auctions GoDaddy Hides Number of Watchers for Closeout Listings

[Ategy]

As of today GoDaddy's Closeout Pages (for individual domains at closeout) no longer show the number of "Watchers".

While this might not first appear like a big deal or like it should be considered "News". But in fact it is a very big deal.

The timing of this removal appears to be quite coincidental following the very recent NamePros discussion "Significantly Increased Auction Activity" regarding the possible effect of API access and bots on auctions.

One very concerning question brought up was what exactly are the data fields given to those with API access.

One obvious concern is if bidders secret "proxy bit" is visible. Via an obscure backdoor, it has been visible in the past for an extended period of time. However at the moment a recent comment by a GoDaddy exec says no.

A less obvious concern however, is if the "Number of Watchers" are visible to bots? If so those behind the bots and API access can cherry pick domains based on the work of domainers who spend hours going through the expiration lists each night marking the best ones they are most interested with a "Watch".

A human on the back end of an API/bot simply could pull up the one or two thousand domains per day being "watched" filtered down from the 50,000 domains expiring each day. Making it singificantly easier for them to find the best domains going on auction later that day. Giving that bot or person with API access not just an unfair advantage .. but an unfair advantage build on the back of hard working domainers.

Bots and API access certainly do not necessarily give their users an unfair advantage. It certainly is very possible in a large number of ways .. while at the same time it is certainly possible for a system to be created where they have no advantage. It depends 100% on how the platform is designed and what data/information is given. Most auction platforms extend auctions when bids are made to avoid bots coming in at the last micro-second to outbid you. Add to that, that if the data being given via API access is exactly the same as it is for those without such access, then the playing field is significantly more levelled.

That being said ... Particularly given the odd and coincidental timing of this week's discussion .. the question remains ...

Was the "Watchers" field only removed from the Closeout Page yet still accessible via API access?

A more important question remains ...

What EXACTLY are ALL the data fields available to those with API access?

Without knowing the answer to that question there is no way of answering either way where those with API actually do or do not have a fair advantage ....

 

[werty]

Is this only for closeouts or also for the expiring domains auctioned? I am not sure if when you say "closeouts" you are including the auctions as well since closeouts are the ones that didn't get any bids and get the buy now option.

 

[tonyk2000]

I stopped purchasing gd expireds some time ago, so cannot check - but I think the above question can be answered by any active user - just add a hundred or so of absolutely nonsese expiring domains to a watchlist, make note whether they are from gd itself or partner registrars, and wait. How many bs domains will hugedomains grab from this list? If a lot, and especially if a lot from godaddy registrar - then yes, they see watchlist info. If so, more bs domains "watched" = better

 

[Ategy]

Is this only for closeouts or also for the expiring domains auctioned? I am not sure if when you say "closeouts" you are including the auctions as well since closeouts are the ones that didn't get any bids and get the buy now option.

For those without API access it used to be only for Closeouts. But that is simply because the end-user template is different before and after the auction closes. The important thing to remember is that auctions and closeouts are together on the GD platform .. and that API access simply gives bots and power users access to the hard DATA. So while it isn't automatic, it is extremely likely that if they have access to number of "watchers" for closeouts, then they would have it pre-auction listings as well. In fact .. it would be more complicated for it to not be the same.

 

[Ategy]

I stopped purchasing gd expireds some time ago, so cannot check - but I think the above question can be answered by any active user - just add a hundred or so of absolutely nonsese expiring domains to a watchlist, make note whether they are from gd itself or partner registrars, and wait. How many bs domains will hugedomains grab from this list? If a lot, and especially if a lot from godaddy registrar - then yes, they see watchlist info. If so, more bs domains "watched" = better

That definitely is not my concern. A 100% automated system can be beat .. in fact .. some of the best value at auction can be found with names that are play on words with elements almost impossible for a bot to catch.

The concern lies in API systems that also have a human behind them and can go through a much shorter list and eliminate such garbage .. while at the same time knowing which domains have the most pre-interest .. all based on our personal watchlists created from hours of going through expiration lists.

 

[tonyk2000]

Adding tons of "good looking" (at least coms, no dashes etc) domains to a watchlist - such as domains which were automatically filtered on the 1st round of daily "job" - but were manually filtered OUT (not worth even closeout bin price) - will serve for a good purpose. For watching. What will happen? If somebody grabs them all (or most) - then it is likely that they were given a content of a watchlist through some backdoor / api. More and more nonsense domains added to their watchlists by genuine customers will make this backdoor (if it exists) irrelevant, earlier or later.

 

[wwwweb]

If you ran an auction, and you had a whale of a client who was in every auction, everyday, bidding on everything, and anything, would you not want to make them as comfortable as you can. Can you imagine the millions in bottomline revenue a client like HD supplies by simply bidding, and outbidding. It is funny how the conversation to the correlation of that data cause such a quick change, somebody is watching that is for sure, whether it be this forum, or those auctions, I have no clue.

 

[Ategy]

It is funny how the conversation to the correlation of that data cause such a quick change, somebody is watching that is for sure, whether it be this forum, or those auctions, I have no clue.

lol .. you're welcome for that then!

Truth be told .. as far as I know .. I'm pretty sure there is nobody at GoDaddy deliberately set to give us or anyone an advantage or disadvantage. Just about everyone I've dealt with there have been extremely friendly and have made genuine attempts to be helpful.

I think GoDaddy's biggest problem simply stems from the fact they are too big. Their platform is a disaster full of bugs and glitches and miscommunications. It's so bad and I complain about issues so often that I actually start most of my email to my rep with an apology .. lol .. how sad is that?

A few weeks ago I lost a domain on vacation because of a perfect storm of THREE different bugs and (automated) miscommunications. Three of them (plus I also found a 4th that was effectively the same as the 3rd). Plus after going into detail of explaining what happened to my rep .. it was clear that even he didn't know the inner workings of the platform as there was a limited time solution .. which obviously I could only prove after-the-fact.

Last night I encountered an account push bug that I experienced and reported months ago. I called up support and the guy gave me the same workaround that I did months before. Adding that "it never works" and that he's been telling people just to do the workaround for months.

Years ago when I wasn't "domaining", but simply buying domains with aspirations of future development. I was flabbergasted to find a back door link that let me view other people's proxy bids. It was there for months .. even after I told them about it. Since I wasn't a regular user I couldn't tell you if it was there months afterwards .. or if it was there for months/years before. I just remember at one point the platform had been revamped and at that point the path I used to find proxy bids was no longer physically there as the template had been replaced. Anybody else who know that exploit could have made countless thousands of dollars shill bidding .. or simply cost competing buyers tons of more money by driving up pricing to right before proxy bids. GD might have made millions on a bug they weren't even aware of!

Last year after a couple of frustrations my rep invited me to an opportunity of having a session with their development team working on the next version of the auction platform. They were so amazed at all the issues and inefficiencies I pointed out that they actually set up a 2nd session .. lol. So it most certainly isn't like I'm making all these things up.

Each and every time I encounter a bug or issue my poor rep tells me .. thanks for the feedback .. it's always helpful .. bu then never hear back .. and it all just gets swept under the rug. Again .. I don't think it's because they are evil and try to put as many bugs into the system to make as much money as possible (much of their inefficiencies are losing them money .. and more importantly .. good will of domainers and clients).

I think it's simply that their system is just too big and possibly each department working against each other on some things. My real world job is in a very similar "big box" .. where more often than not the right hand not only has no clue what the left hand is doing .. but often actually working against it ... lol. GoDaddy needs the help of power users who actually know and use the ins and outs of their platform.

I guess the real problem is that they are too big to fail. Undeniably they have the most domains at auction .. and if you a value buyer like I am then you have to give huge props to GD .. they are the best for that.

What bugs me the most is the unfulfilled potential. GD could be sooooo much better than it is now. The have so much clout and money and all the names .. there just simply is no excuse for all the bugs and issues and unclarity.


All which leads back to this simple fact ... I'm not even sure if even the execs at GoDaddy even know what data is or isn't available on their platform. So while I really would love and appreciate an official answer .. I'm not even sure I could take it as fact ... not because I think they'd be lying .. but more because they will likely ask someone who doesn't know .. who in turn will ask someone who gives them their genuine best guess.


It's just really frustrating because they during my interactions with them everyone is always genuinely nice and friendly .. but it's not a far stretch for them to have a vastly superior platform with far fewer bugs and a much better end-user experience! The just need to get rid of the rug they seem to sweep everything under! lol