GoDaddy DBS Broker Tom McCarthy Explains His Role

GoDaddy has two distinct brokerage teams that work exclusively on behalf of buyers or sellers. The Afternic team represents sellers who have listings on the platform. If an offer is made by a buyer for a domain name listed on Afternic, the Afternic broker’s role is to get the most money for the domain name on behalf of the seller. If an offer is made through GoDaddy’s Domain Brokerage Service (DBS), the DBS broker works to get the buyer the lowest price.

Tom McCarthy is a broker on GoDaddy’s DBS team. I understand he is one of the top performing brokers on the team. When I receive inbound offers for domain names I don’t have listed on Afternic, and Tom is representing the buyer, I know the buyer is serious and educated about domain name values.

Tom recently began posting more regularly on X, and he posted a thread identifying the differences between the DBS and Afternic teams, and the role he plays as a buyer’s broker. I think it’s a good read for people to get an idea of what the DBS team does and who they represent.

⭐ PINNED THREAD – Who I Am & What I Do🧵

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I’m Tom McCarthy – GoDaddy’s top buyer broker on the Domain Broker Service team.

I help founders, companies, and domain investors acquire the right domain at the right price.

I’ve brokered many of the rarest, highest-value…

— Broker Tom (@brokertom) November 24, 2025

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What does a buyer broker actually do?

I represent the buyer’s best interests – whether the domain is listed for sale or not.

My role is to:
🔹 Reach the true decision-maker (especially for unlisted domains)
🔹 Build value & help buyers leverage a domain’s full potential…

— Broker Tom (@brokertom) November 24, 2025

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This is not seller-side brokerage.

I don’t work the Afternic side and I don’t maximize sale prices.

I help the buyer win the domain they need – a true white-glove service under the GoDaddy brand with the highest probability of success. 🎯

— Broker Tom (@brokertom) November 24, 2025

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Situations where I can help:

🔹 Founders acquiring their dream domain to launch a brand
🔹 VC-backed teams upgrading from .CO/.IO to their exact-match .COM
🔹 Guiding buyers on valuation through the lens of growth & vision
🔹 Helping domain investors negotiate down “Buy…

— Broker Tom (@brokertom) November 24, 2025

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What I share here:

📘 Insights from 25,000+ hours in the trenches
🎯 Negotiation psychology & strategy
💬 Real examples (no private details)
🏆 Best practices for buyers & sellers
🧠 Lessons from tens of thousands of domain name negotiations – wins and losses

— Broker Tom (@brokertom) November 24, 2025

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My promise to clients and the domain community:

🔹 Professionalism
🔹 Ultra-fast responsiveness — tmccarthy@godaddy.com
🔹 Clear, honest communication

If you want to understand how strategic domain acquisitions really get done, welcome aboard. 🚀

— Broker Tom (@brokertom) November 24, 2025