Spaceship.com - Marketplace Thread

[DomainRecap]

Spaceship.com recently launched a new Marketplace section, and as NamePros has given me the go-head, I think the company deserves its own thread for NP domain marketplace users to converse in.

https://www.spaceship.com/sellerhub/

Personally speaking, I will be setting up a new Spaceship.com account this weekend and going to work investigating its various features, options and policies.

 

[November]

To clarify, I'm already preparing for the moment when Sedo and Afternic listings disappear. As I understand it, this will take effect very soon, unless it's part of Spaceship's negotiation strategy with Afternic. At this moment, you're right that until then, it adds no extra benefit, but I prefer to have everything set up in advance.

Why they want to remove Sedo and Afternic listings?

 

[Future Sensors]

Why they want to remove Sedo and Afternic listings?

I recall that in earlier talks Afternic refused to admit Spaceship into its Partner Network. It has been a long-running conflict, with the terms of Namecheap's partnership possibly being re-negotiated as well. Namecheap has a significant number of eyeballs per month, which Afternic cannot afford to lose. Afternic is getting more and more eager to exploit others by the day, Sellers included. The CEO of Namecheap/Spaceship has now decided to go this route.

@enetwork can confirm whether all this is accurate.

 

[william]

To clarify, I'm already preparing for the moment when Sedo and Afternic listings disappear. As I understand it, this will take effect very soon, unless it's part of Spaceship's negotiation strategy with Afternic. At this moment, you're right that until then, it adds no extra benefit, but I prefer to have everything set up in advance.

But from your experience, how many of your sales come through the registration path? And now, more specifically, Namecheap's registration path?

 

[Future Sensors]

But from your experience, how many of your sales come through the registration path? And now, more specifically, Namecheap's registration path?

Good question. I have never done any separate research on this, but I do experience regular sales through other registrars in the network, which must have gone through the registrar path.

 

[domainer8888]

A year ago it was "soon" as well though...

 

[November]

I really like the Spaceship website — it's very professionally made. But back in March 2025, when I was considering transferring my domains to them because of the better prices, I contacted their support and asked when Afternic Fast Transfer would be available. They told me it was being worked on. I asked if Afternic Fast Transfer would be 100% guaranteed, and they replied — yes.
Now I see that it had already been clear a year earlier that Afternic Fast Transfer would not be available.
I moved a lot of my domains to them based on that promise.

 

[DomainRecap]

How many buyers are going into spaceships niche marketplace at the moment?

Type-ins, Google/search engine leads, MLS, and backlinks are going to create 95%+ of your leads anyway, so why not use the Lander you like best, then relist your domains elsewhere and still get that other 5% of inherent traffic?

Other than large, high-traffic registrars like GoDaddy, that offer search of 3rd-party domains, this whole "the buyer goes to a private domain marketplace to shop" is almost purely fiction anyway, so I'm not sure why it's such a big concern.

 

[Future Sensors]

I really like the Spaceship website — it's very professionally made. But back in March 2025, when I was considering transferring my domains to them because of the better prices, I contacted their support and asked when Afternic Fast Transfer would be available. They told me it was being worked on. I asked if Afternic Fast Transfer would be 100% guaranteed, and they replied — yes.
Now I see that it had already been clear a year earlier that Afternic Fast Transfer would not be available.
I moved a lot of my domains to them based on that promise.

With 529 Upvotes, Afternic Fast Transfer for domains registered at Spaceship clearly is the number-one feature request on the roadmap. I had more to say, but to respect the ongoing negotiations with Afternic, I'll leave it at that.

 

[NicTraders]

I really like the Spaceship website — it's very professionally made. But back in March 2025, when I was considering transferring my domains to them because of the better prices, I contacted their support and asked when Afternic Fast Transfer would be available. They told me it was being worked on. I asked if Afternic Fast Transfer would be 100% guaranteed, and they replied — yes.
Now I see that it had already been clear a year earlier that Afternic Fast Transfer would not be available.
I moved a lot of my domains to them based on that promise.

I suspect that a year ago they would have expected FT to be guaranteed, as they were in negotiation with GD. My feeling is that those negotiations have failed, and barring a last-minute capitulation by GD, they will remove those names from their reg path in the not-too-distant future...

 

[NicTraders]

With 529 Upvotes, Afternic Fast Transfer for domains registered at Spaceship clearly is the number-one feature request on the roadmap. I had more to say, but to respect the ongoing negotiations with Afternic, I'll leave it at that.

Show attachment 278263

Like you say, perhaps the latest comments from NameCheap are just part of the negotiation, and in the end FT will be implemented and life will 'go back to normal'. But I get the feeling that Richard is well prepared to pull the pin on GD names if need be, though again, that may just be in the hope that it forces GD's hand.

By the way, it's not often that 'respect' and 'Afternic' are mentioned in the same sentence (well, not since GD swallowed AN anyway).

 

[Future Sensors]

Like you say, perhaps the latest comments from NameCheap are just part of the negotiation, and in the end FT will be implemented and life will 'go back to normal'. But I get the feeling that Richard is well prepared to pull the pin on GD names if need be, though again, that may just be in the hope that it forces GD's hand.

By the way, it's not often that 'respect' and 'Afternic' are mentioned in the same sentence (well, not since GD swallowed AN anyway).

Absolutely, and the buzz from these announcements will help Namecheap / Spaceship reel in extra domain registrations & listings, while the endless talks with Afternic continue.

To be continued.

 

[fozz]

When will traffic stats be released?

 

[Janoss]

It sucks that Namecheap/Spaceship is planning to possibly not show Afternic names that are for sale. It is going to be a major pain for domainers and while it has a few benefits it will create a more fragmented market. Hope they can reach some sort of agreement with Afternic to make everyone happy.

Also if their issue is with Afternic, why will they stop showing Sedo names in the search path? Namecheap seems they don't want to work with anyone and want to do their own thing regardless.

 

[Future Sensors]

@Marina Savina Currently, expediting external domain (txt record) verification in SellerHub involves way too many manual steps for each domain individually. It would be far more efficient to let users bulk-select all unverified domains, and click a single "Verify" button within the same window.

Also consider other actions in SellerHub, like bulk search, bulk delete, etc. that can make the interface much more friendly.

 

[Dane]

@Marina Savina Currently, expediting external domain (txt record) verification in SellerHub involves way too many manual steps for each domain individually. It would be far more efficient to let users bulk-select all unverified domains, and click a single "Verify" button within the same window.

Also consider other actions in SellerHub, like bulk search, bulk delete, etc. that can make the interface much more friendly.

I think being able to add a 3rd Nameserver is the easiest way to verify ownership (Nameserver 3)

 

[Future Sensors]

I think being able to add a 3rd Nameserver is the easiest way to verify ownership (Nameserver 3)

In my case no, since I have the TXT records hosted by Atom and so don't have to change anything. But if you find it easier, you can request that feature to be added by Spaceship / SellerHub indeed.

https://www.namepros.com/threads/afternic-official-thread.1295231/page-285#post-9413570

 

[Dane]

In my case no, since I have the TXT records hosted by Atom and so don't have to change anything. But if you find it easier, you can request that feature to be added by Spaceship / SellerHub indeed.

https://www.namepros.com/threads/afternic-official-thread.1295231/page-285#post-9413570

Hmmm, interesting. Thanks!

 

[Dane]

In my case no, since I have the TXT records hosted by Atom and so don't have to change anything.

It's not working. I went to "Custom DNS Settings" on Atom and selected TXT. Spaceship is not listed so I chose "Other (SPF)" from the drop-down. I clicked on Add New Record and it gave me an "Invalid Other (SPF) TXT Record" error message. I don't suppose you know why, do ya?

 

[Future Sensors]

It's not working. I went to "Custom DNS Settings" on Atom and selected TXT. Spaceship is not listed so I chose "Other (SPF)" from the drop-down. I clicked on Add New Record and it gave me an "Invalid Other (SPF) TXT Record" error message. I don't suppose you know why, do ya?

That's correct. That's why described this as a "hack", as follows:

There are other "hacks" possible as well. Here's what I've done to list all my domains on SellerHub, without changing NS.

- All my domains currently have Atom NS configured
- Atom offers a handy feature where you can add custom DNS records, including TXT records
- Use the 'TXT' / 'Sedo' option, even while it's for SellerHub, and enter your unique, account-wide, SellerHub TXT record
- Add your domains to SellerHub, and wait until all domains are successfully verified using the TXT verification method

PS: if you're doing this, make sure you turn OFF "Enable Auto Syndication" to Sedo for your Atom Standard/Plus listings. This can be done in Atom's Syndication Dashboard.

 

[Dane]

- Use the 'TXT' / 'Sedo' option, even while it's for SellerHub, and enter your unique, account-wide, SellerHub TXT record

Ohhhh...... Thanks again!