For Sale Looking for TBR Process Suggestions/Feedback

[pandersen]

Hi All,

We at EGATE are looking at ways to improve our current TBR interface so as to make the process simpler and easier for our customers. We've gotten some feedback privately but this time I thought I'd survey this community if there are suggestions of things people would like (or not) to see for us to consider.

We're considering a variety of changes with a focus on making the payment easier for both us and the end user along with the actual process of bidding. We are also concerned with the growing last second bidding process and we've gotten mixed comments on this.

Feedback is appreciated either in public or private.

Cheers,


Paul

 

[thebutler]

Paul,

I've used your system with some success lately. I've also been sniped at the last minute with the current system.

Have to tried out some other auction systems? baremetal and namespro.ca have two interesting models that are slightly different than yours but they both don't cure sniping except Baremetal and high priced domains.

Two possible features to add.

Hidden maximum bid. I'd like to only pay $30 if no one else is interested but sometimes I'd like to put in a maximum bid thats higher.

With higher valued domains maybe you could do something like this. First person who bids $100 (or $75-whatever) is committed to buy (you have some protection on this) but if other people bid Egate grabs the name and Egate holds a closed auction. At the second stage only people who bid at least $100 (or $75) are in (like Pool and Baremetal for high value domains). So for potential buyers you have an incentive to bid high on some names and an incentive to bid early.

Thanks
db

 

[DropWizard.com]

Hi All,

We at EGATE are looking at ways to improve our current TBR interface so as to make the process simpler and easier for our customers. We've gotten some feedback privately but this time I thought I'd survey this community if there are suggestions of things people would like (or not) to see for us to consider.

We're considering a variety of changes with a focus on making the payment easier for both us and the end user along with the actual process of bidding. We are also concerned with the growing last second bidding process and we've gotten mixed comments on this.

Feedback is appreciated either in public or private.

Cheers,


Paul

I haven't used you and was amazed to discover I had an account there. I just recovered the password and updated. But my first reaction bluntly is your prepayment.

We're involved in as many as 20-30 auctions (names) a week. I stopped using any registrars that required prepayment or preauthorization because keeping track of the C/C entries became a nightmare.

Worse we have spent as high as 10k in a week and usually spend several hundred $$$. When you multiply that by "X" registrars wanting their cash up front the capital burden becomes daunting.

I know you only talk about preauthorizing and then putting throught the actual amount charged. But you don't know credit cards. Regardless of what you do the preauth STAYS on the C/C for up to 7 days. I know because I have online access to a couple of mine and can watch what happens. With all those auctions running it means I could wrack up the limit on a C/C and yet never actually buy a domain.

A couple of weeks ago I spent 7k on auctions. I got 6 names. That would have cost you what; $54 to register them? It seems to me your upfront requirements are out of line with your real risk.

And I won't even get into the fact that most (including mine) credit cards have daily limits that are significantly less than a lot of the bids. I have to wire money or have the payment taken over 2-3 days or whatever. Your system completely eliminates that possibility.

Just some thoughts.

Gordon
DropWizard

 

[whitebark]

The prepayment requirement also stopped me from ever using the service in the past. Many .ca registrars involved in the TBR don't require this - especially once they know and trust you.

I did finish creating my profile in anticipation of some great changes to come.

 

[thebutler]

Paul,

As you can see the credit issue is a big deal for the big players (who you want). I usually just try and grab smaller names.

That was part of my suggestion on the $100 confirmed and than take it to closed auction. You have protection on your side (someone is confirmed to pay) but you can than reap the big return on those LL.ca when they drop and you grab them!!!

Thanks for taking the time to get some feedback.

 

[Ricks]

Credit pre-auth - I also agree with others that it is a major negative to have my capital needlessly tied up with you either in account credits or credit card pre-auth. This needs to be fixed.

Domain management Interface - can't speak for others, but the domain management system to manage my domains that you obtain for me seems a bit "glitchy" and needs improvement. As an example, I can't seem to delete domains from my account that have been sold or dropped so they sit there. The whole management system for your client's caught domains needs upgrading.

Sniping - keep the minimum bid amount low for those domains with only one bidder, but perhaps domains with multiple bidders could go to a time-delayed auction (additional bids add extra minute to auction).

Results - is there any way to show auction bidding results of domains we have bid on. It's frustrating to lose domains to last second sniping and not knowing what the winning bid actually was.

I hope these suggestions help.

Cheers!

 

[Beaker]

Preauthorization is much better than the pre-paid deposit requirements you used to have. However, as others have said, charging people afterward would be better still. So I'd definitely second that - especially for bidders who are regular users of the service.

Other than that I've liked your TBR quite a bit - it's certainly paid off for me time and time again. One suggestion I'd make is to use the whois to market it a little better though whenever you catch a name... something like what pool or myid has done. With all the registrars you have in the TBRs many people do not know they all come from egate!


Last suggestion, support that you provide personally is terrific (again, something I've benefited from many times, so much appreciated), but sometimes your staff takes quite awhile to get back to people. That reaction time can be a deciding factor for many domainers I think.

 

[DropWizard.com]

I'm guessing they didn't really like our solutions

 

[pandersen]

No. We love your suggestions! I was just keeping quiet to let all of you have your say first!

Lots of great suggestions public and private. I think this is the 5 main issues with the #1 clearly being your most important issue.

#1 - Payment Security

This definitely seems like the main issue and we hear you. We're just trying to balance your need not to tie thousands of dollars up while we have a guarantee to payment. I think we'll be looking at a more formal way to deal with those that require a certain amount of credit. To give you our problem we of course make it easy to sign up and our concern is always someone putting in a bid for a large sum that we don't know and not paying.

Some options we have of course is registering under a holding rant and transferring after payment. This is messy from our stand point and must drive you guys crazy.

We need to do some work here. I'm not sure on the exact response. If this is causing you an issue I'd suggest emailing me or sending me a PM because as others would say we can typically figure out an arragement.

#2 - Bid Sniping

I think rather then secondary auctions I'd rather move bidding up and have a short lived auction with those who have already bid being allowed to move up in other increments.


#3 - Domain Management Interface

We're aware of some short comings. Our goal is to have an expert interface that works better for, well, experts compared with retail customers who might need more hand holding.

#4 - Results

We'll look at a more formal results system either on a web page or via email.

#5 - Support Issues

I'm hoping in the near future that one person on our helpdesk staff will take a lead in all TBR issues and hopefully get to know you better and be able to better assist. I think that will help us deal with #1 a lot better when we deal more one on one with you.