Using DomainLore for the first time [as a Buyer]

[FirstTimeNewbie]

As you can probably tell from my username and post count, I'm new and rather inexperienced here! I'll begin with a bit of backstory but if you just want to know the question then skim down to the last paragraph.

I've been wanting a particular .uk domain for a while now - years in fact. The .co.uk was registered, so I was waiting for quite a while for the drop in July. I tried pre-ordering from a number of the 'standard' registrars (GoDaddy, etc...) but none of them caught it. The company that did catch it appears to be intending to sell it, as the domain redirects to DomainLore (and, looking at other .uk domains selling on DomainLore in the past few weeks, the company that bought the domain I wanted has been selling quite a few other .uk domains on DomainLore).

I signed up to DomainLore, but to be honest I'm a bit confused about the layout of the site. There's the "Spotlight Auctions" tab and the "Hidden Gem Auctions" tab, but these look like curated selections of the currents auctions. What I'm really after is a list of all the .uk domains (or just all the domains) up for auction on DomainLore right now. Then I can just write a quick script to check that list every hour until the domain I want is put up for auction.

Thanks!

 

[Murray]

You just need to monitor the page: https://domainlore.uk/domain.uk

If it gets a bid it will be that url

I'm running an auction atm for perform so the auction page is https://domainlore.uk/perform.uk

You could always contact the registrant now and try and do a deal before auction? if you pm me the domain I will likely know who they are on here or how to get in touch with them

 

[FirstTimeNewbie]

Ah, Murray, you are a star. That's exactly the information I was looking for. It will be trivial to check to see if the URL resolves (in which case the auction is live) or redirects (in which case the domain is not yet up for auction). Thanks!

To be honest, I don't think it is work my time going directly to the registrar. I don't intent to really go above £100 for it. My main hope is as the domain isn't a keyword (it's a surname) it won't get much interest and I'll be able to snag it. I don't have much hope, but that's just another way of saying I do have a small bit of hope!

 

[domain-names]

https://domainlore.uk/feed/premium

and

https://domainlore.uk/feed/gems

 

[Murray]

You better hope it's a very unpopular surname if you want it for £100

 

[domain-names]

If your domain is added to the Gem section and doesn't receive a bid the URL example will not become active, they start off as:

https://domainlore.uk/auctions/gems_id/XXXXX

and change to this type after a bid:

https://domainlore.uk/domain.uk

 

[FirstTimeNewbie]

When you say "added to the gem section", I assumed that the inclusion on the "Spotlight Auctions" / "Hidden Gem" lists was a bit like being "featured" or "promoted" on other auction sites. But is it the case that the seller can decide which section to add their domain to?

 

[domain-names]

Generally everything goes in to Gems first unless it's a premium domain. The seller may add it directly to the Spotlight (homepage) section but it's unlikely if you only value it at £100.

 

[DesD]

I agree that DomainLore can be a bit confusing at first, but it is actually a well put together site when you've been through the buying/selling process and are familiar with how it works.

Unfortunately you're unlikely to have that opportunity here given your specific requirements, so I'd encourage you to trust that it will work well for you.

A couple of pieces of advice that I'd offer.

1) Bookmark and check the main auction page and gems page daily. Ultimately if you've waited years to secure yoursurname.uk, then it will be worth the effort.

2) It's an auction site so prices can fluctuate wildly, and they do. If somebody else wants yoursurname.uk then you need to be very clear on the level of investment that you're willing to make. A domain like that is unique, the opportunity may not come up again in the near future - so don't leave your valuation thinking to the last ten minutes of the auction. Remember, when it's gone, it's gone!

I'm an end user like yourself (I don't operate a domain business), so the above is based on my own personal experience.

Have fun.

 

[FirstTimeNewbie]

Thanks for the info, everyone. I'll definitely be checking regularly, both in-person and with an automated script (at most once an hour - I'm not going to DDoS anything!).

And while I'm not particularly confident I'll get the domain, I've been having fun these past weeks watch the domains ending on DomainLore and trying to guess what they'll end for. So far, I've been pretty wrong (domains I thought wouldn't sell have sold for $$$, while ones I expected to make big money made very little). Perhaps I'll be wrong again!

 

[lazarus]

If its a popular surname you will need to increase your budget maybe by another zero

 

[wonder_lander]

I'll also add that unlike an eBay auction Domainlore operates a 10 minute extensions if a bid is placed in the final 10 minutes of an auction.

So if the auction ends at 13:00 and you bid at 12:55 then the auction end time will be extended to 13:05. This can see auctions going on for a good length of time after their initial end time if they're popular!