[...] week DomainNameWire.com pointed out that the practice of having variable starting pricing for TDNAM domains with traffic and PPC [...]

[...] the biggest news that came out of the interview is that GoDaddy is effectively shutting down Standard Tactics. Parsons said it had about 33,000 domains in the subsidiary and 8,000 that made most of the money. [...]

Go Daddy can use Fabulous’s TM filter like they use for Premium domains for sale.

OR . . . Go Daddy has an entire TM database that filters TM keywords on parked domains.

Believe me, Go Daddy has all the tools they need to do an “above the board” job. The business model is to be reactive and NEVER proactive. In other words, why upset a profitable apple cart if you don’t have to?

If Go Daddy felt what they were doing was okay, why didn’t they tell their VP of Aftermarket Adam Dicker about it? He was kept in the dark about Standard Tactics but he is the one who was pushing for increased TDNAM starting bids.

Little did Adam know that if the domain didn’t sell it went to Standard Tactics! So Go Daddy won either way, except Adam did not get to benefit from the sale if the domain went to Standard Tactics. Go Daddy had a sweet deal and they did not want to share the spoils with Adam.

2. I do not like the fact that TDNAM starts domains with traffic at higher dollar amounts. I was watching two domains priced at $160 and $670. The auction ended and the domains disappeared from TDNAM. THAT does seem unethical.

If they want to keep domains that they put out to the public for $10 and then $5, I don’t have a problem with that but jacking up the price just so they can keep a domain is wrong.

3. They need to clean out their TM domains but that’s more of a compliance issue than a business practice. By default registrars are going to deal in TM domains. I’m sure Godaddy and other registrars release TM domains as soon as it is brought to their attention, otherwise it is probably on the “to do” list. I would imagine it is VERY time consuming to filter out all the TM domains.

4. Andrew, you certainly have a great read on GoDaddy now so I will defer to you on your opinion of GoDaddy but overall I don’t mind saying publicly that I like GoDaddy (I have been a Wild West Domains reseller since they first started the program many years ago.)

As I mentioned over at TheDomains.com in the comments section about GoDaddy buying superbowl ads and celebrating with a huge year end party, good for them.

We should be VERY happy that GoDaddy is publicly celebrating a great year AND buying Superbowl ads.

They represent the domain industry and they are a great registrar overall. I have had hundreds of domains at dozens of registrars from drop catching and ALWAYS move them to WWD.

Let’s try to focus on the postive aspects of our industry folks. Many people have many reasons to be pissed off at their industries. We should be proud of ours and look for the positive.

We’re all going to have to do what small things we can to show we’re not all like these large idiot corporations.