What would the ultimate domain brokerage website look like?

[AJT]

Hi Guys,

Am looking to develop a website to broker domains, wanted to ask the opinions of known buyers and sellers about what features would be good, what you would like to see from such a site, what fees you think are reasonable etc etc.

Am working on the premis that sedo (the market leader by a mile) to my mind requires a degree that I don't have to use and can be improved with the right strategy and a great functional site. A big challegnge I know.

Any thoughts or opinions would be most welcome.

Regards

AJT

[Carter]

Make some sort of verification when a seller submit a domain for sale and when a buyer open an account (for cancel scammers/fraud).
Some like bqb.com done.

Invest to make this place a companies/domainers meeting not another domainer/domainer marketplace.

Good luck with your project!

[gingeman]

checks for whois changes and removes/updates site automatically, i.e. sends email to person who listed name for confirmation it has sold etc...

[AJT]

Thanks guys. The biggest problem I am aware of is making sure that the domains listed for sale are actually the property of the said vendor, am thinking that e mail confirmation through the whios is the best was of checking this, or altrnativly insisting that a link is placed on the page - to confirm ownership.

The other problem (less important but a trading concern) is that the prices asked for some domains (ebay springs to mind) is absolutely ridiculous and would undermine the value of a site if people percieved it was being used by timewasters. How do you feel about charging people, say £10 per domain they list to include a valuation service that if they accept it is listed, if they don't accept it is refunded?

All feedback gratefully recieved.

AJT

[Carter]

Thanks guys. The biggest problem I am aware of is making sure that the domains listed for sale are actually the property of the said vendor, am thinking that e mail confirmation through the whios is the best was of checking this, or altrnativly insisting that a link is placed on the page - to confirm ownership.

The other problem (less important but a trading concern) is that the prices asked for some domains (ebay springs to mind) is absolutely ridiculous and would undermine the value of a site if people percieved it was being used by timewasters. How do you feel about charging people, say £10 per domain they list to include a valuation service that if they accept it is listed, if they don't accept it is refunded?

All feedback gratefully recieved.

AJT

Your first point about whois ownership is good.
Security of transaction first.
Affiliate to Escrow/EscrowDNS for the payments.

For the other problem, I think the issue is list only quality domains.
If you make the listing free but listing only good domains (and you find some companies to join the site) you can do some nice sales.

But you need to be selective.
You and only you need to select the best domains so the crap names stay out.

I've thinked to start a project like this some months ago (I've spent xx,xxx for the platform and all) but my project never born yet.

I'm interested in start a new auction site only if I'm sure the place is companies/domainers focus and not another marketplace when domainers sell crap for xx/xxx all day.

P.s. Where are you from?? Derby??

[AJT]

I totally agree, I think I'm going to exclusivly concentrate on premium domains above a certain threshold ( say $5000). That way I think that to charge a small fee for the set up is more acceptable if the client is looking to draw thousands, also admin etc greatly reduced and the quality and integraty of the site maintained. Also at that level it becomes much more economic to employ staff etc to offer customer service (something I want to do and I feel is lacking with sedo etc).

Am planning on a reasonable investment so want to make sure its right.