DNForum.com is one of the older domain name forums around. According to it's whois information the domain name was first registered on December 23, 2001. It has since changed ownership a few times but underwent a major restructuring in 2003 when paid membership was introduced. Presently, DNForum is home to more then 44,000 members who have made over 1,000,000 posts.
DNForum.com is currently structured as a paid membership domain name forum, offering a 4 tier structure of membership - differentiated by price. The initial membership level is free ( Bronze ). You can register at the domain name forum for free, and read the free forum sections. The sight of the Platinum, Gold and Exclusive paid membership forums with various sales and auction areas is quite enticing actually, and lures you into purchasing a membership.
Upgrading to Gold membership won't do you much good if you wish to trade in domain names and or services. Gold membership allows you to post your domain names for appraisal, visit the domain names wanted section and do a lot of reading on various domaining topics, but as far as trading goes, you require a Platinum Membership as a minimum.
Platinum members are allowed to post their domain names and services for sale, bid on other domain names and services and have access to a vast array of forum features. They still do not get access to the exclusive club, nor can they post domain names for sale in the exclusive domains area.
Exclusive membership is the most expensive membership offering quite a solid set of features including various domaining tools, some 100 site scripts, a free website design, custom banners, avatars, links in your signature etc. Exclusive membership also provides you with a boat load of information on monetizing your domain names, help with increasing your revenue, various domaining news and subscriptions etc. In other words, you get value for your money.
In terms of being a domain name marketplace, DNForum.com is a solid hunting ground. Keep in mind that if you have domain names in the low $xx value, I would recommend some of the other domaining forums around. I have noticed that $xx valued domain names sell quicker and easier at DP or NP as compared to DNForum.com. DNForum.com is for your serious domainer, selling domain names in the $xxx and upwards range. You will find that very rarely do you get lowball offers. You will also find that you will most usually be approached in a professional manner from serious buyers. The domain name sales section is split into various fixed price domain name sale sections, an offers wanted section and a domain name auctions section. As far as domain name appraisals go, I would rank NamePros higher, with a more active appraisal community and quicker response times.
Just like most of the other domain name market places, DNForum.com has a buyer-seller rating system. Once a transaction is completed between two domainers, they go to the effort of rating each other. The rating system helps you decide whether a seller or buyer is reputable and whether the risk of trading with them is small. DNForum.com of course transfers all the risk of the transaction to the trading parties.
Recently, I have noticed a slowdown in forum posts and domain sales. Whether it is a result of members defecting to other forums or just a slow time of the year, it is up to you to decide.
One downside of the DNForum.com domain name forum is a lack of a regular live auction and daily frequented chat area. Even though DNForum.com was the first domain name forum to introduce live chat and domain name auctions, they have slowed down in this respect and have been overtaken by the excellent NamePros live domain name auction, which is run at least once every fortnight and is regularly frequented by at least 100 buyers and sellers without any major problems.
Visit DNXpert.com for more domain name advice.
