Poll: Will you participate in the Afternic Boost program?

[Future Sensors]

Afternic was thrilled to announce their new Afternic Boost program.

Afternic Sellers have been automatically opted-in to the program, but you can choose to opt-out if you prefer.

In this Poll, Afternic Sellers can indicate whether they will remain opted in, or if they have opted out of the program.

Members’ choices in this poll will be visible to everyone.

 

[bmugford]

When I asked my manager I had this answer :

I confirmed, it's exact match with TLD, so the buyer would need to type in the name directly for it to show under GoDaddy Search, if you are opted out of "Boost".

I guess the question then becomes what is the value in that vs. being the 14th result under "suggested", behind a bunch of trash options like .sucks?

Brad

 

[NameGroove]

I guess the question then becomes what is the value in that vs. being the 14th result under "suggested", behind a bunch of trash options like .sucks?

Brad

And this is just for exact match. Someone searches a brandable name - the AI simply isn't capable (yet) of providing a similar name. How many of us have dictionary exact match? And if we do - it doesn't need extra marketing from GD except for cross TLD promotion (which goes to your point @bmugford). My TLD is behind .sucks, .skin, .gay, etc. You want to pay 5% extra to have your "keyword" name show behind all this?

Again, I implore everyone to TYPE IN A SIMILAR NAME - and then see what comes up. Does your name show? Or is it crapola? Identify what it is you're paying for.

 

[NameGroove]

When I asked my manager I had this answer :

I confirmed, it's exact match with TLD, so the buyer would need to type in the name directly for it to show under GoDaddy Search, if you are opted out of "Boost".

btw, I just did a test and one of my domains is showing as cross-promoted for a non exact match type in. So it appears your acct manager is incorrect (at least for this one name). Since it's hard to believe it's an isolated incident, it has only affirmed my belief that opt-ing out was the proper call. I am still being cross-promoted as the 11th listed name (behind such wonders as a hyphen and .sucks, but nevertheless there).

 

[davidc1]

btw, I just did a test and one of my domains is showing as cross-promoted for a non exact match type in. So it appears your acct manager is incorrect (at least for this one name). Since it's hard to believe it's an isolated incident, it has only affirmed my belief that opt-ing out was the proper call. I am still being cross-promoted as the 11th listed name (behind such wonders as a hyphen and .sucks, but nevertheless there).

normal, optout will begin the 4th september

 

[NameGroove]

normal, optout will begin the 4th september

That'll be a good test then. I will re-type the word on Sept 4/5 and see.

 

[ResoluteDomains]

I’ve “downgraded” (opt out)

The marketing / emails to potential buyers should have its own “optin”

I wonder if we can get portfolio sizes for those who opted out? Just to see if we can make an impact…

385

 

[Edukar]

I see some voted for boost have status

Member Unavailable​

I wonder are they really GD bots?

 

[Edukar]

I think need to count real members for woting.
And do not count newbies (I found them too)
I can trust only 2 real members who voting for AF boost program

 

[bmugford]

I see some voted for boost have status

Member Unavailable​

I wonder are they really GD bots?

What a comeback!

It was 1-49 when I checked earlier today now it's 7-50.

I guest all the boost fans were waiting to vote.

Brad

 

[Springs77]

The VERIFIED and PREMIUM labels have already been showing for the past week so that looks like it's activated now, but I don't know about search. I can't seem to get any names to show up in "suggested" yet.

 

[Future Sensors]

https://domainnamewire.com/2024/09/02/afternic-boost-commissions-kick-in-on-wednesday/

 

[Mister Funsky]

https://domainnamewire.com/2024/09/02/afternic-boost-commissions-kick-in-on-wednesday/

He mentions sedo, saw and atom as other listing/selling options.

What about good old Namepro's landers!?!?! Maybe he is not clued in yet.

 

[Bob Hawkes]

I have been waiting until almost last day, but just now have opted out of Afternic Boost (I have roughly 1700 domains, although a number on one year trials, for those asking for that information). Here are some of my considerations:

• I think that the Verified badge is important and will result in additional sales. I almost retained Boost simply to keep that. But I disagree with Afternic showing verified for some and not for others, simply on whether you pay more commission, when the exact same verification state exists. That seems almost unethical. I hope if enough opt out of Boost that they will need to rethink this. and offer it to everyone.
• I never liked the email marketing component of Boost simply because we know so little. I did not opt in to Atom Cloud Brokerage for my names because I did not want people I did not approve emailing people about my names, without even knowing who was contacted on which names. This is GD automation or agents, but many of same arguments. Something like this should be a separate opt in for certain names.
• I would like my names to appear in search, but keeping Boost on until today it still appears that many names will be invisible or sporadically shown in search. The few that do appear in search are buried among promoted hand reg suggestions such as .sucks. Yesterday, while I still had Boost active, I tested 15 one-word .xyz names listed on Afternic all with FT enabled. I searched on that exact word (without a TLD). Only 6 of my 15 even appeared anywhere in the long list. All 15 searches had .sucks hand registration suggestions. Many TLD names never appear in search however. This is not worth a 33% higher commission to me.
• I don't like how this has unfolded. Afternic had a separate search with results not including hand registration suggestions, registry promotions, etc. It was far from great, but had significant searches each month. They report only 1% of those purchased that way, though. They decided to disable that, go to GD search. That meant that all aftermarket names were now lost in a sea of registry promoted hand registrations. They also brought in their AI search, advertised it extensively, and the AI search excluded (I think a few now appear) aftermarket domains. So they broke search, for 6 months had it change weekly, supposedly for the trials to produce the 'up to 10%' research. Now we need to pay more commission not for a great place, but just any place among the various registry promoted names.
• I thank all those who did various projections on where it became cost neutral. We don't know the type of portfolio that received the 10% boost. The boost of a portfolio like the NameFind one is not likely indicative of a boost of one word names but in alternative extensions. Had I known more about the research, it might have influenced me. For example, if I saw that a portfolio high in alternative extensions that are not part of FT still got a significant boost.
• I would opt in for certain names if that was an option.
• I might opt in portfolio wide if the higher commission only applied to sales via GD search.
• I would have thought that an effective search mechanism and effective presentation (e.g. verified badge) would be core, not something only for those agreeing to pay more.
• I was still somewhat on the fence, surprisingly. In the end, I was swayed by those arguing that if enough people opt out, the community will have spoken, and they will need to revisit this.

I do appreciate that you can change Boost status in 48 hours, and might, depending on how this develops, try opt in for a period.

I am glad that we have an increasing number of good alternatives within the domain world. It is important for big players to realize they are not the only game in town.

-Bob

 

[Acroplex]

Thank you, Bob. Well-explained with a rational, all-rounded approach. Unlike what GD utilized in order to come up with this monstrosity.

No service is worth 1/5 of your domain's value! I don't care if Aman Bhutani himself straps on a picket and attempts to sell my domains on the street. It would not be worth 20% of MY domain's value.

 

[NameGroove]

I have been waiting until almost last day, but just now have opted out of Afternic Boost

• I would like my names to appear in search, but keeping Boost on until today it still appears that many names will be invisible or sporadically shown in search. The few that do appear in search are buried among promoted hand reg suggestions such as .sucks. Yesterday, while I still had Boost active, I tested 15 one-word .xyz names listed on Afternic all with FT enabled. I searched on that exact word (without a TLD). Only 6 of my 15 even appeared anywhere in the long list. All 15 searches had .sucks hand registration suggestions. Many TLD names never appear in search however. This is not worth a 33% higher commission to me.

-Bob

This This is clearly why it's not worth it to me. Search for your names folks! You're buying this boost service. Do you buy anything else in the world without a test drive? Do you buy anything else in the world on hope? No!! You test drive it. So do it. Type in similar words and see what appears. .sucks, .gay, .lol and a sprinkling of absolutely unrelated nonsensical 'boosted' words. Would you actually pay 5% extra for it? Clearly not! Then why aren't you opt-ing out? You think the lack of a badge will stop a buyer from taking a great name on GoDaddy's platform, within GoDaddy's cart? No way.

 

[Future Sensors]

No service is worth 1/5 of your domain's value! I don't care if Aman Bhutani himself straps on a picket and attempts to sell my domains on the street. It would not be worth 20% of MY domain's value.

As the poll starter, I try to limit my interactions in this thread. However, I must point out that your percentages are based on the most favorable scenario. If you use different name servers than GoDaddy’s, the percentage could be as low as 30%.

 

[silentg]

About a month ago, I emailed my rep with my feedback and concerns. Rep understood my concerns and told me he would get back to me with answers. He wasn't able to get answers from his side. You're right about how this was rolled out.

how it was rolled out: Take it or leave it, we're not willing to take any feedback, and we're going to ignore any questions related to Afternic Boost.

 

[Acroplex]

As the poll starter, I try to limit my interactions in this thread. However, I must point out that your percentages are based on the most favorable scenario. If you use different name servers than GoDaddy’s, the percentage could be as low as 30%.

Of course, the "head tax" of 25% that targets competition directly under the pretext of "true value" has not been forgotten. So sign up for the 20% option now. Next year it could be 50% with no verified seller badge LOL

 

[DN_Hunter]

I've been testing the waters with the Lease-to-own option. My hope was to have a few Lease-sales that could produce a nice monthly income amount.

Longer leases could bring down seller commissions to zero (37+ months). The buyer pays an additional 30% of list price in order to lease for 37+ months.

Below is a copy/paste from their info about commissions. My question is, with BOOST, they raised the commission to 20% (using Afternic Nameservers). Will the commission schedule be modified to get the full 20% discount on longer leases?

Copy/paste from the Afternic FAQ's
=======================================================================

What is the commission rate for Lease to Own domains?​

Standard Afternic commission rates apply to Lease to Own, and sellers will benefit from commission discounts for longer term deals.   

• Seller commission discount by term length:  
• 2–12 months: no commission discount  
• 13–24 months: 5% discount  
• 25–36 months: 10% discount  
• 37–60 months: 15% discount  

=======================================================================

 

[Dane]

I don't care if Aman Bhutani himself straps on a picket and attempts to sell my domains on the street.

Thanks for that visual !!

 

[Acroplex]

There you go!

 

[markfromslo]

• I think that the Verified badge is important and will result in additional sales. I almost retained Boost simply to keep that. But I disagree with Afternic showing verified for some and not for others, simply on whether you pay more commission, when the exact same verification state exists. That seems almost unethical. I hope if enough opt out of Boost that they will need to rethink this. and offer it to everyone.

Highly unethical. Could it be illegal? It's definitely a lie. What extra work did Afternic/Godaddy do to "verify" the name? Isn't a name verified just due the fact that it's registered and they accepted the name in Afternic, as they do review the name additions? What would they have done beyond that to verify it? Nothing that I can see. And the the hell is verified anyway? That the name is actually a real domain name and not a fake one (LOL)?

It's all one big fat marketing lie. All domain names sold at Afternic are verified.

Luckily, IMO I don't think it makes one bit of difference to a buyer.

 

[Jannes]

Highly unethical. Could it be illegal? It's definitely a lie. What extra work did Afternic/Godaddy do to "verify" the name? Isn't a name verified just due the fact that it's registered and they accepted the name in Afternic, as they do review the name additions? What would they have done beyond that to verify it? Nothing that I can see. And the the hell is verified anyway? That the name is actually a real domain name and not a fake one (LOL)?

It's all one big fat marketing lie. All domain names sold at Afternic are verified.

Luckily, IMO I don't think it makes one bit of difference to a buyer.

So it's just fast transfer.

 

[Domo Sapiens]

$ponsored bloggers, marketers, domain new$ publishers, promoters, etc.... should abstain from participating in this poll...

 

[markfromslo]

Show attachment 262215


So it's just fast transfer.

So does this mean that all my names that are currently marked as Fast Transfer (nearly all 6,000), are really not Fast Transfer? They've taken this away without really telling us they are taking it away?