How do GoDaddy Auctions work? Answering this question is the first step to mastering the acquisition of expired domain names, be it on or off the GoDaddy platform.
This article provides tips for winning auctions and information about the proxy bidding process. It is the only introductory guide a newbie needs to understand how GoDaddy Auctions work.
GoDaddy Auctions is a great marketplace option that gives buyers a chance to acquire domains before they are re-registered by someone else. An expired domain is a domain name already registered but not renewed by its current owner.
GoDaddy is one of the biggest domain aftermarket registrars in the world; they estimate that their database contains over 400,000 expired domains. The platform gives you the chance to bid on a wide array of high-quality domains at different costs for your business or to transfer to your portfolio.
Domain auctions serve as an online marketplace where people can buy and sell recently expired domain names. In an auction, a seller offers a domain name for others to bid on. The domain goes to whoever makes the highest bid before the auction ends.
Aside from GoDaddy’s impressive database of expired domains, there are many other reasons to use the platform to buy domains.
For starters, it has a feature that will allow potential buyers the opportunity to monitor up to 100 domains that they are interested in. GoDaddy will inform the user if a domain changes from a new bid to when it expires.
GoDaddy Auctions also has an advanced search feature, which allows purchasers to find domains based on domain extension, keyword length, and listing type.
To be able to participate in the bidding process, you'll need to have a Godaddy Auctions® membership. The membership fee is paid annually.
Follow this step-by-step guide to start submitting offers on the domain you want at the Godaddy Auctions® domains using the Proxy Bidding Service.
1. Enter a starting bid and specify the amount you want to bid on the domain listed.
2. The Proxy Bidding Service will keep making bids, automatically increasing the increment each time.
3. The service will increase the offer amount by the required minimum bid each time a user is outbid.
4. The increases will continue until they reach the maximum user-set bid amount.
Before opting for the Proxy Bidding Service, note that every proxy bid is binding and can’t be taken back. A traditional auction listing will open for 7 days, and the highest bidder wins the domain.
Below is a table showing the parameters of the auctions’ bid increment rules. All numbers are shown in USD currency.
| Current Price (Current Highest Bid Amount) | Increment for the Next Bid |
| $5 to $499.99 | $5 |
| $500 to $999.99 | $10 |
| $1,000 to $2,499.99 | $25 |
| $2,500 to $4,999.99 | $50 |
| $5,000 to $9,999.99 | $100 |
When domains expire at GoDaddy’s partner registrars, they are placed on a bidding list. The registrant/current owner has 30 days to reclaim the domain before it is lost to someone else.
Here’s how to bid on expired domains.
1. Sign into your auctions account.
2. Select ‘Expiring’ from the Popular Searches menu.
3. Enter the bid amount in the Enter Bid/Offer field.
4. Select ‘Continue to Review’ to confirm the bid or increase it.
5. Agree to the auction's terms of agreement.
6. Click ‘Submit’ to officially enter the bid.
Bids submitted in the final moments of an auction can extend it. This allows potential buyers to counter your offer before the auction ends. Auction winners then need to make the payment for the domain within 48 hours.
Like proxy bidding, bids on domains are binding and can’t be canceled.
Buyers, whether investors or business owners, should consider these tips when bidding on domains for sale.
1. The Active Method. Wait until the last hour of the auction to start bidding.
2. Set It and Forget It. Determine a maximum price and bid before the end.
GoDaddy, being one of the world’s largest domain registrars, has a lot of hidden gems in its database of expired domains. Bidding at auctions is a great way to take advantage of this opportunity.
Participating can be both fun and stressful so take a look. Hopefully, this guide has helped move the needle towards the former.
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