Afternic Closed Their Marketplace

[scithe]

When you go to Afternic.com there's no option to search for domains. There is a link to GoDaddy where you can search but it doesn't show every name that's available on Afternic.

Interesting.

 

[SuperBrander]

@Sperry8 I think that's exactly the problem. The afternic inventory isn't easily findable on Godaddy. At least not in a straightforward way.

Head over to Godaddy.com and imagine that you're a buyer who wants a domain that starts with the word 'love' accompanied by an unknown second word. There's no filtering system so you just have to write 'love' in the search field. On the next screen you get the obvious message that Love.com is taken and you aren't given any decent filtering options that would allow you to look for all the names that start with 'love' and accompanied by a second word. So what are you supposed to do? There's a whole afternic inventory that you can't search, that has hundreds of Love + Word domains, but you aren't given the option to search it. You can't even choose which extensions you're willing to consider for the domain you're thinking about buying. Godaddy just bombards you with random suggestions.

Godaddy should provide visitors with a good filtering system that isn't hidden behind a paywall, or requires visiting auctions.godaddy.com and choosing the 'type': 'buy it now' or 'make offer' filter together with other filters, so they'll be able to scan and filter Afternic's inventory right from the main godaddy search.

 

[Bannen]

Hi everyone,
We appreciate the feedback on Afternic search. As Afternic mentioned on X, we're transitioning search from Afternic.com to GoDaddy. The strong buyer connection to GoDaddy, along with the multi-currency, global checkout process, and the trusted brand name mean that we chose to direct Afternic searches to GoDaddy.

This move allows Afternic to remain focused on giving sellers the best tools and resources to sell their domain names through Afternic's vast distribution network (85 million searches/month across 100+ partners and resellers for the Premium Network), and the range of optimized landers, all backed by an expert team of brokers. This consistent work will continue to help sellers at Afternic to produce a high sales velocity through the entire network.

For anyone separately looking to take a deeper dive into Afternic's inventory, Domain Academy's toolkit contains an advanced search tool to connect you with inventory.

Again, we thank you all for your feedback on Afternic.com's search directing to GoDaddy.

Thanks; I'm trying to wrap my head around this in simple terms, because you're double-speaking what you say.

When you mention that you are transitioning search from Afternic over to Godaddy, that's not accurate;

Afternic visitors come to Afternic to LOOK FOR AN AFTERMARKET DOMAIN ON THE MARKETPLACE. That's been the entire business plan behind Afternic, for as long as it's been operating. That's what the Afternic search field was for.

The Godaddy search isn't a search for aftermarket domains on the marketplace; it's a simple search field to show whether a domain is registered or not. It's the same search field all visitors who are looking for a NEW domain to register, see when they go to any registrar. It's not a marketplace search.

So those are two different search fields.

Now, instead of letting every single visitor do what they came to Afternic to do, which is search through the inventory, each visitor is being sent to TWO DIFFERENT THINGS THEY DO NOT WANT TO USE:

1 - to a different site, from Afternic (marketplace) over to its parent Godaddy (registrar);

and:

2 - straight to Godaddy's search field, which does not show keyword inventory at Afternic, rather it - tadaah - just searches to see if that domain is available. Just like every other registrar.

In other words: it looks like you're phasing out any need for Afternic, other than using it to send all traffic to Godaddy's domain search field?

And in future, we probably won't even need Afternic anymore?

This seems to be an obvious conclusion, since the inventory has been entirely removed from easy access -- you've made it so difficult to access, now it's just a random link that doesn't even work, on a website most visitors have never even heard of and do not want to visit - Domain Academy - and, even worse, it's on a vague link that's even hidden somewhere on that site. On the main page of Afternic, it does not even give any directions to find the Afternic domain inventory... which is what the visitors came there looking for in the first place!

So GD does not want visitors to easily access the Afternic marketplace inventory. And, since Afternic is a marketplace, its entire reason for being is now useless. The only conclusion can be: GD now only wants to use Afternic as a traffic-forwarding tool to the Godaddy new-domain search field.

GD does not even need for people to list at Afternic anymore; you can set it up so we list all domains for sale at GD (this is already done, when we list them on Afternic), have GD landing pages (this is already done, all my landing pages - made through Afternic - show only Godaddy, no mention of Afternic on them), and complete the payments through GD services (which is already done, all my 'Afternic' payments for domains sold actually come from Godaddy).

Clear question: looks like Godaddy's plan is to entirely let go of Afternic's marketplace - and 'marketplace' is the entire word that describes what Afternic is - and now just use Afternic's traffic to steer visitors to Godaddy's search;

Is that an accurate assessment of what Godaddy intends? -- I know that it's an accurate assessment of what has already happened; I was just asking if you know whether that is GD's intent.

Thanks for any honest answer you feel you can provide...

 

[Jim Holleran]

Godaddy went downhill as soon as Bob Parson left. I moved all my names out of Godaddy that I had there over 20 years. Greed and incompetence will be there downfall.

 

[Jim Holleran]

Hi everyone,
We appreciate the feedback on Afternic search. As Afternic mentioned on X, we're transitioning search from Afternic.com to GoDaddy. The strong buyer connection to GoDaddy, along with the multi-currency, global checkout process, and the trusted brand name mean that we chose to direct Afternic searches to GoDaddy.

This move allows Afternic to remain focused on giving sellers the best tools and resources to sell their domain names through Afternic's vast distribution network (85 million searches/month across 100+ partners and resellers for the Premium Network), and the range of optimized landers, all backed by an expert team of brokers. This consistent work will continue to help sellers at Afternic to produce a high sales velocity through the entire network.

For anyone separately looking to take a deeper dive into Afternic's inventory, Domain Academy's toolkit contains an advanced search tool to connect you with inventory.

Again, we thank you all for your feedback on Afternic.com's search directing to GoDaddy.

lol

 

[johnn]

Just changed my DNS.
I can't afford losing a sale because GD playing games.

 

[SuperBrander]

I think Afternic has always been a listing service for GD's aftermarket distribution that's been used mostly by domainers. I don't think it was ever advertised as a marketplace to the general public. Ask 10 random people who aren't domainers and no one will know what Afternic is. Some will very likely know @GoDaddy though.

The problem isn't the search at Afternic, IMO. The problem is the main search at Godaddy that hides the aftermarket results and promotes a billion random extensions. From Godaddy.com's landing page you can't filter any searches. Only after you search for something, on the next screen you can filter 3 things- industry (most people don't indicate that when listing), and rudimentary length and price filters.

If potential buyers visit auctions.godaddy.com there's a good filtering system there. People can filter and find aftermarket domains using filters like extension, beginning with, ending with, containing, age, with/without hyphen/number/special character, price range, length range. But people who visit Godaddy.com directly and search there (=most people) are limited to what @Bannen referred to (basically just a registry path type search) instead of getting access to a search that can scan the afternic inventory.

I'm aware that the afternic search at Domain Academy is meant for domainers. However, I don't understand the logic behind hiding the aftermarket inventory from potential buyers. I think Godaddy visitors should all be able to search the afternic inventory out in the open in a convenient way, using the site's main search and using a good filtering system. I hope GD will implement this, and better sooner than later.

 

[forge]

There is always a way to keep everyone happy.

I've transferred 100 domains out of Godaddy, to NameCheap, NameSilo and others. That's made me very happy!

 

[bmugford]

Having an advanced search should be in the interest of GoDaddy and customers.

It would allow customers, especially domain investors, to easily find what they are looking for. That would lead to more sales.

It should be in everyone's interest.

I know I have found domains via the advanced search that I would have never found otherwise.

My suggestion -

https://twitter.com/x/status/1761398651627114938

 

[rh2000]

Hi everyone,
We appreciate the feedback on Afternic search. As Afternic mentioned on X, we're transitioning search from Afternic.com to GoDaddy. The strong buyer connection to GoDaddy, along with the multi-currency, global checkout process, and the trusted brand name mean that we chose to direct Afternic searches to GoDaddy.

This move allows Afternic to remain focused on giving sellers the best tools and resources to sell their domain names through Afternic's vast distribution network (85 million searches/month across 100+ partners and resellers for the Premium Network), and the range of optimized landers, all backed by an expert team of brokers. This consistent work will continue to help sellers at Afternic to produce a high sales velocity through the entire network.

For anyone separately looking to take a deeper dive into Afternic's inventory, Domain Academy's toolkit contains an advanced search tool to connect you with inventory.

Again, we thank you all for your feedback on Afternic.com's search directing to GoDaddy.

Since Afternic is shutdown are there any other changes coming? I need a heads up so I can plan accordingly.

 

[DNabc]

I wish Godaddy could stop doing these terrible changes to every company they buy... Uniregistry, Dan, Afternic, all became worse after acquisition Afternic worked alright, despite the high fee.

 

[zomainhacks]

Removing a free global search of the inventory is for sure the dumbest thing a marketplace can do.

Thanks God we still have SEDO!

 

[bmugford]

There is another issue I have seen with some Afternic listings that simply don't show on GoDaddy search for whatever reason.

I have ran into this happening with some of my own domains. Sometimes the domain does not show up at all via GoDaddy search, while other times the listing on GoDaddy is some old/orphaned listing that is taking priority over my Afternic listing.

When I use the Afternic advanced tool, I frequently find domains that are listed on Afternic but don't show up on GoDaddy search.

There basically needs to be a way to search the Afternic inventory via normal metrics like extension, length, price, starts with, ends with, etc. Pretty much the same metrics every other marketplace uses.

If I want to search what LLL.org are available, or what 14 letter (or less) .COM starts with "Boston" I should be able to do that.

Every buyer is looking for something different. They should have the ability to find what they are looking for.

Brad

 

[internext]

into one GD ... Killing competition in any way possible.

We need to stop feeding the gluttonous swine. It can only do these things because we continue to feed it. And now it feels entitled to everything it can devour.

I love Dan, but it is well past time to move out of the GD ecosystem. Even if I can figure out how to leave, it won't matter, Nothing short of a mass exodus will.

 

[sg08]

Marketplace without a search function and other filters. This is very bad.

 

[Sperry8]

Well if this is how it's going to be - I'll be removing all afternic name servers and just pointing direct lander now. If someone is going to type my name directly, then they are just as likely to type it into a browser. Obv, I'll keep the listing on Afternic for those who type full name into GD... but this should limit sales (since there will be less search ability).

 

[scithe]

thats because it's not free!!

PAY THE MAN!! More, more, more!!

Show attachment 253124lol... PA,,,is... is ...is it?

I joined the DDC last year. I saw the academy but it looks like a dozen youtube videos and a myspace style messageboard with newbies asking people to appraise lurn2beea-boss247365.net
@DrJacoby found it though:
https://www.godaddy.com/domain-academy/tools/afternic-advanced-search

 

[Dane]

I wish Godaddy could stop doing these terrible changes to every company they buy... Uniregistry, Dan, Afternic

It's called a Monopoly.

 

[johnn]

In my opinion this is a BAD move. End users do not know about Domain Academy and a lot of Sellers will change their landing page and DNS to something else.
Instead of spending the time to do this nonsense GD should just improve Afternic navigation.
GD income will be decreased due to this move. GD just deleted Afternic from the market.

 

[internext]

For anyone separately looking to take a deeper dive into Afternic's inventory, Domain Academy's toolkit contains an advanced search tool to connect you with inventory.

What an arrogant, pompous answer! "Hey guys, PAY US to do a search that should be free!!" I wish I could say a real big, hearty "F You" to GoDaddy and get away with it on here, but since I probably can't I will let them keep their side of the street and I'll keep mine.

I just wish GD would stop buying good companies and destroying innovation and OUR opportunities as domain investors who want better options than the geniuses at GD can possibly ever muster, left to their own devices.

GD, to me, died when Bob Parsons was shown the door.

 

[internext]

Here's the link for searching Afternic: https://www.godaddy.com/domain-academy/tools/afternic-advanced-search

Don't forget to pay da' man first!!!

 

[LoveCatchyDomains]

Are there any companies providing landers (other than BB/SH/BPa) that allow us to provide descriptions on landers? I know Sedo, Afternic, and Bodis do not.

As others are noting, Dynadot allows descriptions on landers for domains registered with them. HOWEVER, if a domain is with an external registrar, the Dynadot lander does not appear to allow a description to be added. That's been my experience, and hopefully there is some way to work around that.

I just realized I'm already listed with Dynadot via Sedo and Sedo is not one of my primary movers of names. Therefore while I could theoretically save commissions by a direct Dynadot listing, it wouldn't increase my volume. Unless Dynadot promotes their direct listings more heavily than they do the SedoMLS ones. Do they?

Well, with the Ai descriptions, there is the option of allowing indexing. It was nice to see that my domain lander was readily visible with a Google search. Whether that is, in part, due to Dynadot helping with promotion remains unclear.

 

[Jannes]

I just deleted my comment (before you replied) as I realised that yes, their search just went (and it wasnt a very good search facility anyway).

At least it was something compared to Godaddy's search that is just a hand reg suggestion engine.

 

[SuperBrander]

But it's not much better than Sedo, when exposure at GoDaddy is irrelevant. And Sedo requires less babysitting (no random pending reviews etc).

Afternic, despite its flaws, has been much more effective for me than Sedo. I suspect quite a few people would choose Afternic over Sedo, if they could only choose one distribution network. Regardless, I agree that for the 15% commission, or 25% in some cases, Godaddy need to make sure that buyers can search the inventory properly on their site. Not only for the sake of sellers, but also for the sake of buyers, who are getting a flat out bad shopping experience.

 

[Ostrados]

BIG SUGGESTION TO GODADDY

In GD website, why you don't add Aftermarket section were users can search aftermarket domains exclusively with advanced filters such as extension, domain length.. etc

That will be a win-win situation for everyone:
1- You keep you normal search
2- You unlock a new path of potential sales through the new Aftermarket search section.

% profit will increase for both GD & Domainers.

There is always a way to keep everyone happy.

@GoDaddy