IT.COM

debate Starting price at auctions?

Spaceship Spaceship
Watch

Starting bid low or high?

  • This poll is still running and the standings may change.
  • low

    votes
    75.0%
  • high

    vote
    25.0%
  • This poll is still running and the standings may change.

Lord Antares

Top Member
Impact
1,782
If you have a domain name which you know will sell for at least $xxx at an auction platform, do you think starting the auction at $20 might benefit you because more people will get involved and it will come up more when filtered by ''popular'' on various sites?

Or do you think starting higher is better because it could, for example, bring higher bids earlier on, thus leaving a higher ceiling for the winning bid? Maybe another reason? Or do you think it makes virtually no difference?

Has anyone consciously paid attention to this? Can anyone speak from experience?
 
0
•••
The views expressed on this page by users and staff are their own, not those of NamePros.
Hello,

As you mentioned, it can be an effective strategy to start lower, but it comes with great risk. We don't recommend taking that risk unless you have seen similar domains perform well under those risks on the same platform and you're willing to sell it for much less if the risk doesn't pay off.

We hope that helps.
 
2
•••
If you have a domain name which you know will sell for at least $xxx at an auction platform, do you think starting the auction at $20 might benefit you because more people will get involved and it will come up more when filtered by ''popular'' on various sites?

Or do you think starting higher is better because it could, for example, bring higher bids earlier on, thus leaving a higher ceiling for the winning bid? Maybe another reason? Or do you think it makes virtually no difference?

Has anyone consciously paid attention to this? Can anyone speak from experience?

Lower prices get a lot more bids, I am someone who has paid attention to it for a long time. Done experiments. Some of the craziest examples include, I one time started a .us years ago at $20 no bids, closed it, two days later started at $1 closed over $300.

You start an auction higher but it should only be a liquid wholesale value established name. I say it's still better to start it at $1.
 
3
•••
Thank you both for the input.

Hello,

As you mentioned, it can be an effective strategy to start lower, but it comes with great risk. We don't recommend taking that risk unless you have seen similar domains perform well under those risks on the same platform and you're willing to sell it for much less if the risk doesn't pay off.

We hope that helps.

Currently, I'm auctioning some 4Ls which I know will sell for at least $100 so I'm comfortable with starting low. If it was some other domain, I might not be as comfortable.

Lower prices get a lot more bids, I am someone who has paid attention to it for a long time. Done experiments. Some of the craziest examples include, I one time started a .us years ago at $20 no bids, closed it, two days later started at $1 closed over $300.

You start an auction higher but it should only be a liquid wholesale value established name. I say it's still better to start it at $1.

Yes, I'm currently auctioning 2 4L.coms and I'm noticing the one which started $20 ($20 is bottom for GD I think) is getting a lot more views. I started the other one pretty high and it doesn't have bids and a few views.

I am also inclined to believe that starting low is best because a) it will notify people already involved in the auction when they've been outbid and b) the domain will come up in lists higher under ''popular'' or when sorted by bid count.
 
0
•••
It depends on the auction platform. With Godaddy, they take a minimum $15 commission so if your domain sells for $20 you only get $5. Might as well start the bid at $40 so you at least get most of the profit.
 
0
•••
Some even take “low” extreme $0 start auction

Samer
 
Last edited:
0
•••
This starting a low price has worked with ebay auctions, with domains it can kickstart the bidding between buyers.
 
1
•••
I will also point out, with the lower starting out rate can cause the bidding to rise up steeply.

You can then keep readings on an excel spread sheet of what your domains started at (low bid amounts) against what they sold for.

When you see many of these domains on your excel sheet it gives you a great buzz to see the sales you have made.
 
1
•••
Back