Discuss your Epik Experience!

[dande]

I think Epik is building the best ever Domain Lander in the history of domaining, and it really needs to be talked about extensively. That's why I am creating this discussion thread. A lot of thought process really goes into the project. And I can see (for the first time) a landing page that is built from the stand point of domainers rather than for just the marketplace itself.

Everything you have ever dreamt of getting or seeing in a professional landing page can be found in the new Epik marketplace landing page design.

Some of my Favorites Features:

1. The ability to optimize your "domain for sale" landing page to actually rank on Google, displaying your sales pitch/domain description. I just did that with few of my generic domain names such as ASAP.TV, targeting certain keywords, and they are showing pretty well on Google. That's a huge plus in my marketing effort.

2. Being able to change background image is another huge one for me. If you are good with pictures and images, you will surely find this very useful. I did that with Nagasaki.org and the result was truly amazing, showing the city of Nagasaki right at the background.

There are too many positive features and I don't want to mention all of them, all alone

So I am leaving you guys to share and discuss what you loves most or dislike about the new Epik marketplace and the landing pages.

The only negative for me is the checkout process. There are too many terms and conditions buttons to tick before checking out. It will be nice if they can streamline those into one beautiful big button

They also need to place the checkout button directly under the payment options. Right now it is awkwardly place somewhere below at the sidebar, which I don't find cool at all.

Sales experience is also welcomed in this discussion. I haven't had any sells so far at Epik because I started using the marketplace just recently, but the future is looking so bright.

 

[Business Brands]

I have to say Epik so far has exceeded my expectations.

 

[Kassey Lee]

I like the registration and checkout design. I have several profiles set up in advance. Once I enter a domain, I can select Express Checkout and registration is done with default Whois and nameservers pointing to Afternic. I can list the domain at Afternic immediately and within a hour or so the domain becomes available in Godaddy's registration path. Talking about speed in making a domain available for purchase!

 

[NicTraders]

I like the registration and checkout design. I have several profiles set up in advance. Once I enter a domain, I can select Express Checkout and registration is done with default Whois and nameservers pointing to Afternic. I can list the domain at Afternic immediately and within a hour or so the domain becomes available in Godaddy's registration path. Talking about speed in making a domain available for purchase!

Yes, the Express checkout and Profiles are a time-saver for sure. However I would strongly recommend that the Express Checkout feature have a little info popup which tells the buyer exactly what is going to happen. I know the first time I used it I really expected it to take me to a confirmation page rather than actually processing the transaction.

 

[Kassey Lee]

However I would strongly recommend that the Express Checkout feature have a little info popup which tells the buyer exactly what is going to happen.

Very much agreed. Just registered another domain again. Very smooth!

 

[ResoluteDomains]

I love the Epik Marketplace, I've received a good number of offers since mid-March already.

I noticed something with the marketplace page versus the parked page: If I enter the <domain name> I am taken to its parked page which I think looks real slick.

If I send traffic from, lets say, Bodis for example, the traffic lands at this page: https://marketplace.epik.com/<domain name>

The parked page has our Google Analytics ID on it to track visits. The marketplace page does not seem to. (if it does have it then I stand corrected).

But as far as I can see the GA ID is not there so there is no real way for us to know how many people are coming across from a parking service (or anywhere they're sent from) really. I like looking at this data from Google Analytics - would love to see it added.

Could we have the ability to add our Google Analytics ID to the marketplace pages so we can see that traffic @Rob Monster? Would be really interesting to see where its coming from, etc.

Thanks!

 

[D Haynes]

Not sure if anyone else has said this but just wanted to give a quick note as to my experience transfering a name out of Epik.

Transfering names into Epik has been a breeze. I'm currently moving names from GD to Epik because of the pricing. When moving a name out of GD (as with any registrar) you need to request the auth code and submit it to the new registrar. Shortly after submitting the code you receive an email from GD alerting you that a transfer has been initiated and asking if this is a legitimate action. You can then challenge it, leave it and after 5 days the transfer will go ahead or you can sign into your GD account and approve the transfer and usually within 15 mins its all done and dusted and away you go to self isolate and socially distance.

Transfering away from Epik is slightly different. It took me a couple of days of messing around trying to get the auth code for a domain that sold at Afternic. This is because the domain was moved to Epik within the last 60 days. I had previously opted out of the ICANN 60 day transfer lock but I now know that Epik have their own internal lock (what's the point in having the opt out if there's another lock that does exactly the same thing). I submitted a customer support ticket asking how I can remove the lock and have never recieved any reply. I went onto the live chat at Epik.com and was told by the rep that they didn't have the power to lift the lock and that they would escalate the matter to management and email me with the solution. I never heard heard back from them.
The only way I manged to get the domain unlocked and get an auth code was by contacting @Gube on here. He was very helpfull and after I verified my Epik account he was able to unlock the name and email me an auth code.

Great I thought. Well after giving the code to Afternic TA rep I didn't hear anything for a few days. I assumed the transfer had not been initiated, after all it only takes 15 mins to move a name. I sent TA a few emails but never got any replys so namepros to the rescue again and I messaged Joe from Afternic who told me the transfer was initiated on the 7th. We'll that seem strange as I haven't had any notification from Epik.

Back to Epik live chat it is then where I'm told that yes the transfer has been initiated but it takes 5-7 days to transfer a name out! And no, they don't send you any email notification to confirm the transfer! So does the name just dissappear without notification? This doesn't seem very safe to me and agonisingly slow to move a name out when it took 15 mins to move in. The Swiss Bank of Domains? Legendary Customer Support? Maybe...

Anyway I know that was long winded but the moral of the story is you get nowhere in life unless you're a member of Namepros

Oh and its been 5 days and still no cigar.

Edit - It seems you can go into your account and view the domains being transferred out and approve them although I couldn't find this area to start with and when I approved the transfer it can up with an error so...

Edit 2 - Since this post @Jess Robison has been very helpfull and completed the transfer for me. I just hope this customer service stretches to people who aren't on NP as I fear Joe Public would be stuck.

 

[karmaco]

You can’t even do an internal push with that lock in place. Very restrictive. This whole verify your account spiel should have zero to do with transactions that have nothing to do with Epik. It just appeared one day with no notice.

No other registrar forces you to verify identity to do a simple push. To me, they are overstepping bigtime. Why do you have to verify anything when its not an Epik transaction or Epik’s business if you want to push a domain?

 

[Jess Robison]

Not sure if anyone else has said this but just wanted to give a quick note as to my experience transfering a name out of Epik.

Transfering names into Epik has been a breeze. I'm currently moving names from GD to Epik because of the pricing. When moving a name out of GD (as with any registrar) you need to request the auth code and submit it to the new registrar. Shortly after submitting the code you receive an email from GD alerting you that a transfer has been initiated and asking if this is a legitimate action. You can then challenge it, leave it and after 5 days the transfer will go ahead or you can sign into your GD account and approve the transfer and usually within 15 mins its all done and dusted and away you go to self isolate and socially distance.

Transfering away from Epik is slightly different. It took me a couple of days of messing around trying to get the auth code for a domain that sold at Afternic. This is because the domain was moved to Epik within the last 60 days. I had previously opted out of the ICANN 60 day transfer lock but I now know that Epik have their own internal lock (what's the point in having the opt out if there's another lock that does exactly the same thing). I submitted a customer support ticket asking how I can remove the lock and have never recieved any reply. I went onto the live chat at Epik.com and was told by the rep that they didn't have the power to lift the lock and that they would escalate the matter to management and email me with the solution. I never heard heard back from them.
The only way I manged to get the domain unlocked and get an auth code was by contacting @Gube on here. He was very helpfull and after I verified my Epik account he was able to unlock the name and email me an auth code.

Great I thought. Well after giving the code to Afternic TA rep I didn't hear anything for a few days. I assumed the transfer had not been initiated, after all it only takes 15 mins to move a name. I sent TA a few emails but never got any replys so namepros to the rescue again and I messaged Joe from Afternic who told me the transfer was initiated on the 7th. We'll that seem strange as I haven't had any notification from Epik.

Back to Epik live chat it is then where I'm told that yes the transfer has been initiated but it takes 5-7 days to transfer a name out! And no, they don't send you any email notification to confirm the transfer! This doesn't seem very safe to me and agonisingly slow to move a name out when it took 15 mins to move it in. The Swiss Bank of Domains? Legendary Customer Support? Maybe...

Anyway I know that was long winded but the moral of the story is you get nowhere in life unless you're a member of Namepros

Oh and its been 5 days and still no cigar.

Hello D Haynes - my name is Jessica and I am the Director of Client Services at Epik. Thank you leaving your feedback here. First I want to apologize that you did not have a great experience when working to transfer out a domain. Epik is working to be in compliance with ICANN regarding the 60-day lock but at the same time allowing customers the option to opt-out and in certain cases if the domain is not a newly purchased domain through our Marketplace or newly created. A fix is in the making and I promise it will make for a much smoother process. I would be happy to assist you further - reach out to me directly here or at our Support email and supply the domain name along with your PIN # and I can look into it. Thank you!

 

[Jess Robison]

You can’t even do an internal push with that lock in place. Very restrictive. This whole verify your account spiel should have zero to do with transactions that have nothing to do with Epik. It just appeared one day with no notice.

No other registrar forces you to verify identity to do a simple push. To me, they are overstepping bigtime. Why do you have to verify anything when its not an Epik transaction or Epik’s business if you want to push a domain?

Hello @karmaco - my name is Jessica and I am the Director of Client Services here at Epik. I apologize the process for pushing an internal domain was not smooth. As mentioned in my other response, we are working to make this a smooth and easy process, so the customer is not held back by a 60-day lock. Thank you for your feedback and feel free to reach out to me directly if you find you have any further issues or concerns.

 

[GoKaizen]

My transfers in and out of Epik have always been smooth @Jessica T.

 

[Kassey Lee]

There are domains that I watch. Everyday I go to Epik to do bulk search to check them. If a domain becomes available, then I sign in to Epik and register it. The whole process is very smooth. The domain is registered according with the default profile I have set up. I even like the 2-step authentication using mobile phone. The security code is 4 characters and tends to be easy to remember. Here are two features I would like to have.

1. Bulk search for 5,000 domains without having to sign in. Currently, I have to use Namebright.com for number over 500, the limit imposed by Epik. Namebright does not require me to sign in, so should Epik be able to provide the same.

2. Be able to include a user-defined tag in my default profile, so that new domains are automatically grouped under that tag.

 

[Rob Monster]

There are domains that I watch. Everyday I go to Epik to do bulk search to check them. If a domain becomes available, then I sign in to Epik and register it. The whole process is very smooth. The domain is registered according with the default profile I have set up. I even like the 2-step authentication using mobile phone. The security code is 4 characters and tends to be easy to remember. Here are two features I would like to have.

1. Bulk search for 5,000 domains without having to sign in. Currently, I have to use Namebright.com for number over 500, the limit imposed by Epik. Namebright does not require me to sign in, so should Epik be able to provide the same.

2. Be able to include a user-defined tag in my default profile, so that new domains are automatically grouped under that tag.

@Kassey Lee - I see you were approved for searching up to 5000 domains at a time. Give that a shot.

As for domain profiles, you can indeed manage those:

https://www.epik.com/support/knowledgebase/how-to-create-and-apply-domain-profiles-to-domains/

It sounds like you are asking for the ability to also assign names with one or more tags based on the domain profile. Seems reasonable. Did I get it right?

 

[GoKaizen]

Been experimenting with a few parking domains and comparing Epik parking to Bodis.

For revenue, Epik parking rotation wins hands down! Keep up the great work guys.

 

[Rob Monster]

Been experimenting with a few parking domains and comparing Epik parking to Bodis.

For revenue, Epik parking rotation wins hands down! Keep up the great work guys.

The notable advantage is not the monetization.

The real power is in (1) integrated selling, and (2) verified stats.

So, you get increased chance of sell-through, and then when renewal time comes you can easily see in one dashboard whether to keep. liquidate, or drop.

 

[ResoluteDomains]

The notable advantage is not the monetization.

The real power is in (1) integrated selling, and (2) verified stats.

So, you get increased chance of sell-through, and then when renewal time comes you can easily see in one dashboard whether to keep. liquidate, or drop.

I am going to give this a try with some of my names which are receiving lots of traffic but just going to the sales lander. Could be some monetization there.

Question: Is it possible to still get Google Analytics traffic data for parking rotation setups?

 

[Rob Monster]

I am going to give this a try with some of my names which are receiving lots of traffic but just going to the sales lander. Could be some monetization there.

Question: Is it possible to still get Google Analytics traffic data for parking rotation setups?

We report stats but it is not GA as it is pass through monetization from 3rd party parking partners. Down the road we may secure our own direct Google ad feed. Then yes.

 

[sg08]

I just listed one of my domains to Epik marketplace. As an end-user I liked your interface.

 

[ResoluteDomains]

How can I use the "in store credit" balance when registering, renewing, or transferring a domain? I can use the masterbucks without any problem, I select it at checkout, but I dont see a way to access the in-store credit which is right now under $4. Thanks!

 

[Rob Monster]

How can I use the "in store credit" balance when registering, renewing, or transferring a domain? I can use the masterbucks without any problem, I select it at checkout, but I dont see a way to access the in-store credit which is right now under $4. Thanks!

As long as the amount you are spending is less than the balance, the option appears.

To solve this issue, first top up your account and then spend the new balance.

See how-to:

https://www.epik.com/support/knowledgebase/making-payments-with-multiple-payment-sources/

 

[domaintrader]

Just wanted to discuss my latest Epik experience

Yesterday I had reason to contact Epik's customer services/support help line
For reasons attributable entirely to my own stupidity I could not access my account there
I wanted to resolve my problem quickly so I called in as opposed to submitting a written support ticket
I was placed on hold for a few moments after which a gentleman came on the phone saying "Hi welcome to Epik how can I help you today? I explained my situation and dilemma which for the sake of brevity I won't go into all the details of here other than to say that my partcular situation was a tad complicated!
At any rate I found the customer services representative that took my call to be exceptionally polite, completely understanding of my situation, and super accommodating in addressing my situation and needs. The CS rep went above and beyond in addressing my situation and I was actually relieved at how smoothly things had gone. If I had encountered this very same problem at any number of other registrars it would have been an absolute nightmare. This guy saved me a ton of grief, he really did. In fact he was so good that I said to him afterwards

You did a really great job for me and I really appreciate it. I would like to repay your efforts by providing your superiors with some positive feedback regarding the exemplary effort you put forth for me here today! Would you mind giving your name.

The voice at the other end said: My name is Rob Monster

Which other registrar do you know where the CEO mans the help lines Thursday afternoons? I have to say, I am blown away by this guys commitment and dedication. When a train starts running like that it is hard to stop.

I have been in this space a long time and have never been afraid to criticize what I believed to be shoddy work. By that same token I feel compelled to recognize service that goes above and beyond when I get it which doesn't happen nearly often enough but it did happen yesterday and the person behind that service was Rob Monster @ Epik.com

Thank you again Rob, really appreciated your assistance it was indeed EPIK

 

[Rob Monster]

Just wanted to discuss my latest Epik experience

Yesterday I had reason to contact Epik's customer services/support help line
For reasons attributable entirely to my own stupidity I could not access my account there
I wanted to resolve my problem quickly so I called in as opposed to submitting a written support ticket
I was placed on hold for a few moments after which a gentleman came on the phone saying "Hi welcome to Epik how can I help you today? I explained my situation and dilemma which for the sake of brevity I won't go into all the details of here other than to say that my partcular situation was a tad complicated!
At any rate I found the customer services representative that took my call to be exceptionally polite, completely understanding of my situation, and super accommodating in addressing my situation and needs. The CS rep went above and beyond in addressing my situation and I was actually relieved at how smoothly things had gone. If I had encountered this very same problem at any number of other registrars it would have been an absolute nightmare. This guy saved me a ton of grief, he really did. In fact he was so good that I said to him afterwards

You did a really great job for me and I really appreciate it. I would like to repay your efforts by providing your superiors with some positive feedback regarding the exemplary effort you put forth for me here today! Would you mind giving your name.

The voice at the other end said: My name is Rob Monster

Which other registrar do you know where the CEO mans the help lines Thursday afternoons? I have to say, I am blown away by this guys commitment and dedication. When a train starts running like that it is hard to stop.

I have been in this space a long time and have never been afraid to criticize what I believed to be shoddy work. By that same token I feel compelled to recognize service that goes above and beyond when I get it which doesn't happen nearly often enough but it did happen yesterday and the person behind that service was Rob Monster @ Epik.com

Thank you again Rob, really appreciated your assistance it was indeed EPIK

Thanks @domaintrader. Enjoyed the chat.

I don't normally take the support calls these days but yesterday was @BrookeUnderwood's birthday so she took the day off. I ended up getting added to the phone queue to help with calls. I used to do it all the time, but lately there is less time for it.

We ended up taking for more than 90 minutes. Good times. Glad to have you coming to Epik. Thanks in advance for helping keep the bar high for service excellence!

 

[Embrand]

I was wondering if it would be possible to add a bit more about Epik on the sales landers? I don't use the "Contact Seller" form on my landers, so the only option for buyers to get to know more about Epik is to use the chat function.

Would it be possible to add contact information and a bit more about Epik on the landers or maybe just make the Epik logo clickable?

 

[namealbum.com]

I started to using Epik from this year. Fast, Safe and Reliable. Thanks.

 

[Rob Monster]

I was wondering if it would be possible to add a bit more about Epik on the sales landers? I don't use the "Contact Seller" form on my landers, so the only option for buyers to get to know more about Epik is to use the chat function.

Would it be possible to add contact information and a bit more about Epik on the landers or maybe just make the Epik logo clickable?

Good idea. Will discuss with @Ala Dadan

 

[jideofor]

@Rob Monster , It is great to see that Epik is really improving faster than we can imagine.

I am still learning more and getting accustom to the dashboard at Epik.

Recently, I had a look at the "Performance" tab and I saw some traffic stats associated with some of my domain names (initially thought they were bot/fake but Tony told me over skype that they are real) and this prompt some questions:

1. What is Park Visits? Does this mean direct type in traffic like typing the domain in browser and landing on the for sale page? Or Where is this traffic coming from?

2. What is Market Visits? Where is this Market Visits coming from?

How are they different from one another?