For Sale "thefirstname" more expensive than Pool?

[Mr Webname]

Until recently an initial bid of $45 could be placed for minor drops (.org etc) at thefirstname.com. Now it seems that every name on the list is showing at $45 but on placing an opening bid the price auto-rises to $65, making their initial bid more expensive than Pool.
Anyone else noticed this?

 

[NameTower]

Maybe because they were all initiated by people at $45 so that is the bid.
The next bid is $65
Makes sense to me.
You need to submit them names in order to get the opening bid.

- Jordan

 

[Mr Webname]

That has not always been the case.

 

[avs162]

roger

the way it works is this if you enter the name in to be chased and we catch it and there are no bids it is yours for 45

if you didnt enter the name the first bid is 65 dollars

hope this clarifys things

 

[Mr Webname]

Hmm I seem to recall being able to bid $45 on names that I had not "ordered" - is that not so?

 

[clemzonguy]

I wouldn't enter names with them b/c they distribute them to their email list and then you have other bidders who might not be watching those names originally. But I guess if you're willing to pay go ahead. They should hold bidding before the drop and then end it there like old times.

 

[Nameable]

...they distribute them to their email list...

Email list? They just mail out the list of domains that are on auction.

They also auction off domains that weren't drops sometimes.

tfn is a good service with a good model - let the market rule.

 

[dvdrip]

Well this is the problem.
They auction off domains that weren't drops and the opening bid is not $45 for these domains. The $45 bid is "made" by tfn so you have to bid $65 to start.

 

[Mr Webname]

I don't have any problem with them auctioning names or sending out emails, nor do I say that they have a bad business model or anything else - I am not bashing their service; my concern is that I used to be able to bid $45 on a name on the list and now that has gone up to $65.

 

[Nameable]

Well this is the problem.
They auction off domains that weren't drops and the opening bid is not $45 for these domains. The $45 bid is "made" by tfn so you have to bid $65 to start.

Ohhh, so you're just complaining about the prices.

Well - I just consider it a reserve price, so bidding starts at $65 on those names. It seems like on some of the domains that they put up that weren't drops they have a higher reserve anyway.

I agree it was cool when you could bid $5 or $25, but I assumed they weren't making enough money at that level.