[gnso-pednr-dt] interesting story about auctions starting *before* the renewal period has closed, and using them as a test of value

["Mike O'Connor" <mike@xxxxxxxxxx>]

hi all,

this one caught my eye.  note the game, counter-game opportunities.  GoDaddy 
gets picked on (as usual) but clearly this isn't a GoDaddy story, since GD does 
some things that make the process more transparent.  so relax James.  :-)

here's the link -- 
http://domainshane.com/people-are-letting-their-domain-names-expire-to-get-an-idea-of-its-value/

the comments are shaping up to be interesting too.

mikey



People are Letting Their Domain Names Expire To Get An Idea of Its Value

By ShaneCultra - April 20, 2012 - 10 Comments
Sounds crazy but its being done.  The domain registrars almost all now auction 
names in their system that are about to expire. Presently they all auction the 
name prior to actual expiration in order to involve taking possession of the 
name.   I have recently heard a few stories lately of how owners are letting 
some of their better names get close to the expiry just to let them go to 
auction and see what kind of price they draw.

We’ve all lost a domain we won at auction because it was renewed in the time 
period between auction end and expiration date.  I had always assumed it was a 
domain investor that contacted them and they renewed and sold.  But that may 
not have been the case. It very well could have been an owner just getting a 
free domain appraisal.  A pretty good one at that.  One of the stories I’ll be 
talking about later wasn’t actually this exact scenario but similar.

I’ll give the details later but it was a name that the owner forgot to renew 
and went to auction and closed for a solid price.  A friend saw it and let the 
owner know and he got it renewed in time.  Now he knows its value and will put 
it back up for auction.  This time, he is keeping the money instead of Godaddy. 
 This could essentially be done for any name and I’m sure Godaddy would not be 
a fan nor would the auction participants.  It’s probably not even good that I 
put the idea in people’s heads but its happening.

The expiry auction is evolving and is a work in progress.  Godaddy is doing a 
good job with them but the “spread” is killing them.   The spread that opens up 
this whole can of worms I’ve discussed.  Somehow it will be fixed and that’s 
why I’ve even mentioned it because bringing things into the open makes things 
move a little faster.

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