All you need to know about Afternic’s New Transaction Assurance System

Afternic has released a new Transaction Assurance (TA) system, built from the ground up, combining the best practices from Dan.com, Uniregistry, and Afternic to deliver a seamless transaction closing experience for domain sellers. 

We’ve included new automations and smarter processes, with even more transactions being automated from start to finish. Let’s dive into the changes, and how to use the new system. 

What’s New? 

A New System 

TA, the process of delivering a domain at Afternic, has been rebuilt from the ground up. Led by Dan.com Senior Product Manager, Omid Sardeha, and Afternic’s Senior Product Manager, Prakash Sadarangani, a dedicated team has rewritten the transaction assurance system. 

The result? A new, effortless process to close domain sales designed with minimal work required for you, the domain seller. 

New Automation, Smarter Processes 

The foundation of the new transaction assurance system is built on allowing innovative technology to speed up and automate many of the processes involved in a domain name transaction. 

Rewriting the transaction assurance process from the ground up means analyzing each step to find ways to increase speed.  

There are plenty of places you’ll notice changes:  

Domain Transfers 

Through our new TA system, even more transfers will be fully automated. Here’s how the updated process works for domain name transfers: 

1. Domain Sale: Congrats! You’ve sold your domain name. Our system detected that your domain name isn’t Fast Transfer-enabled, so we’ll need you to transfer the domain name to us. 
2. Fast Communication: Quickly, you’ll receive an email, and a message in your transaction dashboard, asking you to fetch your authorization code to begin the transfer. 
3. Transfer Automation: Enter your code through your transaction dashboard, click “Start Transfer,” and our system will quickly begin the domain name transfer. 
4. Transfer Detection: Once your domain name has been transferred, we’ll detect it automatically, and update you in your transaction dashboard, and via email. 
5. Payout Processing: Our system will then begin the process of sending your funds your way! 

60-day Locks 

In the past, if a domain name was under a 60-day lock, our TA team was required to manually reach out to the buyer to ask whether they can accept an account transfer. 

In the first iteration of our new TA system, our system automatically identifies domain names under a 60-day new registration lock. Our TA team will then reach out to the buyer to coordinate a push, if the buyer is willing to do so*. 

As we continue to build the next steps of this TA system, this process will become more and more automated. 

TLD Detection 

Different domain extensions (TLDs) can have different transfer requirements. The UK’s .co.uk, for example, transfers based on tags, rather than auth codes.  

Built into the new TA system is TLD detection, allowing us to put your domain sale on the right transfer path automatically and continue to build more specialized paths for different TLDs. 

Future development means that we’ll continue to refine this process. 

UI Changes 

Along with a rebuilt Transaction Assurance system, Afternic has released a new transaction portal, with a dedicated page for each of your transactions.  

The design, inspired by Afternic’s Lead Center, is a dedicated hub for every update on every transaction we’re closing from you.  

A handy Transaction Summary area is visible at all times, giving you the basic details of the sale. A Transaction Activity section, meanwhile, gives you every transaction update, from Afternic receiving the buyer’s payment to sending your payout. 

This Dan.com-style messaging system brings new transparency into Afternic’s transaction assurance process, keeping you informed every step of the way. 

UX Updates 

The user experience was central to the recreation of the transaction assurance process, led by former Uniregistry UX designer, Camilo.  

At every stage, Afternic’s new transaction assurance and sales areas bring improved simplicity. 

Highlights include: 

• New message icons, allowing sellers to distinguish between human and system messages. 

• In-line messaging for easy outreach to our TA team during and after the transaction. 

• Sidebar information, providing fast access to key data about your domain sale including sales price, payout amount, and payout date. 

• Color-coded system messages, giving you clear signals when action is needed. 

• In-line transmittal access for Buy it Now sales, offering quick visibility of key transaction documents in the sidebar at any time. 

• Individual LTO payment visibility, complete with a dedicated details page to access all of your LTO transaction invoices and transmittals. 

Email and Messaging: More Transparency 

To mark the launch of the new transaction assurance system, we’ve built new transactional emails to guide you through each step of your transaction. 

The emails will look a little different, adopting the design from our Lease to Own and Custom Checkout Link communications.  

Alongside the emails, you’ll always receive equivalent messages in your transaction area to effortlessly keep track of your next domain sale. 

TA Agent Support 

At the top of every traction closing area, you’ll notice an option to message our TA team. 

Every interaction with our TA team through the messaging system during and after the transaction closing is now logged, and trackable through your transaction panel. If you have multiple sales on the go, tracking and responding to messages from our team is easier than ever.  

Further questions about our new TA system? Head to our FAQs. 

We can’t wait for your next sale when you’ll be able to experience the system for yourself.  

*This process will be completed for Buy it Now domain names at registrars where Afternic maintains a holding account.