What happens to sold sites - they go off the "Premium Web Sites for Sale" page?

[FruitMedley Post]

Was just curious about the logic here and the thinking behind the design. A lot of people seem confused by how it works.

I just bought a site in the Premium Sites category. Now it's not visible on the Premium WebSites for Sale Page. That is fine, I don't have a problem with it but was curious: Why does it go off and come back again later (older sites that sold still have their listings showing on page 3)?

Also, why are sites that haven't sold removed from the listings? (Or are they?). Are Established Sites and Premium Sites listings treated the same way?

I appreciate that the you can still get to the page if you know the URL or the auction number. My questions are about the listings themselves.

[petertdavis]

That's a question better directed to support@sitepoint.com

or... perhaps Matt will drop by later with an answer

[3Six]

Why does it go off and come back again later

From the category page?

[FruitMedley Post]

Yes, sorry, it seems to be called "category page".

Also, I'm finding that private bidding isn't private at all. It's pretty easy to see who's bidding what even when they make it as private!

[Chris Corbyn]

@Fruit Medley, I've sent you a PM.

[volare]

Chris Corbyn,

Does your PM answer the questions asked? I would like to know also. Thanks.

[FruitMedley Post]

Thanks for your PM, Chris.

Everybody, the private listing issue may be a security matter so I'm closing my question on this.

volare, he's just asked for an example and is looking at it now. I'd be interested in Sitepoint's response to the secondary questions as well:

Also, why are sites that haven't sold removed from the listings? (Or are they?). Are Established Sites and Premium Sites listings treated the same way?

[Chris Corbyn]

All auction categories behave in the same way. The listing ends, it becomes greyed out, it sticks around in the listings for a few days and then it disappears (becomes archived).

The listing Fruit Medley forwarded to me appears to be in an unusual state, since it's tagged as "not listable" but still has not been archived... usually it would still be listable, which is something I'm looking into with a colleague.

As for the private bid issue, I've yet to see anything materialize. I've asked for more information but nothing has been provided.

[FruitMedley Post]

Chris, thanks for your reply. I've sent you a PM regards the privacy matter.

If it's a glitch, it answers a lot of questions. I was trying to figure out the logic behind why some listings were greyed on reaching BIN and some just ... disappeared.

Would appreciate if you could update us when the bug is fixed, it would help me personally in the way I use this site.

[FruitMedley Post]

All auction categories behave in the same way. The listing ends, it becomes greyed out, it sticks around in the listings for a few days and then it disappears (becomes archived).

Chris, I'm still unclear on one thing. Sites that have sold aren't just archived, they show up in the category page too, unlike unsolds.

In the established sites category, for example, have a look at any of the last few pages (example). All sites that have sold are still listed in the category page. Sites that haven't sold have been removed from the category page.

It looks like Sitepoint's trying to give the impression that 100% of sites listed achieved sales. Why not keep all the listings and let people see what sells, what doesn't sell and what proportion of sites are sold/unsold? Or is Sitepoint concerned that there are too many unsolds?

[Chris Corbyn]

Hi,

This is true. We only continue to show Won auctions after they have completed. The reason we decided upon this was to prevent PM bidding once those auctions have ended. There are 60 days worth of Won auctions listed. We're currently in the process of a site-wide re-design so this may change in a future release.

Cheers,

Chris

[FruitMedley Post]

I'm trying to understand the logic, Chris. However, I'm having trouble seeing the problem. Bidders spending thousands of dollars are likely to be able to tell the difference between the greyed out completed auctions and the normal coloured "unsolds" - why do they need you to help them by removing the unsolds? If you wanted to stop bidding on completed auctions, as claimed, wouldn't it make sense to remove the completed and leave the uncompleted ones on the table rather than the other way around?

Whatever the original intention, it is difficult to not see a PR element to your current practice.

so this may change in a future release

It would be good if it changed.

[3Six]

It's a shame that half a year on and this still hasn't changed.

If sellers were able to see which sites sold and which sites didn't sell they'd realise that the ones that didn't sell were the ones priced too high. They'd then be less likely to set some of the silly start prices and BINs that they do now. And, as a result, more sites would achieve a sale!