Flippa: Enjoy my $9 because I will not be a returning customer

[saturn60]

I tried them based on a recommendation I received and overall it was a pretty bad experience, not to mention a waist of $9.

The sign up process was confusing and when I tried to find their customer service phone number for assistance with setting up my account, it turns out it doesn't exist, all I could find was a contact form to provide my contact info, not even a live chat option. In my opinion, any website that takes your money should have some form of live support.

During the listing creation process they try to sell you on upgrade options, which would be normal, except their upgrade fees are not $10 or $20, they're hundreds of dollars more!

Once my listing went live, I was surprised to see there was no description summary or thumbnail picture showing up on my listing in the search results. I assumed that my listing would include those features since when you click on "domains" from the homepage, nearly all the listings in the search results have those features. It's clear now that those listings are upgraded, but if you're new to the site, unless you're really paying attention, it's not clear that standard listings don't have those features.

I priced my domain with a starting bid of $10 and a reserve of $299. The domain only got 1 $10 bid and as the auction was about to end, I get a message from Flippa: We suggest you lower the reserve to $11 and if you do that we'll (reward you by) emailing the watchers on your listing. So they're pressuring me to sell the domain for around $11 even though the listing has a $9 listing fee + 10% success fee?

Lets do the math: If the domain sells, even if it's for a ridiculously low price, Flippa can collect the 10% success fee. No sale = No success fee for Flippa.

So the domain ended unsold, but don't worry, they have a backup plan to get more money from me. I am offered the option to "Buy a privacy upgrade". For $20 I can hide my listing from search engines like Google and the general public, for $30 I can make my listing no longer be visible to the public. Feel free to disagree with me, but I think it's pretty sleazy for Flippa to try and monetize the privacy concerns of their paying users.

 

[S-B]

Yep...last line, and also a couple assorted posts along the way.

I apologize but I'm not sure what you're referring too. Could be because I'm on mobile.

 

[iAchilles]

Had the OP posted this thread with some constructive criticism rather than simply moaning about Flippa, there's a chance it may have been better received by both fellow posters and Flippa imho.

Here's my tuppence worth on Flippa. I sold a site there recently and it proved to be a painless transaction, although it didn't reach the price i had envisaged, an offer came in post auction that was more to my liking, I accepted it and the transaction went smoothly. The only complaint I have was regarding the feedback system, despite a mail and a live chat I'm still unable to leave feedback for the buyer, as a seller having positive feedback is immensely important on any marketplace. I shouldn't have to chase this up for a resolution having mailed and logged the issue with live chat.

As far as domains, I only tested the water recently and in all fairness, the domains I posted were not good to begin with, so my expectations are perfectly grounded. However, I won't be posting any further domains on Flippa and here's why.

I feel like the little guy is priced out of the market, the jump from basic listing costs and premium listings is gigantic. For someone like me who is a long way off buying and selling domains with a value of xx,xxxx and upwards, I feel as though I'm priced out of the Flippa market and as such, I won't reach enough potential end users.

If that's the market they're after then that's their prerogative, however just like there is an end user market for high value domains, one also exists for budget and medium range domains.

Why not introduce some upgrades based on the final sale price or within certain value brackets? Effectively something that makes it more feasible for people like me to post on Flippa and to get some decent exposure to end users.

If it's a case you don't want to cheapen the market place, why not just create a sub-list of email subscriptions that the premium buying clients can simply opt out of. You can simply put domains into various categories budget, medium range and premium etc. I can understand that dealing with 1 seller and 1 premium domain is far more time efficient and more profitable. However I also feel that Flippa are more or less ignoring a huge chunk of the market. Though as I said, perhaps that's their aim and if so that's their prerogative to do so, it seems like a crying shame, because I do like Flippa and I wouldn't hesitate listing another site there for sale.

 

[DNVantage]

Flippa is not well suited for selling domains without buying upgrades. I do this sometimes, but it is a gamble.

So I find this thread, right after I list a domain for first time on Flippa for auction with no reserve. I thought no reserve $1 start will bring in more bids. Not really worried about my $9 but quite worried about how much someone will nab my name for!

Better to list your names in flippas free domain catalogue. If you are getting lots of offers for a particular name you may consider sending to auction and buying an upgrade.

@JudgeMind, nice tip, I should have done this.

P.S. I am going to leave link to my domain at flippa in the my signature.

 

[Hybrid Names]

Listed some domains but failed to get bids

 

[alcy]

Flippa has changed my life entirely since I joined them. The level of exposure they have provided to my websites has resulted into awesome growth in sales over the past couple of months, for which, I can never thank them enough!

And on top of that, they have enabled me to save enough money go on a trip to HK two weeks from now.

Incredible experience with Flippa! :D

have a nice trip!
remember to spend your profits wisely

 

[domainerfella]

What privacy issue? Did I miss something in the thread?

Having to pay Flippa to remove the unsold domain being available in Google search.

 

[domainerfella]

Flippa is simply a platform for selling domains and a great one at that. If you want the full-service treatment where everything is done for you, submit your domain for premium brokerage.

This again for one word dot coms aka super premium names only, correct, that would sell above 10k?

 

[S-B]

Having to pay Flippa to remove the unsold domain being available in Google search.

Oh! I didn't take that as a privacy issue.

 

[S-B]

This again for one word dot coms aka super premium names only, correct, that would sell above 10k?

I'm assuming you got the 10k price tag from the post where I was looking for 10k+ domains to broker? Those are just my personal requirements for potential clients on NamePros not an official Flippa policy.

 

[domainerfella]

I'm assuming you got the 10k price tag from the post where I was looking for 10k+ domains to broker? Those are just my personal requirements for potential clients on NamePros not an official Flippa policy.

Ok. I understand. However I am sure they would broker only the "premium to super premiums" and not just any above-average names.

 

[S-B]

Ok. I understand. However I am sure they would broker only the "premium to super premiums" and not just any above-average names.

Obviously there are requirements but @FlippaDomains could explain them better than I can.

 

[Hidden]

You guys are trying to sell domains for minimum wage and expecting CEO service. This is your problem. Instead of thinking like street homeless you should use your domains to make real money.

 

[Archangel]

What does this have to do with the topic?

You guys are trying to sell domains for minimum wage and expecting CEO service. This is your problem. Instead of thinking like street homeless you should use your domains to make real money.

 

[dncafe]

Flippa is simply a platform for selling domains and a great one at that. If you want the full-service treatment where everything is done for you, submit your domain for premium brokerage.

You guys really push the brokerage option here on NP, but then reply back to emails with a canned response of something like "We only sell premium $100k, try listing it on Auctions" and then try to upsell all the listing options.

If your brokerage service is only for $100k names, why don't you say that, rather than having people email you and then trying to sell them auction upgrades

 

[Hidden]

What does this have to do with the topic?

Man selling domain for cents expecting CEO service. Too many minimum wage people thinking they are CEO.

 

[S-B]

You guys really push the brokerage option here on NP, but then reply back to emails with a canned response of something like "We only sell premium $100k, try listing it on Auctions" and then try to upsell all the listing options.

If your brokerage service is only for $100k names, why don't you say that, rather than having people email you and then trying to sell them auction upgrades

Brokerage is a great option for those with quality names. However, I do understand that not everyone has names of that caliber.

I'm not sure what the problem is with upselling though. Nearly every business upsells.

"I'd like a #4, please."
"A large with a coke?"

 

[cron]

Flippa is simply a platform for selling domains and a great one at that. If you want the full-service treatment where everything is done for you, submit your domain for premium brokerage.

Mister Shane,
1). What do you define as a "platform for selling domains"?,
2).If Flippa is simply a platform for selling domains does that mean that this company has no obligations of conducting effective marketing for it's own services rendered then what is the listing purpose for?.
Decorations??...i think not.
C'mon the total number of domain sellers visit surely accounts for about 98% of the platform's total daily visit whiles that of the new prospect buyers continues to sum up the remaining 2%.
It is easy to tell just by looking at the inventories alone.
3).B/w don't you think that if flippa is so great like you say each one of us should be able to testify this as well.
4).Did you say premium brokerage, do you mean after $9 listing and how many upgrades- by the way you forgot to mention the prerequisites because am assuming this can never be free.

Someone on the thread mention that "flippa listens as well" if this true below are my following suggestions for them:
1).Employ more professional reviewer's to review all websites/domains listings grading them will help a lot in straitening & prioritizing marketing.
2).Put measures in place to stop promoting crap website for sale, else the percentage of returning buyers will be summing up to zero soon.
3).Data search by date is preferably wise especially if you are interesting in improving the time buyers spend on the site surfing definitely this will generate more profit for both the sellers and you too.
4).Get your business development team- if you have one to think out of box with respect to "simplifying and managing things".

We are in 2015, knowledge has abound and will continue to abound.
Regards

 

[TheFifty9Sound]

I used to run a fairly successful alternative nightclub in the suburbs of Sydney. Being in the suburbs, there were always older, rough sorts wandering across from nearby pubs, attracted by the noise and curious to see what was going on. They'd just come in, drink cheap beer, perve at all the young girls, cause trouble and make everyone feel uncomfortable. So we through a $15 cover charge on the door. We didn't need to from an cashflow POV, but when the undesirables would come around and were told they had to pay to get in, being the cheapskates they were, would turn around and go elsewhere, whilst the regular crowd was happy to pay. The result was we had a cleaner, and higher quality clientèle.

I see Flippa's listing and upgrade fees as an effort to achieve a similar result. Does it work? Everyone will have their own opinion, but I don't begrudge them for it. (Though I do wish auctions were hidden from Search Engines by default.)

 

[HeyNow]

Feel free to disagree with me, but I think it's pretty sleazy for Flippa to try and monetize the privacy concerns of their paying users.

Can't disagree with you there! If this thread becomes important enough, I suspect their lurker here will pop up to put an opposite direction spin on the matter. But I think you're right and others here probably do too. Furthermore, it's not surprising to me considering the other Flippa policy(ies) I feel are sleazy.

 

[SHINOJ G.S]

This is very much relevant post.
I use Flippa. Even after using their $49 upgrade 3 times, my auction hardly got any views. Here on NP I get several views and bids even though the prices are very very low

 

[kawalsukhi]

One line solution to your problem.....Hope everyone agrees with me on that.

If you want to do your best in particular field you need knowledge+ experiences.

Knowledge comes from Learning
and
Experience comes from BAD EXPERIENCES

Rest is your way of understanding things!!

 

[Archangel]

You had a terrible domain, I surmise. That's your fault, not theirs.

This is very much relevant post.
I use Flippa. Even after using their $49 upgrade 3 times, my auction hardly got any views. Here on NP I get several views and bids even though the prices are very very low

 

[dmyre]

This is very much relevant post.
I use Flippa. Even after using their $49 upgrade 3 times, my auction hardly got any views. Here on NP I get several views and bids even though the prices are very very low

I've seen this mentioned several times within this thread, and I have also had similar experiences. People want to blame the quality of the domain, but I feel that it's a lack of exposure by Flippa. I feel that the page views received was by my efforts, not theirs.

BTW, my domains are certainly not pigeon shit either...

 

[DNVantage]

People want to blame the quality of the domain, but I feel that it's a lack of exposure by Flippa.

Every marketplace has tons of auctions so it is not practical for every domain to get exposure but on other hand, there is no way I am going to pay few hundred $ in upgrades when then domain might not sell for price of upgrade itself. While, for a lower 'upgrade' package, there is no guarantee there will be enough exposure even after paying for upgrade. If many sellers pay for upgrades, then it reduces exposure time for all of them. Upgrade model works when there are few sellers 'upgrading' and each upgraded domain gets good amount of exposure for duration of full listing.

 

[ResoluteDomains]

I've seen this mentioned several times within this thread, and I have also had similar experiences. People want to blame the quality of the domain, but I feel that it's a lack of exposure by Flippa. I feel that the page views received was by my efforts, not theirs.

BTW, my domains are certainly not pigeon shit either...

I think there is some merit to your quote... at least from my experiences too. There are so many factors to consider with any auction.

If I could request one change from that platform, it would be better visitor metrics. It would be cool to click on the "31 visitors" in that first couple of hours, lets say, and see that 20 of them came from Flippa's tweeting, 5 came from their home page, 6 came from a particular search engine, etc.. Later, as I promote my auction, I could see how effective my promotions are versus the upgrades (ie, is that upgrade still driving traffic to my auction). That level of detail would be great I think.