Problem buying domain through TDNAM

DomainMissile.com · Apr 10, 2007

Just thought I'd pass along a recent experience I had while trying to buy a domain through a TDNAM auction.

I had placed the minimum bid of $10 and was the highest bidder. I refreshed the auction listing in My Account and I remained the highest bidder, in fact the only bidder, until the very end of the auction. Then with zero seconds remaining, the system said I had been outbid. The strange thing is that the auction wasn't extended two minutes like it normally is, and the winning bid was shown as $10. But I was not the winning bidder.

TDNAM normally extends auctions for two minutes if a bid comes in near the end of the auction, so I was bummed about the domain going to someone else.

I contacted TDNAM (Godaddy) and got this response:

Thank you for contacting customer support. We do see that the auction did not extend and are investigating the situation. However, we are unable to restart the auction nor can we reassign you as the winning bidder. Another member did in fact place a higher bid than you. In the future, you should bid the maximum amount you are actually willing to pay for the domain. With our Proxy Bidding Service, our system will only increase the auction price when a higher bid is placed by another member.

We will accept any bid placed during an open auction. If you choose not to bid the absolute maximum amount on a domain in hopes of manually increasing your bid when a higher bid is place by another member, you run the risk of being outbid in the last moments before you have a chance to counter-bid. Please let us know if we can help you in any other way.

So, buyer beware on TDNAM.

Domain Jedi · Apr 10, 2007

I am sorry to hear about your negative experience. To date, I haven't experienced the same problem and I am crossing my fingers...

DomainMissile.com · Apr 10, 2007

I've bought about 20 domains through TDNAM and this is the first time this has happened.

I hope it will be the last.

At least they are aware of it now.