Frequently Asked Questions

dotMobi Auction End User Agreement

Live Domain Auction FAQs

What is a Live Domain Auction?
Do you have to attend the conference to be admitted to the Live Auction? How do you get in to bid or watch the Live Domain Auction?
Do I have to attend the hosting event or be a Moniker client to participate as a buyer or seller in the Live Domain Auction?
Does it cost anything to participate in the auctions?
How will the domains going into the live auction be determined?
How are domains listed on the Live Auction website?
Can the seller set a reserve price?
How does the auction work?
How do I know if my names are good candidates for the live auction? What's the best way to attract potential buyers in the live auction?
When and where will the list of Live Domain Auction names be published?
How will the transaction process work for names purchased at auction?
Official Correspondence
Will domain financing be available?

Silent Auction FAQs

What is the Silent Domain Auction?
How does the Silent Auction work?
How are transactions in the Silent Auction completed?



Live Domain Auction

What is a Live Domain Auction?

Moniker produces several Live Domain Auctions each year, in which some of the most premier domains are available for sale to the highest bidder. Moniker partners with organizers of various gatherings, meetings and conferences to produce this live auction setting, and bring buyers and sellers together in the top marketplace for premier domains. The Live Domain Auctions are standard open cry auctions, managed by a professional auctioneer. Bidders are required to register with Moniker in advance. This may be in addition to any event registration required for admittance to the conference in which the auction is being held. Please see registration requirements for each individual auction for complete details.

Moniker also produces Silent Domain Auctions. These are often run in conjunction with Live Domain Auctions, but may also stand on their own.

You may also obtain more information about the Live and Silent Domain Auctions by e-mailing sales@moniker.com or calling 1-800-688-6311.

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Do you have to attend the conference to be admitted to the Live Auction? How do you get in to bid or watch the Live Domain Auction?

Attendance to the event hosting the Live Domain Auctions automatically qualifies you to attend the auction for that conference at no additional cost. Depending on the hosting event, there may be other ways to obtain access to a particular auction. Please refer to the details of each auction to determine additional proxy or absentee bid access.

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Do I have to attend the hosting event or be a Moniker client to participate as a buyer or seller in the Live Domain Auction?

Sellers: Anyone can submit a name for consideration in the Live Auction - you do not need to attend the conference. However, sellers who are not Moniker clients will be required to open a free account at Moniker.com. Create your free Moniker account now.

To attend and/or bid: Attendance to the event hosting the Live Domain Auctions automatically qualifies you to be a bidder for that conference at no additional cost. However, please note that separate free bid registration with Moniker is still required. Depending on the hosting event, there may be other ways to become a bidder for a particular auction. Please refer to the details of each auction to determine additional proxy or absentee bid access.

All domains sold in the Live Domain Auction will automatically be transferred to Moniker as the registrar of record. Therefore, all winning bidders will be required to open a Moniker.com account. In addition, auction sales will automatically use Moniker Escrow Services to ensure a smooth transfer of assets and protect both buyers and sellers. Escrow costs are included in the commission charges.

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Does it cost anything to participate in the auctions?

Attendees: Other than registering for the hosting event, there is no separate fee associated with submitting a name for auction or attending the auction. Absentee bidding and/or proxy bidding access also usually requires a fee. Fees for each event are set by the event organizers. Proxy and/or absentee bid fees are also set on an event-by-event basis. Please refer to the specific arrangements for each auction.

Successful sales: The auctioneer will provide sufficient warning when an auction lot is about to close. All sale prices are final when the hammer comes down. Names sold in the Live Domain Auction will be assessed a seller's commission and transaction fee of 15% deducted from the final sale price. Commission and transaction charges cover all escrow costs, but do not cover domain transfer fees for portfolios of five or more domains purchased as part of a group. Domain transfer fees for portfolios of X or more are calculated separately based on the number of domains being transferred, and are the responsibility of the buyer. See the complete terms and conditions for Moniker domain sales.

In addition, certain country code domains may include additional fees associated with the regulations issued by the registry. Winning bidders should be prepared to make payment arrangements at the end of the auction for the domains they purchase.

Non-sales: There will be NO fees or commissions assessed on names that aren't sold.

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How will the domains going into the live auction be determined?

In most cases, Moniker will be operating a Silent Auction on conjunction with the Live Auction. Moniker selects the master list of domains to be auctioned in both platforms based upon our evaluation of sales potential. This criteria may include:

  • Appraised value
  • Revenue generation and/or traffic history (Please note, only DomainSponsor monetization results will interface directly to the names in the Live Auction and in Marketplace. Seller-submitted information may also be available in the comments section of the domain profile, but cannot be verified by Moniker. )
  • Marketability and appreciation potential
  • All brand-worthy names with no minimum reserve price will also be considered

Once the master list for both Live and Silent Auctions has been selected, Moniker then applies more detailed analysis and statistics, and refines the list to identify the best 200-300 domain values that will go into the live event. The total number of domains offered in the live event is dependent on the time allotted and the type of audience attending.

In addition, Moniker may include domains that receive greater interest as indicated by potential bidders attending the event. Event attendees will be able to review the domains submitted in advance on the main Moniker Auction inventory system, and may choose to indicate their interest using the designated links on a given auction lot. Domains that receive the highest interest from bidders may be included on the Live Auction.

  • Moniker also reserves the right to add or remove any domains from the final Live Auction list, based upon our evaluation of sales potential.

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How do I get access to the domain auction inventory?

All interested parties may download a spreadsheet of auction inventory prior to the start of either the Live or Silent Auctions. Event attendees (and those who have paid for absentee or proxy bidding access) may view the complete details of any auction lots, including traffic, monetization statistics and more on Monikers Auction Central website using the specific event based password. The auction lot listing provides comprehensive search capabilities that allow you to locate specific domains organized by price, category, character length and more.

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Can the seller set a reserve price?

Sellers may set absolute minimum reserve prices for their domains. This price should be the minimum "NET" amount the seller will consider selling the domain, excluding commission and transaction fee. While Moniker prefers to feature names for sale that do not have a reserve price, we will consider including high quality names that are attached to a fair and reasonable reserve price. If you are interested in selling a name with a reserve price, we recommend that you keep it as low as possible. Once reserve prices are entered, they may only be lowered, not raised. Domains submitted with no reserve will be listed in the No Reserve category.

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How does the auction work?

Get a complete listing of the official rules and procedures of the auction here. This will be a typical open cry auction with a licensed auctioneer managing the process and following all standard auction policies. Bidders must be present in the room to make a bid. However, bidders are welcome to use cell phones to communicate with parties outside of the auction room. Domains will not be sold unless the bid price meets or exceeds the agreed upon reserve price established by the seller and Moniker. (Get more information on submitting and selecting names for the auction).

Tips for sellers: Sellers attending the conference may lower their reserve prices or accept lower prices during the bidding process by indicating their desire to the auctioneer or to one of the Moniker representatives on the auction floor. Sellers are encouraged to sit in the first two rows so that they can be seen.

Tips for bidders: When placing bids at the live auction, please make sure you hold your paddle high and let either the spotters or the auctioneer know that you have placed a bid if you feel your bid has not been acknowledged.

All purchases are final at the close of each sale by the auctioneer.

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How do I know if my names are good candidates for the auctions? What's the best way to attract potential buyers in the auctions?

Please consult a Senior Account Executive from Moniker for feedback and assistance on potential auction candidates. In addition, the following steps are recommended to best position your names for selection and sale in Monikers Live and Silent Domain Auctions:

  1. Get your parked domains running on the DomainSponsor monetization service. Using DomainSponsor allows Moniker to verify any revenue or traffic statistics. DomainSponsor statistics will be directly interfaced to the auction names and will be published for potential buyers to review.
  2. Have your domains appraised using the Moniker appraisal service. Moniker's service is currently the only system recognized by the IRS and domain financing companies.
  3. Transfer registration of your domains to Moniker. As the vendor of choice for the Live Auction, once a domain is sold via auction, the closing and transfer of assets can be completed right away if the domains are already at Moniker.

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When and where will the list of Domain Inventory up for auction be published?

A preliminary master auction listing of all domains being considered for a particular Domain Auction will be available on the Moniker Auction Web site approximately 20-30 days prior to the event. The final list of Live & Silent Auction Domains is generally available the week prior to the event. Domains not sold in the Live Domain Auction are qualified to be submitted to the Silent Auction. Moniker reserves the right to make changes to the auction inventory at any time for any reason. Any changes to the Live Domain Auction inventory and lot list will be announced prior to the start of the Live Auction proceedings.

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How will the transaction process work for names purchased at auction?

If a domain is successfully won at auction, Moniker will work with the winning bidder to complete the sale and receive funds into escrow as soon as possible. This process typically takes 20-30 business days to complete, but could take longer if the domain is not already at Moniker, or if the winning bidder lives outside the United States. Both Buyers and Sellers must agree and abide by the Marketplace User Agreement.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Moniker will only initiate a call for transfer of a domain name after payment has been received from the buyer. To expedite the process, Moniker asks that sellers be prepared to unlock all domains sold and provide EPP and/or other Authorization Codes required within 10 business days from the auction closing.

Sellers can request Moniker to process payments via check, bank wire, PayPal, or by placing funds in the seller's Moniker account. Certain payment methods may require a small surcharge. Moniker will use best efforts to complete funds transfer within 3 business days of ownership change.

Funds for domain purchases are generally due to escrow by close of business within 10 business days of the final auction event. Funds can be paid by bank wire, personal check, cashier & certified check, PayPal (for purchases under $10,000.00 only), or credit card (for purchases under $5,000.00 only).

Wire Instructions are as follows:

Domestic:
Routing ABA - 266086554
Beneficiary: DomainSystems, Inc.
Escrow Account
Account #: 3290275325
Citibank, F.S.B.
1190 South Dixie Highway
Coral Gables, FL 33146
DomainSystems, Inc.
20 Southwest 27th Ave., 2nd Floor
Pompano Beach, FL 33069
954-984-8445

International:
Citibank New York
Routing ABA - 021000089
SWIFT CITIUS33
Final Destination Citibank FSB
ABA - 266086554
Credit account # 3290275325 in the name of DomainSystems, Inc.
Citibank, F.S.B.
1190 South Dixie Highway
Coral Gables, FL 33146

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Official Correspondence:

All correspondences to Buyer/Seller/Escrow Agent regarding this should be addressed to:

DomainSystems, Inc.
20 Southwest 27th Ave., Suite 201
Pompano Beach, FL 33069
Phone: 954-984-8445
Fax: 954-969-9155
Legal@DomainSystems.com 

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Will domain financing be available?

Yes, Moniker has partnered with Domain Capital to provide financing for the Live Domain Auction. Domain Capital is currently accepting financing applications for up to 60% of the purchase price. Normal credit criteria and collateral documentation will apply. For more information, please contact sales@moniker.com.

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Silent Auction

What is the Silent Domain Auction?

Moniker produces its successful Silent Domain Auctions using an online auction platform for bidding. Inventory includes some of the best domain values on the market, and may have several hundred to several thousand domains listed, depending on the size of the event and auction theme.

Genreally speaking, Monikers Silent Domain Auctions open on the first day of the hosting event, and run for approximately one week. Please refer to the specific auction details for each event for complete details. Bidders will need a special event access phrase to log in to the system, and will then need to set up a personal auction log-in and password.

In addition, if the Silent Auction is paired with a Live Domain Auction, inventory from the live event that does not meet the reserve price is often added to the inventory in the Silent Auction for additional bidding activity.

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How does the Silent Auction work?

The Silent Domain Auction allows visitors to place bids on any domain inventory in the system. The auction system opens all at one time, but the closing schedule will be staggered so that bidders can more easily follow key inventory and place last-minute bids if needed. In addition, these features are also available:

Watch Lists — Select any of the domain inventory to receive e-mail alerts when bidding activity occurs.

Auto bid setting — Set up a Max Bid to automatically out-bid other buyers in pre-set increments up to a level you determine ahead of time.

Advanced search capabilities — Sort by a number of factors including extension, keyword, price or whether items (domains) have a current bid.

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How are transactions in the Silent Auction completed?

The transaction and settlement process is the same for the Silent Auction as it is for the Live Auction. Please refer to the information above for details on the payment and transfer for auction transactions.

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