GoDaddy.com by far has the largest inventory of domain names of any domain registrar. Some of these domains expire and go to “expired auction” but for some reason, the inventory of expired auctions sucks at GoDaddy compared to other services, like NameJet.
GoDaddy Auctions lacks expired inventory for generic one word domains that are valuable! VCVC.com’s, NNNN’s, LLL’s and simply general nice two word domains when you compare the inventory to NameJet.
So why does the expired inventory suck, compared to others when really GoDaddy should have the best inventory of expired domains simply by volume but they do not? Well, I really do not have the exact answers but I can take some shots at maybe why this is the case.
Better focus on retaining customers / getting them to renew when the domain expires
~ GoDaddy puts a fair amount of effort into retaining customers. When a domain name expires, GoDaddy puts a link on top of the expired domain for the domain owner to renew. Network Solutions, a provider of many great expired domains at NameJet does not!
~ Great domains are often transferred into GoDaddy, so maybe email details are “newer” compared to ones with the first register ever operating?
~ Renewal rates at GoDaddy cost about 3x’s less than Network Solutions.
~ GoDaddy may be better at having customers keep whois records up to date?
~ New generation using GoDaddy compared to older generation still using NSI?
~ Sole inventory. GoDaddy, even though the largest domain registrar, they only put GoDaddy registered domains and WildWest expired domains on auction at GoDaddy. NameJet has many providers like NSI, eNom. Register.com and more.
Inventory
Domain name quality is subjective but I ran some domain names for GoDaddy Auctions expired inventory and did the same for NameJet. Generally, there are simply a handful of “good” expired domain names currently on auction at GoDaddy. Again, deeply consider the volume of domains that GoDaddy has under ownership (Yes, many, many very valuable domains) and it just doesn’t make much sense? A handful?
The “best” one word domain currently at expired auction at GoDaddy is: Adoptable.com?
The “best” one word domain currently at expired auction at NameJet is: Blimps.com?
The domains do not even compare! I had A LOT more to choose from at NameJet than GoDaddy. I considered Goodwives.com as the best one word expired at NameJet and maybe Breadwinner.com (but I wasn’t sure if it was actually expired, but I did confirm it is), Slips.com and I could easily go on..
4 letter domains was a pure slap in the face to GoDaddy as NameJet’s inventory simply overshadowed them by a long shot.
GoDaddy’s leader was Adsy.com but NameJet just had so many good 4L’s to choose from like Viru.com, Zerb.com, Stil.com and many more.
Overview
In general, it has always amazed me that GoDaddy’s expired auction inventory lacks that many great domain names. To me, it just has the ingredients to house some great expired domain auctions but it rarely does. This is good for GoDaddy’s domain owners because they are not allowing valuable domains to simply expire but bad for domain investors looking to buy good expired domains. Don’t get me wrong, GoDaddy still auctions off many nice expired domains but I always feel “empty” when I run the whole inventory as it just lacks that many clearly good expired domains and it always makes me scratch my head and wonder why this is.
What are your thoughts as to why GoDaddy’s expired inventory simply lacks that many quality domains?
Jamie,
You have to know the answer to your question. You are not comparing apples to apples. All the good names at Namejet you are talking about are not true expiring auctions. They are private listings mixed in. Namejet has their registrars, partner registrars and private listings all in the mix. Godaddy offers private listings but hardly anyone uses them. Leaving expired. And domain are more valuable than ever so less and less expired. Mystery solved.
All the domains I listed are expired domain auctions and not member listed. I strictly am focusing on expired domains and domains that are easily detected as valuable.
tbh I disagree. GoDaddy Auctions is by far the most active domain aftermarket and I regularly see domains on there selling for $25k+.
Regularly ? I don’t think so . Can you name 5 in the last month that sold for more than $25k.
I don’t get it, do you want godaddy premium account holders to not renew some of their decent domains so their expired inventory gets better, you click, and go to a different exchange, how much easier can life get?
The real reason is that NJ feeds of the expirired names from the original legacy Registrar, NetSol. Just a shell of its former monopoly, there’s still a lot of gold left to mine.
Oh, don’t get too excited about Blimps.com, that will never make it to auction.
A factor you didn’t mention was the age of the registrar. Godaddy is the relative new kid on the block, and came along after all the obvious big names were already registered elsewhere.
I think its a good observation. Maybe it is, as you say down to their customer service.
But yes given the volumes compared to NJ you would have thought you’d see a few more higher quality names.