In an announcement just sent out by the TRAFFIC organizers they are going to shake up the Live domain auction market.
As we all know TRAFFIC was the first conference to hold an live domain auction and through the years with Moniker held the most successful live domain auctions with some in excess of $10 Million dollars.
Over the last couple of years we also know that Live domain auctions have failed to create a lot of sale volume and even fewer high dollar sales with most failing to even break the $1 million dollar barrier much less the $10 Million of just a few years ago.
In an email sent out by TRAFFIC today they set out there strategy to shake up live domain auctions by controlling the inventory and allow people for a greatly reduced commission to get guaranteed placement into the live auction.
This is an interesting idea.
Typically the commission on the live auctions have run 15%.
What TRAFFIC is trying to do is us a blended rate, a payment from the seller upfront for position, which incentivizes the Seller to set a reasonable reserve and to market and promote the auction (otherwise they waste their buy in fee).
For the Seller it gives them a guaranteed placement in the auction and a huge savings off the typical 15% commission if they domain sells.
Actually under the sliding scale commission can be as low as 6%.
A $1,000,000 reserve domain would cost $5K to place into the auction but if it sells the commission would only be 6.5% and a savings off the typical 15% commission rate to the Seller of $82,000.
Here is the highlights from the announcement:
“We have been working on a new auction format and rules since October and discussed it a bit with this post earlier this year. So without further delay, this is what we intend to do in October to change the dynamics of the live auction.”
“The only domains that we will accept directly are the ones that have a flat fee paid in advance for the listing. ”
“All other domains MUST go through one of the brokers like Sedo, or Aftermarket.com or any of the other premiere brokers in the space. ”
“We will be publishing a list in the next few weeks. ”
“Each of those companies will submit their list to us and we will work closely with them to choose the ones we think will sell.”
“We will supply the venue, the auctioneer and the production.”
“Those supplying names to us for our “Guaranteed Placement Program” will pay a flat fee and a very attractive commission schedule that can save you a lot of money IF you are serious about selling and IF you want to participate in your marketing. If you have been frustrated by not having the auction houses select your name, this gives you control RIGHT NOW!”
“Even the more modest levels will save you quite a bit by paying a listing fee and showing folks you are actually serious about selling your domain name at an attractive price. On a $50,000 domain name you will save $2500 if you are willing to step up with $1000 up front to guarantee your placement in the auction. The savings get more substantial on higher ticket domains. A $1M domain name will save you $82,000. ”
“Plus, you can list TODAY and have 6 MONTHS to market, promote and be public about it. The last thing you want is to have it in just days before the auction. DUH! I think historically the auction list would come out 2-3 weeks in advance and that really was no way to do it. I hated that. I know it takes TIME to get the word out.”
“We are going to change the dynamics of the auction and we are going to see some excitement. We don’t need or want 200 domains for a successful auction. We just need motivated sellers that know we have the premier domain audience at our shows and all they want is a great domain.”
“Bids will start low and work up from there. ”
“The days of looking for suckers at high levels is over as well as narrow and high reserves.”
“This is a wholesale auction not a retail one”
“Every auction should be a contest. ”
“That is why I don’t care if there are 5 names in the auction, 10 names, 100 names. The only thing that counts is there are interested parties ready to bid and prepared to win. The days of 200 domains crammed in an auction to put everyone asleep are over. ”
“Bottom line, a serious auction for serious buyers and sellers. No fake bids or prearranged sales to save face. No return favors to include crappy domains that wastes everyone’s time. Our auction is the “Main Event” and it should look and FEEL that way.”
Rick makes some great points.
Auctions should always start from the bottom and work there way up. I always hated it when the auctioneer started a domain that had a stated reserve range of $5K-$10K at $100,000 then started dropping the price usually all the way back to $1K.
Stupid and a waste of time.
Aftermarket actually did a nice job in the Bahamas of running a live auction and although there were not any “big” sales, the sell through rate was over 50% and most of the domains that did not sell still got some nice bidding action especially compared to the last DomainFest that featured a huge amount of high priced domains, none of which sold and made for a very uninteresting auction.
Hopefully this new approach will shake up a format which has gotten pretty stale.
“The days of looking for suckers at high levels is over as well as narrow and high reserves.”
“This is a wholesale auction not a retail one”
=======
The days of looking for suckers… 🙂
This should be interesting. I bet you see some very good names in there, priced to sell. This will set the trend for future auctions if successful.
“I bet you see some very good names in there, priced to sell.”
====
Holding domains past the end of 2012 has to be something only a fool would do.
It might be like holding U.S. currency knowing credit cards will become mandatory.
Sounds like a great auction format that addresses many of the problems that currently exist. We do need more exclusive domain auctions.
“Holding domains past the end of 2012 has to be something only a fool would do.”
Why?
“Holding domains past the end of 2012 has to be something only a fool would do.”
Why?
====
By the end of 2012 the transition to the New Platform should be completed.
The ICANN “model” of Registrars & Registries should be gone by then.
It was a mistake to allow that to dominate in 1998. The U.S. Government dictated the structure.
Gee, thanks a lot M. Now you got him started.
The days of looking for suckers
That why I love this BS domain game.!!!
@TheBigLieSpciety
“Holding domains past the end of 2012 has to be something only a fool would do.”
I will hold you to that one, Jim.
“Holding domains”
===
By the end of 2012, they probably will not even be called “domains”.
Protecting BRANDs is another story.
WINDOWS
://www.reactos.org/en/index.html
Zero. Looks like some funky phishing URL.
“Domains will be obsolete by 2012.”
LOL.
How do you route email without domains?
Who is going to tell the big corporations that their multi-billion dollar investments in internet technology are now obsolete?
Somebody is smoking crack.
domains are not going anywhere…they will still exist…but nobody is going to type them in the browser…type-in traffic will be reduced by 90%.
people are using google or apps to go where they want to go.
this will send domain values down.
In addition to the Live auction …. will there be a silent-online auction with additional domains in it lasting a week or so after the conference & live auction like there had been at many other TRAFFIC’s & domain shows ?
I think this is a fantastic idea and I really hope it goes over well for the conference promoters. As Pollyannaish as some in the domain industry can be at times, it’s good to see a major conference take the lead in getting real, removing head-from-ass and making their venue one that’s geared towards commerce rather than hope, dreams and delusional bullshit.
The domainer conference auction model of “List Good Domains For Fantastic Prices, List Fantastic Domains For Ridiculous Prices” lost a lot of peoples interest.
Well played Schwartz and TRAFFIC. Seriously inspires me to maybe attend one of those things, some day.
By the end of 2012 the transition to the New Platform should be completed.
The ICANN “model” of Registrars & Registries should be gone by then.
It was a mistake to allow that to dominate in 1998. The U.S. Government dictated the structure.
——-
Is this more altroot horseshit?
i’m no email expert but i know email existed before there were “domain names” (there were only “host names”). and email can be routed via ip address, without the use of host or domain names by enclosing the ip in brackets. some smtp software will still honour this method, e.g. user@[4.3.2.1]
domain names, like host names, are just for user convenience. they are not required to route anything. all you need is numbers.
in the world of computers, text is just an abstraction. as is an image, a sound or a video. it’s all numbers, really. we just convert back and forth.
and once you understand that, you may realise how utterly ridiculous it is for anyone to claim that we can stop people from copying digital information. sure we can make it difficult for people who don’t understand computers, but it’s the very fact that such information (digital information, bits) _can be copied_, reliably, an infinite number of times, and error checked, that makes digital networks so appealing. how does this information move through the wire? it’s copied, many, many times. how can we think no one on the internet, which is filled with people who _do_ understand computers, and who can deal very comfortably with numbers, will not make copies? we have to be ignorant to think that.
at this very moment, how many companies are putting their assets online in digital format and financing some enterprising young developers who are telling them they can prevent those assets from being copied? these companies are being duped. if it’s numbers (digital), it can be copied, and very reliably so. it’s the nature of numbers. they are unambiguous.
unlike text strings.
BLS tell your ridiculous claims to Color.com app buyer
Buying in the past or Holding on to domains tpday for the purposes of selling them – let alone for a lot money – is only for a few – and that few does not include me – dangerous waters and a losing battle – anybody new to the business should buy the .com domain you want and built a business around it
It sounds okay, with the caveat none of the organizers can submit a domain in the same auction! The ones who pay pay for exclusivity. If only five pay, that makes the auction super exclusive. If the organizers can submit as many of their own domains as they want, it dilutes the exclusivity. Plus, even is they pay $1000.00 – they’re paying it to themselves.
An independent 3rd party should oversee it. Not some friend of a friend of a friend.
Louise
You can also go through traditional brokers to submit your domain without paying.
I’m sure not every spot in the auction will be taken by the buy in method at least not the first time.
The auction is all about making money not about putting your friends domains into auction at a price they won’t sell at.
“Is this more altroot horseshit?”
Yes
Unfortunately yesterday Big Lie tried to post over 50 comments and finally and reluctantly I had to block him.
May I venture a suggestion?
Let the proceeds of the submission fees go to charity. That way, the organizers won’t be riding the coattails of their fans who pay by listing names alongside them, which is a form of exploitation, and they themselves will have incentive to market the auction they paid to list! In other words, they don’t get a free ride off the work participants do to market the auction.
If 30 domains are listed, $30,000 goes to charity, and if that charity is the domainers’ charity of choice: The Water School, having Gregg McNair wave the check for $30,000 at the end would solve five things:
1) give the new method credibility
2) solve public rift between TRAFFIC and Gregg McNair
3) HUGE marketing boost for TRAFFIC auction
4) More people would submit knowing the fee goes to a good cause
5) Last but not least, $$ goes toa good cause
Marketing genius. I give it away for free! You’re welcome! 🙂
Louise
First of all your suggesting it to the wrong guy.
You should really go on ricksblog.com and suggest it to him, since its his conference and his auction.
Second, generally a lot of the profit any conference may make (and most lose money) is from the auction, so while I understand your concern and your suggestions its not going to help the show’s organizers to suck all the profit out of the conference by giving away the profit.
Per MHB – “The auction is all about making ”
The domain business (not just auctions) is all about making as much money as you can – and clearly – per some of the other recent threads – it is thankfully not about not rubbing shoulders.
Content, Content, Content – whether it is websites or trade show content. A succesful domain auction format is just another form of content to get folks to the show – nothing more – just plain good business !!
Hi @MHB, It’s true. The organizers would have to revise the commission schedule back, take the full 15%.
Who knows? It could work really well! It is appealing to pay in to a collaboration where you know ALL the other participants have the same incentive to market the auction.
Putting on my client cap, if I were to pay $1000.00 to submit to an auction, if I knew all the other participants were paying with the intent to promote the AUCTION, it would be great incentive. The brand, TRAFFIC itself may help some of the promotion, but to know all the participants have a stake to promote the auction is what would set this auction apart.
If there is no disclosure, and you’re one of two people paying in a list of 30 domains, the incentive is less. Your risk is more, the percentage of paying participants is diluted with those who didn’t pay and who didn’t accept the risk and responsibility to promote the auction.
Thanx as usual for allowing little me to comment on your blog.
Lousie
“2) solve public rift between TRAFFIC and Gregg McNair”
There is no rift between Gregg McNair and TRAFFIC so get off your knees again and stop making stuff up.
As for your charity idea, I already forgot about it. We are not a charity We are a profit making entity for us and all domainers. Folks come to TRAFFIC to make deals and make money. To sell and buy domains. To do joint ventures and more than anything else or at any other venue……..to introduce and unveil new services and companies.
Plus we have been a “Water School” supporter for a number of years and have donated many thousands of dollars to their cause in case you care about facts and not fiction.
Either way we don’t need to fill Mike’s Blog with your agenda. I have a thread on the subject and there I can tell you what I really think. 🙂
“If there is no disclosure.”
People paying the fee will be completely identified as each domain will have the Auction house listed with the domain name. All others will be obvious that they paid to play. Pretty simple. It’s called a choice. and is a completely transparent process.
LOL, that’s Rick, cut straight through the BS and expose Louise’s agenda.
Great post.
You know what? I’m sorry, but I can’t respond to anything with crude or vulgar speech directed at me, so I didn’t read your post, and I am off Rick’s blog.
MHB posted, and it’s a new and different business model, or domain auction model. Maybe it IS exciting and people are watching. If it’s a success, people on the sidelines this year might participate next year.
My view is a reasonable one: it has to be ALL participants, or it puts an unfair burden of the ris, the fee, the effort to promote on those who paid pay the fee and promote the auction. Therefore, the organizers shouldn’t submit their own domains, unless the whole fee total goes to charity, because they’re paying themselves. That’s a fair opinion.
Let’s say, 25 domainers pay $1000.00 each to participate in the auction, yet there are 50 domains to be auctioned, and the only ones that sell are from the 25 who didn’t pay, or from the organizers who paid themselves. The ones who paid, who assumed the risk, who spent effort promoting the auction did so for the success of the ones who didn’t. It isn’t likely to happen, but it IS possible.
The ONLY way I see this new business model working is if everybody assumes the same risk – give it to charity.
“”Unfortunately yesterday Big Lie tried to post over 50 comments and finally and reluctantly I had to block him.””
Thank God!! I know you don’t like to block or censor commentators Mike, but this one is a long overdue and rightful move on your part. Hopefully it’s permanent!!
I have to respond to Rick’s statement of “get off your knees” . That’s not the first time I’ve heard you say it. There is absolutely no need to speak to anyone like that, especially a woman. No matter how much you dislike her it’s uncalled for.
How am I supposed to bring my wife to a TRAFFIC event if you are going to talk to women like that?
Who exactly is the “Masked Man” behind “TheBigLieSociety”
Shane,
I understand what you are saying and you are right.
I think women at TRAFFIC are treated especially well. Ask around.
But if someone is WHORING for an agenda for others as Louise has been doing for a while now, she needs to be treated as such. Male or Female. Does not matter. This is business. I call them as I see them.
That said I will try and refrain. Try. But if she or anyone else is WHORING for a third party, I am going to call them out every time. It’s my weakness
Rick,
I appreciate the response and I believe me I understand. Don’t ever stop calling people out just no need to offend other women in your approach. I think you were. No hard feelings here, just calling it like I see it (and as my wife saw it). Any other discussion I’ll make sure to just email you and not take up bandwidth on Mike’s blog 🙂
I am in it for the money – (and cut thru the nonsense – everybody else is as well) that means I play by the rules set forth by the courts, udrp and whatever it takes to put on the great annual trade show – Thx Rick and Howard and your families.
Furthermore, “charities” can be as toxic as Japan – Just because the “share holder” money goes to whatever causes – something suggested by “Louise” – the execs and employees can (and lately do) clean up – and the Gov. does not care because they get their SS & income tax revs.
Domaining – or whatever it is called – is not about “charities” – there are other affective ways to give individually.
The president of Christie’s wouldn’t make those on your knees remarks, even if I offended him. Nor would the employees. It would risk their business and reputation. Yes, it is a weakness to give free reign to your emotions from a business point of view – it reflects on your business and your employees and makes it seem you are not capable of bearing the larger responsibility of finances and auction.
Larger responsibility. This business is announced on blogs, and seems somewhat casual, but people in the finance/auction business maybe need to be governed by higher standards as you so adroitly pointed out in the case of Moniker and the ticked off employee. I won’t go there.
What’s good for the goose is good for the gander: you need to be held accountable to higher standards, and you need to hire a clearinghouse to count the receipts of fees for auction submissions if you are going to go that route, and not offer insiders a free pass and practice that double standard.
BTW, I have printed out this thread, and I won’t be blamed legally, even if you lash out at me for voicing an opinion, if it all doesn’t go your way. Sorry. I hope it does. I used to have respect for you! We’re all made from DNA – every single living thin, and I don’t want to demean you with the same low speech you did. If you apologize, we can call the past the past.
“you need to hire a clearinghouse to count the receipts of fees for auction submissions if you are going to go that route, and not offer insiders a free pass and practice that double standard.”
Louise, I have no problem apologizing. But you need to do that as well with your accusations, false rumors and being a MOUTHPIECE for other people. Looks like more than one. If I called you a PUPPET would that be more to your liking? I don’t want to call you anything other than Louise so don’t give me cause.
The only ones that get free passes to TRAFFIC are the SCABS that hang out in the lobby and by the pool and crash the parties. EVERYONE pays to attend TRAFFIC. Those SCABS that came and did business for FREE should be donating that money to charity if ANYONE should. You can start with your dear friends in Los Angeles who think it is ok to get on airplane and fly 6000 miles and be a scab. But of course you won’t do that.
I will be having ZERO domains in the auction. With all the CRAP being pulled at auctions I find it interesting that your aim is on the one bringing the MOST transparency to ANY auction EVER in the domain industry. EVERY auction house is invited to participate. But for folks that are risk takers, for folks that want to control some aspect of their own marketing and are serious about selling and saving many thousands of dollars, we are giving a long overdue alternative. I am sure that will upset some. So be it. The legit folks are loving it because it makes sense and is well thought out.
So get rid of your agenda, get off the charity kick and stop posting for other people and we will do just fine in the future.
However, If you continue to do what you do I will continue to let folks know about your agenda.
As for Christies, I could care less. We are not a corporate entity. We are a family business that takes this all VERY seriously. Not too thrilled when someone like YOU that has been in this business for a ver short time comes around and spouts out GARBAGE on behalf of a third party.
Your choice Louise, not mine.
I understand your concern Louise…you do have an excellent point.
But in the end…it is their auction…and if they want to sell their own or their friends domains for free..they can…of course, its not fair…but its their auction!
I wouldn’t mind too much … as long as they have a NO RESERVE auction with a starting price of $1 dollar on their own domains that they are selling.
To Rick: unblock my account on your ricksblog…so i can ruffle your feathers…you know we are best friends even though i curse you out at times…i bought flowers.mobi from you…and i’m planning on buying some more of your domains…so unblock me Rick…i wanna ruffle your feathers…LOL
Rick, i have a suggestion.
When you accept the domain name to be on your Live TRAFFIC Auction, can you please have the owner of the domain name forward their domain name to any parking company and have them provide a link to their parking and traffic stats for all to see.
Can you please do this…so that we can see the stats!
Thanks Rick.
I like the new format.
Good Luck with the Auction
@ Louise
Who freaking cares if TRAFFIC promoters have their own inventory in the auction? Not all auctions run on the straight consignment model. Plenty of auction houses sell their own inventory, or incorporate lots from the private collections of owners and employees into larger sales. Articulate a reason why this is relevant please.
… and this is just a gigantic failure of logic.
The TRAFFIC auction will run regardless of how many people pay or at what fee schedule they sign up for. This is the risk the promoters take when they put on a conference. If an auction of 100 domains is made up of 99 domains from the promoters and 1 from an outside client, that in no way advantages or disadvantages the consigned domain.
As far as whatever efforts are made to promote the domains for sale, naturally, the onus is on the consignor to promote their domain to relevant end users. TRAFFIC is furnishing a credible venue to auction the domains, you bring your own market. It is impossible for a domain auction venue to market every single domain to every possible interest that might be represented by the keywords in the domains being auctioned. It’s stupid to even suggest that they bear this responsibility.
Louise
For the record I also pay to go to TRAFFIC and I buy a spouse pass for Judy.
Always have.
As for the auction once again it is in the organizers best interest to make sure the auction is as successful as possible and logic would dictate that Rick and company are not going through this process to get an auction full of domains that aren’t going to sell.
We know the old model is broken and will not generate multimillions in sales so let see what this new model brings.
I’m shocked how many people are telling Schwartz how to run his business.
Especially since Schwartz has the successful track record (in domain sales, meetings
and auctions) and the ones complaining do not.
If someone doesn’t like how Traffic is structured, vote with your feet, don’t attend.
I’m sure you will be missed.
If you don’t like the new auction procedure, don’t submit any domains and don’t
buy any domains at the auction.
Schwartz and Neu are putting their own money on the line.
Its easy to comment from the peanut gallery.
As for anunt comments, wanting Schwartz to include Rick’s domains at ‘no reserve’, who
are you kidding. You got lucky once and bought one of his domains for pennies on the dollar
and you are hoping you can do it again.
And, you want to require ppc stats. Buying on stats is something out of the past.
All that is, is a ploy to buy premium domains at a lower price.
I suspect Schwartz is mellowing over the past couple years.
🙂
“NEXT”.
the financial burden has shifted from the domain buyer to the domain seller.when the seller pays a fee we can expect a fair price..nothing overblown.
this is nothing new when you list a house with sothebys the seller pays a fee. in the one i saw the seller had to pay 15K upfront for sothebys to take the listing.then sothebys took the listing and used their auction platform.
if the seller wanted any extra marketing performed the seller paid a higher fee.
as for charity ck out heritage auctions…ha.com when their is a npo involved as with the nuns
heritage waived its commission.i see very few commets that are benefical to this post.
@ Rick Schwartz said: “Louise, I have no problem apologizing.” If that’s your form of apologizing, okay, I’ll accept. You’re a bigger man than I thought you were.
You’re like the John McEnroe of domaining. A certain someone is like the Jimmy Conners. I’m sorry I was entertained. McEnroe/Conner’s absense has left a hole in mens’ tennis which hasn’t been filled. Now, it’s womens’ tennis which brings the drama, with the Williams sisters, so it’s more entertaining. Venus retired, and that leaves just Serena.
And we’re like the referees or the judges in the court of public opinion, but sometimes you throw the tennis racket at us or cuss us out, because you’re John McEnroe.
That chapter is over, and I guess you all have to move on. You have to go conservative, even if the party is over, to capture the mainstream. That is, step back, walk away before you blow your fuse.
My family is like that, so I’m no stranger to it.
@LS Morgan, the new auction model is a service: pay to list as incentive to promote the auction. Only a chump would pay the $1000.00 without confirming everyone in the auction is in it. Let’s say next year, I’m caught up on debt and $50,000 ahead. Being single, no mortgage, no children, it might be an investment I’d consider to expand my business, but only on the assurance that every participant assumes the same risk.
@ Rick, you’re an individual bucking the system, so I hope you keep having success while you set an example of high standards. Cut the little people some slack. Help us! People looking to improve their situation are tired of being sold a bill of goods, signing a waiver which allows the company to rob them blind before they consolidate their profits and send them to the Caymans. I commented your plan was interesting and might work if protections are in place that paricipants assume the same risk, and MHB commented, “not every spot in the auction will be taken by the buy in method at least not the first time.” I think it should. Every spot on the auction should be taken by the buy-in method. If 3 spots get sold, it’s 3 domains, or whatever number $1000.00 buys. So I was answering MHB, and I can’t believe he would suggest something like that would be fair.
@ MHB, I like you divulged you pay to go to the conference, you and your wife. Thank you.
“Cut the little people some slack. Help us!”
I have helped “The little people” as much or more than anyone has so please be FAIR.
But you can’t expect help when you hurl accusations, insults and outright fabrications. Sweet with one hand and a hand full of crap in the other. So keep constrictive and things can be good. Fall back and we will end up where we were. You don’t get ahead by taking potshots for 3rd parties.
The hybrid auction is by design. My design. We don’t won’t all the slots paid for. We are looking for a healthy combination. All we are doing is giving more choice. The paid listings will be out in the open. It won’t be a secret. In fact it will be one of the selling points for those that pay to list to show just how serious they are about selling.
Also keep in mind that those paying to list will be marketing OUTSIDE the domain industry.
To be honest, let me tell you how I will measure success. I will measure success when domainers are outbid by end users and this is the recipe to make that happen.
And let me get back to the helping part. YOU need to do the work. I owe you nothing! Nobody here or in the industry owes you squat. You are LUCKY to be here and among such great people in this business. If you choose to hang out with those with bad attitudes it will continue to rub off on you and YOU become the loser, not them. (I am trying to HELP YOU)
That said, I have left a great trail of bread crumbs since 1996 for anyone that wanted to understand and follow the path I took or not. It has NEVER been a secret. If some are too lazy to follow the path or read the words or find their own path that is not my doing.
I have been writing for people like you, but if you have a different agenda all the words in the world won’t make a difference. I did what you have asked for. Go read my blog. Start with the first post in 2007. Go see what I wrote in 1999 on erealestate.com. It’s all there. No secret. But when your agenda is focused on the CRAP you have focused on, you will complain until the cows come home and nothing I can say or do will change that.
You have the power, but until you take control of it yourself what would you expect others to do for you?? Right now all your power is used by others to get what they want and leave you where? With what? Nobody on this planet has an obligation to help you. But I just did whether you can figure it out or not. Whether you appreciate it or not.
I wrote a blog post (Not yet posted) about teaching folks to fish or giving them a fish and which has more value. You may like the guy that just gave you a fish for doing squat. But he did you no favor. He made you dependent on him. That makes you beholden to him. I can be a PRICK in the eyes of those coming looking for free fish. But I show folks how and where to fish and then they are beholden to NOBODY but themselves. Not even me. Then they realize who the REAL prick is and that they got it ass backwards.
So “little people” need to find out who their REAL friends are. That is the first and most important step. Get that wrong and you are lost forever and nobody can rescue you until you figure that out.
See I just invested TIME in YOU! Now it is up to YOU to show everyone that I did not WASTE my VALUABLE TIME.
Louise, THIS is your defining moment. All I can do for the “Little people” is to show the choice. You have to do the choosing. Good luck!
At this point all answers come to light. That may not make sense to those getting free fish. But folks that fish themselves understand 1000%.
“the financial burden has shifted from the domain buyer to the domain seller.when the seller pays a fee we can expect a fair price..nothing overblown.”
OR what I believe can happen is the quality of the names takes a nose dive because the owners of the quality names who we know to be unrealistic to start with will not take that burden/risk. In turn there will be no $10M traffic auction again on this platform as there will not be the monster names as in past. Our misconception is the model determines prices realized at auction, not true, demand, speculation etc have brought those great trades, no one model in terms of auctioning can revive that, only humanity can.
I am not entertained when $ million houses and crack houses are auctioned at the same time.
Crack houses drive the price of $ million properties down – a reason NOT to list a $ million house.
This auction process gets rid of the “crack house” wankers and realigns our egos and wallets and makes it an entertaining event – and in doing so insures less than 10% of the auctioned domains are non.coms
If crappy domains are crack houses, then I own most of Detroit.
@ SL, that’s funny!
@ Rick Schwartz, Yeah, I read articles on your blog in the past that amaze me for their foresight, most recently, your glowing reviews of the iPad as soon as it came out. In hindsight, you were spot on.
Cuss words and foul speech put a mental block I can’t get past. After the PS word got coined and echoed all over, I took Ricksblog off my blogroll but read the odd post here and there.
We’re on different paths, but if you make it, it’s good for domaining. More power to you. For the record, I asked MHB on Sunday at 10AM my time to remove my posts. I did challenge you, I didn’t compromise by stooping low, and it was retaliation for the mean things you said on your blog. 🙂
How do ya define “Little People” in such context ? — What are the specific/particular requirements, benchmarks or thresholds one has to meet or exceed in order to be considered one of the “big boys” or graduate from Lilliputian status ?
@ SL –
We all own Real Estate in Detroit – including me – the problem is that some do not realize they also own Real Estate in Detroit and that is what clutters up the auctions – and gets words like Little People and Crap from the organizers.
The truth hurts NetJohn – I want to be a Little Person who is entertained by a high end auction which further brings credibility to the industry – and ultimately makes my 12+ year old portfolio worth that much more.
And “NetJohn” with all the Little People’s out of the auction – including me
With that behind us, I wish TRAFFIC South Beach the best, and am sure it will be the resounding success it is every year! And add the disclaimer, I don’t work for 3rd parties, just an observer with a little portfolio.
Out of curiosity, I have to ask, what companies did you think I represent? The many companies and domainers I voice enthusiasm for and feel “on board” with shouldn’t be wrongfully put under “suspicion” of alignment with me My questions about the hybrid auction model were totally me. The allegations about me representing anybody other than myself are false!
Established domainers are inspiration I look to to break out of hobby status into the big time! That’s everybody here, including Shane who doesn’t like me. That is why I sieze what is interesting on Domaining.com blogs – if they are free of foul language and porn and I try to leave the drama out.
Sincerely,
Louise