Earlier this year Vito from mediabranding.com did a domains wanted thread where he would not accept private messages, he wanted people to post their name in the thread.
This was being done to bring things out into the light. To weed out those who break the rules in the dark. Examples include sending non coms when the thread starter asked only for .coms, asking $10,000 when max budget is $1,000, etc…
One of the things Vito did worry about was getting names picked off by someone else before he could reply to them.
Marek from Brands.International took the concept and improved upon it, running a very efficient thread with rules that provided him the opportunity to have some time to make a decision.
Of course someone could say I don’t care about a violation, but again that whole thing of everything being out in the public for everyone to see, tends to keep people in line. When everyone can see what you did you cannot post, “you don’t know the whole story or see all the pm’s.”
Here was the initial post:
Criteria:
1. only .WORLD, .LIFE, .LIVE, .CHAT, .WORK, .WORKS, .SPACE, .PLACE, .COOL, .FUND, .SOCIAL, .CLOUD and .NETWORK – NO OTHER EXTENSIONS!
2. STANDARD renewal attached (or it can be small premium renewal, but less then $50).
3. Only 1 worders (what is 1 worder : OPEN.WORLD. This is NOT 1 worder: MYOPEN.WORLD)
4. 1 name per 1 member per 1 day, so please select those with high quality. If you have more good names, post it on separate day. I will report you if you break this rule.
5. You must post name directly in the thread. Do not send me DMs, all DMs not originated by me will be ignored. By posting name in this thread you agree to give me (this only for duration of 24 hours since you post it) exclusive right to choose your name and to get it (if we do not agree on some lesser price via DMs) for price $250/name (by me publicly posting the domain name selected and “I take it” words with this domain ), while you bindingly confirm you will NOT sell this name to someone else during this 24 hour period.
I might publicly post information prior end of this period that the name is released from this exlusive right, in which case you can freely sell it to someone else again.
If I do not post anything, you must wait for 24 hours to be able to sell it to someone else.
6. By posting a name in thread you agree I can positively or negatively comment on it, if I like to do so..
It generated over 5,000 views and 185 posts. A few names purchased.
I think what Marek did might become a trend, many members such as Brad Mugford have expressed their frustration at getting so many off top replies.
There is another side to all of this where many members now start a thread and make clear that they will report everyone who sends a name that’s is outside the listed criteria.
This has sparked some to want to find ways to punish those who make those threats. Over the summer someone asked me if I got the email from a group of people looking to block or ignore those members who threatened other members? I did not.
Namepros will give you an infraction point for sending names that don’t match, now how many points and how often I don’t know? Some want to know what is the actual punishment for sending names that don’t match.
Then there are those that ostracize and exclude buyers who have what some see as stupid budgets or as one person said to me, “an idiotic budget that shows they are a broke bitch!”
Either way it’s a mess, domains wanted has been out of hand for a long time.
This alternate method could be the better way to go.
Ravi says
Open method is good if all are interested in it…
I do think there is balance in asking threads (buyers) and sending names (sellers)…there are legitimate buyers and sellers and also insane requirements and budgets and also sending irrelevant and completely garbage names….
The balance is just what it seems…but I think a little more suffering on buyer side because they are flooded with useless names every time and there is no cure to this…
Open method might work and I think some minus points are there for this too…
Raymond…
On sidenote is there a way to know how much transaction done through domain wanted requests…?
Like your sales analysis threads…may be you can collect just number of names and prices and no need to reveal the actual name that was bought.
This can give some idea of NamePros potential and usefulness for domainers…
And if you can stretch the data of all auctions and sold amount make this very relevant to actual liquidation/wholesale price trends.
Just a thought..
Thanks,
Ravi
Raymond Hackney says
Hello Ravi,
There is no data on that, people who buy from those threads don’t like to say what they bought and what they paid.
Ravi says
That is main hurdle… I think it is a hurdle that we can not overcome..
Thanks
Frank says
Great idea, it exposes those who can’t read or just ignore the rules.