status-monitor Can we sort out the appraisal section?

[NickB]

I think there is an issue with the appraisal section that needs looking at.....

When giving appraisals can we have a rule that stops people just quoting a figure with no explanation on how they came up with it?

A lot of people that use the appraisal section are new to the industry (I used it a lot when I first started) and I for one still go there to read and try to learn about how to price domains...

When I see what look like random figures being given as an appraisal it really jars with me. In some cases they seem wildly optimistic, in others they are downright misleading. This can lead to false hope, people registering more domains of a similar ilk which can lead to people spending a lot of money based on a figure someone seemingly has plucked from the air with absolutely no context on why they arrived at that appraisal amount.

Seems wrong to me......

Namepros has the below rule in place already......I would like to see this updated to include all appraisals

5.1. All appraisals below $10 USD must include a unique and constructive explanation to support the assessment.

Would like to see peoples opinion on expanding the above to include ALL appraisals

Any feedback from the community and Mods would be appreciated......

 

[bmugford]

Agreed that it would be more beneficial to have explanations with appraisals.

However, we'd likely need to come up with a way to reward members who take the time to provide free detailed appraisals. Otherwise, if everything else is kept the same and we only increase the required time commitment to contribute, then less will contribute.

What would motivate members to provide detailed appraisals rather than only a dollar amount?

Any ideas?

It does seem odd that you need an extra explanation to explain a value below $10. You think it is a bad domain. That is pretty self evident by the appraisal amount.

You can however throw out any absurdly high valuation with no explanation, and people do. That doesn't really make sense.

Let's be honest the vast majority of domains in the appraisal section are bad. It is kind of an undue burden for someone to have to explain why a domain is bad and not have to explain why it is good.

I could say $0. Now I need an explanation to justify it.
I could say $10,000. No explanation needed and I have given false hope to some new investor.

Brad

 

[bmugford]

I think there is an issue with the appraisal section that needs looking at.....

When giving appraisals can we have a rule that stops people just quoting a figure with no explanation on how they came up with it?

I have noticed this issue a lot lately. Certain users just quote some random number, that is often far out of line with market value, and with no thought process behind it.

If anything quoting high prices for bad domains is even more damaging to new investors that just saying "reg fee" or whatever with no explanation.

Brad

 

[Bravo Mod Team]

Agreed that it would be more beneficial to have explanations with appraisals.

However, we'd likely need to come up with a way to reward members who take the time to provide free detailed appraisals. Otherwise, if everything else is kept the same and we only increase the required time commitment to contribute, then less will contribute.

What would motivate members to provide detailed appraisals rather than only a dollar amount?

Any ideas?

 

[bmugford]

I don't really want to pick on anyone, but this is the type of issue I have been seeing lately -

https://www.namepros.com/threads/beeowner-com.1202958/

New user. Some random inflated number for a pretty marginal domain with no explanation.
False hope given. No one wins.

In the same case if I put $0, now the burden is on me to establish why. Someone can put $1,500 with no explanation. How does that make sense?

Brad

 

[equity78]

The section as it exists now is kind of like the blind leading the blind. It gives false hope and really doesn't teach a new domainer much.

There also seems to be a strain of butt-hurt in some threads where some are offended that people take their time, for free, and refuse to heap positive affirmations on a bad domain.

Brad

Do the blind want to be led by the blind? Sometimes I think it's the preferred mechanism.

In all honesty most don't want an appraisal they want validation.

 

[Mister Funsky]

Any ideas?

I scanned the thread so someone above may have mentioned some of what I'm about to suggest.

Maybe have a template in place for those wishing to give some type of appraisal with multiple choices. Maybe $20 and under, 20-50, 50-100, 100-250, 250-500, 500-1000 and then custom value.

Also have a way to indicate what level that number is for: liquidate, wholesale, reseller, full retail, etc.

Possibly have another section for things such as: grace delete, hold and try to sell for 1 year only, hold for 3 years max or long term hold, etc.

The same thing applies to reasons. misspelled name, doesn't pass radio test, possible trademark violation, declining extension, etc.

It is to our benefit to help newbies know if they are on the right track or not. A long term investor buying well will cause names of better caliber to increase in value regardless of the owner. It does no one any good to have someone enthusiastic and just getting started hand regging lots of names that will never sell.

A template system might make more seasoned domainers offer some type of pricing estimate if it is easy for them to select pre-made options in response to a request.

 

[bmugford]

I personally don't always even give actual numbers. I will just comment if a domain is good and the potential I see in it.

Just putting some random number does no favors for anyone.

Brad

 

[NickB]

Other people are picking up these so called "appraisals"

https://www.namepros.com/threads/brandale-domain-inveshment-com.1204706/#post-7922497

Is this being looked into? Are there any changes planned?

 

[bmugford]

NamePros really needs to do something about the user jim h.

They just pop into appraisal threads, throw out some inflated number with no justification, then leave. Over and over. It is a problem.

Brad

 

[bmugford]

Let's say we require explanations.

Where do we draw the line between a well-researched answer that could take hours versus a simple "because I like it and think someone would pay that much"?

If every appraisal comes with an explanation, then more appraisal threads will turn into discussions (or arguments) about those explanations. Is that a desired effect?

Please share your thoughts.

I think if you are required to leave an explanation if you say less than reg fee, it is more than reasonable to have to leave one if you say over reg fee.

That one guy pops into almost every thread, leaves some random number that is usually grossly inflated. This is actively damaging by giving false hope to many new investors.

This could be like a one line explanation. It doesn't have to be a novel.

Some examples -

"Reg Fee. The domain is an odd tense and I can't imagine an end user wanting it."

"$2,500. The domain appears to have several end users in a competitive field."

The bottom line is any number, without some explanation, is worthless.

Brad

 

[capybara]

I vote "this thread is stupid".

Almost no posters in the appraisal section make any effort about their requests. Sharing the results of their own research or at least explaining why do they think the name is valuable? Nah. They just post a domain or a whole bunch of them and thats it.

There used to be a recommended template for appraisal, which included standard questions a person needs to ask themselves before registering or buying a name, although I can't find where it is on the forum anymore.

Spoiler: A copy from an old thread

1. Acquisition Reason:
2. Markets:
3. Research:
4. End-User Value:
5. Reseller Value:
6. Traffic:
7. Revenue:
8. Age:
9. Miscellaneous:

If people were going by it, could save many from waste of money on worthless registrations in the first place... and with the posted threads, there would be some ground for discussion. No, thats not the way, lets just create a thread with a name!

And now some people are angry with responses not being detailed enough? I can't believe that.

Zero effort requests deserve zero effort appraisals, and nothing more.

If you are unhappy with somebody's appraisal, you can spendwaste your own time writing a better one. You don't want to? Not hard to understand, by why the desire to regulate how other people respond?

If any regulation of the appraisal is to be done, it should start with some rules for the posters. Otherwise its complete nonsense.

 

[johname]

The theory offered at the time from the np person putting forth the new rule, was all domains were worth regfee. So a domain cant be worth less than $10 unless there was a darn good reason. If there is a darn good reason, then explain at length.

 

[NickB]

@Mod Team Bravo any updates? Or is there is going to be a continued acceptance that people can keep posting random figures in the appraisal section without providing a reason.....

 

[Samer]

Agreed that it would be more beneficial to have explanations with appraisals.

However, we'd likely need to come up with a way to reward members who take the time to provide free detailed appraisals. Otherwise, if everything else is kept the same and we only increase the required time commitment to contribute, then less will contribute.

What would motivate members to provide detailed appraisals rather than only a dollar amount?

Any ideas?

Best appraisals featured @James Iles’ posts.

(Just kidding about that, James, carry on)

Would like way to (further) reward good ones more than “likes”; This can include a weekly Namepros’ post, highlight the best appraisals’.

Maybe count # users’ who win; best detailed appraisal as you quote unquote say
Since i’m sure there will be dynasties users.

Somewhat related;Didnt kno where else put
There is an infamous user putting random —often optimistic appraisal wit no explanation.
I usually give appraisals longest leash;
since all voluntary & not all are taken well!

But this particular user is making it excessive.
Let apprais thread die (only good 1 get replies)
Stop encouraging mindless — often baseless appraisals without an explanation; regardless $

Thank you @Mod Team Bravo

Samer

 

[bmugford]

The theory offered at the time from the np person putting forth the new rule, was all domains were worth regfee. So a domain cant be worth less than $10 unless there was a darn good reason. If there is a darn good reason, then explain at length.

Yeah, I personally think that line of reasoning is flawed. Just because something exists doesn't mean it has value or anyone else would want to buy it.

You could use the same logic and say everything is reg fee by default then. If you are saying it is worth more than that you need to justify why.

Brad

 

[NickB]

I don't really want to pick on anyone, but this is the type of issue I have been seeing lately -

https://www.namepros.com/threads/beeowner-com.1202958/

New user. Some random inflated number for a pretty marginal domain with no explanation.
False hope given. No one wins.

In the same case if I put $0, now the burden is on me to establish why. Someone can put $1,500 with no explanation. How does that make sense?

Brad

This is why I started this thread......they are replying to a lot of appraisals in this manner

 

[NickB]

Agreed that it would be more beneficial to have explanations with appraisals.

However, we'd likely need to come up with a way to reward members who take the time to provide free detailed appraisals. Otherwise, if everything else is kept the same and we only increase the required time commitment to contribute, then less will contribute.

What would motivate members to provide detailed appraisals rather than only a dollar amount?

Any ideas?

I was thinking more along the lines of discouraging bad appraisals rather than rewarding good ones.....

A brief explanation should not take to much time, if you were to add similar sales, some developed sites with similar keywords used, how many domains are regged with those keywords, search volume etc etc it might take a little longer but should not be to overbearing.

If someone takes the time to draw up a explanation on value (or lack of) then a simple "thanks" should suffice imo

Appeal to people's altruistic nature and see how it goes

 

[bmugford]

The section as it exists now is kind of like the blind leading the blind. It gives false hope and really doesn't teach a new domainer much.

There also seems to be a strain of butt-hurt in some threads where some are offended that people take their time, for free, and refuse to heap positive affirmations on a bad domain.

Brad

 

[bmugford]

More nonsense. Random inflated numbers with no justification.
It is not just the same guy, now you have guy #2 with just an absurd valuation on Divider.in.

https://www.namepros.com/threads/besthotelonline-dot-com.1206034/

https://www.namepros.com/threads/divider-in.1206070/

This is damaging to new investors.

The entire section is becoming a waste of space. I wish NamePros would make some changes ASAP.

Brad

 

[Maximinus]

Hello,

I am new to domaining, but I've already understood how useless the appraisal section is.
I believe the best and simplest is to apprise with "*" or "$":
* = Reg. fee
** = XX$
*** = XXX$
**** = XXXX$
***** = XXXXX$ or more
This will ease and motivate domainers to make their appraisal.

Anonimity is not a great idea in my opinion.
Visibility is important in order to understand "Who" is appraising and "How"
The appraisal of someone with a "PRO" badge is worth for a newbie more than 10 other newbie's appraisals.

Greetings,
Maximinus

 

[NickB]

I'm done with the appraisal section

It is a cesspit, people bitching, moaning, arguing and giving no explanations or reasoning to their one or 2 word appraisals

Have blocked the guy above and it is not just him there are a few people just wasting time in this section

Wash my hands of it.......

 

[bmugford]

https://www.namepros.com/threads/internetmedi-com-appraisal-please.1205159/

$2,000 appraisal with nothing else, which gives false hope to the new investor.

Really..??
I'm Totally A Beginner. This Is My First Domain Ever..
Thanks For The Appraisal.

I think NP really needs to revisit the appraisal section policies. This type of thing is damaging to new investors.

Brad

 

[koolishman]

Price brackets.

Max 2 line explanation. Post lock beyond 2 lines.

 

[Bravo Mod Team]

I think if you are required to leave an explanation if you say less than reg fee, it is more than reasonable to have to leave one if you say over reg fee.

A quick recap of why that rule was added:

There are, unfortunately, people who enjoy doings things for the sole purpose of creating problems and upsetting others, so we try to limit that where possible.

• If you want to tell buyers that their domain names are worth less than what they paid for them, then there is a burden of explanation so that members can't effortlessly misuse appraisal requests to intentionally upset others.
• If someone goes the other route and appraises every domain name at one million dollars, then that's still a problem, but it isn't going to come across as insulting and it could be dismissed without creating unnecessary hostility.

As for whether we should expand the rule, it doesn't seem like requiring an explanation for every appraisal is going to help much (or at all). It'll mostly just create more work for moderators without much (or any?) benefit. We may be wrong, but after reviewing several appraisal requests, this is our impression so far.

The better solution may be to try the Professional Appraisal section instead, where members are required to be VIP or upgraded accounts to participate, with the hope that you will receive more detailed appraisals there.

There are still potentials for problems if someone wants to cause trouble. For example, if a member posts the same appraisal amount in every appraisal request, then it'd be easier for us to know their intentions and intervene. Other times, it's not as clear.

We will continue to monitor this thread and think about ways we can improve the appraisal sections.

Thanks for your continued feedback.