[LATEST] Best Domain Auction Site: Afternic Review{2024}

 Afternic is a domain marketplace that connects buyers and sellers of domain names. It’s a one-stop site where you can buy, sell, and park domains. Afternic is part of GoDaddy, the leading provider of domain names, and offers a broad distribution network to get your domains in front of many potential buyers. 

Afternic Services

Afternic offers a range of services for domain buyers, sellers, and owners. Here are some of the key services provided by Afternic:

1.Domain Listing

When you list a domain for sale on Afternic, you’re essentially putting it on the market for potential buyers to see. Your domain gets exposure to a vast network of buyers, including those browsing Afternic’s site and its partner networks. The listing process involves setting a price for your domain, providing a description, and categorizing it to help interested buyers find it easily.

2.Domain Brokerage

Afternic’s domain brokerage service is designed for those who own premium domains and want professional help to sell them at the best possible price. Afternic’s brokers are experts in the domain market and can handle negotiations with potential buyers on your behalf. They also provide valuation services to help you understand the worth of your domain.

3.Domain Parking

Domain parking with Afternic allows you to make money from your unused domains. By parking your domain, you’re allowing Afternic to display ads on your domain’s webpage. When visitors click on these ads, you earn revenue. It’s a way to monetize domains that you’re not currently using for a personal website or business.

4.Sales Landers

Sales landers are specialized landing pages that are created for your domain listings. These pages are optimized to convert visitors into buyers. They include all the necessary information about the domain, a clear call-to-action, and are designed to be visually appealing to encourage sales.

5.Fast Transfer

The Fast Transfer service is a secure and expedited way to transfer domain ownership from the seller to the buyer. Once a sale is agreed upon, the Fast Transfer process ensures that the domain is quickly transferred to the new owner, minimizing the wait time and reducing the risk of transaction-related issues.

6.Lease to Own

The Lease to Own option is a flexible purchasing solution that allows a buyer to start using a domain immediately while paying for it over time. This can be particularly useful for expensive domains, as it breaks down the cost into more manageable payments. At the end of the lease term, the buyer has the option to fully purchase the domain.

Afternic Fee Structure

Afternic’s fee structure for domain transactions is as follows:

Standard Commission

A standard commission of 25% of the sales price is charged for domain sales, with a minimum fee of $15.

Reduced Commission

 If your domain uses GoDaddy Aftermarket supported nameservers at the time of the sale, the commission rate is reduced to 15% of the sales price, with the same minimum fee of $15.

Lease to Own (LTO) Sales

 For Lease to Own domain sales, the standard commission rates of 25% or 15% for using approved nameservers are subject to commission discounts based on the length of the LTO term:

• 0 to 12 months: 0% commission discount
• 13 to 24 months: 5% commission discount
• 25 to 36 months: 10% commission discount
• 37 to 60 months: 15% commission discount 

For example, if a domain name is sold through LTO and the term selected by the buyer is 36 months, the standard commission rate of 25% would be discounted to 15% for the Lease to Own transaction.

Custom Checkout Link

 For sales through a Custom Checkout Link, the commission rate is 5% for any Buy Now transaction, with a minimum fee of $15.00, and 10% for any Lease to Own transaction through a Custom Checkout Link.

Afternic Nameservers

Afternic provides different sets of nameservers depending on the services you want to use. Here are the nameservers you can set for your domain:

1.For Domain Parking and Listing for Sale:

• Primary: NS1.AFTERNIC.COM

• Secondary: NS2.AFTERNIC.COM Setting these nameservers allows you to monetize your domain through Afternic’s parking platform while also listing it for sale1.

2.For Buy-Now Landing Pages:

• NS5.AFTERNIC.COM

• NS6.AFTERNIC.COM These nameservers are used if you want to utilize Afternic’s new Buy-Now landing pages with GoDaddy branding2

3.For Sales Landers:

• NS3.AFTERNIC.COM

• NS4.AFTERNIC.COM If you prefer to use the sales lander created from within the domain listing system at GoDaddy, you would set your domain’s nameservers to these.

Afternic Premium Network

The Afternic Premium Network, also known as the Fast Transfer network, is a service that provides maximum exposure for your domain listings. Here are some features of the Afternic Premium Network:

Worldwide Distribution: Your domains are listed across Afternic’s network of over 100 reseller partners, ensuring that they are seen by a wide audience of potential buyers.

High Traffic Volume: The network generates around 85 million qualified searches each month, increasing the likelihood of your domains being discovered and sold.

Fast Transfer Technology: This feature allows for instant ownership transfer of the domain once it’s purchased, streamlining the process for both buyers and sellers.

Increased Sales Potential: Domains listed on the Premium Network have a higher chance of selling due to the broad exposure and the ease of transaction provided by the Fast Transfer service.

24/7 Sales Support: Afternic offers round-the-clock sales support from a team of experts to assist with any questions or issues that may arise during the listing and sales process.

Afternic Reviews

Erick’s Experience:

Erick sold a domain on May 4, 2024, and was initially told the payment would be dispersed by May 8. However, after several delays and contacting customer service multiple times, he was advised of an issue with his payment method, which turned out to be a false alarm. He described the experience as a runaround and stated that this would be his first and last time using Afternic’s services.

Kim’s Concern:

Kim had a domain sold without her permission, which she had never listed for sale. She had over 25 domains with GoDaddy and had paid extra for security, but one of her valuable domains was sold by Afternic. She expressed her dissatisfaction with the unexpected sale and security concerns.

Gareth’s Positive Feedback:

Gareth had a positive experience purchasing a domain through Afternic/GoDaddy. He mentioned that the transaction was settled quickly and efficiently by an agent named Nick.

Dana’s Quick Support:

Dana had a question about deleting her domain listing and received a lightning-quick response from the support team, which she appreciated.

These reviews are on trustpilot.com ,you can check it out. 

About Afternic

Afternic, as a company, operates as a domain marketplace and is a subsidiary of GoDaddy. Here’s a comprehensive overview of Afternic’s company structure and operations:

Foundation: Afternic was founded in 1999 and has established itself as a leading domain marketplace.

Headquarters: The company is based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States.

Ownership: Afternic was acquired by GoDaddy, which is a publicly traded company known for providing a variety of internet services, including domain registration and web hosting.

Workforce: The company has a workforce that falls within the 11-50 employees range, indicating a relatively small but specialized team.

Management: While specific details about the members, managers, and board are not publicly disclosed, Afternic operates with a team that includes roles such as Protected Content Manager and Operations, among others.

Growth and Market Presence: Afternic has shown signs of growth, indicated by the rise of ‘new’ and unconventional keywords in their domain market. This suggests an increase in activity and interest in domain listings, which could be a sign of an expanding customer base or an increase in transactions.

Market Strategy: The company focuses on market trends and identifies growth in specific areas of their marketplace, implying that Afternic is adapting to market demands and potentially increasing its market share within the domain resale industry.

Competitors: Afternic competes with other companies in the domain marketplace industry, such as Sedo.com Corporation, which is based in Cologne, Germany.

Investors: Prior to its acquisition, Afternic had investors that supported its operations and growth. Post-acquisition, it operates as a subsidiary under GoDaddy’s umbrella.