SnapNames Issue

I need advice

[Slone]

In sum: I was told by a friend they decided to dump a domain name I wanted. The news was delayed getting to me, but was told it would be deleted soon by Network Solutions. I confirmed... However to find SnapNames nabbed it for auction.

This domain name is by no means a known brand, popular, or at the time of deletion my friend said there was no traffic to the domain name. The name had more value in what I wanted to do with it than anything... For someone to think of the domain name would even be rare...

Issue: I signed up for an account at SnapNames and submitted my over-priced bid of $60 (min bid) and waited. The date passed that Network Solutions was going to delete the domain name from their DB (which still has not been done)

I checked daily... No other bids.
TODAY however, I logged in and I see "Outbid" in bold red letters. Auction closed.

Ha! Now how can that be? - I had no chance to bid against him/her. I looked at the profile of the winner of the domain name, and has a huge list of domain names he purchased in the past.

I have contacted SnapNames support and left messages with this Portland Oregon based company. No word (if I had not moved to another state from Oregon last month I would be at their door)

This is quite funny, but I am upset at the same time. What are the chances here? Is there anything I can do? My guess the answer is no.. but thought to post here anyway.

Thanks!

[edited to be more clear]

[Webwork]

Like any auction system if you don't keep track of closing time yourself - and be there to bid - you are SOL. Last minute bidding is standard practice with domains.

[JonR28]

Someone should make an e-snipe type tool for domain name auctions. Hmmm...

[Slone]

Thing is... I was the only one bidding on it. Next morning (checked 3 times each day) it was "Outbid" LOL

A scam I believe.

My thoughts are they (Snapnames) monitor how often one monitors the domain name they want based on login times - Snapnames then outbids the domain name wanted, then they hopes that if you want it bad enough you will pay a higher fixed asking price.

I have since learned that all registered domain names through Network Solutions go to SnapNames for auction.

That alone should have told me enough, but I figured the domain name was rare and not of any interest to anyone - that I would win it for sure.

Oh well...

[Webwork]

On this point I believe you are entirely mistaken I say as nicely as I might ;-).

When there are no other bidders at SnapNames the domain goes directly into your account, assuming your payment info is validated, without a bidding period.

SnapNames is pretty uncrinkled in my several years of experience with them.

Won't say the same about another drop service.

I don't propose to debate this point. If you still feel you have been wronged then this isn't the place for redress. I'm simply quite certain that you didn't appreciate exactly how the system worked, because, if there were no other bidders then there is no auction period. Period.

[Slone]

I'm simply quite certain that you didn't appreciate exactly how the system worked, because, if there were no other bidders then there is no auction period. Period.

:) if all worked well it would have been nice.

Not to debate either, and I would not have posted the issue here unless there was something logically wrong. I have conducted a lot of business over my life online to know when something is wrong. According to their tech support reply there was 10 people bidding on the domain name. The also said other bidders would appear in my login “My Account” as does the directions on their site (which I read in detail at signup).

There was no one but me listed there for the entire week I had put my name in for the domain name. As I said, I watched this domain daily 3 times each day.

The post here was asking for advice - perhaps other have had issues? This may seem elementary, but this is my experience. Seeking advice was one step to resolving my problem in loosing a domain name like this one.

I have accepted the loss, but still in communications with them in the case I have to use them again.

Thanks for everyones feedback.

[edited] added quote tags

[snsh]

i'm confused- what date was domain scheduled for deletion, and what date did they close the auction? you mentioned you monitored status for one week. was that deletion period, pre-deletion period, or auction period? if you could just post the calendar dates that would be simplest way for everyone to read it.

[chicagohh]

I have used SnapNames often, have never had a problem and have seen exactly what WebWork has indicated - if your the only person interested in the domain - you get it.

I suggest that since your new to SnapNames maybe you missed the other bidders?

Won't say the same about another drop service.

:)

[Edwin]

Firstly, Snapnames starts at $60 for everyone. So if 10 people registered their interest in a name before it drops, everyone starts at the same $60 and (I believe) the first person to have entered it is "winning". None of the other people will show up in the auction unless they actively make bids (the $60 initial price is not considered a bid) so until they act you won't know how many other people are interested.

Secondly, if you're a smart regular user, and you want to outbid somebody on a domain, you'd OF COURSE wait until the last 1-2 minutes before the auction closes and do it then. Why would such a user give the other - hopefully less vigilant - bidders a chance to outbid again in turn? That just pushes up the price...

So of course you were shown as the only bidder when you checked a few times a day - because you were the only bidder!

Had the auction, for example, been closing at 11:21am and you'd checked at 11:20:30am you'd probably have found yourself lowest of 2+ bidders.

[foghead]

I've got a number of domain names through auctions with SnapNames and found no problems with the system, or service (other than finishing up paying more than I wanted!).
But I thought this little item from their own faq pages was a piece of particularly sharp practice

An auction lasts a minimum of 72 hours. To ensure fair play, bids received during the final minutes of an auction will automatically extend the auction close time.

To ensure fair play? Or to ensure they take as much cash from us as possible? Even eBay havn't thought of that one yet.

[Webwork]

At realtime auctions - at least the ones I have witnessed - there's no such thing as "last second, slip it under the wire" bidding. In realtime auctions if you bid then the bid is announced and additional offers are invited: "Going once, going twice, ...."

Hardly unfair to allow the auctioneer/seller to afford all interested buyers fair notice of a bid, an opportunity to reflect and an opportunity to respond.

Too bad they don't do it a Ebay. Then again, there's lots of things they don't do at Ebay, such as requiring bidders to post a bond or financial statements to assure they are financially qualified to bid.