Repeated calls for offers with no other guidance - what do you think?

[Edwin]

I quite often see "make offer" threads which have been updated 3, 4, 5 times or more over a span of weeks or months, but each time the seller has repeated the initial call for "offers" but with no additional information of any kind. For instance, there's no discussion of a BIN, no mention of previous offers received, and so on.

Note that I am talking about "open-ended" sales, not ones where a particular end date has been declared.

For me, those kinds of "bumps" are just frustrating because I go back to the thread hoping for a bit of guidance that would help me finally decide whether to buy or not, but each time there's as much info as last time (i.e. ZERO!)

I dislike making offers in a vacuum (no price guidance), but it's even more frustrating having to gauge whether to make an offer in an ongoing vacuum!

What do you think? Is there perhaps some way to improve this kind of thing? Or am I just being a bit over-sensitive?

 

[GreyWing]

Nope and I even know who you are probably on about, it is very annoying imo.

 

[Edwin]

Nope and I even know who you are probably on about, it is very annoying imo.

There's more than one case, for sure. It's something I've been noticing especially as more and more people seem to be resorting to "offers" without any price guidance (which is one way to guarantee that I won't be buying from that particular thread, but that's a moan for another day...)

 

[newguy]

I don't like this kind of thread either. Some are bumped about 4 or 5 times, with no comments from others. If the seller cannot further the conversation with something of value (a BIN, a hint of the price range, or some additional info) then I don't see how it's of use to anybody. If they're that insistent on repeatedly highlighting a name, they should buy a paid placement. If everyone behaved like this the forum would be a mess.

 

[retired_member13]

Whatever it takes to ban this sort of blatant abuse gets my vote.

If *anyone* who knows they're guilty of this sort of thing reads this, maybe it's worth taking it as a gentle hint to either:

- set some sort of guide prices / ballpark figures or
- just post a name once and not keep updating "still looking for offers" over and over and over again for the next X months.

If no-one replies to a thread that generally means no-one is interested....

But it takes all sorts I guess....

 

[retired_member12]

Depends who it is, surely? You're going to get newer members who don't know how to play things when they're mixing with more experienced 'cut to the chase' types. Not everyone will be deliberately reticent, it's inexperience with some of them.

 

[retired_member13]

Depends who it is, surely? You're going to get newer members who don't know how to play things when they're mixing with more experienced 'cut to the chase' types. Not everyone will be deliberately reticent, it's inexperience with some of them.

Very good point.

I have to admit I was referring to the experienced domainers who do this, but I didn't say that's who i meant and I should have.

But that makes it even more inexcusable from the people who should know better.

 

[foz]

I don't have problem with offers invited, after all their is a section dedicated to it.

What I find frustrating is people listing names that are at auction and keep on bumping the thread e.g. closes in 12 hours.

Of course bumping is not allowed, but the enforcement of this is poor.

 

[domainseller200]

Nope and I even know who you are probably on about, it is very annoying imo.

Yep me too

I have the exact same feelings as Edwin, it actually puts me off dealing with people like this at all and would prefer to spend money elsewhere instead of game playing with guessing prices.

The worst thing is when there is a domain like this offered and you make an offer of say £1k and they come back and say "Thanks but no thanks - looking for £5k at least for this" in an offended "as if" tone !

Wtf don't people just say that in the thread to stop wasting yours and other peoples time.

I agree that everyone is trying to get the best prices for their names, but this type of thing just wastes so much time

 

[foz]

Wtf don't people just say that in the thread to stop wasting yours and other peoples time.

Because they do not wish to show their hand and/or the sale is not required and is a litmus test to see what interest exists in the reseller market.

 

[domainseller200]

Because they do not wish to show their hand

I was referring to once they have responded to the original question etc, I understand the reason people don't like listing prices in the first instance.

and/or the sale is not required and is a litmus test to see what interest exists in the reseller market.

So this is not really any different to tyre kicking as a buyer then also

 

[fish]

What I find frustrating is people listing names that are at auction and keep on bumping the thread e.g. closes in 12 hours.

I am guilty to a degree (have only done this once).

I did however update the thread with the current selling price therefore informing people of the state of play.

I made a suggestion last year that perhaps the forum has a seperate section that is devoted to domain auctions, still think it's a reasonable idea.

 

[retired_member34]

Because they do not wish to show their hand and/or the sale is not required and is a litmus test to see what interest exists in the reseller market.

I agree, but some (a minority though) seem to have no idea of value for their domain, they simply want whatever the buyer can afford - hence they want the buyer to show their hand first. This puts off many buyers though, I feel.

I'm basically just a buyer (and developer, I do not buy for resale), I've only ever sold one domain, but bought over a 100 on the resale market, ranging from £50 to £10K.

I'm still amused by the seller who wanted £7.5K for his domain, coincidentally what I posted as the upper end of my budget in a wanted post. However, it had been posted for sale on a sub £500 thread a short while before, and I have since seen it on a sub £1K thread. It was an OK domain at a few hundred quid, but not £7.5K. It just means I'll never buy from that seller.

I guess sellers of this type are all hoping for the buyer with deep pockets, bedroomfurniture/co/uk style. Or is it that they are afraid that every buyer is of this sort and they'll miss out if they offer a price first?

 

[domainseller200]

A prime example here : http://www.acorndomains.co.uk/domain-name-offers-invited/64727-taking-offers-65-domains.html

Original post was done 8/2/10
Bumped on 9/2/10 saying that there had been some interest (but none had sold)
Bumped on 11/2/10 with BIN prices added - within 2 hours, 2 names had sold

This shows that by adding prices to a thread does generate REAL interest instead of pointless timewasting conversations like I quoted earlier in this thread. I am not saying this is right / wrong thing to do for anyone, but just showing how it also works well.

The seller said he had received some PM's asking about the names, but none sold until he added prices to the thread.

I only chose this thread as it is the newest one currently displaying my example and was not picked on for any reason

The bottom line is domains will always sell better if a guide price / BIN if given as an indiciation, as everyone has a rough price that they would pay / it is worth to them personally regardless of what the seller wants for the domain name.

Don't forget that this is a reseller forum so the likelihood of a name like bedroomfurniture.co.uk reaching that sort of price on acorn, is very unlikely if not unheard of.

All IMO of course

 

[stender]

I'm guilty of this although i do often put taking sub £100 or Sub.. offers. I don't see a problem personally. I will flip a catch same day or next and will often take the first decent offer made within reason.
I am against the threads such as for an LLL co uk whereby the thread says offers but then just lets it go on and on. And you know you wont sell for sub £300 so why have a thread of £50,£100,£150.... If I get a bid I will invariably set a bin right away or say highest bid by 9pm etc...

As I said I don't have a problem with it in general but there could be rules such as once a bid is received you must set a buy it now or a finish time.

You've had a bargain BIN from me in the past Frank in a similar type thread. I could of stuck it on sedo but wanted a quick flip at reseller prices.

 

[websaway]

I quite often see "make offer" threads which have been updated 3, 4, 5 times or more over a span of weeks or months, but each time the seller has repeated the initial call for "offers" but with no additional information of any kind. For instance, there's no discussion of a BIN, no mention of previous offers received, and so on.

Note that I am talking about "open-ended" sales, not ones where a particular end date has been declared.

For me, those kinds of "bumps" are just frustrating because I go back to the thread hoping for a bit of guidance that would help me finally decide whether to buy or not, but each time there's as much info as last time (i.e. ZERO!)

I dislike making offers in a vacuum (no price guidance), but it's even more frustrating having to gauge whether to make an offer in an ongoing vacuum!

What do you think? Is there perhaps some way to improve this kind of thing? Or am I just being a bit over-sensitive?

Yes Edwin, I think you are being over sensitive. As ty rightly says it takes all sorts, different people will take different approaches ( within the forum rules it must be said ) to reach there objective. I don't think that what you are objecting to is abuse it's just method, maybe not to everyones liking but everybody has a method of using the forum that's not to everyone elses liking. You are running the risk of personality clashes turning into witch hunts. I would look at the rules, the forum in the main runs well, if domains are not being bought and sold to everyones liking, it's most likely because of current market trends and not the forum content to blame, although I do think certain people are driving down prices to seek buying opportunities but that's there prerogative.

 

[GreyWing]

Nobody is saying you, I or we can't post a sales thread with "open to offers" what people are saying is that it is annoying when people keep posting "open to offers" or "still seeking offers" 7 times a week.

 

[foz]

Nobody is saying you, I or we can't post a sales thread with "open to offers" what people are saying is that it is annoying when people keep posting "open to offers" or "still seeking offers" 7 times a week.

Agree to that, but isn't that a sign of poor moderation? As its continual bumping.

 

[retired_member13]

I think the forum rules do cover this situation:

From forum sales rules: "3. Where possible please set an asking price or place a ballpark price guide."

And from revised forum general rules: "Do not "bump" your sale threads with the word "bump" or no relevant information. "

So anyone posting sales thread without guide prices, or who is still bumping their own threads with comments like "still looking for offers on this name" (obviously not relevant information) when no-one else has posted anything in a thread (ie where no-one is interested in the domain(s) in question) is obviously not playing by the rules as they now stand.

Maybe we should all just stick by the rules and the spirit of the rules?

I asked admin to close my own domains wanted thread a couple of days ago because of the rule changes, and the fact that my "post pm send" request was still being replied to - I don't see the point of members twisting the situation for their own gain if it annoys others.

 

[Paullas]

Agree to that, but isn't that a sign of poor moderation? As its continual bumping.

no it isnt, admin and the mods on here work hard to keep the forum clean from spammers, link baiters and the likes.