The Future Trend Domain Auction which was organized by Stephen Douglas is taking place right now on Snapnames and ends today in just a couple of hours. As of the time of this post there is only one domain with a bid (CloudPatrol.com @ $300). While many domainers and bloggers predicted the auction would be a flop, I would venture to say that nobody thought it would be this dismal with only one name having a bid after nearly six days of the auction being live.
I hope that the end of this auction sees some more action and I do expect a couple more names will get bids. I think that the auction idea was a good one but the execution was mediocre. The auction has had some great exposure within the domain industry as it has been written about several times on many of the top domain blogs. The reserves on the best names are too high for domainers to bid, which makes me wonder the how many people outside of the domain community knew about the auction.
Even with the way this auction may turn out (not so good) I would expect to see more auctions like this in the near future. In my opinion good 3d, cloud and holographic names (especially .com) will continue to rise in value. Well, lets see if the end of the auction picks up any steam.
[edit] I just noticed in an article on SuccessClick.com where Stephen Douglas explains to sellers that this is the first of many Future Trend Domain Auctions and sellers should not have too high of hopes or get discouraged if their name does not sell the first go round. Here’s a blip from SuccessClick.com homepage:
For those who think this first Future Trend Domain Auction™ is going to be wowing the world, don’t get your hopes up. We’re nowhere near the amount of marketing we want to do, or have done to this point. This is a slow process, but we have time because we’re “future domainers” anyways… and our domains just grow more valuable as each month passes.
Imagine feeling disappointed not selling your domain in this auction, and then four months later, you enter your domain back in the next Future Trend Domain Auction™ with double the price, and someone buys it? It’s a great feeling, and it’s happened to me several times.
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I give Stephen a lot of credit for the enormous effort he’s made in putting this event together.
I chose to sit this one out, despite having (likely) the largest ‘Hologram___.com’ portfolio in existence. But I’ll be interested in future auctions when the space has matured a bit more.
Thank you for the comment Gene. I give Stephen a lot of credit too and am glad that he is looking at this objectively as well(see the edit I added).
I’m sure Stephen’s reputation has been tarnished for running this crappy names auction. Then SnapNames/Moniker gives him coverage to promote his pigeon domains.
Snapnames is not the best venue for this type of auction, Sedo attracts
better buyers imo.
Well, it looks like only two names sold. CloudPatrol.com and 3DConsole.com were the only names that had the reserve met. Not sure about the exact prices but I don’t think either went for over $550. Too bad, 3dconsole.com should be worth much more than that!
At the end of the day the names were spectacularly bad except for maybe 4-5 names which were 3 figure domains. Even with the few names worth something mostly they were overpriced, $25,000 reserves on names worth $200 etc.
Very much doubt Snapnames would be involved in nonsense this again.
I had some names in here and I do think a lot were over-priced. I believe mine were over-priced as well but I am not that fussed about selling at the moment because the technology is still in its infancy and the money will be made when the market has matured.
I have had a very low xx,xxx offer on my one of names in that auction about 18 montha ago and rejected it becauase I think the name will sell for more in a couple of years time.
I guess only time will tell….