For Sale People Leaving Pool.com ?

[Domstar]

Pool is a con and a liar.

I'll tell you why. In the old system, if you were the only bidder, you got the name for $60. You only went to the auction if there were 2 or more people bidding on the same name. Just like the one above, I got the notice, said F-you pool and forgot about the domain. Then just days later I "won" the 2nd phase auction for $60. That should be impossible because it shouldn't even go to auction unless there were more than 1 bidders bidding. IOW, I should have gotten the name right on the drop since I was the only one bidding.

Then there was another one; (yes, I had a snap and enom on it, but Pool just got lucky.) I got the first notification and decided to see what would happen if I put in a bid. Sure enough, I was the only one bidding, but the price is my sealed bid. This would be like putting in a proxy bid on ebay and ebay instantly taking your proxy bid and making it the highest bid with no other bidders bidding. Their website says:

Phase II: Place your Maximum bid by using our usual proxy bidding system during the 1-day Challenger Auction. The highest bid will determine the winner of the domain!

How can the price be my sealed bid if there are no other bidders? This is cearly a violation of their terms. The 2nd phase was supposed to be "our usual proxy bidding system" where your bid would have been $60 if there were no other bidders, and only a little above the highest bid if there were more than 1. But instead, they instantly shot the price up to my sealed bid.

Auctions are supposed to be based on "market demand." Market means more than the auction house selling to one bidder. Pool, you might as well just get out of the auction business and just become another BD. You get the domain, put your price on it. If anyone wants it, they'll let you know.

This was my last straw at Pool. I'm deleting my keywords, all domains listed and closing my account. While I only won a few auctions there, I was a serious bidder on many; some in the 5 figure range. Wave goodbye to my money Pool, cause you'll never see it again.

(sorry for the edits, but I'm just so pissed I'm seeing red.)

 

[seeker]

old stories.
do a search here on pool.
You know hoe many times I bid up a name to lose it, and then magically be charged for it because apparently the 'bidder' didnt pay...
I man come on.
Thieves, they are thieves!
and I have a name stuck in Japan that I cant get anyone to email me in English to get the name out for 10 months!!!!!!!!!!
I called Japan 7 times last month. I politely ask If 'do you speak English' and I get someone that sounds like they are in the middle of a Sumo match yelling at me!
ahhh, forget it.

 

[Domstar]

I have a name stuck in Japan that I cant get anyone to email me in English to get the name out for 10 months!!!!!!!!!!
I called Japan 7 times last month. I politely ask If 'do you speak English' and I get someone that sounds like they are in the middle of a Sumo match yelling at me!
ahhh, forget it.

Put in a charge back to your card for non-delivery of goods. If you can't transfer it to your registrar of choice, you didn't really get the domain. If you didn't get it, you can put in a chargeback.

 

[seeker]

you cant put a chargeback after 10 months...
and charge backs are not for 'services' according to my (stupid) bank, non other than your local citi bank.
the domain whois shows my name, how will I ever proove to someone working in a bank that knows nothing about domains that I am having trouble because I dont speak Japanese??

 

[BiggieBiggie is verified member.]

never used "pool"......always smelt kinda fishy to me!

 

[Domstar]

you cant put a chargeback after 10 months...
and charge backs are not for 'services' according to my (stupid) bank, non other than your local citi bank.
the domain whois shows my name, how will I ever proove to someone working in a bank that knows nothing about domains that I am having trouble because I dont speak Japanese??

I've got a citicard myself and have put in complaints very near the 12th month, and I've never been told it's not for "services." The consumer protection laws do not differentiate between products and services. It says "merchandise" and a domain can be merchandise. If you are on the phone, I've found it usefel to say "I should have used my American Express." under your breath, just loud enough for them to hear it. That usually will get a response.

Actually I have had better luck writing rather than calling. What you need to do is write a letter (to billing diputes, address is on the back of your statement) explaining the problem in detail. Be specific, explain that you you really don't "own" the domain until it's completely in your control, ie, at your a registrar that speaks english. I've found it depends on the card you have with Citibank. Their premium cards have a lot more protection than their standard "choice" cards.

Also, can't you just put in a transfer order now? You can use the translation services online (ie, av.com etc) and easily select the "approve" link to confirm the transfer.

 

[seeker]

I tried every translation service there is!

But I will do the AMEX trick.
thanks

 

[Sharpy]

Pool is a con and a liar.

I'll tell you why. In the old system, if you were the only bidder, you got the name for $60. You only went to the auction if there were 2 or more people bidding on the same name.

That's true, but you can also get the name for $60 another way. In the old system, you were the first person to place the name on your list (an original $60 bid), and one other placed the same name on his list. Pool caught the name. No body increased their bid. You, being the first steak holder, got the bidless name for $60

The new system is no different, except for the 2nd step. You were the first person to place the name on your list (an original $60 bid), and one other placed the same name on his list. Pool caught the name. No body increased their bid. The name went to 2nd phase with you and the other person as the only, and therefore the 2 highest bidders. Niether of you increased your bid. So, by virtue of being the first to list the name, you were awarded the name at the only price that was ever committed to it, $60 Just like in the first system only there is a 2nd step now.

Then just days later I "won" the 2nd phase auction for $60. That should be impossible because it shouldn't even go to auction unless there were more than 1 bidders bidding. IOW, I should have gotten the name right on the drop since I was the only one bidding.

 

[seeker]

sharpy...
its saturday night.
I better head out to join my friends at the pub, because what you said... doesnt make sense (to me).

 

[Sharpy]

sharpy...
its saturday night.
I better head out to join my friends at the pub, because what you said... doesnt make sense (to me).

I'll 'splain it to ya like your a three year old arty:

doodoodahdeedoh.com is expiring on Monday. I put it on my pool list today(Saturday). You put it on your pool list tomorrow(Sunday) . No one else has this name on their pool list.

Along comes Monday, and "bang!" doodoodahdeedoh.com drops. Pool catches it on behalf of me and you. But we both have committed $60 to this name. What to do, what to do. Pool puts it up for auction between you and me. I don't think it's worth more than $60 so I don't bid. You don't think it's worth more than $60 so you don't bid. The auction ends. We are still tied.

Now comes....wait for it... oooooooohhhh the "CHALENGE" round!!! This is the round where the two highest bidders from the first auction square off in a titanic battle of skill & money. Well, we were the only two bidders in the first auction, so that makes us the kings!!! We get to go to the all important...wait for it.... "CHALENGE" round!!! Again, I still don't think it's worth more than $60 so I don't bid. You still don't think it's worth more than $60 so you don't bid. Well guess what, I get the name for the $60 'cause I put it on my list before you arty:

Now get out to the pub!

 

[seeker]

in your dreams.
it will go to second round with a fake bid.
If you werent one of 'us'. I'd tell you more

P.S.
Havent heard these many malakies since quiet some time.

 

[Sharpy]

isn't malakies greek for masturba.... N/M

 

[seeker]

masturba???
what the heck???
malakies= bull shit
to say it politelly
and I know my Greek.

 

[Domstar]

There's more info here:
http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/credit/billed.htm

I would not let them play the "services" are not products game. I know for a fact that an ISP billed me for a month after I had changed to another ISP and had no problem getting credit for that one.

 

[seeker]

citi bank takes a lot more convincing :-(

 

[Domstar]

You like examples so I'll give you this one.

In the past, if two people bid, the final selling price was one bid increment above the 2nd highest bid. Thus if you bid $100 and I bid $60 you got it for $61. As it is now, you pay $100 for the domain. In fact even if there are NO other bidders, you still pay $100. This is not an auction. It's a "accepting offers" type sale.

 

[seeker]

tell me about it....

 

[Domstar]

I'm not sure if this is going to work, but I'll try:
<SCRIPT type='text/javascript' language='JavaScript' src='http://xsltcache.alexa.com/traffic_graph/js/g/b/3m?&u=pool.com'></SCRIPT>

or see:
http://traffic.alexa.com/graph?w=379&h=216&r=6m&u=pool.com/&u=

You'll see since pool stopped catching most of the domains, they have a slow but steady decline. Then look at the cliff since they started the 2nd phase auction.

 

[diverge]

Domstar, you are right, but so is Sharpy. In a bid auction, Pool is now going on the highest "offer". However, in a bidless auction, the domain goes to the first person who backordered the domain. This is not malarky (note the proper spelling), it's fact, and shouldn't be hard to understand for anyone who takes the time to think about it.

 

[Domstar]

I understand "first if no bids" part.

My complaint is that if there are no others bidding on the item then it should go for the $60, not some uncontested high offer.

But regardless, Pool CKMA. I'm out of it. As with most others here, I have a good stable of domains that I could probably retire on. Yes, I'd like to have a few more choice ones, but the with the prices at Pool and the disregard for their customers, I'm walking. And based on the data I presented above, so are a lot of other people.