What Makes Sedo Different: Premium Aftermarket, Not Expired Inventory
Sedo operates differently from GoDaddy, NameJet, or DropCatch. While those platforms focus on expired and dropping domains, Sedo is a global aftermarket for premium, brandable names:
- 19+ million domains listed: Primarily aftermarket sales (owners selling existing portfolios), not just expired inventory.
- No buyer fees: Buyers pay only the domain price—all commission fees (10–20%) are charged to sellers.
- Escrow built-in: Secure payment and transfer handling for high-value transactions ($10k+ domains are common).
- GreatDomains premium auctions: Bi-monthly curated events showcasing hand-picked, high-quality domains with international exposure.
- Broker services: For premium deals, Sedo offers brokered negotiation and acquisition assistance.
- SedoMLS network: Cross-lists your domains on partner platforms (Dynadot, others) for wider reach.
The trade-off: If you're hunting bargain expired domains at $5–$50, Sedo isn't the platform. It's built for premium acquisitions ($500–$50,000+).
Sedo's Four Buying Paths (and When to Use Each)
1. GreatDomains Auctions (Premium Bi-Monthly Events)
What they are: Curated auctions featuring hand-selected premium domains. Sedo's team vets submissions for quality, brandability, and market appeal.
Frequency: Bi-monthly (every 2 months).
Listing cost: Free for sellers if accepted. This is Sedo's showcase—no upfront fees.
Buyer experience: International exposure, professional presentation, secure escrow. Expect higher starting bids ($500–$5,000+) but also higher-quality domains.
Strategy: If you're targeting premium brandable .com names with clean history, GreatDomains auctions are where institutional buyers and serious investors compete.
2. Direct Auctions (Seller-Initiated, $59 Fee)
What they are: Sellers pay $59 to list up to 10 domains in a self-scheduled auction.
Commission: 15% of sale price (on top of the $59 fee).
Duration: Seller-controlled (typically 7–14 days).
The risk: $59 is non-refundable if the domain doesn't sell. Community feedback: "Sedo auctions cost $59. You will not make a profit, don't do it" (from domainer forums).
Buyer opportunity: If a seller paid $59 to list, they're motivated. You might find undervalued domains with clean history that didn't get visibility elsewhere.
3. Make Offer → Auction (Flexible Path)
How it works:
- Buyer submits an offer on a "Make Offer" listed domain.
- Seller can accept, counter, or convert the offer into an auction using the offer as the minimum bid floor.
Why this exists: Sellers test market interest before committing to a $59 Direct Auction fee. If an offer arrives, they can auction with less risk.
Buyer strategy: Submit reasonable offers on clean-history domains. If the seller converts to auction, you've set the floor—others must outbid you.
4. Buy Now / Fixed Price
What it is: Instant purchase at a set price—no auction waiting.
Commission: Seller pays 10% (lower than auction's 15%).
Use case: Premium brandable domains with justified pricing. If the price is fair and history clean, instant purchase beats auction competition.
Sedo's Escrow & Transfer Process: Built for High-Value Deals
Unlike platforms where you win and hope for the best, Sedo's escrow system protects both parties:
Step 1: Agreement
Win auction or accepted offer → binding contract created → invoice sent.
Step 2: Payment to escrow
Buyer pays Sedo (not the seller directly). Funds held in escrow account.
Step 3: Transfer initiation
Seller provides auth code or initiates transfer. Sedo verifies.
Step 4: Buyer confirmation
Once you confirm domain control, Sedo releases funds to seller (minus commission).
Why this matters: For $10k+ domains, escrow prevents fraud. Sedo's infrastructure handles international transfers, currency conversion, and legal compliance.
Commission Structure: What Sellers Pay (Buyers Pay Nothing)
| Sale Type | Seller Commission | Listing Fee |
|---|---|---|
| GreatDomains Auction | 15% | $0 (free if accepted) |
| Direct Auction | 15% | $59 (non-refundable) |
| Buy Now / Make Offer | 10% | $0 |
| SedoMLS Partner Sale | 20% | $0 |
Buyer advantage: No buyer premium. The listed price is what you pay (unlike some platforms with hidden buyer fees).
Seller awareness: Direct Auctions cost $59 upfront—if your domain doesn't sell, you're out $59. Use GreatDomains or Make Offer paths to avoid this risk.
Pre-Bid Due Diligence (5-Minute Drill)
Before you bid on a Sedo premium auction:
1. Wayback timeline check
Even premium domains can have toxic pasts. Scan for pharma spam, casino redirects, piracy eras. Karma.Domains auto-analyzes Wayback snapshots for Sedo listings, flagging redirect chains and content anomalies.
2. Backlink quality scan
Premium doesn't always mean quality backlinks. Check Ahrefs DR, Majestic TF, Semrush referring domains. Karma.Domains consolidates metrics for Sedo marketplace entries where available.
3. Brandability vs. SEO value
Sedo domains lean premium/brandable. If you're buying for SEO (backlinks, traffic), verify those signals exist—many Sedo names are parked with minimal link equity.
4. Escrow timeline understanding
High-value transfers can take 7–14 days through escrow. Plan your launch timeline accordingly.
5. Trademark screening
Premium names often skirt trademark boundaries. USPTO/EUIPO search mandatory. UDRP complaints are expensive.
Smart Sedo Strategies
1. Focus on GreatDomains for premium acquisitions
If you're spending $5k+, GreatDomains auctions offer vetted quality and international exposure. Skip Direct Auctions (the $59 fee signals seller desperation).
2. Use Make Offer to test waters
Submit reasonable offers on domains you like. If the seller converts to auction, you've set the floor. If they accept, you win without auction competition.
3. Leverage SedoMLS cross-listing
Some Sedo domains appear on Dynadot, Namecheap via SedoMLS. Compare prices across platforms before bidding.
4. Filter with external tools
Sedo's search is keyword-focused. Use Karma.Domains to pre-screen Sedo listings by Wayback cleanliness and backlink quality where data is available.
5. Budget for escrow timelines
High-value transfers aren't instant. Plan 7–14 days for escrow completion.
6. Avoid Direct Auctions on speculative domains
The $59 fee is non-refundable. Only use Direct Auctions for high-confidence premium names.
How Karma.Domains Helps You Evaluate Sedo Listings
The challenge: Sedo focuses on premium aftermarket domains—brandable, short, memorable—but not all have clean history or SEO value.
The solution: Karma.Domains tracks Sedo marketplace data where available, layering on:
- Wayback analysis: Flags toxic eras, redirect chains, and content shifts even on premium-priced domains.
- Backlink quality reports: Ahrefs DR, Majestic TF, Semrush referring domains (where data exists).
- Traffic estimates: Semrush organic visits for domains with historical traffic.
- Auction type tagging: Identify GreatDomains vs. Direct Auctions vs. Make Offer listings.
Workflow:
Filter Sedo listings by clean Wayback + backlink quality in Karma.Domains → verify premium value → submit offer or bid on Sedo → complete escrow transfer.
Quick Pre-Bid Checklist
- Listing type identified: GreatDomains (premium), Direct Auction ($59 fee), Make Offer, or Buy Now?
- Wayback clean: No toxic eras; even premium domains can have spam pasts.
- Backlinks verified: Don't assume "premium" = quality SEO signals. Check manually.
- Escrow timeline planned: 7–14 days for high-value transfers.
- Trademark screened: USPTO/EUIPO search mandatory for brandable names.
- SedoMLS cross-check: Compare prices if domain is listed on partner platforms.
- Seller motivation assessed: Direct Auction = paid $59 = motivated seller.
Bottom line: Sedo is the platform for premium, brandable aftermarket domains—not bargain expired inventory. GreatDomains auctions showcase international-quality names; Make Offer paths let you negotiate; escrow protects high-value deals. The table above (updated hourly) shows live Sedo listings—pair it with Karma.Domains pre-filtering to verify that "premium" pricing comes with clean history and real SEO value, not just a brandable name.
