Dynadot

debate Domainers Stealing Domains from Domainers

Spaceship Spaceship
Watch

Is it Ok to Legally Steal Domains Through Auction?

  • 1st

    Yes, 100% Okay

    42 
    votes
    59.2%
  • 2nd

    No, 100% Wrong

    14 
    votes
    19.7%
  • 3rd

    Yes, And I Don't Give a Fvck

    12 
    votes
    16.9%
  • 4th

    No, But I'll Do it Anyways

    votes
    4.2%

  • 71 votes
  • Ended 4 years ago
  • Final results

dande

Premium DomainsTop Member
Impact
1,981
Hey Folks,

This issue has been bothering me for a while now and I just needed to get it out for us to have a debate on it.

Why are Domainers so willing to steal domains from other Domainers?

I don't mean outright conventional stealing, I mean stealing through the auctions. We all have lost good domains to this scenario, and it keeps happening every day at Sedo, Namejet, and here at Namepros.

When someone set their auctions at $1 starting bid, they so to encourage bids, not to sell at $1. If we placed a $1 bid and the auction ended with no further bids, I think we are under moral obligation to confirm with the seller whether they are truly willing to sell at that price.

I mean, why would someone pay €59 to auction a name at Sedo and another Domainers takes the domain at $20 because the auction was set at a $20 starting bid? To me, it is morally unacceptable and should be discouraged. And I see this happening every day.

While we do not have control nor a say about what happens at Sedo and other private platforms, I think we should do something about Namepros. Won't it be nice if we confirm from a seller whether they are willing to sell at bottom price. Isn't it wicked and inconsiderate to aggressively enforce what seems to be your right in this case?

Anytime you sneak a domain at a low starting bid, lower below capital, you help push another Domainers out of business.

Note: I am not judging anyone nor accusing anyone of anything wrong. Just stating what I assume should be a standard in this industry.

So, let's have your own line of debate about what you believe and why. I also added a poll to help better understand what's the majority believes should be the case.

Happy Weekend!
 
Last edited:
7
•••
The views expressed on this page by users and staff are their own, not those of NamePros.
Calling it stealing is like a bad joke.

If you're not willing to sell your domain for $1, then don't start the auction at $1.
 
53
•••
Don't think there is really anything to debate. Seller decides starting bid, they control that. If not 1 domainer here is willing to bid more than $1, that might be telling you something.
 
11
•••
Calling it stealing is like a bad joke.

If you're not willing to sell your domain for $1, then don't start the auction at $1.
You aren't getting the point. Sellers set their auction at $1, not because they are willing to sell at that price, but just to get the auction started. I think you should reason beyond the obvious
 
2
•••
You aren't getting the point. Sellers set their auction at $1, not because they are willing to sell at that price, but just to get the auction started. I think you should reason beyond the obvious

You're not getting the point. If it's not get any bids or just a $1 bid, then obviously domainers don't think much of the domain. It's not like domainers are picking up good domains for $1 here.
 
11
•••
Don't think there is really anything to debate. Seller decides starting bid, they control that. If not 1 domainer here is willing to bid more than $1, that might be telling you something.
Not getting more than one person willing to bid more than $1 does say anything about the domain in some cases. I had a domain sold $15000. Yet the domain couldn't get $1 bid several times it was placed at auction here
 
6
•••
Not getting more than one person willing to bid more than $1 does say anything about the domain in some cases. I had a domain sold $15000. Yet the domain couldn't get $1 bid several times it was placed at auction here

It's the old, use some freak sale to make your case. Again, a seller decides the starting bid, if domainers aren't bidding more than $1, the domain probably sucks.
 
2
•••
It's the old, use some freak sale to make your case. Again, a seller decides the starting bid, if domainers aren't bidding more than $1, the domain probably sucks.
Why waste your $1 on a domain that truly suck? Freak or not, that the truth. Not one but several domains sold at high 5-figure. Yet didn't get much look here.
 
Last edited:
2
•••
A higher starting bid than just 1 USD should be able to protect the seller like he/she feels about it.

There is another side of the medal. I recently auctioned a name and the auction closed with my starting bid 1 USD. I would have been happy to see this baby in another member‘s hands for any price but the buyer never came back to me. The domain is dropping.
 
3
•••
The notion that it's stealing is completely preposterous bordering on absurd. This is not the place to get what you want for your domain names. If anyone is coming to Namepros looking to sell names for their true worth they need to do an about face and hit the back button on the browser.

Some people love buying a name for $1, whether it's trash or not. There are people that will bid $1 and never bid again. I have conducted 100's of auctions here and there are some people I know are going to show up first and then never bid again. Sometimes they bid $1 when the name is obviously worth $1,000 min, they just like to bid to be apart of the show.

Reserve prices are there to make sure you don't get "robbed" you can't do that here so you can start the auction higher. This is a wholesale site and the lowest rung of wholesale. I ask friends all the time why are you willing to give GoDaddy your money or even a public auction of another domainer on GoDaddy or NameJet but you would not pay the same price on Namepros? Many reply, "Bro it's namepros." Others don't see it as a serious place to do high volume business, they believe Namepros should be the place where you get an unbelievable bargain.

There are auctions here where the high bid is $500 and someone will bid $501, they don't want to even risk bidding $4 than they have to, other platforms you don't even have the luxury of bidding in $1 increments and they are fine with that.

On the flipside, when I bid if I see a name I like I will pop it $10 maybe even $80, sometimes someone will ask why bid that much? Because I want to shake out the $1 at a time make this auction last forever bidders, I appreciate those who do the same, look if a name is a reg fee name but you kinda like it I understand $1 bid, but when it's a valuable name why just bid $1?

This is not a place for end users, there might be the occasional sale but of course you are selling names to end users that would get nothing here.

I used to put up sales here, get no interest and then look at that as a positive because for a couple years I had like 6 names that no one would give me $25 for that I sold for $2,000 to $10,000. It's two different worlds.
 
Last edited:
26
•••
A higher starting bid than just 1 USD should be able to protect the seller like he/she feels about it.

There is another side of the medal. I recently auctioned a name and the auction closed with my starting bid 1 USD. I would have been happy to see this baby in another member‘s hands for any price but the buyer never came back to me. The domain is dropping.

I agree with you. Sometimes we just want to let it go, probably because we're tired of renewal or just want someone else to try. That's why I said it would be nice to inquire from the seller if he's willing to let go at $1. Because I know most times, people just want to get their auctions started
 
1
•••
The notion that it's stealing is completely preposterous bordering on absurd. This is not the place to get what you want for your domain names. If anyone is coming to Namepros looking to sell names for their true worth they need to do an about face and hit the back button on the browser.

Some people love buying a name for $1, whether it's trash or not. There are people that will bid $1 and never bid again. I have conducted 100's of auctions here and there are some people I know are going to show up first and then never bid again. Sometimes they bid $1 when the name is obviously worth $1,000 min, they just like to bid to be apart of the show.

Reserve prices are there to make sure you don't get "robbed" you can't do that here so you can start the auction higher. This is a wholesale site and the lowest rung of wholesale. I ask friends all the time why are you willing to give GoDaddy your money or even a public auction of another domainer on GoDaddy or NameJet but you would not pay the same price on Namepros? Many reply, "Bro it's namepros." Others don't see it as a serious place to do high volume business, they believe Namepros should be the place where you get an unbelievable bargain.

There are auctions here where the high bid is $500 and someone will bid $501, they don't want to even risk bidding $4 than they have to, other platforms you don't even have the luxury of bidding in $1 increments and they are fine with that.

On the flipside, when I bid if I see a name I like I will pop it $10 maybe even $80, sometimes someone will ask why bid that much? Because I want to shake out the $1 at a time make this auction last forever bidders, I appreciate those who do the same, look if a name is a reg fee name but you kinda like it I understand $1 bid, but when it's a valuable name why just bid $1?

This is not a place for end users, there might be the occasional sale but of course you are selling names to end users that would get nothing here.

I used to put up sales here, get no interest and then look at that as a positive because for a couple years I had like 6 names that no one would give me $25 for that I sold for $2,000 to $10,000. It's two different worlds.
I think your perspective is well balanced and reflects some of my points. If Domainers could be this considerate, it will go a long way to make Namepros auction a better place. If we can bid high prices at Godaddy, I don't see the reasons we shouldn't do the same here, just because it's your fellow domainers. That's self-destruct to be willing to give Godaddy all the money but not will to path with much to your fellow Domainers

Sometimes, we just need to increase our bids beyond $1 to make the auction worthwhile.
 
Last edited:
0
•••
I've lost a few domains because I was stupid enough to set the starting big way too low. I learned and did not do that again.
 
10
•••
The word stealing would mean someone was mislead and it would be on a case by case basis as far as auctions go they have really been a success.
 
2
•••
The thread should be changed it’s very misleading...
 
5
•••
Nothing should surprise you when request threads demanding names for $1 to 5 dollars with criteria even are rather routine here.There are very very cheap people here. That being said nobody is forced to auction names starting at a dollar.

By your post, I can’t tell if you are mad at the people auctioning names for a dollar or end result of some auctions with people selling names dirt cheap. Either way, the person sold willingly. So no I don’t think there is anything wrong with something that was done willingly. Domainers as a loose rule are extremely frugal when paying another domainer, sometimes ridiculously so.
 
0
•••
Sellers set their auction at $1, not because they are willing to sell at that price, but just to get the auction started.
Then those sellers are idiots.
 
0
•••
The word stealing would mean someone was mislead and it would be on a case by case basis as far as auctions go they have really been a success.
Like I said, not stealing in the real sense of it. You got a domain at a steal doesn't mean you stole a domain.

It simply means "When someone gets a item or thing for a very low price he/she could say: That's a steal! ... a steal! I got this pot at a yard sale and it was only 10 cents!"
 
Last edited:
0
•••
Then those sellers are idiots.
Not really. Just in effort to get the auction started and hoping they'd be more interests. Everyone does it and I guess they aren't idiots.
 
0
•••
Like I said, not stealing in the real sense of it. You got a domain at a steal doesn't mean you stole a domain.

It simply means "When someone gets a item or thing for a very low price he/she could say: That's a steal! ... a steal! I got this pot at a yard sale and it was only 10 cents!"
I have picked up steals in that case.
 
0
•••
The poll asks: "Is it okay to legally steal domains through auction?"

How does one legally steal something? Rephrase, lol. As it stands, it's a contradiction.
 
Last edited:
5
•••
Nothing should surprise you when request threads demanding names for $1 to 5 dollars with criteria even are rather routine here.There are very very cheap people here.

This is a topic for another discussion because that request section is something that I think should be looked into. Everything that goes on in there cheapens our domain business.
 
Last edited:
0
•••
Maybe change thread title to "Is it ok to give away domains at auction?"
 
1
•••
I understand your point here...

But the words you used and the title is totally wrong in regards to the content.

I don't get it when you said "moral obligation"

What moral obligation...someone is trying to sell their names and bidders trying to get it at lowest possible amount...and the seller is aware of this possibility and accepted to this possibility when he agreed to NamePros T&C !!

You are doing business here there is nothing to be categorised under moral obligation...purely business

People set $1 starting to get attention and get the bidding war going on....as the buyers will try their luck to get at smallest amount possible...and seller here agreeing to this the minute he starts auction thread.

there is nothing called stealing in this scenario!

and someone mentioned the expected prices here are usually in low XX digits...thats the truth

I saw many established domainers starting $1 for their names and bids going into hundreds and thousands too...this is usually for one word / 4L / highly brandable names.

I always thought they are going to sell it for loss,,,but they know the market and value of their name.

one more thing you can do is add more to the package...I saw today one auction by @equity78 he gave full details of the name...if it has pitched in outbound efforts...highest offers received...and then he added one more name to the auction without any additional cost...and then an ad space on his blog for two months...

I am only sharing about this because I saw that couple of hours ago and I thought it is perfectly informed about name and added additional value without any extra cost...i thought this is a good strategy. and i came across this thread thought it can be an example to follow, so mentioning it.

@dande you are saying about low cost purchases as stealing...that is loss to seller...there is another side...shill bidding...if seller uses this buyer needs to pay more than it rightfully deserves. i lost a name in this way long ago...

there are different practices here. we have to be careful and choose which one is correct for us and others.

In conclusion...
if the seller starts an auction with $1 starting bid....that implies that he is aware of T&C and agreeing to sell as per the same T&C.
The buyer is bidding to get the name at $1 and will expect the same without any form obligations / requesting needed again separately.

you should have rethought before posting with that title.

there is no stealing in the above-mentioned situation. only business!

I hope you understood my points...and take it positively.

Thanks,
Ravi.
 
6
•••
To prevent this from happening i had set an reserve price for my auction but did not get much bids because of the reserve price. Also namepros admin said that according to namepros rules, reserve price is not allowed in auctions here.
 
2
•••
Back