Premium Listing Sold on GoDaddy for $99,999.00, My list Price, GoDaddy Nonresponsive

[heartsforhemp]

I am current domain holder of over 1300 domains in a certain industry. One I know like the back of my hand. I received notification that a domain I had listed on premium listing was transferred out of my account. I then contacted GoDaddy to see if it had sold. I was told yes it had sold. The domain was listed at $99,999.00 the maximum I could list on GoDaddy. I received a receipt from GoDaddy saying "Congratulations on selling your premium domain at listed price $99,999.00". This is life changing for me, who invests everything back into programs for people and the less fortunate. Thinking I finally caught a break.

Since then I have received no response from GoDaddy support team regarding the sale of my domain. The most unfortunate part is typically when I receive these emails I am always paid the amount minus commissions. I began immediately paying off some large debts I have incurred being in the industry I am in. I am now concerned of financial discourse to my family because GoDaddy doesn't want to cough up my money.

What do I do? I've called, emailed, and contacted to no avail.

Please Help @Joe Styler

 

[Mister Funsky]

Funsky, is this update all across Epik happening immediately just across Epik, or all across many different platforms, such as partner sites. THAT should be the question.

That is kinda my point in a way...daddy, with all its 'partner' sites should have a system advanced enough to initiate changes in a reasonable amount of time across them all.

It is a matter of programming and hardware...they have deep enough pockets to pull both off at any time they wish. If they have a 'partner' site that can't keep up, well, that site should not be a partner.

 

[carob]

We've also had many discussions on here about GD saying a domain is not free just after it drops, probably due to them caching results.

Do people here take into account caching, and why and how it happens?

If I make 100 queries an hour to your database from my website, that costs you. So if you only allow me to query your database once per hour, you cut your server/database load from me by 99%. You save money. You avoid overload. I cache your results on my site.

Likewise, if I keep updating the databases on my site in real time - for queries on the site and incoming queries from other sites - the load and cost is higher than if I update them periodically in batches and also cache the results to serve up on request.

Caching is saving Godaddy money. Whether this caching is worth the tradeoffs is a question for GD management. They certainly could require that partners query their prices in real time from the GD site, though that might add very slightly to load times on partner sites. Equally, they could block a sale if the price at GD is temporarily higher than the price at the partner site, but perhaps they won't do that, to avoid losing a sale.

 

[JudgeMind]

so...what was the final sale price if not $99,999?

 

[LarryDomain]

Godaddy has been having a lot of glitches lately though. A bunch of my account shows expiring when I renewed it a few weeks ago already. Lucky tech support confirmed via email that it's not expired and showed me how to access their OLDER platform. Their new upgraded platform shows expired!

 

[Keith]

@Joe Styler

How much did godaddy tell you it sold for when you called/emailed?

 

[heartsforhemp]

I hope it works out for you, nice sale.

Some advice, never start wiping debts until you have the funds in the bank, and that applies to any industry, not just domaining.

I concur

 

[gilescoley]

How long ago did you get the email saying it had sold? I see the whois on the domain only updated 2 days ago.

 

[maxtra]

Why did you decide to price GlobalHempSociety.com at $99k

Just curious

Many congrats on the sale

 

[DomainBarracksRob]

Why did you decide to price GlobalHempSociety.com at $99k

Just curious

Many congrats on the sale

Reason for the list price is I am aware of various sectors merging to share medical information on cannabinoids globally and large networks that they are comprised of.

The Domain is GLOBALHEMPSOCIETY.COM

 

[carob]

The domain was listed at $99,999.00 the maximum I could list on GoDaddy.

If you list via Afternic you can set a much higher price and the listing will still appear in Godaddy searches. Above a certain pricepoint fasttransfer is not possible, ie the domain does not automatically leave your account when buyer pays.

You can administer Afternic listings from within a Godaddy account now, this feature is technically beta but seems to work just fine.

 

[carob]

Point is, all sales should be handled in the same manner.

Interesting point because once a buyer clicks to buy the domain has to be classed as sold so no one else can buy it. But paying by wire could take three days to arrive, and above a certain level probably more stringent Know Your Customer conditions kick in. Tipalti.com say on their website that they process payments for Godaddy, so they may be processing it in a particular way.

I have never bought a domain for 99k so I do not know what payment terms and deadlines are offered to a customer when doing that on GD. Do you have to pay at once for the domain to even be sold? On Sedo for example you have about five days to pay the invoice, and during that time Sedo will not be listing the domain for sale.

 

[NYJimbo]

I'm making popcorn, something don't seem right .....

 

[BaileyUK]

Hmm, Domain taken within the 24-48 hours of updating your price.(though not propagated) Makes you wonder doesn't it .

 

[BaileyUK]

They verified there had "been a mistake"

So your updated price had propagated to the Billing dept but not to the listing price, You can't help but get that feeling that someone stepped in knowing that price update was pending

 

[carob]

Sure wrecked my day

Since you had changed the price before the sale you would be entitled to ask them to reverse the sale, if you wanted, but that might not be best for you.

This case is another strong reason to NOT enable fast transfer.

There is a whole other thread on here about Dustie.com selling way below what owner thought was the listing price at GD.

 

[BaileyUK]

I've no-doubt there's plenty of coverage in the T&C's about updates and delays but, that still doesn't cover the timing of all this confusion. Very dodgy if you ask me

 

[carob]

We do state it clearly in the TOS it has been there for many years. The prices cannot update in real time because of several factors including the amount of sites and places that need to be updated, the amount of domains changing at any given time, etc.
It is found here https://www.godaddy.com/legal/agreements/domain-name-registration-agreement under the premium domain selling section.

It says this:

In the event that you update your sale price, you acknowledge and agree that it may take up to 24 hours to update the price shown to buyers. In the event your domain name sells prior to the price being updated on the website, you agree that the price listed will be enforced.

I certainly have seen GD prices take at least 48 hours to update. And prices on every other platform I use update in real time.

As you say, that refers to Godaddy Premium names - and so does not refer to Afternic listed domains. Can you explain to us the policy on how long Afternic price updates need to take effect?

Again, as far as I can see, the only way to prevent sale at a previous price is to delete the listing, then re-list if you wish at the new price.

Sad that when I asked GD support about this they told me a domain would not sell at a previous price pending changes.

 

[carob]

The prices cannot update in real time because of several factors including the amount of sites and places that need to be updated, the amount of domains changing at any given time, etc.

Are you saying the prices are cached rather than queried in real time? Yes, that could save some load on servers and databases, in other words, money.

So are we once again looking at GD not being willing to spend money on something basic (real time update costs) and so displacing cost, risk, and inconvenience onto customers?

 

[jideofor]

I’d bet the farm that godaddy makes more on domains less than $1k than they do on 5 figure sales, if looking at the totality of auctions.

Anyhow, if this were me I’d demand the domain back. I know the OP got a price he can live with but I’d not be so easy.

The assumption is that once you change the price, that’s the price! There shouldn’t be a lag time as a few have pointed out already. Simply bad business...

Godaddy needs to do something about this but that is really sad that they could allow this

 

[equity78]

Never list at afternic. A rep there went into my account and changed a bin price. I’d never list anything for sale at either platform.

They have enough control over our domains, don’t give them more by providing a bin price!

I have read you post that before, that is basically fraudulent, @Joe Styler @Paul Nicks IMO this either has to be refuted or explained, this member has stated someone at your company went into his account UNAUTHORIZED and changed a buy it now price.

 

[Page Howe]

so i think the takeaway here is when you get an email inquiry about a name you have listed in marketplaces, delete it, dont just change price.

im guessing the seller here received and email, and once he had a customer asked for more then the current listing price..and so he went and changed the price up to $99,999

but now we know it doesnt take effect for awhile

page

 

[heartsforhemp]

My biggest fear is that I will never know what it really sold for, for all I know it did sell big, and GoDaddy didn't want a flux in peoples list pricing because one thought to not sell at high value did at a record. I mean when they accept money in they should know if there is an error or not, immediately. In addition one of the reps on a recorded line said it sold for more than what GDaddy offered me. Regardless I'm heartbroken and don't know if I have faith in these guys anymore considering they have not shown one ounce of evidence, shitty domain or not, of what it physically sold for and whom it sold to. Now even after it sold I was searching it on google and this is what was shown (screenshot), until it disappeared completely.

 

[carob]

Hence why I stated I have begun and others should ...If you still wish to sell on GD ....ONLY List in Afternic as that price is reflected on both Afternic and GD home page search !

Since I’ve started this it has made things much less confusing price wise for me and ....keeps this scenario from happening which took place with OP! I’m far from the best here but just my own personal opinion at this time .

Afternic ToS say this:
https://www.afternic.com/legal

B. Additional Fast Transfer Terms and Conditions for Sellers
6. Seller may change the Buy Now Price at any time; provided however, seller understands and agrees that by changing the Buy Now Price, the Listed Domain(s) is subject to a new valuation by Afternic. In addition, due to the nature of e-commerce and the internet, Afternic is unable to guarantee that any change to the Buy Now Price shall be published on Afternic and its reseller sites before an offer is received. Seller is obligated to complete a transaction with a confirmed buyer for the posted price even if seller tried to increase the Buy Now Price prior to the time of the purchase.

Not sure if that applies to all Afternic listings or just Fast Transfer. If that only applies to Fast Transfer, where are the ToS for price changes on other domains? In any case it does not give a time limit, whereas GD Premium ToS, quoted earlier in thread, allow GD only 24 hours to change displayed prices, though in reality it may take longer.

 

[carob]

they do not

If the domain sold at a price that was not your old listing price and not your new listing price, that would imply that GD changed the price without your consent or authority and would be very serious.

 

[xynames]

Why don't you just tell us the old price, the price the domain actually sold for, and the money you got. This will end all these blind argument.

Agreed!


If the domain sold for the exact old BIN, that's all we need to know - the old BIN price.

But if there was also a floor price, and the domain sold for somewhere between the floor and the BIN, then we'd need to know the old floor and the old BIN.

It would also be useful to know HOW LONG these old prices were in place.

If he's not going to disclose any of that, it's time for me to unwatch this thread.
https://www.namepros.com/threads/unwatch-a-thread-the-two-day-rule.1134340/

Again, my sympathies, but we're all just burning rubber in the dark at this point. Which doesn't sound very good, no matter how you picture that!