Telepathy...really?

[Keith]

I'm sorry but not a chance I'll ever pay $19 in order to negotiate on a domain. This is a clear money grab. You get bombarded with emails? Set up an automated system to field offers and go from there. This is the kind of shit that gives the domain industry a black eye!

 

[LucidDomains]

I agree with Keith. You can set minimums to weed out lowball offers, just like you can at Sedo. Then I read the terms:

"In exchange for Your payment of the Offer Fee and Your agreement to these Terms, we will send Your offer to the email address of the administrative contact of the registrant as reflected in the WHOIS database of the registrar currently sponsoring the Domain Name, or other email address if so designated to us by the Seller. You acknowledge that the information in the WHOIS database might not be accurate and that we have no obligation to, and will not, confirm the accuracy of any WHOIS information. The full extent of the SOS is the attempt to deliver Your offer to Seller. Any further communication between You and Seller is beyond the scope of the SOS."

That's just covering themselves, like any ToS would. Have you read the ToS at any registrar? It's shocking.

 

[wwwweb]

I don't think many here understand the value of the portfolio.

This is not a fish and chip shop that needs to advertise it's products. These are one off assets, and they are not priced for speculative nature. These are assets someone needs, and if they are going to buy them, they are going to need to dig deep.

2 months ago they bought all these names in a single sale, can you imagine the spam they get.


ctx.com
dyy.com
fkj.com
flq.com
fzz.com
hjn.com
hkq.com
hqq.com
jjq.com
jjx.com
jzq.com
kyj.com
kyy.com
lqd.com
lqs.com
lxh.com
lxj.com
lxm.com
lyk.com
lym.com
mfk.com
mqj.com
mqk.com
mqr.com
mzz.com
nbq.com
ncz.com
nqd.com
nqh.com
nqk.com
nqq.com
nxd.com
nxk.com
nzt.com
pqj.com
pqy.com
qbj.com
qfj.com
qnz.com
qzb.com
qzl.com
rxk.com
rzz.com
sxl.com
sxn.com
szt.com
szz.com
tkx.com
wjx.com
wrj.com
wtq.com
wzt.com
yff.com
yzc.com
yzd.com

 

[JB Lions]

That's just covering themselves, like any ToS would. Have you read the ToS at any registrar? It's shocking.

They're not needed. Setting minimums addresses the issues of lowball offers. I understand it'll cut down on some lowball offers, but it could also cut down on potential sales, you're seeing it right here in this thread of that happening.

Reading the FAQs, it just seems like an extra hoop somebody needs to jump thru. It looks like a legit service to me but to some buyers it might not look like that. Yeah, it'll stop lowball offers, might even stop people with legit offers as well.

 

[LucidDomains]

" Okay so no punishment for wasting your time, so let me make you a $30K offer for 3 of those domains above.

What the hell I buy the portfolio off you for 2 M ? "

or

" I own several similar domains, let me string along the owners of several similar domains and find out what their prices are like "

Stuff like this does happen everyday. Some timewasters consider it research. Is it unethical, sure, but does it still happen? Definitely.

Anyway, it just my opinion, we can all agree to disagree if you like. I don't see anything wrong with filtering your domain portfolio in this way, especially if you have a portfolio in high demand.

 

[Kingslayer]

You are comparing apples with oranges.

Think of it another way, if you owned Cars.com and every day you got 1000 email inquires.

You by yourself couldn't cope the all the inquiries and 99% of these are lowball offers and timewasters. So what do you do? You hire someone, perhaps a clerical admin to weed through a 1000 emails a day. But that person comes at a cost of $19 an hour.

Would you do it so you can spend time with your family, wife and kids? Perhaps you're running another business or have a day job?

What a ridiculous thing to say, boo-freakin-hoo. That's what business is, dealing with customers, interacting with customers/making customers feel welcome whether you make a sale or not. People are always trying to get the best deals possible, that's life. You/i and everyone here does it when buying domains and so does everyone else when it comes to life in general.

But let me get this right, when the shoe is on the other foot and it comes to SELLING domains, things change, it's all me, me, me, i don't want anyone haggling me, i can't cope, i don't have time to say no, here's an idea lets charge people to send enquiries further improve my bank balance, because the world revolves around me right?

What happens if a person sends a lowball offer with every intention of spending big, I've done that before in business, why? Because that is business, if a person doesn't like that side, they shouldn't be in business, simple as.

 

[LucidDomains]

What a ridiculous thing to say, boo-freakin-hoo. That's what business is, dealing with customers, interacting with customers/making customers feel welcome whether you make a sale or not. People are always trying to get the best deals possible, that's life. You/i and everyone here does it when buying domains and so does everyone else when it comes to life in general.

But let me get this right, when the shoe is on the other foot and it comes to SELLING domains, things change, it's all me, me, me, i don't want anyone haggling me, i can't cope, i don't have time to say no, here's an idea lets charge people to send enquiries further improve my bank balance, because the world revolves around me right?

What happens if a person sends a lowball offer with every intention of spending big, I've done that before in business, why? Because that is business, if a person doesn't like that side, they shouldn't be in business, simple as.

Wow your last several posts have been incredibly douchy. Who the hell are you to tell anyone how to run their own business. You have no idea (and I probably don't I either) how it is like to run an ultra premium portfolio like what they have. So respectfully, until you do, you are talking out of your arse.

 

[wormfood]

They could set up the offer page that says the minimum offer is 20k or something. Then put a note below it saying they get a lot of offers and if you want to show that yours is more legitimate than the others (or just "if you want a faster response"), you can pay the 20 dollar fee.

 

[james haw]

What a ridiculous thing to say, boo-freakin-hoo. That's what business is, dealing with customers, interacting with customers/making customers feel welcome whether you make a sale or not.

You are absolutely 100% correct. However, is that all you think business is, or is it other things as well? It's not black and white! And business is also not spending hours a day weeding out $500 idiotic offers for super premium domain names which will easily sell for high 5 and 6 figure sums.

If you sell 5 and 6 figure sum domain names, your time is much more precious than to be dealing with idiots, lowballers, domain noobs, and spammers!

So in the exact same vein you portrayed, I say back to you: Business is also making money, profit, and boo-freakin-hoo you'd have to pay $19 to be a member of the big leagues on that one site out of hundreds of millions out there. You know how to solve this news worthy rip off of the millennium that is a whole $19? Don't pay it....

 

[JB Lions]

So the problem is lowball offers. So then you find a solution.

A. Set minimums, so lowball offers don't go thru. That works right? I've sent offers thru Sedo and they didn't go thru because the seller set a minimum. It works. Was just playing around with the contact form plugin I use for Wordpress, looks like you can set it up to do the same thing.

B. Use a service where you pay $19. That can cut down on lowball offers as well. But can it also cut down on legit offers? It stopped Keith. That's a real thing. That's a potential lost sale. A. wouldn't have stopped him. I'm trying to look at it as an enduser. Somebody who just wants to make an offer on a domain and sees they have to pay $19 first. There are so many scams on the internet, just look at all the appraisal scams out there. Does the possibility exist that people might think this is one as well? Does the possibility exist that will put somebody off?

So I end up with, how is B better than A? Why is that a better solution to the issue of lowball offers? I'm open to hearing it because I haven't thought of it myself, unless somebody has a reason I haven't thought of.

End of day, it's your business, you do with what you're comfortable with, but A looks better to me. It takes care of lowball offers, people that want to make offers on my domains, don't have to pay a fee, don't have to take extra steps.

 

[LucidDomains]

OK fair enough. That's for lowball offers. You make a fair point.

What's the solution to cut out spammers and fake offer timewasters?

 

[Kingslayer]

Wow your last several posts have been incredibly douchy. Who the hell are you to tell anyone how to run their own business. You have no idea (and I probably don't I either) how it is like to run an ultra premium portfolio like what they have. So respectfully, until you do, you are talking out of your arse.

What? I'm just saying it how it is. It doesn't matter what line of work we are talking about, every industry should have the same principles regarding customer service and a company taking money off people to look around or to 'talk' is 'douchey' if you ask me.

 

[LucidDomains]

What? I'm just saying it how it is. It doesn't matter what line of work we are talking about, every industry should have the same principles regarding customer service and a company taking money off people to look around or to 'talk' is 'douchey' if you ask me.

So if you were to get 1000 offers a week from lowballs, spammers and timewasters for your latest reg VirtuallyReality, you would be happy to spend 12 hours a day going through each one, instead of spending time with you family, friends and/or other business ventures?

At some point, you will think to yourself - You know what I can outsource this.

 

[Kingslayer]

So if you were to get 1000 offers a week from lowballs, spammers and timewasters for your latest reg VirtuallyReality, you would be happy to spend 12 hours a day going through each one, instead of spending time with you family, friends and/or other business ventures?

I'd feel honored that people are taking an interest in something i owned, I don't expect to make loads of £$£$£ just spending 10mins a day on it. Those who make low offers, you just say 'thanks but no thanks' That's all it takes and as said, 1 of those low offers may be someone with money testing the water.

 

[LucidDomains]

Ok what about if someone offers you $5K for it, and you speak to them back and forth for a couple of days. Then at some point you get the impression that they are not actually interested in the domain, but just stringing you along for information. Now imagine that happens to you 100 times week with your entire portfolio of ultra premium domains. Can you understand why someone else might consider implementing a filtering system such as this?

There is no right or wrong answer to be honest. " I'm just trying to free your mind, Neo. "

Till anyone actually owns an ultra premium portfolio, no one really knows how it really is.

 

[Kingslayer]

Ok what about if someone offers you $5K for it, and you speak to them back and forth for a couple of days. Then at some point you get the impression that they are not actually interested in the domain, but just stringing you along for information. Now imagine that happens to you 100 times week with your entire portfolio of ultra premium domains. Can you understand why someone else might consider implementing a filtering system such as this?

There is no right or wrong answer to be honest. " I'm just trying to free your mind, Neo. "

Till anyone actually owns an ultra premium portfolio, no one really knows how it really is.

Well that’s when you know they are messing about, but people can message all they want, people have pm’d me on here trying to get information what I’ve paid for a particular domain, if you don’t want to tell someone you don’t tell.

As for 5k offers, I wouldn’t sell that particular domain for that, so they can keep offering and messaging all they like, I’m not stupid so they won’t get any information I don’t want to pass on so they’ll be wasting their time too, but as said for the most part I’d take it as a compliment people are taking an interest in something I have.

I’d rather people be messaging with crap offers than not at all, because at least you are being seen and believe me if no one was messaging this particular company at all, then they would be worrying.

 

[wwwweb]

Many times I get uneducated owners of similar domains, just asking a price, so they can get an idea of what to price their domain at. I simply do not have the time to waste with all these questions. Just not enough hours in the day.

I have blocks up on some of my domains in regards to minimum pricing, and as others will attest you will simply get a response like this in the price field 2222222222222222, then you have to manually review it, then close it out. Unless they whip out their credit card, and are held accountable for that bid, it will not stop.

This takes time, time is money, some people have a lot of time on their hands to waste.

 

[Domainace]

$19 isn't going to change most lives. Anyone can pay the fee and waste time negotiating just as easy as if there wasn't a fee.

But you didn't. And, like you, most people will not pay that fee unless they really want that name (in other words, they are end users). If you desperately need a name for your company and are willing to go 6 figures or more, $19 is completely inconsequential. And nobody is going tell their boss/investors that they are going with secondbestdomain.com because they object to paying $19 in principle.

Equally, I can't see anyone saying "I'll never buy another million dollar domain from them again because they ripped me off with that $19 fee." To many people, we are all squatters anyway. In this case, telepathy.com is telling a buyer right at the start "you have to play by our rules." That's an immense psychological advantage to start a negotiation that way. Might be worth risking the sacrifice of a possible serious buyer for that advantage.

 

[Keith]

But you didn't. And, like you, most people will not pay that fee unless they really want that name (in other words, they are end users). If you desperately need a name for your company and are willing to go 6 figures or more, $19 is completely inconsequential. And nobody is going tell their boss/investors that they are going with secondbestdomain.com because they object to paying $19 in principle.

Equally, I can't see anyone saying "I'll never buy another million dollar domain from them again because they ripped me off with that $19 fee." To many people, we are all squatters anyway. In this case, telepathy.com is telling a buyer right at the start "you have to play by our rules." That's an immense psychological advantage to start a negotiation that way. Might be worth risking the sacrifice of a possible serious buyer for that advantage.

The assumption is that a big budget will somehow close the deal with these guys. That's not the case. So now you've paid $19 which again, isn't life changing, and you might not get a domain either. You get nothing, they get something. Now multiply that nickel and diming by all the unsuccessful negotiations where $19 was paid.

 

[3sixty]

This is a service fee. It serves two purposes, to weed out time wasters and to cover operating costs (renewals, etc).

I have experienced it in other industries such as Real Estate. 90% of the time it will serve its purpose, of course there will be 10% who will object to this practice and Telepathy may lose a sale. But this is the percentages you play at in business and I am sure they have the experience to weigh up both sides.

For example I once did inquire into a house rental and the agency asked for a 3 figure service fee just to show me. I asked that if I took the house they would refund this fee and they said no. It didn't fit my values having owned an agency before so I promptly left and found a place myself after direct. But then again I am one of the 10% and they did not need my business.

Just food for thought, it does not have a clear right or wrong in my opinion.

 

[offersity]

But you didn't. And, like you, most people will not pay that fee unless they really want that name (in other words, they are end users). If you desperately need a name for your company and are willing to go 6 figures or more, $19 is completely inconsequential. And nobody is going tell their boss/investors that they are going with secondbestdomain.com because they object to paying $19 in principle.

Equally, I can't see anyone saying "I'll never buy another million dollar domain from them again because they ripped me off with that $19 fee." To many people, we are all squatters anyway. In this case, telepathy.com is telling a buyer right at the start "you have to play by our rules." That's an immense psychological advantage to start a negotiation that way. Might be worth risking the sacrifice of a possible serious buyer for that advantage.

exactly... it is very simple really, if $19 bothers you, you definitely don't want the name that bad.

Principles don't always have to win... it's how life is...