GoDaddy Auction Seller Backing Out

[clarkemarketing]

Anyone ever won a GD auction just to have the seller claim they no longer own the domain? I won BlockchainLegal.com BlockchainTrust.com and BlockchainStack.com on GoDaddy a few weeks ago, paid, and then had the seller contact me to see if I received the domains yet (which I had not). I noticed that one of the domains was developed in the meantime, and wouldn't you know it today the seller contacts me to say he made a mistake and no longer owns all 3 of them. They are all still registered at GoDaddy btw (doesn't GD verify ownership of domains that are being auctioned?). Seems to me like I was "freerolled"... auction a name on GoDaddy, if it goes for a high amount sell it, if it doesn't just claim you no longer own the domain. Anyone have any thoughts on this? I've got to be one of the biggest buyers on GoDaddy auctions lately and other than never buying on that platform again I'm not sure what recourse I really have? I know people make mistakes, and I have overlooked such situations many times before, but this involves multiple names that quite frankly sold for significantly less than I was expecting to pay and now the seller is clearly trying to back out.

 

[anantj]

Apparently not. Since this is what GoDaddy allowed HugeDomains to do.

I think HD situation was different. HD'd domain was purchased on GD but they backed out stating a pricing error. Here, there are two different marketplaces in play

 

[anantj]

I don't think it is a big programming problem to check any new domain in an account to see if it is listed in the aftermarket, and if it is, to delete it. The big problem only comes with the will-power to implement it.

It would be if all registrars decided not to play nice with other registrars to display whois like GD does.... Oh so ironic it would be!

 

[Name Trader]

I think HD situation was different. HD'd domain was purchased on GD but they backed out stating a pricing error. Here, there are two different marketplaces in play

Aren't there 2 marketplaces in play here also? GoDaddy Auctions and HugeDomains?

 

[Name Trader]

It would be if all registrars decided not to play nice with other registrars to display whois like GD does.... Oh so ironic it would be!

I'm sorry. But I don't get your point. If a domain hits a GoDaddy account, they should check to see if it is listed on Godaddy Auctions, and if it is, GoDaddy should delete the GoDaddy Auction Listing, because it wasn't listed by the current owner. That has nothing to do with whois info.

 

[anantj]

Aren't there 2 marketplaces in play here also? GoDaddy Auctions and HugeDomains?

No. In this case, HD is just the seller and not a marketplace.

 

[anantj]

I'm sorry. But I don't get your point. If a domain hits a GoDaddy account, they should check to see if it is listed on Godaddy Auctions, and if it is, GoDaddy should delete the GoDaddy Auction Listing, because it wasn't listed by the current owner. That has nothing to do with whois info.

Okay, I misunderstood your initial comment. Apologies for that. But this would also be problematic in cases where the domain changes accounts but the whois does not change (which it should not for changes in account owned by the same entitiy/owner. AFAIK, you are allowed to have more than one account at GD).

 

[wwwweb]

Everytime I get the same answer:

Our initial investigation shows that we do not host or provide any mail services to xxxxxxxxxx.comm. We are the registrar only for this domain name. As a result of the limited services we provide this domain, our abilities to immediately stop the unsolicited email can also be limited.

The first right to action, as determined by the services they provide, is with the hosting provider and/or its related ISP. We advise you, if you have not already done so, to please submit a complaint to the hosting/email providers as well.


* well if they suspend the domain, they can stop the spamming.

 

[Name Trader]

Everytime I get the same answer:

Our initial investigation shows that we do not host or provide any mail services to xxxxxxxxxx.comm. We are the registrar only for this domain name. As a result of the limited services we provide this domain, our abilities to immediately stop the unsolicited email can also be limited.

The first right to action, as determined by the services they provide, is with the hosting provider and/or its related ISP. We advise you, if you have not already done so, to please submit a complaint to the hosting/email providers as well.


* well if they suspend the domain, they can stop the spamming.

But is that their job to determine? I think it rightly belongs to the email provider (usually the same as the hosting provider, in most cases).

 

[wwwweb]

To be fair there is no way you would know any of this unless the person specifically said, "Hi I am ****** I see your name on GoDaddy, want to sell it privately?" And that person contacts you.

I am sure there are plenty of emails sent to owners where the name is also listed at GoDaddy but the person never checked GoDaddy. Without someone putting that qualifier in there that they found you on GoDaddy there is no way to prove anything or ban anyone.

A very famous domainer named after a magician did this for years, and amassed an amazing portfolio doing this. It has been rumoured some of the most successful domainers employed offshore data centres to poach these auctions as well, so godaddy cutting the redemption window really helped some of their clients who spent hours bidding, and weeks with funds locked up when they closed the redemption window, I could see how they get ticked off by this as it is a major revenue center for them. Some of the biggest sales come via deceased sales, lately we have seen people reach out, and rescue some of these big names. Some poeple specialize in this, as often times the family has no need for such names, and they end up getting the sales contact on a trust factor , and a big commission on a quick sale.

 

[UncleBrand]

sadly it only happen when you get a great deal for a good domain
recently was excited about a 3 chars .net that went under the radar for less than 100$
and was refunded with no explanation than the usual automated emails
the domain never changed ownership

so we just have to move on, as we can't do much about these cases
that's part of the auction game

 

[equity78]

A very famous domainer named after a magician did this for years, and amassed an amazing portfolio doing this. It has been rumoured some of the most successful domainers employed offshore data centres to poach these auctions as well, so godaddy cutting the redemption window really helped some of their clients who spent hours bidding, and weeks with funds locked up when they closed the redemption window, I could see how they get ticked off by this as it is a major revenue center for them. Some of the biggest sales come via deceased sales, lately we have seen people reach out, and rescue some of these big names. Some poeple specialize in this, as often times the family has no need for such names, and they end up getting the sales contact on a trust factor , and a big commission on a quick sale.

Yes Merlin had a lot of success with the strategy. There is no way to stop it, you just run a separate business for that, that has no name tie to your account at GoDaddy.

 

[Displays]

A sale is a sale when domainer offers a domains, they have to respect deal.

I know the haunting feeling, it's insulting to all respectable domainers, when a seller backs-out of a deal.

 

[Joe Styler]

Whois shows it was created in 2014, and the same owner owns it since.

You know that she passed away so she could not still own the domain. I am not willing to comment on customer's private account info and who owns what domains other than what is in the public record. Both I and the support department have stated the current owner is not the person who listed the domain for sale. That is all I can say without revealing non public information which is against GoDaddy policy.

 

[Joe Styler]

@anantj @stub I'm pretty sure listing a domain that is on GD Auctions on sedo or another marketplace is against there TOS.

You can list anywhere you want and sell anywhere you want with us.

 

[Joe Styler]

@Joe Styler : On various occasions I received solicitations from various parties to purchase domains which:

- I sold some time ago

- Buyer received the domain name into their GD/Tucows/123reg account (or transferred it in)

- Buyer did not renew, so it was included into GD expiring auctions lists, which are deeply analysed by various parties

- Whois is either private OR "Go Daddy Redemption Services" so they can only look into historical whois and find... my email /among others in some cases/, as I indeed owned the domain in question some time ago.

These spammers are sending me emails as the result of analysing godaddys expiring auctions lists. They ask me to renew and sell it to them. Of course they are spamming outdated email - I do not own the domain(s) anymore, they were sold.

In some cases, emails were coming for domains with bids (not yet finished auctions), in other cases the domains were already listed but did not yet receive bids.

I beleive it is an exact case of what you called "circumventing the Services". Should I report such spam, and, if so, how / to what department?

you can email [email protected] and they can look into it.

 

[MapleDots]

It appeared to me that what was suggested was actively looking for domains on our auction and then using that information to approach the buyer outside the auctions with the sole intent of cutting us out. That is a dangerous game and I do not think it is something to advocate.

Dangerous for who?
Definitely not dangerous to the guy saving the 20%

I'm ok with using godaddy to acquire smaller value domains but like I am seriously going to leave 20% on the table with 10-25k acquisitions?

The 20% can make the difference in acquiring big ticket domains or not being able to make a deal.

Could it be that maybe...... just maybe..... the fee at godaddy is a bit too high?

 

[equity78]

You know that she passed away so she could not still own the domain. I am not willing to comment on customer's private account info and who owns what domains other than what is in the public record. Both I and the support department have stated the current owner is not the person who listed the domain for sale. That is all I can say without revealing non public information which is against GoDaddy policy.

Yes Joe, I thought it would be her estate.

 

[BrandBoogie]

This happened to me. I had listed a lot of domains on GoDaddy when I first started out and then forgot all about them. Last month GoDaddy suspended me from their auction site because I guess one of the auctions I had listed last year had sold and I no longer had the domain. I had sold it like 6 months ago on Flippa. I explained the situation and they said it was up to me to delete the domain and that's why they suspended me. So, yes it was an honest mistake. What I can't believe is that I was spending around $300 a day buying expiring domains on their auction site and now I guess I have to look elsewhere.

 

[Name Trader]

We do not have an exclusivity agreement we make you sign to list names on the marketplace.

I wonder how much longer before that is implemented? <j>

 

[Michael Ehrhardt]

If I put domains to auction I have to verify

 

[Joe Styler]

If you already contacted our legal team with your attorney I am sure soon enough you will have the information you need. Any number of things could be happening here. We take things seriously if either the buyer fails to pay or the seller fails to deliver a domain.