The danger of bidding on GD Expired domains

[Dominic Belley]

Hello.

I have been experiencing a couple of bidding strategies in the last weeks.

First test :
Build a list of domains that interested me from the [GD Expired] list and wait for the domains to be in the [GD Closeouts] to buy them.


Second test :
Don't wait and bid on the domains directly from the [GD Expired] list.

--

I found out that it is much riskier to bid directly when the name is in [GD Expired]. I think a lot of domainers are not doing the work. They are doing it the easy way by browsing only the [GD Expired WB] list.

So when I bid on [GD Expired] names, they now become visible to "lazy" domainers and they now bid and make the price go up.

When I don't bid, its easier to get the domain for cheap in the [GD Closeouts].

--

I was bidding on domains that had not bids and had only 2-3 seconds remaining. That brings the timer back to over 5 minutes. Then, the domains usually gets at least 2-3 new bidders bringing the price in the 30-50$ range.

--

If you like a domain in the [GD Expired] list and it has no bids, I strongly suggest you wait, keep it for yourself and get in from the [GD Closeouts].

Of course you can lose the domain too in the Closeouts but from my experience, chances are you will get it anyways and for a better price. You can always risk waiting a few days in the Closeouts to have the price drop from $11 to $5 but I don't think its worth taking that additional risk only to save $6.

Any thoughts?
Dom.

 

[canswift]

Sounds like the strategy (don't bid & get it in closeouts) I've been pursuing for several years! However, this no longer seems to work as well. I can stay glued to my screen, refreshing every second and still many times, the names I want don't seem to go to closeout as they've been snatched by someone else. Previously, without bids I could almost guarantee to pick up a name in closeouts.

So regretfully, if I really want a name, I am now bidding but only at the 5 minute before auction end mark.

 

[EmotiveDomains]

I guess it depends how much you think the domain is worth. If it's a name you simply have to get then letting it go to close out can be risky.

However, if you wouldn't be too disappointed if you miss out, then letting it go to close out can save a lot of money long term.

 

[Asfas1000]

There is a website (I can't remember the URL) where late bids at GD auctions are recorded and displayed in real time for lazy domainers to check (and possibly jump in).

 

[jideofor]

Hello.

I have been experiencing a couple of bidding strategies in the last weeks.

First test :
Build a list of domains that interested me from the [GD Expired] list and wait for the domains to be in the [GD Closeouts] to buy them.


Second test :
Don't wait and bid on the domains directly from the [GD Expired] list.

--

I found out that it is much riskier to bid directly when the name is in [GD Expired]. I think a lot of domainers are not doing the work. They are doing it the easy way by browsing only the [GD Expired WB] list.

So when I bid on [GD Expired] names, they now become visible to "lazy" domainers and they now bid and make the price go up.

When I don't bid, its easier to get the domain for cheap in the [GD Closeouts].

--

I was bidding on domains that had not bids and had only 2-3 seconds remaining. That brings the timer back to over 5 minutes. Then, the domains usually gets at least 2-3 new bidders bringing the price in the 30-50$ range.

--

If you like a domain in the [GD Expired] list and it has no bids, I strongly suggest you wait, keep it for yourself and get in from the [GD Closeouts].

Of course you can lose the domain too in the Closeouts but from my experience, chances are you will get it anyways and for a better price. You can always risk waiting a few days in the Closeouts to have the price drop from $11 to $5 but I don't think its worth taking that additional risk only to save $6.

Any thoughts?
Dom.

So what do you think you have done by making this post, create less competition? LMAO I think you have created more awareness for a strategy that will sure result in more competition.

None of my business though.

 

[ulasbbtr]

There are bots checking bids on expired domains list. This was discussed before. Solution is first bid garbage domains to give damage purchasing power of bot owners. Then purchase what you like at closeouts.

 

[Dominic Belley]

So what do you think you have done by making this post, create less competition? LMAO I think you have created more awareness for a strategy that will sure result in more competition.

None of my business though.

I dont mind.
We are here to discuss, share ideas and help each others.

 

[Arca]

When you place a bid for a decent name at GD there will inevitably be other bidders, and I very rarely see "bidder 1", the first person who placed a $12 opening bid end up winning auctions. They are usually outbid by any of the 2-9 people who join in on the ensuing bidding war. People monitor which people get bids, and corporate bidders use an api for bidding (where they can get real time information of which names get bids and place bids as well). When you place a $12 bid, you most likely will have to pay quite a bit more than that to actually win the domain, but as long as you pay up you do get the name.

If you try to snipe, you can get it for $11+renewal, but you also risk being outsniped. Personally I try to snipe 100% of names I'm following at GD, because you can't get better value than that today (dropcatch.com have basically created a $59 floor for dropping names...), and it's super easy to turn a profit on names you buy this cheap. However, when other people place a bid on names I'm following, I do join in on the bidding, and I win quite a few names in this way as well. Definitively prefer to buy them once they hit closeouts though.

 

[Arca]

So what do you think you have done by making this post, create less competition? LMAO I think you have created more awareness for a strategy that will sure result in more competition.

None of my business though.

A lot of bidders at GD are completely clueless, and pursue a number of counterproductive bidding strategies that hurts themselves and drive up prices for everyone else.

For example, some people place $12 bids days in advance. These names get a ton of eyeballs and bidders. Why would you place a $12 bids days in advance? They don't even place proxy bids (in which case it would make sense, if you only have time to do domaining once a week), just a plain $12 bid. I believe the reason they are doing this is to "save" the domain, because they don't know that there is a watch-list function. Also, when somebody places a $17 bid, they come back with a $22 counter shortly after somebody bids them up. Effectively, they willingly participate in a bidding war for days before the auction even ends.

Similarly, a lot of people that place $12 bids 5 minutes before the end probably don't know that bids are being monitored by a lot of different parties, and names that could have been had for $11 in closeouts, are going to get bid up once they place a $12 bid. Sometimes the other people bidding are there waiting for the name to go to closeouts, but a lot of the time, they are alerted to the name as a result of that $12 bids. I don't think it's a bad thing if there is more awareness about this.

More closeout competition is a good thing if more people stop placing $12 last minute bids, and there would be an increase in names to be sniped as closeouts. I'll take my chances in closeout sniping over a bidding war on GD any day.

 

[urlurl]

i'm not sure where all these new bidders are coming from, what what i can see is a lot of money being thrown at ok and subpar names (excluding the obvious premium names) just because someone put an early bid on them. they investors are going lose their shirt when they find out they can't flip the name and it takes years for some to sell.

this reminds me of the chip craze, lol

 

[GoKaizen]

Yup, buy in Closeouts.

Plenty of domains don't get picked up in auctions. It's getting harder and harder to find gems.

Hello.

I have been experiencing a couple of bidding strategies in the last weeks.

First test :
Build a list of domains that interested me from the [GD Expired] list and wait for the domains to be in the [GD Closeouts] to buy them.


Second test :
Don't wait and bid on the domains directly from the [GD Expired] list.

--

I found out that it is much riskier to bid directly when the name is in [GD Expired]. I think a lot of domainers are not doing the work. They are doing it the easy way by browsing only the [GD Expired WB] list.

So when I bid on [GD Expired] names, they now become visible to "lazy" domainers and they now bid and make the price go up.

When I don't bid, its easier to get the domain for cheap in the [GD Closeouts].

--

I was bidding on domains that had not bids and had only 2-3 seconds remaining. That brings the timer back to over 5 minutes. Then, the domains usually gets at least 2-3 new bidders bringing the price in the 30-50$ range.

--

If you like a domain in the [GD Expired] list and it has no bids, I strongly suggest you wait, keep it for yourself and get in from the [GD Closeouts].

Of course you can lose the domain too in the Closeouts but from my experience, chances are you will get it anyways and for a better price. You can always risk waiting a few days in the Closeouts to have the price drop from $11 to $5 but I don't think its worth taking that additional risk only to save $6.

Any thoughts?
Dom.

 

[hookbox]

The best way to get names at GD is to be consistent. Everyone uses the same tactics but the more consistent you are the more good names you can get. Remember, people have jobs, families, and all around shit to do other than domaining so the more you are consistent when others are not is your biggest advantage. Other than that there really is no real strategy.

 

[Recons.Com]

Noticed this many years ago and stopped doing last minute bids on GD unless it is a name I am ready to pay $xxx for.

I would really appreciate if someone could research this behavior and check which companies/individuals end up placing the highest bid and therefore owning the names.

For anything else that makes sense for me at wholesale price of $5-50 I will wait until it hits GD closeout and then decide if it is an $11 name or a $5 name.

Another advantage of this is that you also get a second look at all those names and very often decide not to buy them from Closeout either.

 

[GoKaizen]

https://www.namepros.com/threads/hu...50-of-expiring-domains-at-godaddy-com.988898/

I would really appreciate if someone could research this behavior and check which companies/individuals end up placing the highest bid and therefore owning the names.

 

[forge]

Solution is first bid garbage domains to give damage purchasing power of bot owners.

Don't you end up winning/having to pay for a lot of those garbage domains?

 

[hookbox]

Names at GD are going for prices higher than usual lately. If you get caught up in a auction frenzy with someone you may end up paying $200 for a name that you originally thought was only worth $30. You really do have to control yourself during the bidding process and step back to think. Sometimes it doesn't matter to pay more for a name but most of the time it does.

Best to put in your final and highest bid and log out. Let the chips fall where they may or it could cost you a lot more money then you intended.

 

[Recons.Com]

https://www.namepros.com/threads/hu...50-of-expiring-domains-at-godaddy-com.988898/

This is not what I meant.

I mean for situation described by OP when you bid last minute and then there is suddenly bidding war.

 

[urlurl]

the big reason for the 'jump on bidders' (def: bidders who see a name with a bid and 'think' it has value) are; just too lazy to do their own research or have little to no experience in domain investing - they search for names with bids and think "if someone else thinks it has value maybe it does"

there are obvious premium and great names that will always have bids... but there are sooooo many names that have bids on names i wouldn't have even hand registered. big waste of money, LMFAO

 

[urlurl]

Noticed this many years ago and stopped doing last minute bids on GD unless it is a name I am ready to pay $xxx for.

I would really appreciate if someone could research this behavior and check which companies/individuals end up placing the highest bid and therefore owning the names.

For anything else that makes sense for me at wholesale price of $5-50 I will wait until it hits GD closeout and then decide if it is an $11 name or a $5 name.

Another advantage of this is that you also get a second look at all those names and very often decide not to buy them from Closeout either.

i start with 100 - 200 names on my watch list - and i usually only buy 3-5 out of the bunch.

best practice is to be picky, really picky! - because there are always going to be millions of expired and dropping names to come. just because you won the auction or snipped the name... you still have to find or wait for the right buyer. Plus, there are those pesky renewals you will need to deal with, lol

 

[GoKaizen]

HugeDomains software picks-up on bidding wars, then outbids everyone.

I mean for situation described by OP when you bid last minute and then there is suddenly bidding war.

 

[Dominic Belley]

Out of curiosity, when you like domains in Closeouts, do you usually :

- Buy it at $11 + renew.
- Wait and buy it at $5 + renew.
- Build a list and wait for a $1-$2 promo at any registrar and register everything you had on your list.

Or maybe your doing a bit of each choices depending of your evaluation of the domain.

 

[urlurl]

depends on the names

picked up 2 nice names this week for $5 and $11 each

 

[hookbox]

Out of curiosity, when you like domains in Closeouts, do you usually :

- Buy it at $11 + renew.
- Wait and buy it at $5 + renew.
- Build a list and wait for a $1-$2 promo at any registrar and register everything you had on your list.

Or maybe your doing a bit of each choices depending of your evaluation of the domain.

If I like the name I buy it right away. The only reason I would buy a name for $5 is if I didn't see it when it was at $11.