I have some of the same feelings you express in your OP
@WhoaDomain.com . Personally, as of now, I have never submitted a domain to any of the brandable places or even set up accounts at them. I did go through
the numbers for BB, and even though their commissions are higher than the general marketplace options, the
analysis suggested that people overall do well compared to the domain industry as a whole. I see that SH have recently released some numbers, and may try to do something similar for them.
To me, whether the commission is high, or even if they require exclusivity, are not the main questions, but rather
is a domain name more likely to sell there with a higher price. If so, it makes sense. I do plan to try a few at the brandable places, just have not done so yet.
I think that what the brandable places bring is people actively looking for a brand name, ready to close a sale, and expecting to pay a reasonable price. They also build trust compared to listing on a personal website, in most cases.
What names should go there, by my way of thinking, is of course ones they would accept. but also
names that in general someone would not guess. If you have a name that it is likely a lot of people might guess and check availability, it probably makes sense to stick with the regular marketplaces and a good lander, in my opinion.
I think that the brandable places
should be considered as one option, from many, ways to potentially get names seen. Whether exclusivity is worth the price of that exposure depends on the name. I had not realized that SH allowed simultaneous listing on Afternic for a one-time fee until
@Samer mentioned it above. Is the fee significant?
Just my thoughts. Have a good day everyone. Someday I hope to join those of you who are successful at the brandable marketplaces!
Bob