Flippa No Reserve auctions!!

DotCom9 · Jul 29, 2015

Hi Guys,

Has it worked for you so far? Flippa seems to be encouraging it for the sellers.

Thanks

Beezy · Jul 29, 2015

If it's a liquid domain, it's probably smart to create some early action and you'll benefit from no reserve as long as you understand the price floor for that type of domain and are ok with it.

However, for most of my auctions, I've found having a reserve is much better. Usually you can communicate with the bidders what the reserve is and if they really want them name someone will meet it.

If that doesn't happen, there are still post auction negotiations and I've sold names that way before.

Last, there are free relistings - I've had a domain not hit reserve and then far exceed the reserve (by 2.5x!) the next time I listed it.

I think having a reserve, in most cases, is the way to go.

DNVantage · Jul 29, 2015

Beezy said:
I think having a reserve, in most cases, is the way to go.

I listed a name with reserve the first time and there were no bids. I listed it again without reserve, reached high $xx, though lot less than my estimate it would sell for. Earlier I had refused a 2x offer for same name and thought the auction would get better. Before listing I was aware this could happen so I was ok with the $xx auction price.

Listing without reserve will bring bidders but you may not even get half of what you are hoping for, so that is risk you need to take.

Plus there was an post here at NP about how sales drop in summer as buyers may be away on vacation.

Reserve is important unless you are willing to risk sale at any price, maybe even $1!

DotCom9 · Jul 30, 2015

For me, I had one of the auctions with reserve price and that did not go well. One "No-Reserve" auction went well. I am having one more "No-Reserve" auction. Have to see how that goes.

Omar Negron · Jul 30, 2015

There is always a risk running a no reserve auction.

You really have to have confidence in your domain name. If you are going to run a no reserve auction, make sure you market the crap out of that auction. Put it in front of as many eyeballs as you can. Massive exposure.

-Omar

FPForum · Jul 30, 2015

I've done numerous auctions for both. My recommendation would be..
-If it's something that is valuable and you are wanting to get a certain amount for it, always use a reserve.
-If it's something you're looking to get rid of and aren't too worried about the price, use no reserve.

No reserve will get bids, but don't expect it to be for much. One thing I've found with no reserve auctions is that they'll get bids early on. Most of the bids will be from small/new bidders (some that I consider "tire kickers") who will bump the price up 1 or 2 bids, but probably not much more. If you're starting the auction at $0 expect it to go up to $50 or $100 quickly, but lose tread after that.

If you're going to start a no reserve auction then prepare to be happy with whatever you get for it. If the site/domain is worth at least a few hundred bucks then I'd have a reserve set on it so you're not kicking yourself when it doesn't get that much in the auction. Remember, you can always just relist it for free.

HeyNow · Jul 30, 2015

DotCom9 said:
Hi Guys,

Has it worked for you so far? Flippa seems to be encouraging it for the sellers.

Thanks

Of course they seem to. Why wouldn't they? There's no apparent downside for them, only for the seller!

Whatever it takes to increase revenue. Stick it in hard with fish hooks and break it off.

DotCom9 · Aug 3, 2015

Thanks for ur comments guys..

GoKaizen · Feb 27, 2016

FPForum said:
I've done numerous auctions for both. My recommendation would be..
-If it's something that is valuable and you are wanting to get a certain amount for it, always use a reserve.
-If it's something you're looking to get rid of and aren't too worried about the price, use no reserve.

No reserve will get bids, but don't expect it to be for much. One thing I've found with no reserve auctions is that they'll get bids early on. Most of the bids will be from small/new bidders (some that I consider "tire kickers") who will bump the price up 1 or 2 bids, but probably not much more. If you're starting the auction at $0 expect it to go up to $50 or $100 quickly, but lose tread after that.

If you're going to start a no reserve auction then prepare to be happy with whatever you get for it. If the site/domain is worth at least a few hundred bucks then I'd have a reserve set on it so you're not kicking yourself when it doesn't get that much in the auction. Remember, you can always just relist it for free.

Nice advice, what type of names have you done reserve and no reserve?

Michael · Feb 28, 2016

I think it depends on a number of factors including the type of domain, your acquisition price, and how badly you want to sell it. Flippa's audience is more developers and affiliate marketers than domain investors, so if it were an investment grade domain like an LLLL.com or an LLL.net or similar that doesn't scream development potential, I probably wouldn't list it with no reserve.

If I paid a good deal of money for the domain and it was an amount I couldn't afford to lose, I probably wouldn't list it at no reserve unless I really wanted to move the domain for some reason.

One way to maximize visibility that I haven't done myself and would find mildly annoying as a buyer is to list it the first time with a pretty high reserve and get a bunch of people watching the auction. Then if it doesn't sell you re-list it (this is free for one time) at no reserve, and everyone who was watching will be notified. You get the best of both worlds this way, lots of watchers from the start for maximum exposure, and no reserve to increase bidder interest and activity.

Another benefit of having a reserve is that if at any point during the auction you drop the reserve to be $1 above the current bid, Flippa will email all the watchers notifying them that the next bid will meet reserve. This only happens for $1 above, not $2 - $5 even though the next bid increment would still meet the reserve, I'm not sure why that is.

I've done 10 auctions on Flippa. Half I started at no reserve, and half I did a reserve but dropped it to $1 above the current bid about halfway through the auction. I didn't notice much of a difference between the two groups, but I've also never had a reserve towards the end of the auction where it really could make a difference in activity.

Flippa has a big audience, so as long as you promote your auctions on the forums, on Domain Shane's featured listing product, etc. the domain will most likely reach a fair market price. Most of the prices I've gotten on my auctions exceeded my expectations, only one out of the ten I think sold too cheap.

GoKaizen · Feb 28, 2016

Michael said:
I think it depends on a number of factors including the type of domain, your acquisition price, and how badly you want to sell it. Flippa's audience is more developers and affiliate marketers than domain investors, so if it were an investment grade domain like an LLLL.com or an LLL.net or similar that doesn't scream development potential, I probably wouldn't list it with no reserve.

If I paid a good deal of money for the domain and it was an amount I couldn't afford to lose, I probably wouldn't list it at no reserve unless I really wanted to move the domain for some reason.

One way to maximize visibility that I haven't done myself and would find mildly annoying as a buyer is to list it the first time with a pretty high reserve and get a bunch of people watching the auction. Then if it doesn't sell you re-list it (this is free for one time) at no reserve, and everyone who was watching will be notified. You get the best of both worlds this way, lots of watchers from the start for maximum exposure, and no reserve to increase bidder interest and activity.

Another benefit of having a reserve is that if at any point during the auction you drop the reserve to be $1 above the current bid, Flippa will email all the watchers notifying them that the next bid will meet reserve. This only happens for $1 above, not $2 - $5 even though the next bid increment would still meet the reserve, I'm not sure why that is.

I've done 10 auctions on Flippa. Half I started at no reserve, and half I did a reserve but dropped it to $1 above the current bid about halfway through the auction. I didn't notice much of a difference between the two groups, but I've also never had a reserve towards the end of the auction where it really could make a difference in activity.

Flippa has a big audience, so as long as you promote your auctions on the forums, on Domain Shane's featured listing product, etc. the domain will most likely reach a fair market price. Most of the prices I've gotten on my auctions exceeded my expectations, only one out of the ten I think sold too cheap.

Excellent advice @Michael, thanks for sharing. My last auction the names sold too cheap imo. Did you have to relist the auctions to get the prices you wanted?

Michael · Feb 28, 2016

Adam27 said:
Excellent advice @Michael, thanks for sharing. My last auction the names sold too cheap imo. Did you have to relist the auctions to get the prices you wanted?

Five were no reserve, and the other five I dropped the reserve to $1 above the current bid halfway through the auction and they all met reserve. So all my listings were sold the first time around.

The reason I dropped the reserves is that I was reasonably happy with the prices at that point, and I wanted to try to encourage bidding and draw more watchers. I also like having 100% sold on my profile, so that in the future if I list more auctions with reserves people will assume they are reasonable and that I'm not the type to waste bidders' time with unrealistic prices.

GoKaizen · Feb 29, 2016

Michael said:
Five were no reserve, and the other five I dropped the reserve to $1 above the current bid halfway through the auction and they all met reserve. So all my listings were sold the first time around.

The reason I dropped the reserves is that I was reasonably happy with the prices at that point, and I wanted to try to encourage bidding and draw more watchers. I also like having 100% sold on my profile, so that in the future if I list more auctions with reserves people will assume they are reasonable and that I'm not the type to waste bidders' time with unrealistic prices.

Does Flippa penalize you for having a low sell rate? Those numbers are kind of hidden, you've found buyers actually check on that before bidding @Michael?

Michael · Feb 29, 2016

Adam27 said:
Does Flippa penalize you for having a low sell rate? Those numbers are kind of hidden, you've found buyers actually check on that before bidding @Michael?

I don't believe Flippa factors your sell through rate into anything but I'm not sure, and that could always change in the future. When there is a reserve auction I'm interested in I definitely check the seller's profile, and if he has 50 auctions with 2 sold or something like that I don't bother. I might just be weird though, maybe most people don't do that.

bazabizo · Feb 29, 2016

Bottom line. Flippa wants you to list at no reserve, so you they are guaranteed a commission on sale!
If you ever list a name at no reserve, please give me its link, I would love to own a domain at 1/2 its real reseller value! Period!

GoKaizen · Feb 29, 2016

bazabizo said:
Bottom line. Flippa wants you to list at no reserve, so you they are guaranteed a commission on sale!
If you ever list a name at no reserve, please give me its link, I would love to own a domain at 1/2 its real reseller value! Period!

Lol so true!

Nerevar · Feb 29, 2016

I usually sell "no reserve". Sometimes it works out, and sometimes not.

GoKaizen · Feb 29, 2016

Nerevar said:
I usually sell "no reserve". Sometimes it works out, and sometimes not.

I thought my no reserve auction would attract more bidders. What type of names do you list?

Nerevar · Feb 29, 2016

E.g. the one in my signature

Cdomains · Mar 1, 2016

Michael said:
One way to maximize visibility that I haven't done myself and would find mildly annoying as a buyer is to list it the first time with a pretty high reserve and get a bunch of people watching the auction. Then if it doesn't sell you re-list it (this is free for one time) at no reserve, and everyone who was watching will be notified. You get the best of both worlds this way, lots of watchers from the start for maximum exposure, and no reserve to increase bidder interest and activity.

Another benefit of having a reserve is that if at any point during the auction you drop the reserve to be $1 above the current bid, Flippa will email all the watchers notifying them that the next bid will meet reserve. This only happens for $1 above, not $2 - $5 even though the next bid increment would still meet the reserve, I'm not sure why that is.

I've done 10 auctions on Flippa. Half I started at no reserve, and half I did a reserve but dropped it to $1 above the current bid about halfway through the auction. I didn't notice much of a difference between the two groups, but I've also never had a reserve towards the end of the auction where it really could make a difference in activity.

Flippa has a big audience, so as long as you promote your auctions on the forums, on Domain Shane's featured listing product, etc. the domain will most likely reach a fair market price. Most of the prices I've gotten on my auctions exceeded my expectations, only one out of the ten I think sold too cheap.

Wow some great ideas! I have been considering Flippa for a long time, and have had an account there for a while, but have been hesitant to use their auctions because of all the negative talk on the forum.

I have come to believe, from reading other posts, that if you do not buy the upgrades and make your auction more visible you are much less likely to sell at a decent price and be satisfied with what you get.

Houssaine · Jul 12, 2016

bazabizo said:
Bottom line. Flippa wants you to list at no reserve, so you they are guaranteed a commission on sale!
If you ever list a name at no reserve, please give me its link, I would love to own a domain at 1/2 its real reseller value! Period!

Here's one: https://flippa.com/6590816-xtechnique-com

Flippa No Reserve auctions!!

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