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.

 

[tonyk2000]

the api access should be blocked for closeouts

The best solution.
@Joe Styler - was such a solution considered?

 

[Joe Styler]

This is not true, Huge Domains has figured a way to shoot that silver bullet in the closeouts. I hit refresh every second, and they still beat me, the second it came up at $11, and by the time I hit add to cart, within a second it was gone, a week later sitting with Huge Domains, seen this happen a few times, so its not a one time thing. API access accounts are gaming the closeout process, the same way you allowed them with the backorder loophole. Which took years to abolish.

Maybe someone has a human sitting there. Maybe you could get multiple computers, or maybe you could write a script to check for the domain quickly or pay someone else to do it, or pay for a faster internet connection, or set up the API and monitor the performance of your code and calls and rework it over and over again to look for ways to get more efficient, etc. I don't know this for certain but I would be willing to bet that people who spend a lot of money on domains and know that seconds count have also invested heavily in equipment, and internet performance and probably also closely monitor their own performance and watch for ways to cut ms off their processes to get that competitive advantage. Anyone can do it, that's really outside our prerogative of running the site. We don't have the ability to put everyone on the same computer or same internet speed or same level of coding skill, etc nor should we.
We give everyone the same ability to use our marketplace via the same access. That is really all we can do.

 

[D Haynes]

Why? If a closeout domain is wanted by at least one customer, Huge Domains or not, it will be purchased and GD will receive the same $$$.

Correcting myself: It may indeed change the revenue from non-closeout expired auction sales. It would be harder to place bids based on somebodys interest, third party websites will no more post "listings with bids", etc.

Thats what I meant yeah lower final bids on expired auctions as prices would not be hiked by HD bot bidding too.

 

[D Haynes]

Would also be interesting to know if the API can return queries on "names with bids" or similar for expired auctions. I know this thread is about closeout domains but there are similar problems on expired domain auctions in my opinion.

 

[tonyk2000]

We give everyone the same ability to use our marketplace via the same access. That is really all we can do.

Joe, this opens the question - why universal API access is not there by default, why ask for it?

I think I know the answer. Imho: GD still needs human bidders. More and more API accesses = More bot wars, and more customers will decide to stop using the auctions completely as the result. Whether it is one Huge Domains or Huge Domains with dozens of other bots, the outcome would be the same as we see today.

In other words, providing more API accesses may only shut some namepros threads (like this one) down, but it will not solve the problem.

Logical solution - stop providing API accesses at all - or, at least, for closeout domains, is something that GD should consider instead I think...

 

[wwwulff]

This is not true, Huge Domains has figured a way to shoot that silver bullet in the closeouts

I think you're right, they must have found a way to snipe closeouts maybe through their API access - I live in Denmark and have the fastest internet connection you can get here (and denmark is not a 3rd world country when it comes to internet connections) and I can't beat them either. I hope this is something GD will do something about, even though this is probably not likely.

 

[wwwweb]

I think you're right, they must have found a way to snipe closeouts maybe through their API access - I live in Denmark and have the fastest internet connection you can get here (and denmark is not a 3rd world country when it comes to internet connections) and I can't beat them either. I hope this is something GD will do something about, even though this is probably not likely.

Thank You, for backing that up, I have a premium high speed connection also, and a few times, I have hit refresh until it shows $11, and in that split second they have already added it to their cart. There is no way I could beat them in that human element within a 1.5-2 second click.

 

[wwwulff]

In the past, I got a fair share of the best closeouts I could find, but now they end up with HD (like you I have tjekked and they got them) - In the last two days I have lost two auctions to them, a 6 letter brandable where I had a max bid of 210 (they got it for 215) and a 2 word name where my max was 423 (they got it for 428) and i lost 5 closeuots which i will later check up on to see if they also ended up with HD.

Over the last couple of days I have also experimented a little to tease HD so I placed a lot of $32 bids on names that had a starting bid of $10/12 and a $15/17 bid from HD - I placed the bids about 30 seconds before expiration and that meant HD had to pay $37 instead of the normal, $15/17 (They won them all) - It is easy to see that it is HD that has placed the bid for when you check the start bidder is always bidder 2 with a second bid from bidder 1 (HD)

Maybe I can make a commission deal with GD where I get a share of each of the $22 I can get them extra

 

[wwwweb]

Godaddy will never close the API sniping in closeouts, because they want you to bid in play, and huge domains will pounce on your last minute bid, and bid you into the hundreds. Catch 22, you can’t win either way.

This is not an auction experience, it is a grey area, and no auction should operate in such a manner.

 

[offthehandle]

..

This is not an auction experience, it is highly unethical, and no auction should operate in such a manner.

I quit bidding there, not returning. Why don't you guys file a formal complaint?
These are not defined as "auctions" in the TOS, yet they are. It would be interesting what the state might say when you get a response.

https://www.auctionschools.com/arizona-auctioneer-requirements/

Arizona State Consumer Protection Department
1275 W. Washington St.
Phoeniz, AZ 85007
602.542.5025

I read this thread about API's awhile back and believed it, although above it was clarified as untrue. This online mis-disinformation about API's not available- kinda have to laugh if it was intentional or not.

"All you need is an API and write some code. Easy peasy. It’s public for everyone to see. Of course they aren’t giving out API access anymore so unless you already have an account like XXXX and XXXX and many others who are bidding against you, you have to manually do everything like a peasant."

dsad. com /domain-shanes-daily-list-of-domains-at-auction-for-thursday-april-11th-2019/

Why not set up a VPS next door to the auction servers or within the same cloud running your API, like they do in Wallstreet to shave off a few milliseconds?

 

[tonyk2000]

Maybe I can make a commission deal with GD where I get a share of each of the $22 I can get them extra

Who knows, such deals may already happen in our industry. Not necessary in connection with GD-HugeDomains relations in particular or GD in general (I have no proof of course, so this post is just a theoretical assumption). Generally speaking, it is not illegal to compensate 2nd highest auction bidders in some way. Especially if the auctions are formally not auctions as per ToS - which is the case in domaining industry. And, even if was illegal... there are always alternatives how to pay. By formally hiring somebodys wife or sister with a million dollar "salary", for example.

 

[MapleDots]

I don't wish to offend anyone on Namepros.

Offens someone on namepros?

No never.... I have yet to see it

 

[wwwweb]

Anyone notice godaddy auction page listed appraisals, are higher for the exact same name than the actual godaddy appraisal via the actual URL input page.

Kind of strange.

 

[BrandZen]

Speaking of GD.. they are currently down. Just called tech support and they confirmed downtime. I wonder what happens to auctions. Do they continue to end as scheduled? If yes, people that already bid will get some great deals.

 

[wwwweb]

Anyone notice godaddy auction page listed appraisals, are higher for the exact same name than the actual godaddy appraisal via the actual URL input page.

Kind of strange.

Check out iconi.com
$11,xxx auction page appraisal

$8,xxx appraisal via URL page

People would tend to bid more, and higher amounts based on an over $3k price discrepancy via appraisal thru the same party.

 

[wwwweb]

Speaking of GD.. they are currently down. Just called tech support and they confirmed downtime. I wonder what happens to auctions. Do they continue to end as scheduled? If yes, people that already bid will get some great deals.

Don’t worry Huge Domains has their bot bids firing just fine.

 

[alcy]

Speaking of GD.. they are currently down. Just called tech support and they confirmed downtime. I wonder what happens to auctions. Do they continue to end as scheduled? If yes, people that already bid will get some great deals.

yes they seem down.

usually its rare they are down and for short time. maybe different now!!!

 

[wwwweb]

Looks like Huge Domains is using proxies just under 12% of appraised values.

So if something has a $6K godaddy appraisal they are placing proxy bids arising $700, and yes they are not just bidding on sub $200, they are playing higher amounts.

Anything good you are going to pay a Huge Domains tax on Godaddy as they are pretty much sitting with a ready in place proxy.

 

[alcy]

Looks like Huge Domains is using proxies just under 12% of appraised values.

So if something has a $6K godaddy appraisal they are placing proxy bids arising $700, and yes they are not just bidding on sub $200, they are playing higher amounts.

Anybting good you are going to pay a Huge Domains tax on Godaddy as they are pretty much sitting with a ready in place proxy.

this sounds so wrong on so many levels.

 

[wwwweb]

this sounds so wrong on so many levels.

It’s a double edged sword given they own over 5 million domains, they are buying an insurance policy to make sure they are not undercut on their $1800-$3500 range, you aren’t going to catch high appraisal names for a few hundred, you have to step up, this ensures that they are not being undercut in the final aftermarket sales, they need to keep a pricing advantage to keep the cash flow moving to pay the renewal, and fund new purchases as long as the economy keeps rolling.

To be honest after quoting end users $2-5k and hearing them balk like it’s a crazy amount, it’s unreal how some of these godaddy names keep selling for $2-10k on the daily, it’s not that easy to get your money back, especially if you have to pay a 20 percent commission. I almost think investors are more optimistic than most end users.