Dynadot

So you THOUGHT Flippa was shady?

Spaceship Spaceship
Watch

S-B

Account Closed
Impact
5,263
Sorry in advance, Kevin. Should have had your people leave me alone.

Flippa has been the subject of much controversy over the last 6 months. Speculative talk has ranged from shill bidding to bloated sales reports. Most of the accusations are pure garbage but the company is sketchy as hell.

While you might be thinking that I’m bitter because I haven’t any luck there, you should know that I moved $75,000 of domains in 6 months. At one point, I was the first to go to bat for them all because I try to show some loyalty when someone is taking care of me.

However, I recently had my Super Seller status revoked “due to comments made towards other users.” In fact, this is due to my response to the auction where an individual claimed to have an offer on a 3 day old domain of 10,000 bitcoins — that’s $2,500,000. Apparently, calling out a scammer is grounds for retaliation from the business.

I suppose this is because Flippa values net revenue more than customer satisfaction.

Now that you know my motivation I will move on and share a little bit of insider information.

If you’re paying full price for listing fees and upgrades you have been scammed.

They have gone on the defensive in the past by saying that they “subsidize” upgrades for their top sellers. Subsidize is a cute word for giveaway.

I received somewhere between $3,000 to $5,000 in “subsidies” — as a private seller — over 6 months. At one point, I received $2,000 in credits at one time.

Now I won’t lie, sometimes I had to pay for listings. When I did, I still got hooked up. For every upgrade or listing I purchased I received 2 free.

So when I paid, which was rare, I paid 1/3 of what you’ve been paying. I’m sure you now see why some people make a killing off their platform while others have lost hundreds of dollars per listing.

Oh you thought Editor’s choice was for good domains? Nah. It has been a filter for friends of Flippa.

When I sold on Flippa’s platform, I was given Editor’s Choice for nearly all of my domains. Why? Because I asked.

I know some of you noticed that only 3-5 people showed up when visiting that page. Some might not care but others might understand the value of this.

Domains at Flippa sell for much more when given the Editor’s Choice designation.

Oh so you suspect shilling? I’ve known many users who have shilled their way to a profit. It doesn’t benefit Flippa to eliminate shilling. High sales mean higher success fees.

Simple as that.

Straight up scamming? Yep.

I’ve reported verifiable scams to customer support and I didn’t hear back until after the auction closed. They stated that it was now the buyer’s responsibility to report the sale if something fishy occurred.

Hmmmm.

Would the buyer receive a refund? No. Would the seller be suspended? Yes. Would Flippa still profit? Damn right.

At the end of the day, you can choose to use their platform of boycott them.

I will choose the latter.

P.S.

Have you been curious about what Flippa has been doing?

They are working on adding small business to their platform.

Yeah. Dump money into selling physical business without verifying any of their claims.

That should work. Everyone is honest. Right?
 
91
•••
The views expressed on this page by users and staff are their own, not those of NamePros.
I have a question for those who are against @Shane Bellone for not letting us know about about Flippa earlier.

If you have a junk domain worth not even $1 and a newbie domainer offers you $1000 to buy it. Would you educate him that he should not buy it as it is a junk?

It is not about "not letting us know about Flippa earlier" . We already knew it. He was arguing and defending flippa telling us that it is just our imagination. Together with his friend Ali and a couple of other "super sellers".

You are paying $350 and you are lost in the crowd of "super sellers" and "editor's choices", who are paying $0 for their exposure. You are "scammed" (as Shame pointed) and robbed. Flippa doesn't tell you that. That is the problem.

And if we go deeper, things will get dirtier. Their (Flippa) creation Ali, his manipulated auctions and fake profits. His interviews with another "super seller" were full of lies. As we proved that in one of his threads. And these interviews went viral and many newbies lost a lot. Flippa is so unethical, that some of you may call this "business". I am calling it - scam.
 
13
•••
It is not about "not letting us know about Flippa earlier" . We already knew it. He was arguing and defending flippa telling us that it is just our imagination. Together with his friend Ali and a couple of other "super sellers".

You are paying $350 and you are lost in the crowd of "super sellers" and "editor's choices", who are paying $0 for their exposure. You are "scammed" (as Shame pointed) and robbed. Flippa doesn't tell you that. That is the problem.

And if we go deeper, things will get dirtier. Their (Flippa) creation Ali, his manipulated auctions and fake profits. His interviews with another "super seller" were full of lies. As we proved that in one of his threads. And these interviews went viral and many newbies lost a lot. Flippa is so unethical, that some of you may call this "business". I am calling it - scam.
I am new to domaining (not complete newbie though), so I don't know the past. Probably it's time for me to research the past before making further replies...
 
1
•••
Their (Flippa) creation Ali, his manipulated auctions and fake profits. His interviews with another "super seller" were full of lies. As we proved that in one of his threads. And these interviews went viral and many newbies lost a lot. Flippa is so unethical, that some of you may call this "business". I am calling it - scam.
Can you pl. provide the link to that thread about Ali and his tactics and fake profit?
 
2
•••
I think this problem (Flippa practices) needs separate, clean thread - this one is too muded by "is Shane a hypocrite" discussion...
 
0
•••
This thread is not about Ali nor any of the other Super Sellers. This thread is about my interaction with Flippa as a private seller over the course of 6 months.

I do not know nor do I care what deals anyone else has received in the past. They may have paid full price or they may have received "subsidies." In the end, it doesn't really matter.

The point is you speculated and now you finally have the satisfaction of knowing the whole truth.

Let's keep this thread on topic. If you want to speculate about my motives, respond to my criticisms, or just show some support then this is the place to do it.

Attacking other members of the domaining community in this thread will not be tolerated.
 
2
•••
If you would have turned down a hookup you are either lying to yourself or the worst business man/woman in the world.

Shane,

First off I think one word comes to mind when you say this ... "ETHICS". Of which I can safely presume you may lack. I for one would rather be the worst businessman in the world than scam others and then complain once the train has stopped. It's safe to say I will avoid you and your sales as well as flippa as a marketplace.

Just my 2 cents.
 
2
•••
Shane,

First off I think one word comes to mind when you say this ... "ETHICS". Of which I can safely presume you may lack. I for one would rather be the worst businessman in the world than scam others and then complain once the train has stopped. It's safe to say I will avoid you and your sales as well as flippa as a marketplace.

Just my 2 cents.

I would disagree with you, Blake. Ethics have nothing to do with maintaining and leveraging business relationships. Just as a reminder, business ethics concern social and moral responsibilities. Neither concern "subsidies." Just ask the United States government about corporate farming.

According to your philosophy, all businesses are unethical because they "take advantage" of others to turn a profit.

Do we need heat in our homes during the winter? Hell yes. Do heating companies charge for something that is a basic necessity? You bet they do.

I suppose you are a bleeding heart though.

Maybe you should start buying names and donating them to companies rather than extorting them for as much money as you can get. After all, that would be the "ethical" thing to do.

At the end of the day, you can avoid me if you'd like. I doubt it'll impact my bottom line.
 
5
•••
Now i feel like Flippa is not a platform to find buyers because you will get 3-5 views only if you dont buy any upgrade. Now i find buyers myself and use Flippa as an Escrow Service. D-:

But it is Painful that you are paying heavy money for the addons and others are getting it at $0 second i see many domains which should be in Editors Choice but they are not.

Even i saw a Directory website which is in loss is listed as a Editor's choice. Great !!
 
1
•••
Truthfully, I will pursue any legal avenue to turn a profit. You can say I let down my fellow domainers, however, this is a business. We don't sit around, hold hands, or sing Kumbaya. If you would have turned down a hookup you are either lying to yourself or the worst business man/woman in the world. Hate me. Love me. Whatever.

Lol, I always, always appreciate brutal honesty from someone, that is something to respect.

Years ago I pointed out one of my profitable sites to someone here on np, as an answer about affiliate marketing, an example of how to develop a site. Within, I would say a week of that, someone had built a duplicate of my site on the same keyword / different extension, and I spent the next several years competing against that idiot. Its okay to not give your competitive business advice out on an open forum, and you shouldn't if you do not want others to immediately act upon your advice.
 
7
•••
Shane, if you 'knew' about shill bidding on a platform and didn't tell anyone because it was benefiting you, it's amoral and unethical.

And if Kevin / Flippa are aware of shill bidding and condone it, it's downright criminal.

It doesn't matter how much you try to dress it up, shit stinks.
 
4
•••
Lol, I always, always appreciate brutal honesty from someone, that is something to respect.

Years ago I pointed out one of my profitable sites to someone here on np, as an answer about affiliate marketing, an example of how to develop a site. Within, I would say a week of that, someone had built a duplicate of my site on the same keyword / different extension, and I spent the next several years competing against that idiot. Its okay to not give your competitive business advice out on an open forum, and you shouldn't if you do not want others to immediately act upon your advice.

Sad I know but this is the nature of business. I don't see any signs of the meek inheriting the earth just yet ;)

Best,
Paul
 
1
•••
Shane, if you 'knew' about shill bidding on a platform and didn't tell anyone because it was benefiting you, it's amoral and unethical.

And if Kevin / Flippa are aware of shill bidding and condone it, it's downright criminal.

It doesn't matter how much you try to dress it up, sh*t stinks.

I never said I've benefited from it. I said I know about instances where this has happened. I promptly quit communicating with those individuals as I don't condone shilling.
 
2
•••
1. As Shane admitted he is no saint, the discussion should focus on whether Flippa's "integrity" team can revoke a well-known super seller for a comment on a scam listing.

2. Though Shane says that could be the reason I feel there is more to it. The relationship seems to have been strained before itself. Shane has said multiple times before (recently) Flippa as a platform is dead.

3. Kevin says the "integrity team" does not know Shane. lol. So they will block those who are not known by them, at the first instance itself. For others that are known to them, they will play caution (read, they allow established shill bidders who are big guys to do anything in the platform and fast to block a small time newbie for small offenses). Seems like there is no connection between Kevin and the integrity team.

Thank you for speaking out, Shane! You had the courage!

I hope not you will settle this matter overnight, your status given back to you, and this thread vanishes!

Happy selling outside Floppo!
 
1
•••
Maybe the SuperSeller status was taken away as Shane last sold 3 months back and has no intent to use the platform moving forward?
 
2
•••
2. Though Shane says that could be the reason I feel there is more to it. The relationship seems to have been strained before itself. Shane has said multiple times before (recently) Flippa as a platform is dead.

Truthfully, there was no strain on my relationship with Kevin.

He's a great guy and super honest.

I actually put off writing this post for months because I didn't want him to have to go on the defensive.

However, when someone - in this case a company - spits in my face I will respond.
 
1
•••
Maybe the SuperSeller status was taken away as Shane last sold 3 months back and has no intent to use the platform moving forward?

I quoted the email that I received verbatim.

I would have understood if they said they were revoking my status because I haven't been active.
 
1
•••
Maybe the SuperSeller status was taken away as Shane last sold 3 months back and has no intent to use the platform moving forward?
Shane mentioned clearly the "official" reason - (However, I recently had my Super Seller status revoked “due to comments made towards other users.” )
 
1
•••
Truthfully, there was no strain on my relationship with Kevin.

He's a great guy and super honest.

I actually put off writing this post for months because I didn't want him to have to go on the defensive.

However, when someone - in this case a company - spits in my face I will respond.
Yes. I too meant your association with Flippa as a whole.
 
1
•••
i got scammed on flippa once by a seller. Heard others having the same experience. It used to be pretty common in the past to sell websites with inflated or fake stats, take the money and run.

Never again.
 
0
•••
Great thread, how did I miss it? My thoughts.....

1. Flippa have been ludicriously naive to employ a domain broker / bring somebody into their circle (wasn't Shane one of those for a while?) without getting them to sign an NDA of some description, because with one of those this comments like this: "They are working on adding small business to their platform" would not have been possible.

2. Unless they have, in which case they'll be on the phone to their lawyers.

3. Lets be honest, any of us with more than a few brain cells already knew that flippa premium listings were a rip off and that people like Shane and Ali have been allowed to profit greatly to spread the gospel and recruit more people to the bottom of the Ponzi scheme. Unfortunately no moral highground to be taken here by the OP, he's been complicit in this, he's played his own part in the very system that he so heavily condemns.

4. Alas, I'm grateful that he has shared this. I guess he qualifies as a whistleblower, and society needs those more than ever.

5. As admirable as becoming the domain worlds Edward Snowden is, I'd question the wisdom of using your real name when whistleblowing. It may have the unintended consequence of making you unemployable, because lets face it, there are not many businesses who are whiter than white, and there are no businesses who would be happy having a former employee/associate sharing their growth strategy with their competitors. And that does not just apply to the domain world, but the business world in general. Isn't making a name for yourself as a "whistleblower" on the internet, which never forgets, effectively like electing to give yourself a criminal record?
 
Last edited:
8
•••
I'd question the wisdom of using your real name when whistleblowing. It may have the unintended consequence of making you unemployable

I imagine whistle blowers can find employment just fine – unless they're being hounded by a large government.

But how about announcing online that ethics have no place in your business dealings? How does that affect employability? In mainstream society, even unethical people pretend to value ethics. So even a crooked boss might not want to hire somebody who openly laughs at the idea of professional ethics. Such an employee would be a PR liability.

Domainers are profit-hungry, but they might want to calibrate themselves against their buyers who – ethical or not – prefer to do business with folks who walk the walk and talk the talk.
 
2
•••
Yep. 4-5 hours per night with multiple interruptions for fires, floods, nuclear meltdowns, steam-line ruptures, torpedos, equipment breakdowns, and Dr. StrangeLove-style mutually assured destruction.

True. 110% of us submariners are 110% flamingly gay. Guess that refutes any view I might have about ethics or domains!
Exactly....finally someone who's not afraid to say it. Thank you sir.
 
0
•••
First off I think one word comes to mind when you say this ... "ETHICS". Of which I can safely presume you may lack. I for one would rather be the worst businessman in the world than scam others and then complain once the train has stopped. It's safe to say I will avoid you and your sales as well as flippa as a marketplace.

3. Lets be honest, any of us with more than a few brain cells already knew that flippa premium listings were a rip off and that people like Shane and Ali have been allowed to profit greatly to spread the gospel and recruit more people to the bottom of the Ponzi scheme. Unfortunately no moral highground to be taken here by the OP, he's been complicit in this, he's played his own part in the very system that he so heavily condemns.

I couldn't agree more.

Being a whistleblower means you have discovered something bad you weren't aware of or are pushed by your ethic to reveal what doesn't let you sleep at night..
This is clearly not the case as the OP really does not care one bit about the range of shady practices, the people who have been scammed, the shill bidding ( even if he hasn't benefited from it ), the immorality and lack of ethic of Flippa marketplace etc; the only reason why he came out ( in his own words ) was because " they spat in his face " and " Flippa people didn't leave him alone"
He would have kept covering them if they just left him alone and didn't remove his Super Seller status. Remarkable.

Having said that it's always good to be confirmed what those of us with functioning neurons and/or not involved in the scam/shady practices have known for a long time. That Flippa is a questionable marketplace ( for many, many reasons ) has been pointed out right here on NP by many who punctually have been attacked and silenced by both Flippa and their followers treating them like they were crazy visionaries or so.

Flippa is not a marketplace; it is a gang that protects and favors its members whilst profiting and scamming the outsiders ( other users ). Never have we heard about such shady practices on other marketplaces like Afternic, Sedo and GD ( except for the bidding episode years ago ).

Interestingly enough all these notable and ethical professionals are part of the PRO group...
The more I read threads on the forum the more, thank goodness, I am able to skim through the " it's me or you " kind of domainers and find the real professionals I am happy to deal with. Very useful and eye opening.

Note : before you all jump up because of my signature just know that those listings were made with the 60$ gift and have been there for months.
 
5
•••
He would have kept covering them if they just left him alone and didn't remove his Super Seller status.

A status which they pretty much gifted to him, in listing credits, which was the entire basis of the expose.

It was fine when he was benefiting, an outrage when he wasn't.

I see little point in kicking him whilst he's down though, one day he'll surely look back on this knee-jerk decision and realise that an employment reference from a major tech brand is not worth sacrificing for some rash point scoring which will have minimal long term impact on the other party.

He's damaged himself more than he's damaged Flippa, hardly seems worth it.

In San Francisco tech firms have 'gentlemens' agreements that when they part ways with an employee they agree not to tell future prospective employers how crap you were at your job, in return for the employee not telling the internet how crap their employer was.

That is an unwritten rule, and I'm not making it up either. Even if Shane was only a broker for a short time, presumably not too successful, being able to stick Flippa on your CV is a big deal.... he can't really do that now.
 
9
•••
In San Francisco tech firms have 'gentlemens' agreements that when they part ways with an employee they agree not to tell future prospective employers how crap you were at your job, in return for the employee not telling the internet how crap their employer was.

Not only in San Francisco and not only for tech related jobs. That's an agreement widely used in Europe too and also a very good practice imo.
 
2
•••
Back