HUGE DOMAINS SNIPING GODADDY CLOSEOUTS

[wwwweb]

So annoying Godaddy hasn't stopped Huge Domains from sniping Godaddy Closeouts with their automated tools, no way a human bidder can win a even closeout.

First they were sniping with the backorders, now you cut that out, and you are letting them snipe via automated tools.

So what do you say @Joe Styler , you want to even the playing field a bit, as your partners are bidding everything in a split second, from $12, to $11, and bidding everything else into the hundreds from a simple bid. I would rather pay a Huge Domains surcharge at checkout.


Huge Domains has an unfair advantage on the auction platform, essentially taxing every user for using it with their automated access advantages given to them thru the house.

 

[wwwweb]

HD is impossible to compete with whether it is closeouts or action - For fun I followed about 15 minutes of GD action and here's what they won:

sengongpm.com - $22
srclean.com - $59
buylocalsandiego.com - $17
kaizenculture.com - $15
ocstaff.com - $15
sfseg.com - $15
reclaimedcleveland.com - $35
tradedentist.com - $15
femdoll.com - $15
floatersociety.com - $17
talniri.com - $116
coworkingon.com - $32
t1rates.com - $28

They became 2 highest bitter on the following names (their price)

centropay.com - $110 - (105)
everythingnicechristening.com - $49 - (45)
pureconcrete.com - $241 - (238)
fantasticresorts.com - $207 - (203)
exclusivecourses.com - $100 - (95)
lingasiabeauty.com - $50 - (45)

Lowest GD valuation was $253 and highest $2712

I was not interested in any of the names above, but last week I lost 12 auctions to them between $100 - 800

Great research, fine if they want to bot bid thru a timed auction that is one thing, at least you can respond to that.

Godaddy has given them an unfair advantage in sniping closeouts, as the profit is no more as it is a fixed price, the human user, and the bot user should have the same chance to win that.

I know Godaddy values the Huge Domains relationship, but you shouldn’t play favorites.

 

[domainer111]

They are also letting a few go, I picked up pixaf.com today, if you check the whois tool at domaintools.com, the screenshot shows a HD lander.

They are still missing some good closeouts as well. If they have to drop a lot of names, well what can I say .. domaining is only beginning!

 

[jideofor]

Don’t even bother wasting your time watching a $12 unbid domain fall into $11 closeout if huge domains has it q’ed in their automated bidding bot, no way you will ever refresh, and claim it first.

To be honest I think Godaddys relationship with Huge Domains in a traditional auction setting is breaking a lot of state regulations when it comes to auction bidding.

This is nothing new. Could it be that Huge Domains is fronting for Godaddy or Godaddy has a stake in HugeDomains?

 

[Optimal Names]

This is nothing new. Could it be that Huge Domains is fronting for Godaddy or Godaddy has a stake in HugeDomains?

Its possible that HD is fattening itself up hoping to be swiped up by a larger fish...

 

[barman]

Its possible that HD is fattening itself up hoping to be swiped up by a larger fish...

And then the names will drop all over again...

 

[wwwweb]

Its possible that HD is fattening itself up hoping to be swiped up by a larger fish...

With over 5 million + names in inventory they are the biggest fish at this point, my point is why does Godaddy let them
Snipe closeouts when their is no revenue advantage for them to do so. Why not close this loophole, they already took so mamyndomains when the backorder loophole was open for closeouts, and godaddy looked the other way until someone spoke up, and still it took over a month for changes to happen.

It is dangerous to consumers, when you have partners in an auction format.

To this day people still expose bugs, and errors to godaddy, I actually stopped because the reps think you are wrong when you do, and it is like hitting your head against the wall.

 

[barman]

Also "Don't hate the player, hate the game" I feel like you can write scripts that can do the same thing with API access.

Doesn't anyone know the HD auction id at Godaddy? I want to count up how many $$ they've f__cked me.

 

[wwwweb]

Also "Don't hate the player, hate the game" I feel like you can write scripts that can do the same thing with API access.

Doesn't anyone know the HD auction id at Godaddy? I want to count up how many $$ they've f__cked me.

Bidder 913932

 

[barman]

Going through my list of won auctions they've definitely cost me money. But it's not like they bid on every single name. And I've definitely had some good stuff slip to closeouts. I do see a lot of stuff disappear before it gets to closeout tho, which I guess is what this thread is about...

Yes they are huge... but they're in it to make money like everybody else.

How is GoDaddy supposed to fix this issue?

 

[Optimal Names]

With over 5 million + names in inventory they are the biggest fish at this point, my point is why does Godaddy let them
Snipe closeouts when their is no revenue advantage for them to do so. Why not close this loophole, they already took so mamyndomains when the backorder loophole was open for closeouts, and godaddy looked the other way until someone spoke up, and still it took over a month for changes to happen.

It is dangerous to consumers, when you have partners in an auction format.

To this day people still expose bugs, and errors to godaddy, I actually stopped because the reps think you are wrong when you do, and it is like hitting your head against the wall.

I agree. We need to hear from someone at GD.

Are we able to get API access, do you know?

 

[wwwweb]

Going through my list of won auctions they've definitely cost me money. But it's not like they bid on every single name. And I've definitely had some good stuff slip to closeouts. I do see a lot of stuff disappear before it gets to closeout tho, which I guess is what this thread is about...

Yes they are huge... but they're in it to make money like everybody else.

How is GoDaddy supposed to fix this issue?

By not letting them use automated tools to snipe the closeout at the milli second they open, as if you even blink you will miss it. Godaddy makes no more revenue by doing this, they are only pleasing their #1 bidder by doing this, it shouldn’t be allowed, no human bidder even has a fair shot, unlike bidding where you can attempt to outbid their proxy, here you have no chance,
Advantage to Huge Names courtesy of Godaddy.

 

[wwwweb]

I agree. We need to hear from someone at GD.

Are we able to get API access, do you know?

Maybe @Joe Styler @Paul Nicks are on vacation, or don’t want to open up a can of worms.

I don’t think they are handing out anymore API access, not sure, but for closeouts it should be blocked, as they are just creating a bad customer experience by providing a few god like advantages.

 

[Optimal Names]

By not letting them use automated tools to snipe the closeout at the milli second they open, as if you even blink you will miss it. Godaddy makes no more revenue by doing this, they are only pleasing their #1 bidder by doing this, it shouldn’t be allowed, no human bidder even has a fair shot, unlike bidding where you can attempt to put bid their proxy, here you have no chance,
Advantage to Huge Names courtesy of Godaddy.

I agree, a level playing field generates the most competition and benefits all.

 

[hookbox]

Its possible that HD is fattening itself up hoping to be swiped up by a larger fish...

We could only hope. The new company always messes up the old system so I pray they get bought out.

 

[Mister Funsky]

Its possible that HD is fattening itself up hoping to be swiped up by a larger fish...

I think we have a bingo!

 

[Optimal Names]

Maybe @Joe Styler @Paul Nicks are on vacation, or don’t want to open up a can of worms.

I don’t think they are handing out anymore API access, not sure, but for closeouts it should be blocked, as they are just creating a bad customer experience by providing a few god like advantages.

If they arent permitting API access anymore then they should remove it for all, thats insane.

 

[wwwweb]

I think we have a bingo!

Who would want that massive renewal liability on an annual basis. To outsell your renewals, during a bad economic cycle would be a tough task, plus with the threat of icann raising renewals, every penny hurts them on an exponential level.

When endurance bought buy domains portfolio I think the average name worked out to about $25.

At that rate given Turncommerce includes namebright, Dropcatch, and and their massive 5 million plus inventory, but a lot of liabilities in those drop catching connections, and renewals, it would have to be a very large company that could absorb that burn if need be. Probably only leaves 1 company, unless it is some kind of joint venture.

I think Godaddy needs to be very careful with their relationship in an auction setting when it comes to Huge Domains, if we are talking traditional auction format there are a lot of state laws that protect bidders in terms of auction transparency. If the case was ever made that it was a traditional type auction format you would definitely be in a class action status, especially given how known bugs, and loopholes are never acted on in a timely manner, and a few parties are able to monopolize the situation.

 

[wwwweb]

If they arent permitting API access anymore then they should remove it for all, thats insane.

They can’t do that, they need Huge Domains to bid us all up, and cause bidding chaos in the auction marketplace, it equates to more revenue for them, albeit a bad customer experience. Especially the people using the API access to pace a $5,$10,$25 min bid every 5 minutes for hours on end, ruining a human bidders whole day in terms of time, and efficiency. The dollars have become more important than the user experience which really sucks.

To beat the closeouts, they will tell you to buy a backorder for $20, and use that, so basically they are using a few automated access bidders to cause havoc on a majority of bidders. Now that they have more auction inventory, they are under pressure to achieve higher prices for such partners in order to create them, that is why huge names is so important.

 

[Mister Funsky]

Who would want that massive renewal liability on an annual basis. To outsell your renewals, during a bad economic cycle would be a tough task, plus with the threat of icann raising renewals, every penny hurts them on an exponential level.

When endurance bought buy domains portfolio I think the average name worked out to about $25.

At that rate given Turncommerce includes namebright, Dropcatch, and and their massive 5 million plus inventory, but a lot of liabilities in those drop catching connections, and renewals, it would have to be a very large company that could absorb that burn if need be. Probably only leaves 1 company, unless it is some kind of joint venture.

I think Godaddy needs to be very careful with their relationship in an auction setting when it comes to Huge Domains, if we are talking traditional auction format there are a lot of state laws that protect bidders in terms of auction transparency. If the case was ever made that it was a traditional type auction format you would definitely be in a class action status, especially given how known bugs, and loopholes are never acted on in a timely manner, and a few parties are able to monopolize the situation.

Whole lot of info in your post, most of which I agree with and I am late for a meeting...so, if I understand the first sentence correctly, my response would be that the auction format/formula for daddy utilizing buyouts has been extremely profitable for them...any bulk acquisition with the low values paid for domains on an individual basis will give them more fodder for their profit cannon.

 

[tonyk2000]

As a side note, I tried to imagine what will happen without Huge Domains @ GD (or at all). We'll all celebrate, no doubts.

But then -

As confirmed by Joe and Paul, GD employees are allowed to purchase closeouts (if no bidding is involved). So there is nothing that prevents GD-owned companies from "purchasing" closeouts, and they have each and every opportunity to do so without any competition. Indeed, the same entities did purchase portfolios (such as from Michael Berkens), so why not to add fresh closeouts? Yes, ICANN accrediation explicitly prevents registrars from doing so, but ICANN does not care... and GD can always open another company for their aftermarket activities. Such an outcome is not impossible. Moreover, we do not know - maybe it already happens, with domains that Huge Domains did not like. Such domains will be always renewed, set to private whois and appear on afternic / godaddy almost instantly (would be natural outcome). And, GD may well be successful with this intiative - they have good db of previous sales (afternic/auctions), they have access to auction watchlists, and also to day-to-day handreg trends.