Here's Why I Love Using Afternic To Sell My Domain Names
Updated: Nov 24, 2021
If you aren’t utilizing Afternic to sell your domain names than I highly suggest you start to implement this sales venue in 2021. Most people who have been in the domain name industry for a while already know about Afternic, so this may not be news to them.
But the name of the game when it comes to your domain name portfolio is generating sales. For the most part if you are not generating sales, then you are sitting on yearly renewals and that can add up over time.
You have to make sure that you are moving names. One of the best ways to make sure you are selling your domain names would be to get it on as many marketplaces as possible, which is where Afternic can help.
First off, when I first got into domaining I relied a lot on an outbound selling strategy. I am sure you’ve heard of outbound but in a nutshell, you’re basically “cold emailing” or “cold calling” potential prospects you believe would be interested in purchasing your domain name.
As you can imagine, this strategy is a hit or miss. You will have a lower success rate reaching out to someone than you would have if someone is coming to you showing interest in your domain name.
Outbound isn’t a horrible strategy though (even though many people hate it) and it’s something I plan to also incorporate into my sales/marketing strategy this year.
So why do I love Afternic?
To me, Afternic is one of the best ways to PASSIVELY sell domain names in your portfolio.
Afternic partners up with hundreds of different domain name registrars and puts your domain name in front of A TON of different eyeballs that may want to purchase your domain.
Here’s how the process works simply works.
When someone goes to a domain name registrar like Godaddy (which is probably the most popular one out there today), they usually type in the domain name they are looking to purchase. If they type in a domain name and it is taken, Godaddy will show them either the domain name they specifically wanted or other options similar to their desired name.
If you choose to have your domain name listed through Afternic, since Godaddy is a partnered registrar with Afternic, you will show up in the domains Godaddy puts in front of the buyers.
As mentioned before, Afternic is partnered with several more registrars so that is why it is powerful to be able to have your domain name become aggregated through various different platforms all through one central location (which in this case, is Afternic).
After I purchase a domain name that I like in which I intend to sell, one of the first things I do is list it in my Afternic account.
It’s an extremely simple process and takes only a few minutes to set up. All you need to know regarding pricing is:
Buy It Now Price – The price you want to immediately sell the domain for without negotiation.
Floor Price – The lowest price the Afternic sales team can sell for without seeking your approval.
Reserve Price – The minimum price you are willing to accept.
Minimum Offer – The lowest offer a buyer is able to make for a domain name.
The reason why I say this is the “passive” way to sell a domain name is simply because I’ve had it happen several times where I was out doing other things and BAM, I got one of the best emails a domainer could get:
I remember being on vacation a few years ago and getting an email saying I just sold a domain name for $298 bucks! No real work on my part but still making a great profit. I believe that was a name I purchased for $20 a few months earlier.
Another thing to consider is that Afternic does take a commission for the sale.
But as with most things in life, you have to accept the fair trade off. I don’t mind paying a commission if my domain name will be put in front of potentially thousands of buyers. As long as you are buying your domain names at a good price, I wouldn’t worry about commission on sales.
Of course, you could save on commission by going out and selling these domains yourself but this post was about the more “passive” way to sell domain names in your portfolio.
How do you feel about Afternic? Is it a sales venue that you implement in your domain business?
Summary
Afternic is a platform that you should implement as you grow your domain name portfolio
Using the Afternic service is one of the best ways to passively sell your domain names
Make sure you understand the different pricing structures that they offer
Keep in mind, Afternic does take a commission per sale
It's free to use (they only charge commissions after a sale is completed)