Sedo will Re-Run Third .MOBI Auction

[Sedo]

Hi All!

As I'm sure has been anticipated, Sedo has released a statement regarding the third dotMobi registray auction and our plans for moving forward with a resolution. Read on below:

Sedo statement:

On December 5, 2007, the third and final .MOBI auction was scheduled to close on Sedo’s domain auction platform. In line with the previous two .MOBI auctions, the available domains garnered significant attention and received many competing bids in the seven days the auction ran. The domains received so much attention in the final moments that Sedo’s auction servers crashed before the completion of the auctions, rendering our system incapable of processing many validly submitted bids, including proxy bids set by user’s using the feature to automatically bid up to a maximum amount, and sending out winner notifications in error.

While Sedo takes steps to ensure the stability and security of our services, the crash that occurred could not have been predicted given traffic spikes more than ten times higher than anticipated by previous high-traffic auctions. Decisions were made with the intention of protecting all parties involved, but as we have learned from investigating the crash more carefully since December 5th, the auction was compromised and as such, DotMobi has exercised its right to declare the auction results void and will conduct a new auction at Sedo.com beginning on January 23rd, 2008. Sedo will be contacting everyone who participated in the auction to inform them of this decision.

Sedo apologizes for any delays responding to user concerns about the close of the auction, but a thorough investigation was necessary to determine what exactly occurred when the servers failed. As the world’s largest marketplace for buying and selling domain names, we take great pride at Sedo in our efforts to ensure the operation and security of our marketplace at all times. While this crash has forced us to reconsider the maximum levels of traffic our site may receive at any given time, we can ensure all of our users that steps are being actively taken to strengthen our protective measures to ensure any auction—whether one domain or special auction event such as .MOBI—run smoothly and close without any of the problems we experienced on December 5th.

Thank you for your understanding and best wishes from Sedo during this holiday season!


We appreciate the feedback and constructive criticism regarding the auctions. Happ holidays and good luck in the aftermarket and at Sedo.com!

Always,
Keith

 

[Spade]

I doubt this "solution" will satisfy the original winners of the auction.

 

[Kate]

Now that's a good opportunity to fetch even more money :hehe:

 

[stscac]

I doubt this "solution" will satisfy the original winners of the auction.

Now that's a good opportunity to fetch even more money :hehe:

Both very valid points.

-Steve

 

[Ronald Regging]

I was trying to think of something clever to say, but words escape me... this is just dumb.

 

[TheBaldOne]

Suggested new entry to the Oxford English Dictionary of slang:

To do a Sedo...... to act in such a dumb way no one believes it possible!

To do a mTLD......to blindly go along with someone doing a Sedo!

 

[guttermuth]

I bid over 25k on one of the auctions. I wont bid again (I wasnt the winner) so that domain will have less bids on it and may sell for less as I was the last bidder. Sorry to the owner of that domain I wouldnt let sedo sell it I would send it to moniker. In fact as a buyer I doubt I would touch it because I promise a couple of these will be tied up in legal action most notable of course is music.mobi. By the way keith can you explain while you are here where the extra money from clicks over the 1st goes to? I am sure you are paid for them and dont return them to google........so if you consider them fraud why dont you refuse payment for them and why do you keep the money instead of giving it to the owners who got the traffic?

 

[italiandragon]

I am speech less.....but I`ll try to type it in:

Why do we have to have only "unhappy Auction 1 winners"?

Now, we`ll have "unhappy Auction 2 winners" too !!! :yell:

 

[SKG]

Keith, this is utter chaos. Sedo owes the original winners their domains. Sedo also owns the second winners compensation for their loss and soon possibly a third group. Of course then there might be a fourth group and then a fifth. I guess now when buyers bid or put in offers at Sedo we can claim "glitch" and just say sorry.

 

[Mike]

This is quite possibly one of the most unsettling statements that Sedo could have made.
To me, and maybe i'm standing alone with this point of view, although i'm reasonably sure that many think the same way; business ethics, trustworthiness and loyalty matter above the rest. Sedo has heavily damaged these values.

IB

 

[Napkin.com]

This is quite possibly one of the most unsettling statements that Sedo could have made.
To me, and maybe i'm standing alone with this point of view, although i'm reasonably sure that many think the same way; business ethics, trustworthiness and loyalty matter above the rest. Sedo has heavily damaged these values.

IB

As the winner of a $xx,xxx .mobi in
the SECOND auction,

I agree.

This is crazy, and I wired my money nearly 10 days ago!

They still have it and even sent the transfer authorization codes!

Then, they told me to initiate the transfer...

after a week with no activity... i get THIS message???!!!


To say that i am UPSET is putting it very mildly.

 

[Timewarp]

Sedo owes the original winners their domains. Sedo also owns the second winners compensation for their loss and soon possibly a third group. Of course then there might be a fourth group and then a fifth. I guess now when buyers bid or put in offers at Sedo we can claim "glitch" and just say sorry.

They may have inconvenienced many people but they made sure in their TOS that they aren't going to owe anyone anything. No one says it works the other way either, we can't claim "glitch" only they can.

Personally I think a lot of the initial prices were too high and will come down with this latest round. That only helps anyone buying and hurts the hypemasters

 

[BrandYourself]

Suggested new entry to the Oxford English Dictionary of slang:

To do a Sedo...... to act in such a dumb way no one believes it possible!

To do a mTLD......to blindly go along with someone doing a Sedo!

great humour ! I love it lolol

 

[DomainBuyerBroker]

Sedo has always appeared to be quirky to me. Maybe because the Germans are involved and they are more into engineering than end user satisfaction?

Anyways, auctions are tough and it seems like engineers built the auction structure. I wonder if sedo had any auction consultants in on the design and execution.

Also, I wonder if they have an auctioneer's license in the state where the auction is being held.

I think they still might be liable for lawsuits here. If someone had a winning bid, that is a legally binding contract. Sedo cannot just simply say sorry, better luck next time.

This auction problem could really come to bite them in the ass financially not just by hurting their credibility.

 

[TheBaldOne]

Sedo have opened a new 'official thread' they want to know what domainers want?

Why don't we all help them out and tell them?

The link is:

http://www.namepros.com/parking-and-traffic-monetization/408817-sedo-com-official-thread.html

 

[smilegene]

That's funny to see what Sedo has done to this issue

 

[labrocca]

Domainers should boycott this third auction imho. That would send a clear message to Sedo and mTLD.

 

[gazoakley]

I can understand you'd be frustrated if you bid already, but how else could they reasonably resolve it? They screwed up royally bad and whilst it sucks it seems voiding the auction is the most sensible way of resolving this.

Besides - they should be cheaper this time round Every cloud has a silver lining...

 

[TheBaldOne]

Gazoakley, it is simple, they do not have the legal right to void the auction!

Papers are now being drawn up for court, this is how Sedo and mTLD wish it to be resolved as they have been totally intransigent on this matter. Mind you remember only 4 days ago they were telling the 'winners' of the second (unlawful) auction that they were the legal winners! What is more they were taking monies of these people.

The law applies no matter how big or small you are, perhaps Sedo and mTLD should reflect on recent history such as Enron, etc.. But hey, they know what they are doing right! They just change their minds on a daily basis as to what the law is.......

 

[James]

Domainers should boycott this third auction imho. That would send a clear message to Sedo and mTLD.

you'll get afew idiots who'll bid anyway.