshadowed by the boom yet to come starting by the end of the year.

 

[Josytal]

Domaining is not an island. When there is downturn in economy or other vital industries and businesses, it affects domaining. Ripple effect, it's called.

Forget about pockets of individual sales, the economic situation is generally in bad shape, not only in domaining. Online advertising in which we have vested interest and used to be the cash cow is presently at the ebb. Air transportation, travel and tourism, energy - just to name a few - are all in distress and "yelling" for bail out.

Lesson learnt:
In good times, always make provisions for emergencies.

 

[Haroon Basha]

Hello,

I notice the recent COVID wave causing a lot of incomplete sales .. I sold 2 names on different platforms and they both not completed the payment.

Sedo I sold 5 names in the last 6 months - 4 different buyers unable to pay.

It seems like we need to hold and stop considering domains @ a virtual real estate investment.


thank you.

I do not agree with your fear mongering message. The domain industry is not at all affected, at least not as bad as the other industries. We still able to complete successful sales without any defaults in payment. Of course, there may be a few stray incidents, that are exceptional and always there in good season too. So, please do not worry. Domain business is intact.

 

[kite26]

I recently had a case of an interested buyer (via outbound) who told me that he would buy the name, but because of pandemic he will not. I am very sure I lost more than one deals because of Covid and I hope some of them return. Difficult days for domaining.

 

[FolioTeam]

This is a fact. Although many people refuse to admit that the volume of transactions is indeed declining and the demand is shrinking. Although some domain names are sold at high prices, the market as a whole is declining. Go to see the transaction price of Sedo, which is declining as a whole.

I agree. There are more enquiries but less transactions. At least from my end.

 

[AbdulBasit.com]

Thanks everyone for sharing their views and experiences which is always good to read . It adds more to the knowledge of what exactly is happening.

As I've been sharing my Afternic sales every month starting this year, I'd some ups and downs and overall remained slow until April if I compare the same time period of last year. Both in terms of money and few hundred of domains added to the portfolio.

Anyhow, May report on Afternic sales has been exceptional which I'm going to share in the first week of June.

Stay tuned!

 

[Jurgen Wolf]

I recently had a case of an interested buyer (via outbound) who told me that he would buy the name, but because of pandemic he will not. I am very sure I lost more than one deals because of Covid and I hope some of them return. Difficult days for domaining.

I have the same case with some NYC company.
Waiting since March for their better times...

 

[rajdomains]

In 2nd week of march I have received an email from Sedo My $50K Domains has been sold but the buyer didn't make the payment. (This was 2nd time for the same domain).

$100 offer received for good 4 letters .com domain - rejected
$3.5K offer rejected

Due to lock down in India, I am not able to run my prime work. Since lockdown, I have given plenty of time in domaining, re-structured my website (rajdomains.com), revised pricing of domains But No Luck!!!

 

[Domain Monk]

But 0 effects on domainer aftermarket ppl still keep buying at crazy prices..on a hope to resell

 

[noneisnone]

you can look at it in two ways the first one is corona made allot of business realize that they have no online presence so allot of them are building there online image with a domain name if they had none or a new one if the old one was bad or you can look at it as everyone is scared shirtless and holding onto there money

very conflicting statements some people are claiming the best year so far while on the other hand some are complaining that they haven't made a sale yet

 

[November]

80% of my domains are published on Squadhelp. I have almost 500 premium domains there, no sale in the last 3 months.Before the pandemic there was 1 sale every month.
There was 1 sale 2 months ago, but the domain was purchased via Afternic /it was published on Squadhelp too/

 

[ivey]

The pandemic does impact sales, because people are fearful as the future is unsure. Even though no one can predict the future.. it was easier when someone knew a paycheck was guaranteed weekly... But I think as things settles..it will cause a boom or resurgence in domain sales. Because everyone will see the importance of owning a name and starting online business and not depend on only a job.

 

[xbank]

I recently had a case of an interested buyer (via outbound) who told me that he would buy the name, but because of pandemic he will not. I am very sure I lost more than one deals because of Covid and I hope some of them return. Difficult days for domaining.

That's exactly what I meant!!!!!

 

[Jurgen Wolf]

The crucial question is for how long this situation will remain.

According to IMF forecast - it could take until 2023 for the global economy to return to its pre-coronavirus levels.

 

[BBQ Names]

Good sales past few months here. Above average a bit.

 

[wallet2it]

Hello,

I notice the recent COVID wave causing a lot of incomplete sales .. I sold 2 names on different platforms and they both not completed the payment.

Sedo I sold 5 names in the last 6 months - 4 different buyers unable to pay.

It seems like we need to hold and stop considering domains @ a virtual real estate investment.


thank you.

depends on several factors...I don't think they are related ....

 

[xbank]

Awhhh .. I think many people have Non-Virus names, it's a whole lot of things.

Domains related to health and fitness are on the rise.

Other's have some impact for sure

 

[Jurgen Wolf]

Domains related to health and fitness are on the rise.

I have domains in this niche as well.
And I don't see any rise... silence or lowball.

 

[Domain Monk]

Pure silence

 

[frank-germany]

Hello,

I notice the recent COVID wave causing a lot of incomplete sales .. I sold 2 names on different platforms and they both not completed the payment.

Sedo I sold 5 names in the last 6 months - 4 different buyers unable to pay.

It seems like we need to hold and stop considering domains @ a virtual real estate investment.


thank you.

I guess it's not due to the virus
but due to Trump
or the spring
or the left over effects of winter