GoDaddy Auctions Kicked Out Regular Sellers - Why Are We Locked Out?

[GotoBuyDomain]

Hey everyone,

Why does GoDaddy Auctions now only handle expired domains? Regular users can't list their own domains for auction anymore - the Selling List is gone, and we're left with just the Buying List.

Afternic isn't much better - only Buy It Now and Make Offer options are available, no auctions.

So, why do you think these platforms moved away from user-managed auctions? How does this impact ordinary domain sellers like us?

Are GoDaddy and Afternic just trying to control the market, or is there another reason regular sellers are being sidelined? Feels like the little guy has no place anymore.

 

[Dave Broguls]

I'm glad that I'm not losing it. I looked everywhere on GD last night and couldn't find anything. It was later at night when I tried and chalked it up to them site maintenance or something like that.

I didn't get any emails or anything about it either.

It's kind of irritating. It's not like they don't make money when something sells. I wonder if it's related to some of their recent legal issues involving user auctions.

 

[GotoBuyDomain]

UP+

 

[biggie]

Hi

they got tired of all the names sellers were listing

imo….

 

[JB Lions]

Hey everyone,

Why does GoDaddy Auctions now only handle expired domains? Regular users can't list their own domains for auction anymore - the Selling List is gone, and we're left with just the Buying List.

Afternic isn't much better - only Buy It Now and Make Offer options are available, no auctions.

So, why do you think these platforms moved away from user-managed auctions? How does this impact ordinary domain sellers like us?

Are GoDaddy and Afternic just trying to control the market, or is there another reason regular sellers are being sidelined? Feels like the little guy has no place anymore.

That happened 2 years ago. They should bring it back.

https://www.namepros.com/threads/changes-coming-to-godaddy-auctions.1324405/#post-9154704

Blog post about it

https://www.godaddy.com/resources/n...utm_campaign=auctions&utm_source=namepros.com

 

[GotoBuyDomain]

That happened 2 years ago. They should bring it back.

https://www.namepros.com/threads/changes-coming-to-godaddy-auctions.1324405/#post-9154704

Blog post about it

https://www.godaddy.com/resources/n...utm_campaign=auctions&utm_source=namepros.com

What I don’t understand is, while other domain trading platforms are all developing their auctions, why has GoDaddy instead shut down its auctions feature for regular users?

 

[fka1080405]

Aftermarket auctions are almost entirely pointless. Very few aftermarket domains will ever sell but that's okay because there is no marginal cost to hosting a landing page for a domain name. Aftermarket auctions on the other hand, they're much more burdensome, from sending out emails to managing very small payments and customer support. Since aftermarket auctions generate very little by way of revenue, it just isn't worth the cost for a company like GoDaddy.

Do you have any examples of aftermarket auction platforms that are generating sales? Atom, Sedo, DropCatch, they're all barren wastelands for aftermarket auctions. Atom currently has almost 1,000 domains at auction. Guess how many have bids? 1,000? 750? 500? 250? 200? 150? 100? 90? 75? 50? 25? 15? 10? No, at the time of writing, out of ~1,000 active Atom auctions, there are 8 auctions with bids. Of those 8 auctions with bids, only 3 have no reserve set, meaning only 3 of those auctions are likely to complete with a sale.

If there were buyers, things would be different.

 

[Mkt Sales Leads]

Aftermarket auctions are almost entirely pointless. Very few aftermarket domains will ever sell but that's okay because there is no marginal cost to hosting a landing page for a domain name. Aftermarket auctions on the other hand, they're much more burdensome, from sending out emails to managing very small payments and customer support. Since aftermarket auctions generate very little by way of revenue, it just isn't worth the cost for a company like GoDaddy.

Do you have any examples of aftermarket auction platforms that are generating sales? Atom, Sedo, DropCatch, they're all barren wastelands for aftermarket auctions. Atom currently has almost 1,000 domains at auction. Guess how many have bids? 1,000? 750? 500? 250? 200? 150? 100? 90? 75? 50? 25? 15? 10? No, at the time of writing, out of ~1,000 active Atom auctions, there are 8 auctions with bids. Of those 8 auctions with bids, only 3 have no reserve set, meaning only 3 of those auctions are likely to complete with a sale.

If there were buyers, things would be different.

What about Dynadot and Sav auctions? I've sold a bit there in the past (albeit at liquidation level prices).

I'm guessing the main issue that Godaddy got tired of were users who put their expired / expiring names up for sale only to renew and waste everyone's time (plus the usual shillers who ghosted after payment was required).

 

[yasserhabeba]

I Think they still on tor of market

 

[fka1080405]

What about Dynadot and Sav auctions? I've sold a bit there in the past (albeit at liquidation level prices).

Dynadot has ~15k running auctions of which ~200 have bids. Similar proportions to Atom. The total value of all current bids in Dynadot auctions is ~$2k. Dynadot takes 10% of the final price as their fee. So, out of ~15k auctions running, Dynadot stands to make a grand total of... $200 in fees.

Sav has ~14k running auctions, of which... 1 has a bid. A single bid.

Even in the most charitable interpretation of these numbers, across all platforms, there is a ~1% chance of a domain selling at auction.

 

[Mkt Sales Leads]

Dynadot has ~15k running auctions of which ~200 have bids. Similar proportions to Atom. The total value of all current bids in Dynadot auctions is ~$2k. Dynadot takes 10% of the final price as their fee. So, out of ~15k auctions running, Dynadot stands to make a grand total of... $200 in fees.

Sav has ~14k running auctions, of which... 1 has a bid. A single bid.

Even in the most charitable interpretation of these numbers, across all platforms, there is a ~1% chance of a domain selling at auction.

In which case, that's probably one of the reasons why DNWE got shut down and Name Liquidate restricted its listings to Epik-registered domains, despite both having reverse auctions.

 

[equity78]

Dynadot has ~15k running auctions of which ~200 have bids. Similar proportions to Atom. The total value of all current bids in Dynadot auctions is ~$2k. Dynadot takes 10% of the final price as their fee. So, out of ~15k auctions running, Dynadot stands to make a grand total of... $200 in fees.

Sav has ~14k running auctions, of which... 1 has a bid. A single bid.

Even in the most charitable interpretation of these numbers, across all platforms, there is a ~1% chance of a domain selling at auction.

Thanks for the data. I agree with you juice not worth the squeeze. Back in the day ran tests with people that owned a liquid category like 4L.com. So they let them expire because they could renew. But they looked at all the closing prices. Then immediately put them up for 7 day public auction and did not receive 20% of the bid of the expired auction on the same name. And this was over 300 names not just one or two.

Bottom line why don't domain auctions rock here at Namepros? This should be the number one place on the Internet for user auctions, built in system that shows you background about the bidders a trading score etc... Domainers buy from other domainers when they feel they getting over on them, that the seller is desperate very rare there is solid money paid in a fair an equitable deal in my opinion.

 

[JB Lions]

Bottom line why don't domain auctions rock here at Namepros? This should be the number one place on the Internet for user auctions, built in system that shows you background about the bidders a trading score etc... Domainers buy from other domainers when they feel they getting over on them, that the seller is desperate very rare there is solid money paid in a fair an equitable deal in my opinion.

That's a good question. Maybe, NP should ask for input. Is it a quality issue, layout issue, don't know. I think I stopped checking years ago when rules weren't being enforced, bump rules etc.

I still like my idea that I posted in another thread that would get NP more attention, a monthly/yearly/something curated auction:

"Just do a curated auction. Could be monthly, yearly, whatever. Names are submitted, pick the best, advertise it. Reach out to escrow companies to see which one will do it for free. Free escrow for buyer and seller if they want to use it, free advertising for the escrow company."

The escrow was related to a premium domain but people can use the usual methods used here.

 

[fka1080405]

Bottom line why don't domain auctions rock here at Namepros? This should be the number one place on the Internet for user auctions, built in system that shows you background about the bidders a trading score etc... Domainers buy from other domainers when they feel they getting over on them, that the seller is desperate very rare there is solid money paid in a fair an equitable deal in my opinion.

My theory is a little less cynical. I actually have a real world example, too!

I think it is because domain name investing is all about long shots, hope, taking a chance, swinging for the fences, digging in the dirt for a reason why a domain could return 100x. An auction feels like the owner of the domain has given up, they've taken all of their shots and missed, they're saying: I don't know how to sell this domain so I'm going to take whatever I can get for it. And that means, for me to buy the domain, I must know something the seller doesn't... sometimes that is true, but often, it is not.

So, the real world example: your current auction. I got a notification when you posted it. I thought the auction's structure is very interesting. I've watched every bid. The auction has 3 domains. 2 of them are domains that are, to me, junk, I don't care for them, not interesting to me at all. The 3rd domain, though, that domain looks very, very interesting. And the price is really good. And yet I haven't bid... because I'm trying to work out why would someone put such a good domain up for auction? What am I missing about lp.vc?

You are an experienced investor with a great portfolio. lp.vc is a very good domain, if I saw that come up at an expired domain auction I would almost certainly bid on it... but in your auction, all I've been thinking is, why? I'm convinced I could turn around and sell that domain tomorrow for $5k+ to one of a few venture capital firms I know. And yet, I've not bid, because I am more convinced that I must be missing something: if I can sell that domain for $5k tomorrow, why can't you? There must be something you know that I don't.

I think there are maybe some deal structures that could overcome this concern and make auctions more compelling. Off the top of my head, if the domain came with an overage covenant I think that would, counterintuitively, make the auction more compelling. If there's an auction that reads, "I still believe this domain can be sold for good money, I don't want to sell this domain, but I need to raise money to cover some renewal fees, so I'm begrudgingly auctioning it, with a requirement that a portion of any future profits return to me" it sounds terrible at first (what? I'm buying a domain and then I have to pay the seller more? ridiculous!) but actually... if I can pay $500 for a domain today, sell it for $10k / $25k / $50k in a few months, and then I pay the seller an additional 10% of whatever I sold it for, so what, I'm still up ~$8k / ~$22k / ~$45k! That's a great deal.

I could be alone in how I feel about auctions, I might be overthinking, but that's my less cynical view

 

[GotoBuyDomain]

My theory is a little less cynical. I actually have a real world example, too!

I think it is because domain name investing is all about long shots, hope, taking a chance, swinging for the fences, digging in the dirt for a reason why a domain could return 100x. An auction feels like the owner of the domain has given up, they've taken all of their shots and missed, they're saying: I don't know how to sell this domain so I'm going to take whatever I can get for it. And that means, for me to buy the domain, I must know something the seller doesn't... sometimes that is true, but often, it is not.

So, the real world example: your current auction. I got a notification when you posted it. I thought the auction's structure is very interesting. I've watched every bid. The auction has 3 domains. 2 of them are domains that are, to me, junk, I don't care for them, not interesting to me at all. The 3rd domain, though, that domain looks very, very interesting. And the price is really good. And yet I haven't bid... because I'm trying to work out why would someone put such a good domain up for auction? What am I missing about lp.vc?

You are an experienced investor with a great portfolio. lp.vc is a very good domain, if I saw that come up at an expired domain auction I would almost certainly bid on it... but in your auction, all I've been thinking is, why? I'm convinced I could turn around and sell that domain tomorrow for $5k+ to one of a few venture capital firms I know. And yet, I've not bid, because I am more convinced that I must be missing something: if I can sell that domain for $5k tomorrow, why can't you? There must be something you know that I don't.

I think there are maybe some deal structures that could overcome this concern and make auctions more compelling. Off the top of my head, if the domain came with an overage covenant I think that would, counterintuitively, make the auction more compelling. If there's an auction that reads, "I still believe this domain can be sold for good money, I don't want to sell this domain, but I need to raise money to cover some renewal fees, so I'm begrudgingly auctioning it, with a requirement that a portion of any future profits return to me" it sounds terrible at first (what? I'm buying a domain and then I have to pay the seller more? ridiculous!) but actually... if I can pay $500 for a domain today, sell it for $10k / $25k / $50k in a few months, and then I pay the seller an additional 10% of whatever I sold it for, so what, I'm still up ~$8k / ~$22k / ~$45k! That's a great deal.

I could be alone in how I feel about auctions, I might be overthinking, but that's my less cynical view

This is a very unique idea, it seems to defy common sense, but it's very interesting.

 

[gbrand]

Atom has also limited their user auctions in early 2026, both sellers and buyers are now required to apply for access to this section, and have completely rebranded their auctions as "liquidation". This means that they have cut the number of visits and bids to auctions by 70% or more.

 

[Mkt Sales Leads]

Atom has also limited their user auctions in early 2026, both sellers and buyers are now required to apply for access to this section, and have completely rebranded their auctions as "liquidation". This means that they have cut the number of visits and bids to auctions by 70% or more.

My guess is that Atom will go the GD route and do away with user auctions altogether (or be very curated like Sedo), with any liquidations moving to Atom Wholesale.

 

[equity78]

My theory is a little less cynical. I actually have a real world example, too!

I think it is because domain name investing is all about long shots, hope, taking a chance, swinging for the fences, digging in the dirt for a reason why a domain could return 100x. An auction feels like the owner of the domain has given up, they've taken all of their shots and missed, they're saying: I don't know how to sell this domain so I'm going to take whatever I can get for it. And that means, for me to buy the domain, I must know something the seller doesn't... sometimes that is true, but often, it is not.

So, the real world example: your current auction. I got a notification when you posted it. I thought the auction's structure is very interesting. I've watched every bid. The auction has 3 domains. 2 of them are domains that are, to me, junk, I don't care for them, not interesting to me at all. The 3rd domain, though, that domain looks very, very interesting. And the price is really good. And yet I haven't bid... because I'm trying to work out why would someone put such a good domain up for auction? What am I missing about lp.vc?

You are an experienced investor with a great portfolio. lp.vc is a very good domain, if I saw that come up at an expired domain auction I would almost certainly bid on it... but in your auction, all I've been thinking is, why? I'm convinced I could turn around and sell that domain tomorrow for $5k+ to one of a few venture capital firms I know. And yet, I've not bid, because I am more convinced that I must be missing something: if I can sell that domain for $5k tomorrow, why can't you? There must be something you know that I don't.

I think there are maybe some deal structures that could overcome this concern and make auctions more compelling. Off the top of my head, if the domain came with an overage covenant I think that would, counterintuitively, make the auction more compelling. If there's an auction that reads, "I still believe this domain can be sold for good money, I don't want to sell this domain, but I need to raise money to cover some renewal fees, so I'm begrudgingly auctioning it, with a requirement that a portion of any future profits return to me" it sounds terrible at first (what? I'm buying a domain and then I have to pay the seller more? ridiculous!) but actually... if I can pay $500 for a domain today, sell it for $10k / $25k / $50k in a few months, and then I pay the seller an additional 10% of whatever I sold it for, so what, I'm still up ~$8k / ~$22k / ~$45k! That's a great deal.

I could be alone in how I feel about auctions, I might be overthinking, but that's my less cynical view

Great post I really like the logic in the first paragraph. I have used that idea before. Look I am selling a domain name I think is worth $10,000 for $500, I will sell for $500 with the deal being if you sell it for $10,000 or more I get 10% of the sale. The thing comes down to proving it right? Maybe you would not report the sale at $15,000?


And you can feel free to bid on Lp.vc it's a great name it was put in there to juice up the bidding although robotics and AI becoming improvisational is the future.

 

[capybara]

built in system that shows you background about the bidders a trading score etc...

Unfortunately this is getting worthless. There have been multiple suggestions over the years to improve the ratings system to make it more credible, such as including transaction value, additional validation etc., but Namepros haven't followed yet. At this point in time it is pretty obvious that there are people who are farming the ratings on purpose, with multiple low cost transactions (and we don't even know if these are real transactions at all). So seeing someone with 100 100% rating doesn't really mean much by itself.

 

[GotoBuyDomain]

I hope GoDaddy can reopen auctions to regular members, or that Afternic can add an auction feature.