Circumventing GoDaddy Expiry Auctions

[411domains]

Has anyone noticed the thousands upon thousands of Godaddy expired auctions ending without bids that never return to the market as a closeout?

Someone has discovered a way to circumvent the regular expired auction process.

They appear to be using an API that places backorders within seconds of auction close. Thus eliminating all competition, auction extensions and closeout conversion times for the cost of a backorder. (In their case, thousands of backorders.)

Although the auctions are already closed, these after the fact backorders are being counted as bids.

In my opinion, any bid that comes in after the auction closes should be automatically canceled and refunded.

What are your thoughts?

BTW, this has been a known issue for awhile.

 

[Joe Styler]

It has nothing to do with this post. It was already planned and being worked on.

 

[411domains]

Congratulations 411Domains!!!!!

You just ruined this for pretty much everyone who knew this was going on (including myself). I've snatched so many domains in the void between closeout and end of auction it was silly.

Instead of just doing the research for yourself and figuring it out you had to come to forum and cry about it.

You my friend are the worst. In my opinion.

Everyone that was able to do this will now take joy that you just completely crapped on a perfectly good advantage.

Thumbs down, bad thread.

How long did you think it was going to last, many times people questioned it, but everyone kind of kept quiet about it. I agree it does suck, because it was the only advantage the human bidder had, which will now be gone.

I agree 411 domains would have been just better to keep his mouth shut, and bid away, these kind of guys just don't know when to quit.

jaja I don't know, forever! I was doing it for well over a year, and some others longer for sure.

I only caught on when the closeout system didn't seem to be behaving 'normally', so I tested BO's. I couldn't get it to work, and it took me about 8 tries before I cracked the process.

It was nice while it lasted, GD has to make their money after all.

You are being right 100% @wwwweb !
It was rather kind that they allowed it at all.

Still, thumbs down to @411domains know your business.

I know my business and I do very well.

It's one thing if it's being done manually. It's another if it's being done by an API...hundreds...thousands at a time each day.

This had become a problem that was cutting into everyone's business.

If you're not a part of the solution, you're part of the problem.

I'm a problem solver.

For the record, I'm not the only one to bring this up.

Before you start shedding your domainer tears, why don't you ask @Joe Styler how many complaints they've received on this?

 

[Arca]

@Joe Styler - Could you comment on the time it takes domains to reach closeout status? Will it permanently continue to take up to 5-6 hours, or will we see a return to 5-15 minutes?

 

[Joe Styler]

@Joe Styler - Could you comment on the time it takes domains to reach closeout status? Will it permanently continue to take up to 5-6 hours, or will we see a return to 5-15 minutes?

That can change daily so no I really can't. It is dependent on other factors on the back end. We do not have a set time all I can say is we try to get them switched over as fast as we can on any given day.

 

[wwwweb]

I know my business and I do very well.

It's one thing if it's being done manually. It's another if it's being done by an API...hundreds...thousands at a time each day.

This had become a problem that was cutting into everyone's business.

If you're not a part of the solution, you're part of the problem.

I'm a problem solver.

For the record, I'm not the only one to bring this up.

Before you start shedding your domainer tears, why don't you ask @Joe Styler how many complaints they've received on this?

Problem solved, now go back to buying your close outs, and killing it... Now what else can you cure, you’ve cured the domain backorder blues?

How do we get this guy into the UN?

 

[jideofor]

jaja I don't know, forever! I was doing it for well over a year, and some others longer for sure.

I only caught on when the closeout system didn't seem to be behaving 'normally', so I tested BO's. I couldn't get it to work, and it took me about 8 tries before I cracked the process.

It was nice while it lasted, GD has to make their money after all.

You are being right 100% @wwwweb !
It was rather kind that they allowed it at all.

Still, thumbs down to @411domains know your business.

I feel your pain bro. Somethings should be left unsaid as far as domaining is concerned. Now, a lot of people will flood that tunnel lol.

 

[Jasonn]

That can change daily so no I really can't. It is dependent on other factors on the back end. We do not have a set time all I can say is we try to get them switched over as fast as we can on any given day.

At some point around February or early March is went from being fairly quick to taking hours.

 

[tonyk2000]

Next you will be telling people about the trick to see how many watchers are in an auction.

I was always wondering why, when I purposly started "wathching" tons of bs domains, most if not all got bids... Fine, if somebody still can see what others are "watching" and make decisions based on this info - not only I will continue adding more and more good looking /but still bs / domains to my watchlist, but will add noticeably more

 

[jideofor]

It appear same thing is happening at Name.com... names are being backordered while still on expired auction.

 

[MapleDots]

It appear same thing is happening at Name.com... names are being backordered while still on expired auction.

Ohhhhhhh

@hwgriffi is gonna have your hide

Giving away another secret

Seriously though..... I can see @411domains point of view depending on what side of the fence you're sitting on. I do everything manually and I've been just as peeved ads 411domains but the power users will surely not like the loophole getting closed.

 

[wwwweb]

X

Ohhhhhhh

@hwgriffi is gonna have your hide

Giving away another secret

Seriously though..... I can see @411domains point of view depending on what side of the fence you're sitting on. I do everything manually and I've been just as peeved ads 411domains but the power users will surely not like the loophole getting closed.

They have already amassed a good war chest of domains, This has been going on for some time, the quality of names going to close out is not like it was before, everything is filtered with a fine tooth comb, the odd gem gets thru, but for people who are doing things manually it is becoming more time consuming, and cumbersome as the people with automated tools are on cruise control.

Godaddy says they were already going to fix this, they said the same thing when Rick Schwartz cried foul when he got a name renewed on him after he bought it in auction, and all the sudden they changed it to 30 days, so I don't know. There is going to be a lot of guys looking to burn their backorders now.

It is a good time to take a step back, and sell some inventory into these pricing levels. These prices cannot be sustained because you can't move them that quickly, many of these names will be sitting in dead inventory folders for many years, any downturn in the economy, and you are going to get a chance to get a lot of cheap domains as was the case in 2008-2011.

 

[Name Trader]

There is very little point to even look at the closeouts anymore. Whether it be the bots or users using the API. Or in the future, passing the torch to the bots. But we should face the fact that there isn't much quality in the domains that go to closeouts. You might find a handful of average domains out of the thousands which drop to closeout each day. Most of the meat has been eaten already in the expiring auctions. I'm actually surprised this thread has created so much controversy. I would forgo every domain I've ever bought at closeout (which has been many over the years) to have won a handful of domains in the expiring auctions. But I get frightened off with the bots bidding everything up. But hopefully this will at sometime reflect in increased retail prices. Let's hope so. I still think the jury is out about Huge Domains business model, though Even though they keep doubling down with their registrars, activities in GD Auctions, et al.

 

[wwwweb]

There is very little point to even look at the closeouts anymore. Whether it be the bots or users using the API. Or in the future, passing the torch to the bots. But we should face the fact that there isn't much quality in the domains that go to closeouts. You might find a handful of average domains out of the thousands which drop to closeout each day. Most of the meat has been eaten already in the expiring auctions. I'm actually surprised this thread has created so much controversy. I would forgo every domain I've ever bought at closeout (which has been many over the years) to have won a handful of domains in the expiring auctions. But I get frightened off with the bots bidding everything up. But hopefully this will at sometime reflect in increased retail prices. Let's hope so. I still think the jury is out about Huge Domains business model, though Even though they keep doubling down with their registrars, activities in GD Auctions, et al.

Huge domains is doing pretty good right now, as times are good, buyers are buying that sweet spot they service, and they have stock piled a diverse and extensive inventory, so things are looking good for them. It is in times where the economy takes a turn for the worse, and they are stuck renewing that $35M portfolio, and dropcatch is not making the kind of money it is churning right now with a few crazy bidders who don't know the meaning of backing down. They are doubling down, and spending up, they are making godaddy a lot of money as their bot is countering a lot of last min bids on names that deserve to go to closeout and pushing them up $50-$100, over tens of thousands of domains a year that is a lot of money. They don't even have to win the auction, but I recommend anyone who is getting burned by this strategy not to support the huge domain brands as you are essentially just giving them money to outbid you.

 

[MapleDots]

but I recommend anyone who is getting burned by this strategy not to support the huge domain brands as you are essentially just giving them money to outbid you.

Them and godaddy
https://www.namepros.com/threads/id...ree-give-one-away.1076008/page-2#post-6673789

 

[Name Trader]

but I recommend anyone who is getting burned by this strategy not to support the huge domain brands as you are essentially just giving them money to outbid you.

I do certainly use DC for my backorders. Let's face it. They are the biggest dropcatcher on the planet by far. Placing an order anywhere else is simply reducing your chances. I get a kick if it goes to auction (that my thinking was correct) and I get I kick when they capture it exclusively for me (because I beat every other dropcatcher on the planet)

I'm not ashamed to admit to using DC for my dropcatching. It makes absolutely perfect sense to me. The amount I spend isn't going to matter in their big picture, and I'm "cutting off my nose to spite my face" if I go anywhere else.

 

[Arca]

I was always wondering why, when I purposly started "wathching" tons of bs domains, most if not all got bids... Fine, if somebody still can see what others are "watching" and make decisions based on this info - not only I will continue adding more and more good looking /but still bs / domains to my watchlist, but will add noticeably more

Hopefully GD is aware of and intending to fix this. It should not be possible for other users to see which domains you have in your private watch list.

 

[Page Howe]

reply to earlier message

Because by placing a $12 you draw attention to the domain and it could climb significantly higher.

I think the common thinking is that you will draw particular attention by automated bots who can check multiple listings and actions all at the same time.

I do grab some at $12 if I definitely want a specific domain and don't mind paying more .. but most of my domain strategy is to get domains even below what I consider wholesale .. so for me it's a numbers game .. I have X number of domains I really want per day ... but 90% of them go well out of my "super value" range .. often going significantly higher. The remaining 10% names I risk getting at closeout .. I definitely don't get them all .. but from time to time I get some at $11 .. or even down at $5!

It's often dumb luck .. I get names with just as much quality or better at $11 than some that go into 3 figures .. but that's only because I go very deep into the expiration lists to find potential gems ..
https://www.namepros.com/threads/ategy-com-best-expiration-auction-and-closeout-domains.1006428/page-12#post-6665183

It's important to note that while the domain market is liquid-ish .. there are still ways to find good names for cheap. A large amounts of the names I've shared in the "Domains You've Won at Auction or Closeout" thread were indeed closeouts at $11 down to even $5.
https://www.namepros.com/threads/domains-you-won-at-auction-or-closeout-in-your-account.1050374/

So yeah .. definitely bid $12 if it's a MUST HAVE domain and you're ok risking that it goes higher .. but if you're ok playing the numbers game and accepting only having an about 25% chance of getting the domain .. then let it go to closeout. After you've been doing it for a while you'll get an idea of which are riskier than others.

couldnt have said it better, well summarized

Don't be angry, don't be sad
And don't sit crying over good times you had
There's a girl right next to you
And she's just waiting for something to do

And there's a rose in a fisted glove
And eagle flies with the dove
And if you can't be with the one you love, honey
Love the one you're with
Love the one you're with
Love the one you're with

Do-do, do do, do do, do-do

page

 

[Page Howe]

ok so if godaddy is bad, and we are all good. then can someone figure out how to use the API and charge me $1 to do a back-order after the close of the regular auction before they close the loophole. pm please, ill buy in batches of 25

page

 

[DreamLife]

afternic/godaddy will eventually buy huge domains, I predict this will happen

Our options will become less and less unless we are careful. Remember to not let your godaddy domains expire either, give them away on namepros if you don't want them. Don't let them become part of the godaddy machine. Don't let them profit on your expiries! Support your fellow domainers and give them away here instead of letting godaddy have them.

Pretty Sure, Godaddy is making to much $ off of HugeDomains to buy them

 

[wwwweb]

Pretty Sure, Godaddy is making to much $ off of HugeDomains to buy them

Agreed, it is more strategic to keep HugeNames, which is the sub of TurnCommerce at arms length. It would make absolutely no sense, I am sure Godaddy is happy with the portfolio they currently own, they really want to buy quality over quantity.

 

[Hater]

They don't want you to get names via backorder trick because they want domains for themselves to sell. Almost whole .com expired domains examined and taken by Godaddy if they like, if they don't you will see them as closeout, this process goes on up to 24 hours.

Read for further information below;
namepros.com/posts/6661693/

(copy&paste the url above, I can't add a link because I'm a new user)

 

[domainer111]

Whenever I go to add a domain from closeout to my shopping cart, the thing is snapped up straight away.

As far as I am concerned, that is a piece of private data, and not part of a public auction. It's a data process and Godaddy is the data controller.

I have tested this now numerous times and the result is always the same. I have tried it on appalling domains, the result is the same.

All this stuff about data, all the big fuss about GDPR, protecting the consumers' data - the mind boggles...

 

[domainer111]

I wonder does this the person placing the order get a refund on ones they don't want?

 

[Arca]

Tracked a bunch of domains today and yesterday with certain valuations, just for the sake of seeing what would happen to them. Worthless domains to domainers, but the kinds of domains that these automated buyers have been picking up based purely on valuations. They all followed the same pattern.

Every single domain I've checked that has a valuation of $1300+ and ends with no bidders immediately changes the WHOIS from the former registrant to Afternic in WHOIS (indicating that somebody bought the domain). They never show up in closeouts.

Every single domain I've checked with a valuation of less tha $1300 that ends with no bids retains the former WHOIS record post auctions (indicating that nobody bought the domain). They show up in closeouts.

The only difference from before is that the domains with a $1300+ valuation that end don't seem to get a backorder post auction anymore. At least the $12-->$10 minimum bid conversion in the registrar path that revealed the backorder does not reveal it anymore. Yet as per WHOIS updates, one company seems to be able to secure their purchase of any domain that doesn't get a bid before the auction ends, within seconds after auction end, without placing an actual bid in the auction. Not sure if they still place backorders and the GD reg path just doesn't reveal it anymore, or if they have another way to simply buy any domain they want at GD that doesn't get bids.

 

[MapleDots]

Great research @Arca

It gives me an idea.....

We need a topic where we can edit indefinitely and keep track of all the GoDaddy idiosyncrasies.