I Suspect Automatic Bidding Software is being Used at GoDaddy Auctions

[lennco]

I have had this feeling before but now I strongly believe that someone is using Automatic Bidding Software at Godaddy expiring auctions.

I just went through a grueling 4hr long bidding war with mostly one other bidder over at Godaddy's Expiring Auctions for a really great name, OnlineFreePoker.com

Why 4hrs?

Because the person I was bidding against place increments of only $5 bids with EXACTLY :26 seconds left extending it 5:26 every time!
Once it went over $500 the increments increased to the required minimum of $10
Never once did they place a higher bid amount then the minimum or at any other time then :26 seconds left in the auction!
Now, why in the world would they do this?

If you are a buyer you don't want to extend the auction any longer then you have too right?
But if you want to get more attention to an auction and maybe get a higher price then the best way would be to extended an auction as long as you possibly can and hopefully attract more bidders, especially if its a great domain like OnlineFreePoker.com
But who would do this? HHhhmmmm....I wonder......

For several hours I tested my theory.
I mostly used proxy bids and I would refresh the auction every second starting at :32 seconds.
:31 :30 :29 :28 :27 BAM! 5:26 extended.
This went on for hours.

And when I was outbid I would test my theory by placing a minimum bid around the :30 second mark and I would once again be the highest bidder.

But other times I was outbid I would then place my bid around the :25 second mark and I would again be outbid by the minimum amount, I knew this because I would immediately place a new minimum bid and I would once again be the high bidder.

So this method told me that even when the other bidder was the highest Bidder, their Automatic Bidding Program would still place a minimum bid at the :26 second mark.
Bidder 3 never once that I could tell every changed their pattern of bidding.

There were 4 bidders total and I was bidder 2 and the suspected auto bidder was 3
Bidder 1 and 4 were not in the auction very long so it was mostly me and auto bidder 3

Bidder 3 came in at $85 and they finally won it at $532 after I gave up and all along the way they only placed the minimum bids at :26 seconds left extending it to 5:26 every time left making the auction last nearly 4 hrs.

So IMHO it was either a Automatic Bidding Program or the most meticulous anal retentive bidder that ever was.
You be the judge

 

[Kate]

It doesn't surprise me. I myself use scripts for certain domain-related purposes like placing backorders (not at GD).
Bidding low increments in an effort to drag the auction is a strategy like any other to discourage other bidders On the occasion I have been guilty of that as well: playing with the nerves of fellow bidders but it was in closed auctions where no more bidders are accepted past the backorder deadline.

Yes, this industry is very competitive and cut-throat. Some people are doing their best to be efficient. Automation is good
It doesn't mean anything improper is taking place.

 

[johname]

You bid for four hours

, lol props to Lennco

The other bidder was probably at the beach while robo bidding against you.

 

[iowadawg]

Or eating some delicious BACON sandwiches.
Saying to him/her self, who is bidding here constantly?

 

[Name Trader]

I've had a similar experience to lennco with the exception of the bid timing. I would say that it would be impossible to get the exact timing of 26 seconds manually. But I also think it would be quite difficult to do this automatically too. With exactly 26 seconds left on the auction with minimum bidding and over 4 hours, and over an internet connection. You would need the script to be running on GoDaddy's servers in order to get it at exactly 26 seconds every time. Now that does open up a can of worms.

What did GoDaddy have to say when you pointed this out to them?

 

[lennco]

What did GoDaddy have to say when you pointed this out to them?

I haven't spoke to them, wouldn't know who to speak to about it.
I doubt a Rep would be much help.
Maybe they could easily pull up the auction it self and take a look at the timing of it all.

What i should have done was took several screenshots before and after each time it happened, like one at :30 and then the next one at 5;26 over and over again

If I start see this pattern again I will do that.

 

[werty]

This is not something new. It has been going on for years. In fact, there were some services/software available to the public a few years ago. I remember USniper and I think there were a few more. Not sure if they are still around or not.

I just found one that seems to be active domainauctionsniper dot com.

 

[AEProgram]

godaddy made some good changes recently, but def if someone places 2 bids without outbidding id stop extending the auction time unless they outbid

 

[DU]

Auctions API

Save time by extending our auction search into your own system or even automating the purchase process to bid and pay at the same time. For more information, contact GoDaddy Auctions® Support at (480) 505-8892.

 

[AEProgram]

Auctions API

Save time by extending our auction search into your own system or even automating the purchase process to bid and pay at the same time. For more information, contact GoDaddy Auctions® Support at (480) 505-8892.

api or not building a app to do it is not complex, only gd can make systematic changes to solve this annoying issues and i suspect they well given they have been improving things big time

 

[buyselldoms]

Yeah, similar to those ebay sniping tools, there is automated bidding software on godaddy auctions.. fact. It uses their API as previously mentioned in the thread. Its just the tools of the trade (so-to-speak), its kind of unfair, but make it a level playing field by doing the same.

You were lucky, onlinefreepoker.com isn't worth that much more than reg fee IMO. $532 was way overpriced. Consider yourself lucky.

I really really hate extending auctions, they should have a time they finish, and allow you to overbid up in increments if you are unable to bid around that time or don't have automated means to do so. One of the things I really hate about flippa, the few gems you get on there used to get extended by weeks... when will it ever end?! They had reduced it now, but its all a process to prevent sniping.

Personally for me, how life works is you pay a premium to get things quicker, (including for convenience) if I am bidding on a website or domain because I think I could begin the transaction within a week... (i.e. the original auction end date or agreed same day deal) a month later, its usually the case of not wanting to pay so much, you know... lost time on registration (only really applicable for very low value domains) and more significantly for a website... I want to utilise it and make money off it ASAP. Its more irritating when you have something time sensitive like a seasonal product being sold.

 

[domainhacks-931385]

Experienced this today. Bidder has a bot that bids at $5 increments at exactly 0:28

 

[Name Trader]

OK. The $64k question. Where to get one of these GD Auctions scripts? Is there any recommended one out there?

 

[iowadawg]

ha./....forget software.....
Multibid Tool
The multibid tool lets you bid on several domains at once. You are limited to a maximum of 50 bids. List the domain name and the price you are willing to pay on each line. You must be a paid member of the GoDaddy Auctions program to use this tool.

And this:
http://domainnamewire.com/2015/01/08/godaddy-auctions-implements-bidder-verification/

But you all go on being paranoid.

Though I do believe that godaddy should eliminate the extension on bidding.

 

[ulterios]

Are you guys sure it's a script?

 

[domainhacks-931385]

2015/03/25 03:10 PM (PDT)2015/03/25 03:31 PM (PDT)Bidder 1$216
Comment:
2015/03/25 03:10 PM (PDT)2015/03/25 03:31 PM (PDT)My Bid$216
Comment:
2015/03/25 03:05 PM (PDT)2015/03/25 03:31 PM (PDT)Bidder 1$211
Comment:
2015/03/25 03:05 PM (PDT)2015/03/25 03:31 PM (PDT)My Bid$211
Comment:
2015/03/25 03:00 PM (PDT)2015/03/25 03:31 PM (PDT)Bidder 1$206
Comment:
2015/03/25 02:55 PM (PDT)2015/03/25 03:31 PM (PDT)My Bid$201

The automated software would place a bid at exactly 0:28 before the end.

So if I bid below 28 seconds, I would be outbid even though I had the same bid.

Oh well, hopefully can do a who is check and find the perpetrator. If they don't go into privacy.

 

[TravisS]

Bot or not, I don't see what the big deal is. It's a pain in the ass to have someone run the clock, but it happens more often than not. Stick in your highest bid, and that would be the end of it.

Now if it's someone bidding on their own, obviously there's an issue. But if you aren't willing to outbid them on the name, than they beat you.

Still, fun test and finding.

 

[Beezy]

I want this bot. It would probably save me a ton of money.

 

[TravisS]

I want this bot. It would probably save me a ton of money.

It may save you time, so you aren't sitting at the computer waiting on the name, but it's not going to save you money. The name is going to go for whatever amount the market decides.

 

[Beezy]

It may save you time, so you aren't sitting at the computer waiting on the name, but it's not going to save you money. The name is going to go for whatever amount the market decides.

I'm sure it would do both.

For example, often if it seems there a is a proxy bid much higher than mine - say the bid right now is at $202 - I'd bid $249.99, $299.99, $324.99. I do this to try to hit right under their proxy bid and then I have a strategic advantage of figuring out my next move because I know where the bidder is at. That whole process usually takes me less than a minute.

If i had a bot doing it $5 at a time, 5 minutes at a time, we're talking 20 to 40 possible auction extensions. At this point that buyer might be gone. I could be avoiding a bidding war right then and there.

This is all hypothetical and no 2 auctions play out the same, but I feel like with my style of bidding, this would be VERY helpful.