Why does Sedo make it so hard to verify your domains?

[dncafe]

Why doesn't Sedo do a simple whois email verification like most other markets?

They want one of the following:

To verify that you are the current owner of the domains listed at the end of the email, please complete one of the following ownership verification methods:
1. Forward the DNS Server of the domain to NS1.SEDOPARKING.COM and NS2.SEDOPARKING.COM (see “Park Domains” at sedo.com)

2. Send us a screen shot attachment of your Registrar account containing all of the following information:

- domain name
- period of registration and expiration date
- your contact data matching the data in your Sedo account

3. Remove the privacy setting on the domain so the registrant information is visible via a whois search (Please note that the technical update can take up to 72 hours).
If there is no visible WHOIS entry visible for your domains (e.g. TLDs which do not support a WHOIS query such as .to) please only use the second option to verify your ownership of the domains.

These 3 options all have issues.

#1, changing your nameservers is not possible if you currently have a website up or are using the domain for other purposes

#2, a screen shot is not proof and is easy to fake, either in Photoshop or by altering the page source code

#3, removing the privacy setting contradicts why you have privacy in the first place and once it is removed your whois data is archived and made public, even if you only have it changed for a short period of time.

Sedo needs to send an email to the whois email address and have the user verify the domain through that email.

 

[N-A]

I refuse to lift privacy on my domains to park with Sedo or list on their marketplace. They are really harming themselves, more than helping.

Why can't they lay out a nice tutorial on how to edit DNS ("Domain Name System/Server") like Webmaster Tools did for website verification via a TXT or CNAME entry? Or if the website is in use, a .html file for verification.

Either way, their marketplace is "eh" in my opinion compared to Domain Name Sales and they pay peanuts in comparison with Bodis, Voodoo, Domain Sponsor, etc... so why do I need to do that extra verification to list and park if and when they had a question about a transaction (supposing it was going through escrow), they could verify my identity and legal ownership of the domain name by other means?

It puzzles me why as well; haven't found an answer to why they require that as I've never sought one, but I stopped using them in 2011-12 for both reasons stated as well as their "verification" process you mentioned.

[Edit: The screenshot was included to emphasize Point #2 so if a Sedo representative sees this with an answer, they can see how ridiculous their own policy is as it was edited and uploaded in under 30 seconds and possibly address why this is even a method of verification these days.]

 

[dncafe]

[Edit: The screenshot was included to emphasize Point #2 so if a Sedo representative sees this with an answer, they can see how ridiculous their own policy is as it was edited and uploaded in under 30 seconds and possibly address why this is even a method of verification these days.]

I would like to hear from any Sedo representatives if they're active here on NamePros. Their whole verification system is behind the times and the only reasoning that I can see is that they want more people to park their domains with them so they can earn more parked ad revenue.

 

[alien51]

#2, a screen shot is not proof and is easy to fake, either in Photoshop or by altering the page source code

This is very easy to do, so this does not qualify with your "hard to verify" bucket. Just saying.

It might be stupid, but then again in just a few minutes of doing screenshots, you are done.

 

[SearchEngineZ]

If you are using the domain for other purposes, why do you want to sell it / sell it just as a domain? Perhaps if it has a useful purpose Flippa might be a better option?

 

[dncafe]

This is very easy to do, so this does not qualify with your "hard to verify" bucket. Just saying.

It might be stupid, but then again in just a few minutes of doing screenshots, you are done.

If I wanted to do this for 50 domains in GoDaddy, do you know how I can get all of the following in one screen shot for 50 names:

- domain name
- period of registration and expiration date
- your contact data matching the data in your Sedo account

 

[alien51]

Sometimes a couple of these domains can cram up in a single screenshot in your registrar account. All i did was press the screenshot key a few times. I don't know about that "contact data matching the data in your Sedo account" thingy requirement. Never did that. Just the screenshots. Sent them to Sedo via email. And my domains were good to go after a few hours or the next day.

I have about 65 domains in my sedo account by the way.

 

[forge]

Sometimes a couple of these domains can cram up in a single screenshot in your registrar account. All i did was press the screenshot key a few times. I don't know about that "contact data matching the data in your Sedo account" thingy requirement. Never did that. Just the screenshots. Sent them to Sedo via email. And my domains were good to go after a few hours or the next day.

I have about 65 domains in my sedo account by the way.

You have your domains on privacy?

 

[alien51]

You have your domains on privacy?

Yes.

The first time i used Sedo, they emailed me saying they could not verify my domains because i have privacy enabled. I sent them screenshots of my registrar account portfolio showing the domains in my account. And they approved my domains after a few hours. So i have been sending just screenshots every since.

 

[dncafe]

There is no way to get the info Sedo requests in one page on GoDaddy. The only way to get all this info is to "Export List" which gives you a .CSV file, which does not work because it's not on the GoDaddy page for a screen shot, it's just a spreadsheet (like Microsoft Word).

If I were to do this like they're asking, I would have to open multiple windows and then take a screen shot.

So for 50 domains that would be 150 windows I need to open and then take 50 individual screenshots.

This is why I have avoided Sedo for so long, because they're verification has always been such a hassle.

 

[AEProgram]

Sedo did a great job on redesign but its time they start using the method everyone else uses to verify ownership including:

afternic
godaddy
flippa
etc

send a link to registrants email and have them click on it, I would list 500+ domains there that I have in many different registrars some privacy some dont have the same registrant info etc if only they have email link verification