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Domain name Aftermarket review
Buying a domain name on the secondary market is like trying to get a date with the best looking girl in school. It’s not easy. The reality and the dream can be poles apart. However if you do not give up you may be richly rewarded.
The following aftermarket services are responsible for the majority of domain name sales.
Sedo
Gold award
DRH rating: 5
INTERFACE: 5
EXPOSURE: 5
ADD ONS: 5
What we like
Sedo is the leading marketplace for buying and selling domain names and websites. Creating an account and listing a domain for sale on Sedo’s marketplace is straightforward and more importantly it is completely free. Should you sell a domain through Sedo’s marketplace, you will be charged a 10% commission fee (a minimum fee applies, based on the extension of the domain) which covers the escrow service for the domain name and money transfers. Domain names that are short and have a real word and are easy to remember can be eligible for Premium Auction.
What can be improved?
It hard to fault, however will say this the featured listing fees seem to be relatively high.
Afternic
Silver award
DRH rating: 4
INTERFACE: 4
EXPOSURE: 4
ADD ONS: 4.5
What we like
Afternic is probably one of the most popular resell marketplaces. It has a staggering three million domain names available for sale. We like the sheer numbers involved, marketing your domain name on Afternic will give maximum exposure. A quick look at the weekly sales statistic of domain names will testify at how popular Afternic is.
Afternic offers three levels of membership; AfternicDLS membership which costs $19.95 per year, Buyer for $1/lifetime and Standard membership which is free.
What can be improved?
The $19,95 price tag appears excessive given the benefits of membership. One of the major criticisms that have been levelled against Afternic is that of the 3 million domain names that are on sale approximately 60% are owned by Afternic. This is always a heated point of discussion on various domaining forums.
DNForum
Gold award
DRH rating: 3
INTERFACE: 3
EXPOSURE: 3.5
ADD ONS: 3
What we like
The greatest strengthen of DNForum is that it is a meeting point for the domaining community. As a market place DNForum offers a number of trading points depending on your level of membership. DNForum offer an auction style marketplace and a fixed price marketplace. DNForum system of self policing system ensures that buyers and sellers are vetted.
One thing we like about DNForum is that you can buy a fully functioning website which maybe an ideal solution for those interested in hitting the ground whilst running.
What can be improved?
You need to be a paid up member to buy and sell on DNForum.
Best of the Rest
Pool
Pool.com has an extensive database of domains for sale. Domain names are available via an online auction or for a fixed price.
Snapnames
Snapnames has an interesting business model; it is owned by Oversee.net which has the following companies in its stable Dotster, Register.com, Melbourne IT, DotRegistrar, DomainPeople, Moniker, DirectNIC and others. These partners offer their expired domains through SnapNames before they are available anywhere else in the public market.
Once you have purchased your domain name chances are that it is registered with a different registrar to the one that you use for your domain name portfolio. In that case you will need to transfer acquired domain name to the registrar of your choice.
