Hi, I'm Twiki answering your questions today here on NP. AMA

[twiki]

I've just received a bunch of questions from another NP member via DM.

I thought it's more appropriate to reply to them in an AMA post as others NP members might have other questions. Never did an AMA before, here or anywhere else. Anyway, ask me anything below.

Before anything else, please note: I am really not a fan of the spotlight. So please don't put me on a pedestal - like a few folks wanted before. I really don't like / want / need all that. Just got a bit of more performance lately but it's nothing that uncommon I'd say. I'm just yet another domainer here on NP where I have learned a lot. There are many others here much better than me.

OK so here are the questions I've received, and the answers:

- Q: How long have you been in the industry?
- A: This is rather difficult to answer. I'd prefer to say 3 years, because these are the years during which I finally got performance. Which has been visible just as it went here on NP in the sales thread.

But I've been buying and selling domains on a constant basis since 2018. And I also had a few tens of short domains like 15 years ago or so. Unfortunately I let them expire an got out of domaining for a decade, would have been worth some decent money today. But I think it's never too late if you're willing to do the work.

- Q: What is portfolio right now?
- A: I guess you're asking about the size. I have 7400 domains right now, down from 25.000 historical max. I'm reducing the portfolio however and hope to go beyond 4000 so it becomes much more manageable.

- Q: How much would you say you have acquired in drop registered or closeout vs auction at GoDaddy/Dynadot etc?
- A: Again if you're asking about counts: I don't have a statistic, but probably 75% of my domains are drop regs, 15% are hand regs, and most of the remaining are closeouts. Auction buys, less than 1%. However I intend to develop that next but it is more time consuming for me to watch the auctions.

- Q: How much do you spend on average acquiring domains?
- A: If you ask about time, it varies. Sometimes a full day, other times I don't even work on domains. On average at least 2 hours per day. If you're asking about $, most domains are at reg cost OR closeouts which range between 5 and 50$ + reg fee. Auctions I only have bought domains worth $300 or less.

- Q: Looks like you are mostly focused on the dot com? Is that correct?
- A: Yes. I have a much better hand at .COMs. Like 99% of my domains are .COM.

- Q: Do you hand register domains also?
- A: Sure, but not every day. Sometimes I get an idea and will register some based on it. I've sold for example quite a few meta domains which are all handregs. I haven't sold any NFT domain so far. It depends. I tend to not go too deep in hand regs.

Please note that drops are also a form of handregs. Well drops I do daily, and sometimes several depending on the quality available that day.
------

I'm going to add a bit of more insight here as to how I get results:

What I do is simple, I'm working hard each day (really) and got a bit of luck as well. That's all, nothing out of the ordinary. I also try to help others when I can, here on NP and elsewhere (with some limits, of course). I am also a full stack developer and I build my own tools for domaining, that helps as well.

If anyone here on NP has another question to ask, please ask below. If there are none more, that's also cool with me.

Thanks!

 

[twiki]

This doesn't match my experience. About 1/10 domains that I drop reg are already listed on Afternic and I have to email them a screenshot to have the listing removed. I've actually got a list of 40 domains I need to email about right now. The WHOIS dates have been reset and all that.

I've also got a script I can show you in privately that lists domains currently in GoDaddy closeout auctions that are also actively listed on Afternic. On any given day there's at least 30 in the list. Those are still in the redemption period, however.

Hmm you might be right. Those should not be active anymore on Afternic.

I know however they are removed once they pass expiration. But now I think the new owner can re-list them though later.

So that might be the explanation why they get in review but then you still find your names belonging to someone else.

Therefore it seems I was mistaken on this one indeed. ( Edit: regardless of the cause, the effect is the same. )

 

[okaydomains]

You can remove your domains, they asked for 7 days notice which is quite okay. Better discuss with them though.

Thank you very much for this info - I didn't realize it was only 7 days. That's quite reasonable.

There was a mix of factors. The main issue being, it did not provide sales. Got the impression (and math confirms) that the sale ratio was actually lower than pointing my landers at Afternic over a similar domain pool. The couple domains I've sold did not convince me. Also the process of listing there is so complicated and time-consuming.

Furthermore, the commission definitely kills it. Overall I took a loss over SH. Plus the fact that I cannot really control the pricing. I disagree with most of their prices. (both high and low) But everyone knows their own stuff.

I totally agree with you, especially with the process of listing being so time consuming. I don't mind paying the review fee or the expert classification fee, but lately they're taking 2+ weeks to review names (submitted with coins).

The commission is very high. I wouldn't care except I don't think they are selling enough extra domains for me to justify it. Its impossible to say, but the domains I have sold with them I probably would have also sold via Afternic.

Thanks for the detailed response. Cheers.

 

[aliweb]

What made you register this domain saasily.com?

It is only registered in one TLD which and was registered in 2021. It doesn't look like a good name and doesn't confirm to traditional domain metrics like no. of TLDs registered, age, keyword etc but still sold for $1488.
Is it a brandable name based on SaaS? (software as a service)

 

[myfavorite]

@twiki Thanks for your thoughtfulness in sharing your experience and knowledge.

Please how do you handle issue of 60 lock for drop reg ?

Since you use Afternic, do you wait till after the period before listing or is there a Registrar you use that Afternic will allow for a push if the domain sales within the 60 days reg lock period?

 

[twiki]

@twiki Thanks for your thoughtfulness in sharing your experience and knowledge.

Please how do you handle issue of 60 lock for drop reg ?

Since you use Afternic, do you wait till after the period before listing or is there a Registrar you use that Afternic will allow for a push if the domain sales within the 60 days reg lock period?

There's no such issue for me. I mean I don't see it as an issue.

The only drawback is, you get paid later once the domain has transferred. That's all. It doesn't matter much to me (I focus on yearly sales/ bottom line most of all, whether I have to wait 1 or 2 months it's not a problem).

You just wait until the lock expires and then you transfer the domain. I just let Afternic folks know and they always message me once the domain has gotten OK status.

Edit: I don't know about such registrars ignoring the lock rule, AFAIK this is a registry requirement but tbh I haven't dug deep into it. Maybe there is such registrar that I don't know about.

 

[phaethon]

A few questions,Twiki
which was your highest sale ever? could you reveal the name? Would you say that now that you have dropped thousands of names, your STR changed? Also how long do you hold your names on average?

 

[twiki]

A few questions,Twiki
which was your highest sale ever? could you reveal the name? Would you say that now that you have dropped thousands of names, your STR changed? Also how long do you hold your names on average?

Good questions, but it all requires a long answer.

My numbers aren't impressive... depending on the number. I do a decent ROI though, what I do care about.

The highest sale I recall right now is M e t a v e r s e B o o m (dotcom) sold or $3250 (fresh handreg, notably). There was an unpaid and some sale that has to remain private so it doesn't matter that much (not very high above though) . I could scour sales history but I don't recall a higher completed one I can share so keep this as example. ( Just realized how many sales I forgot about... )

Reason: Most of my domain sales are under $3K and typical sale prices are $1988 and $2488. I do 95% drops, well drops have their value limit, anything worth over $2K... $3K ends up at DC or SN right away, and I don't usually buy there. The buy prices there are off the chart as everyone knows, not worth it.

I try to pair them with the right prices. Besides I don't really care if I sell names for say $10k or $200. I also don[t care about any particular domain, niche or type. The only thing I care is bottom line, what I bring home. I think I only have like 5% priced 3k and above and my top names today are ~ $10k, but still unsold. I used to have higher prices in the past. Please note that during the pandemic my top prices have actually decreased not increased; although I get better sales in the $2K ... $2.5K range.

Important note, I am a discount domainer. I usually price 50% or so of what others price. Reason again is bottom line; overall I make more money by pricing like that. There's a certain flexibility with pricing that you can take advantage of, if your acquisition price is low (reg fee for most of my names). If you halve your price, you might get a bit more than double overall sales $, buy everyone has to do their own math here. It's just that you let go of more of your names, but I'm not attached to any.

But handregs (done right) can be sold for much more individually, depending on the name. I don't do much fresh handregging though.

Drops have 10000 eyes on them so you have to be content with what falls through. Obviously buys (3-4 fig purchase price) can be sold for more depending on valuable but I have too few of that yet. I could price $10 k and get some very impressive sale once in a year or something, but overall I'd be earning far less so I don't see the sense to do that, at least yet.

STR: I don't monitor it closely. It varies. Again what I care about is bottom line. However in the past I was doing volume sales, mostly under $1k and STR was like 6-8%. Since I went retail pricing, it's much lower probably in the range of 2% +/- something but varies. In the current market it's also impossible to give a straight STR as July has been a bad month for everyone.

I am however replacing most of my portfolio (will be dropping or have dropped already, up to 60%) as I get better names so lately my perception is that purchase rate has increased due to higher quality, but it fights against a declining market and therefore it's barely constant at this very moment.

My hold time is typically 1 year, but I have certain names for 2 or 3 years. Haven't counted them though. I'm replacing 60-70% of the domains yearly, because I have always learned and adapting and it seems it's still an active process, therefore I'm always not content anymore of half of my domains pack. I discount some before expiry etc. On average you could say 1.5 years I think if you add up everything.

Edit: I just looked through the list and right now I have 6.5K names but will be going below 5K this autumn. However only 200 of them are above $3k. That tells it.

Will be moving into buys and retail more though, but it takes time. I don't usually have enough time to be stalking names at auction, most times I end up overbid and haven't been there when it ended to see if I'd bid more.

 

[phaethon]

Thanks,Twiki. I'm wondering if holding a name just for a year is enough to understand the potential of a name. I see domainers on hosterstats holding names for ten years and finally drop them though.

 

[blogspotter]

In my experience Sedo mls-premium, is a mess. Why: you can't add or remove domains easily, things may remain in pending state and you will never know what will hapen next. Your price may not be shown everywhere on their network. I mean tested on a few domains only, but all possible bad scenarios happened already, and I had to work hard to reset everywthing, maybe including removing domains from my account, or transfering domains to another registrar.
It may not be Sedo's fault, and it may be purely registrar's fault.
But anyway it is a bad system. And because of this I don't try Afternic's system either. For example, a domain drops, someone registers it, and the old price is shown to the public. Who knows, maybe your domains can be stolen this way as well, how can we know, if both the marketplace and registrar are evil/or/incompetent.
Fixed price without mls?: prices are extremely difficult to remove (unless you manage domains offline and upload csv everyday).
Why insist on stupidity/or/evil.

In my limited experience, SEDO has the best add/remove feature.

SEDO verification is a Pain in the ass but it works in my favor.

Nobody can add the name without proof if it is in my account.

Also, Sedo deletes expired names on its own like clockwork for me.

I think Sedo needs a bit of getting used to in your workflow as well as a few sales to keep you motivated

All my names are pointed to sedo lander and where possible I have a DNS template with the txt for quick verification.

Once verified I point to DAN and be done with it.

In fact SEDO verification has helped me several times. I found out about names that never came to my account ot that got deleted from my account due to registrar error, from the email that Sedo sends out when they can't verify the whois.

Now your concern about FT is valid if you want to manually transfer names, in which case all you have to do is never approve the MLS approval.

PS: Sorry for the thread Hijack Twiki. Just wanted to share my experience

 

[twiki]

Thanks,Twiki. I'm wondering if holding a name just for a year is enough to understand the potential of a name. I see domainers on hosterstats holding names for ten years and finally drop them though.

My model is rather based on fast sales and some churn. But other models are valid as well. There's no one answer to fit it all.

10 years from now on I might still hold on to some of the names I have right now. Those that are evergreen.

 

[twiki]

(deleted)

 

[twiki]

PS: Sorry for the thread Hijack Twiki. Just wanted to share my experience

No worries, just got me confused for a second.

 

[twiki]

This AMA has been running long enough, so it's about time to close. And in the end, I take this opportunity to send a message to those following my account:

I'm going to cut down on posting, to the max extend possible from now on.

I like to help, but I dislike being in the spotlight (using this term in lack of a better word), with its negative consequences. Time to let the light fade. It's something I've been thinking about for some time already.

I'm getting a lot of abuse lately, both public and via DM.

Including in this very thread for example; by users who find no other satisfactory thing than to bash other users who have never done anything wrong to them . I find such attitude despicable. Anyway.

Like they say, no good deed is left unpunished. Anyway, still I'm glad to be a member of NP.

Thanks to everyone who has asked questions in this thread!

(now closed.)

 

[twiki]

For everyone who has been reading so far:

I've decided to reopen this thread, in continued form.

I'm often getting all sort of questions via DM. But as many of you know already, I prefer to share thing publicly, as more people can learn in that way.

Feel free to ask me anything here as I will keep this open for long.

Thanks!

 

[Tepnu]

Hi twiki,
Can you please tell us about your portfolio size , and extensions in percentage if possible,
Thanks

 

[twiki]

Hi twiki,
Can you please tell us about your portfolio size , and extensions in percentage if possible,
Thanks

Sure no problem. ( Although I've posted about this many times but NP is large I guess. )

I currently have 6200 names and looking to reduce below 5000 soon.

I've had max 25K names and it was a pain to manage.

95% are .COM. I guess I have less than 100 in other TLDs, a mix of .xyz, .org and just a couple .co and .cc .

 

[damance]

where you from?

 

[twiki]

where you from?

Romania.

I also lived in the UK on and off over the years. Having family there and a side business.

 

[Tepnu]

Can we see your entire domains list in your portfolio ?

 

[twiki]

Can we see your entire domains list in your portfolio ?

Nah, I won't post that.

But you can definitely see what I sell as I post often in the sales thread.

Have had zero sales in the last two weeks though, which is unusual but not the end of the world. Fluctuations.

 

[Tepnu]

Do you use any tools to find the expiring domains or dropping domains , beside
Expireddomains,net ,

Do you see the dropping list and then decide what to buy/reg
Or , you have the need or idea about type domains you need then search for them in dropping list

 

[twiki]

Do you use any tools to find the expiring domains or dropping domains , beside
Expireddomains,net ,

Do you see the dropping list and then decide what to buy/reg
Or , you have the need or idea about type domains you need then search for them in dropping list

No, I only use my own private tools.

Besides, most of them are getting open to public via the Dotible.com platform I'm currently working on.

( Edit: Only 1% of stuff is visible now, there are a ton of tools to be published. Most will also have a free version as well, depending on needs and usage. )

 

[SELMimo]

First, thanks twiki for this thread.
Would you share which type of domains you buy in cc : 1 word, exact match or with most tlds count ?

 

[twiki]

First, thanks twiki for this thread.
Would you share which type of domains you buy in cc : 1 word, exact match or with most tlds count ?

I only have 2 keeper domains in cc tld, single word. Related to credit card transactions.

(You're welcome, and thanks)

 

[OmarVG]