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Sedo domain appraisal rip-off
It is not often that someone manages to sell me a rip-off, but internet companies have managed it twice in the last few months. I will write about my experience with SEO some other time, for now, I will write about the clearer cut case: getting an appraisal for domain name.
Edit: I did eventual sell the domain for a price close to their estimate, so perhaps the estimate is good, and it is simply their write-up that was bad. I am still sceptical about these services in general though.
The real evidence of the level of professionalism and due care exerted in Sedos valuation lay in the second paragraph:
The domain name ptz.com is comprised of a made-up word (a word that may not be found in every day use of the English language) along with the German .de extension. Such a domain would be especially suited for a company name if the company in question is a German company or a company operating in
Germany.
What domain did they value? ptz.com (which I own) or ptz.de (which someone else owns). What exactly was passing through the mind of the person who wrote this?
The bulk of the six page PDF they sent me consisted of boiler plate text, interspersed with some actual information. Most of the actual information was the output of automated tools that I had already obtained for myself.
I paid $49 for Sedo’s so called “premium domain appraisal”, supposedly “ individually researched by domain industry pros” (their emphasis) to get this!
I complained and asked for a refund. The reply confirmed that the text is partly written by an automated tool. No reply about my demand for a refund though!
I have owned ptz.com for over a decade. I originally used it for my personal site (its the first, middle and last letters of my surname). I am not doing much with it any more, and I am considering selling it.
Not knowing anything about the values of domain names, I decided to get a valuation. I would have been much better advised to do my own research, and I am definitely going to sell the domain through someone else.
If you found this post useful, please link to it so that other people will find and be warned against wasting their money.
Comments(14)
[…] Hey this guy called the Sedo appraisal module a huge ripoff. He gets his money back, and has good reason to. Must read if you plan on paying for their […]
Depending on if the domain is developed your domain based on it’s short 3 character length and being a .com ext should fetch around $25- $35 dollars.
I will give you $30.
JK, Your domains worth around 35K
Sean,
1) Do not bother trying to leave spam links on my blog, they get edited out fas2.
2) I have already sold the domain.
3) I assume you have left two zeros off the price you would be prepared to pay. Otherwise you are attempting the most ludicrous rip-off.
4) Who is JK?
No kidding Sedo sux big time. They have no contact info and dont return calls. If I ever get the address to those@#$@#$ Im going to fly there, find who has money, and beat it back out of them. If your using this site leave now while you can and dont ever send them money whatever you do.
JK means joke
if you read the last line – JK, Your domains worth around 35K
Incase your not clear, ur domain is worth around $35,000.
Guy was jus tryin to help….
Sedo are one of a large group of companies that seem to be intent on ruining the domain name system of the internet for profit because they are unable to make money any way else.
They sit like vultures waiting for domain names to expire and snap them up and park them with dire search pages and trying to sell them for thousands of pounds when in reality they are normally worth very little.
Sedo partnered up with CentralNic in the UK a few years back, they make a good partnership as CentralNic is a completely awful company, god knows how they’ve been going for so long
Sedo is a rip off. They regularly list MY domains for sale yet I’ve never given them permission to do so. They simply want to broker deals for a person too stupid to do it themselves in order to obtain an unnecessary commission. Getting in touch with a domain name owner is simple – it’s called WHOIS. I’m disgusted that a place like Dotster is partnering with these guys for their absurd, shady “services.”
I have just paid for Sedo’s valuation service on my domain .. Looks like I may have screwed up. Over one week later I have not heard back from them.
I am new to this game, so if anyone can recommend a reputable outfit then please do (employee’s of said outfit need not post).
Andy,
I think you should follow up with Sedo. Their customer service is actually fairly good, and I am sure you will get a valuation from them.
The problem is that domain values are so uncertain, that it is not really possible to do a good job at a reasonable price. All the valuation services are much the same.
If I were you, I would look at what similar domains have gone for, and then auction it at Sitepoint of somewhere similar. It is worth what someone it willing to pay for it.
ptz.com would be ideal for CCTV camera site, pan tilt zoom… i would have wanted 50k for that domain
I have an anonymous email asking for buy my domain name. I have owned it for about 4 years and I basically use it for my personal email.
I may sell it if the price is right, how much do you guys think ACTGH.COM is worth?
Comments Pls.
I think Sedo and most companies who do appraises are not accurate what so ever. They are all automated. You can buy the software of the web for like 50 dollars. If I was getting my domain appraised I would go to someone who does not use a automated system and does some actually research. But I don’t think it’s hard to appraise.
You’re probably not asking for my opinion but I think ACTGH.COM But you probably not going to sell it for much. Maybe 20 dollars. Like you can register the .us and .co.uk. Hope you sell it though.
Anyway I am setting up a website buydomain.co.uk. At the moments just have my own domains on there. But soon you be able to put your domains on my site for free. No Commission fee when you sell. Just you have to actually sell it yourself or use an escrow services. Hoping to have it done by July.
Just realized these comments where done like 2 years ago. Ohhh weellllllllll
I just got ripped by Sedo ! Their automated suggestion was my domain is worth more than 10,000 – so i thought i would go for a Apprisal that cost me 99 Euros.
And the end the apprisal says my domain is worth just 1000 USD, so i now cant list my domain for more than 10K on their site ..
What a clever way to rip me off !!
I just got ripped by Sedo ! Their automated suggestion was my domain is worth more than 10,000 – so i thought i would go for a Apprisal that cost me 99 Euros.
And the end the apprisal says my domain is worth just 1000 USD, so i now cant list my domain for more than 10K on their site ..
What a clever way to rip me off !!
Sorry, comments are closed
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