Namejet & Snapnames visible pre-bids, what do you think?

[canswift]

When Namejet started they decided to show alongside each domain in any search, if there were any pre-bids (not the actual bidders) on that domain. Snapnames followed in a heart-beat with the same indication of pre-bid interest in their names lists.

What are NPers thoughts on this practice? Presumably both companies feel it will encourage bidding, if you see something with pre-bids already placed. In my experience, I tend not to pre-bid if I see other bids. I also no longer load lots of names into my cart to "watch", forget about them and come back a week later to find I've bought them. (I laughed for a week when an NPer posted he'd ended up with "LipstickLezzies" by forgeting he had this in a Snapnames cart!)

Do you find you pre-bid more or less on Namejet and Snapnames with the companies possibly flagging interest to others with the exposed pre-bids?

 

[PowerUp]

I find it annoying that people will know I'm interested in certain domains.

I used to be able to bid hours or even days before the deadline and I will own the domain because no other bidders bid on the name. Now, if there are no other bidders and I want to bid at the last minute before the deadline then I'll have to stay awake until wee hours in the morning because I'm in a different timezone. Often, I just forget about it because I rationalize that, "If nobody else is interested in this domain, then chances are this domain will not be backordered and I will be able to buy it after it completely drops for only 10% of its cost." So, I go to bed.

However, if the name has already 1 pre-bid, then I'll also join the backorder.

I used to spend up to $800 a month on backorders. Now, I only spend max $150 a month. I figured that there's no point in backordering the name, and get myself into a bidding war and in the end have other people outbid me. I just take my chances and reg them after they completely drop.

 

[guarddragon]

PowerUp,

My thoughts exactly.

 

[1901gt]

I find it annoying that people will know I'm interested in certain domains.

I used to be able to bid hours or even days before the deadline and I will own the domain because no other bidders bid on the name. Now, if there are no other bidders and I want to bid at the last minute before the deadline then I'll have to stay awake until wee hours in the morning because I'm in a different timezone. Often, I just forget about it because I rationalize that, "If nobody else is interested in this domain, then chances are this domain will not be backordered and I will be able to buy it after it completely drops for only 10% of its cost." So, I go to bed.

However, if the name has already 1 pre-bid, then I'll also join the backorder.

I used to spend up to $800 a month on backorders. Now, I only spend max $150 a month. I figured that there's no point in backordering the name, and get myself into a bidding war and in the end have other people outbid me. I just take my chances and reg them after they completely drop.

Seconded. :bingo:

 

[buckshotdots]

I hated it for the reason that I didn't want people to see which ones I did my homework on (cream of the crop so to speak). It gave someone an easy way to cherry pick.

BUT at the same time I loved it as now I didnt have to guess if someone would grab it or take the chance to see if it would end up selling for $9. No bids ='d low auction starting price.

But now they are not tasting and doing the $9 ones so now I am back to hating it.

g-

 

[hawkeye]

I don't care for it at all myself. Now, you have to wait til the last minute almost to bid, which sucks, because I have forgotten to go back to 'last minute bid' and lost some names I was interested in. In fact I forgot about bids showing up, placed a bid on a name yesterday, and damm...., there it was - a big 'notice me flag' for all to see and bid against me. Now I've got hope no one sees it in the next week.

Of course there is the flipside, where you too can find something you may have not seen!!

... (I laughed for a week when an NPer posted he'd ended up with "LipstickLezzies" by forgeting he had this in a Snapnames cart!)
...

:o...........:red:

...and that name is in need of a good nuturing domainer too!! Anyone interested, I have an 'in' with that buyer and may be able to get you a good deal on it!! :blink:

 

[Kate]

The downloadable lists have been showing the number of bids as well

 

[canswift]

Thanks for the posts. The reactions are about what I figured. I too am spending less as names without bids I'll just follow through to the drop. I have got a few that way (not great traffic names obviously, but good niche ones I'm interested in). Since I'll only pre-bid now at the last minute, I'm not loading a cart ahead of time and due to time issues have sometimes missed the pre-bidding cut-off.

So, all in all, who is this visible pre-bidding supposed to benefit? Not domainers, and not Namejet or Snapnames if the reduced bidding stories are tallied up. I might try outlining these concerns to both companies. I'll probably get the usual corporate "your business is important to us" pap, but it's worth a try.