briman1970

Dear Bob,

I've been reading your blog quite a lot and I recently noticed this quote from your biography... "Since 1997 when I started Go Daddy, there was only one principle that I used to build the company. It's a simple one. Do the right thing for the customers and provide them with as good a deal as possible. No smoke and mirrors -- ever. The whole idea back then, and it continues today, is to make a little money from a lot of people. This differs from many companies who have just the opposite philosophy."
????: NamePros.com http://www.namepros.com/domain-name-discussion/86343-an-open-letter-to-bob-parsons.html

I truly believe you follow this philosophy and that GoDaddy's success hinges on it. This quote inspired me to write this letter about several companies who indeed, have the exact opposite philosophy, "Make as much money as you possibly can on a product that you've stolen". I know you have (or will have) an interest in the topic of this letter.

I'll try to keep it short, but no promises. In January, I began to buy domain names. I had no interest in buying to resell... at first. I wanted to buy a few domains as investments for my daughter's future (you know the term, "squatting"). I quickly learned the simple rules of domain buying and reselling. Buy key words, fewer letters, dotcoms or dotnets (if possible), brandable names, and temporary parking for profit. To make a long story short, I've got the bug. I have registered or transferred over 60 domains with GoDaddy (so far) and bought a few existing names parked at other registrars, which I generally hate to do because GoDaddy's interface is so damn fine!

The only thing that bothers me about GoDaddy is your current backordering system. It has, for the most part, been non-effective for me and others I've spoken to on the subject. I've recently found out why this is not completely your fault.

I'm sure you're aware of the fact that most premium expired domains are being prematurely annexed by big companies/registrars to auction off at exorbitant prices. Sometimes they are even put up before the entire expiration process is complete. They do this by partnering with (pimping) major (or not so major) registrars to ensure that they get the names before they drop. Enom and Snapnames, among others, also run advanced scripts that check expiring domains over 1000 times per second ensuring that a normal human being can't even approach acquiring the names they really want (or need)! Even if some of us use our own scripts, it's highly unlikely that we will get a name they've set their feelers to.

I really don't see how it's fair, especially the partnering.

Sure, I understand that they've spent time and money to write these high-end scripts, build systems to capture domain names and partner with registrars, but in my opinion they are making money on thousands of high profile names that really don't belong to them or anyone for that matter. One major foul I see them throwing is the way they limit and shorten access time to their who-is databases for everyone but themselves. I know who-is spamming is an issue for registrars, but their reason for limiting access time to one-second per IP address (Enom) is designed for one purpose... to give themselves the edge over the little guy trying to acquire the same names they feel are rightfully theirs to auction for whatever the wealthiest among us will pay. The partnering though, that's just downright dirty thievery.

I don't quite understand the reasoning behind ICANN creating more and more odd and useless extensions while turning a blind eye to this blatant domain "sniping", embezzlement and extortion, especially when there are more than enough names to go around with com/net/org/info/biz/name/cc/ws/tv and others.

The only way a normal person can get a really good domain since these companies came around is to do research and try to find the actual owner after the domain goes into the renewal/pending delete phase. It's incredibly time consuming, risky and mostly non-effective. I've recently been talking to many different Ameritrade employees because I believed their company owned WRD.com which was deleting soon. It was like pulling teeth trying to even find out if they really owned the name, much less knew their ID/password for managing it! I spent many hours on this one. Well, I looked at the who-is a few days ago and they've magically renewed it (days before the drop). Why... because I let them know it was expiring! Do they need the name? Noooo. Do I even get a thank you from their legal dept? Noooo! Every expiring domain tells a story and that is the only benefit of this process beside the fact that you might actually get a good name someday.

This domain was much needed by me, but I knew if it expired I wouldn't get it. It would have ended up on the virtual auction block at Snapnames, and only because it happened to be registered for the past several years with Network Solutions. Who actually owns it when it expires? It's supposed to be John Q. Nobody, but in Network Solution's opinion, they do.

This is why we (the little guys) need a registrar (you) that refuses to let GoDaddy domains go through this process and let them drop the way they were intended!

You also have the capability to provide a newer, more fair service that will monitor and capture names for a set fee after the drop, with no auction process involved. I'm not sure how this system would operate, but asking some forum communities for ideas wouldn't be a bad idea. Even if you charged more than the registration fee and offered only GoDaddy registered domains, this kind of service would kick-ass and take names! (LOL, that was an accidental pun!) Plus, you would win scores of new customers like me based on the fact that you stand for fairness. Believe me, people who buy and resell domain names care. We discuss these types of issues constantly in our forums.
????: NamePros.com http://www.namepros.com/showthread.php?t=86343

Please let me know how you feel about these issues. I will continue to use GoDaddy as my main registrar for as long as I feel you will back me up if I ever get into it with "da man". I respect the way you handled the .US privacy issue with the NTIA and I have corresponded with my representatives over the matter. Keep up the good work!

In sincere thanks for everything,
Brian

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To the namepros community: If you feel like I have made any errors in the way I represented these companies or their practices, please let me know and I will edit my letter if I feel you have made a good point.

www.AmCy.org

You are welcome to syndicate your letter by posting it on my domain blog if you like. Let me know if interested.

AmCy

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AmCy

snoop

"fair" does not equal getting valuable names for peanuts, the domain industry has grown up and names now sell for market prices (like just about any other industry) rather than selling for next to nothing to the person who happened to backorder a domain first. Why shouldn't it be the person willing to pay the most who gets the domain?

IAmAllanShore

briman,
I certainly enjoyed the letter, and thought you had some very valuable points. I'm not entirely sure I have a good solution to the current problem however. Basically, I'm not at all sure what I think the correct answer is, but just wanted you to know you've got listeners and I know that (speaking for at least myself) folks appreciate your taking action to fix something you perceive as wrong with the current state of affairs.
Congrats, and keep up the good work :-)
-Allan

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briman1970

Thanks for the kind words, Allen!
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Snoop, I have no problem with people paying high dollar for a domain name. My letter isn't about that. It is merely expressing how I believe that some companies are basically stealing names during the drop process. Because they happen to be registrars they have an unfair advantage, due mostly to the fact that they have complete access to a name that was once someone elses. Someone else paid to monopolize that name, not the registrar. The registrar used that persons money to buy the domain and then kept the rest for profit. How do they deserve to seize a name that they never had to pay for? They interrupt what was once the "natural order" of things.
????: NamePros.com http://www.namepros.com/showthread.php?t=86343

It's like going to every pharmacist in town and they tell you you can't have your heart pills because they were given to the highest bidders that day. It may not be as serious as being denied your meds but it really hurts the little guys in this industry in my opinion (which I am entitled to for now).
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Amcy, Thanks! I posted it as a comment under your " GoDaddy Is Now The Undisputed King of The Hill" post. If you want to help get it seen you can post it more prominately. I don't know how to do that.

Brian

www.AmCy.org

Thank you for posting your open letter in my blog. Looks good. I am glad to have it up. It is well written and thought-provoking.
????: NamePros.com http://www.namepros.com/showthread.php?t=86343

What I originally had in mind was adding you to my blog as a "Team Member" which would give you access to create a post (entry) in my blog. The way you have it now is fine but if you want more exposure I'll send you an invite and you can post the message; it would be displayed as your own blog entry as opposed to a comment to one of my entries. If interested, PM me with your email address and I'll send you the invite. Thanks.

AmCy

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AmCy

briman1970

Here is a reply from Bob himself!!! I posted the letter to his blog just a couple hours ago and he already replied!!! This is news!
????: NamePros.com http://www.namepros.com/showthread.php?t=86343
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Dear Brian,

Your comments are very timely. Sometime next week we expect to launch a major new product area we are calling The Domain Name After Market. You will be able to get to it through the GoDaddy.com website or by typing www.tdnam.com into your browser.

Appreciate your post,

Bob
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Yes!!!! BOB!

www.AmCy.org

Cool stuff!

Check you PM for the invite. Thanks!

AmCy

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AmCy

snoop

This is exactly what godaddy is doing though, reassigning names without allowing them to drop. Correct me if I am wrong but in your first post you seem to be asking godaddy to implement this service (which they already have)
????: NamePros.com http://www.namepros.com/showthread.php?t=86343

briman1970

Well, I was kind of hoping that GoDaddy would seize any names that are registered through only Godaddy directly after the drop and not allow any other service to backorder them. GoDaddy would let them go their full pending renewal/delete period and then somehow put them up for a set fee, say $25-30 after they dropped. First come first served. If they didn't let anyone else touch GoDaddy registered domains then they could put them up randomly over a period of a few days after the drop and let the best man win. The only reason it would cost $25-30 to register would be because of all the work GoDaddy would have to do to develop and run such a service.

They could call it "Kick Ass and Take Names!" (or something else).

I think if people knew they had an equal chance of getting top tier/second tier names at GoDaddy, they'd be a lot more likely to register/transfer/park/manage all their domains at GoDaddy.

It is so great when I buy a name from someone and they say their registrar is GoDaddy. I love their managing interface and it makes it so easy to get a name in my que when it's already in someone's GoDaddy account. Plus, I think it would create a sense of community with all GoDaddy's customers if they ran a service such as this.
????: NamePros.com http://www.namepros.com/showthread.php?t=86343

I mean just imagine if you knew the name you wanted would be dropping into a pool randomly over 3-4 days but you'd have to just be lucky enough to catch it at the right time. They could just put them all in a pool like it was in the past before people got greedy. They already have the number-code speedbumps setup on their whois so people couldn't run scripts to catch names. It would all be fair and square. People would come to GoDaddy in droves (is that even a word?)

Just an idea. Let me know if you can punch some holes in it.

Brian

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I don't know what I did wrong AMCY. I tried to set the letter up on your blog but it ended up making my own blog and I don't quite understand how it all works. The blog it setup is called Brimaniac. I am totally green when it comes to blogging! Can you give me some help?

EbookLover

So what is your point??? You let them know about the expiration of the domain coming soon and they decided to renew it. Well within their right. ALso, they have no obligation to thank you. Yes, it is a cruel world but this is the truth.

Again, what is the point here? We all have domains that we don't own but that we have a 'need" for.

Commerce.com gets a lot of traffic and the owner is making good, passive profit from clicks on ads placed on the site. I, or anyone, could use that domain because I, or anyone, could use the money it generates.

So waht's your point here?

I understand the rest of your concerns ans I think they are valid, however, these two concerns I quoted just seem lik enothin gother than poor man bashing fortunate rich man for his fortune and thinks hw "owes" the little guy. Sorry, it does not work like that in America, thank GOD!

briman1970

Thank you for your sarcasm, but I don't work that way.

equity78

BRI since we are kind of discussing this in two threads, this one and the BOB Himself replied one. WHat is your plan How would you really make it fair you luck out to go into the pool? Names drop on a day GD would need some plan to effectively have people get these names. Once they have a plan, big places like Buy Domains would have a system to get those names so making it cheaper helps them buy even more.

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earn100

I would support this idea if only and only godaddy would let the "individual" who backordered a expired domain first to have the name (no auction "a set fee"). Rather than follow enom snapnames pool etc get greedy and auction off the name to people who have more money. If i was ICAAN i would band altogether expire name backordering system and also server/bot like buydomain to surf around versign registry to backorder expire name. Only HUMAN fingers should be allow to register a domain name

www.AmCy.org

Once you login to blogger, you should see the domain blog in the list of domains @ the "dashboard." I think that's how it works, but I'm not sure since I've never been on the receiving end of an invite.
????: NamePros.com http://www.namepros.com/showthread.php?t=86343

Also, you should be able to use the "Blog This!" link @ the top right side of the blog homepage. RSVP if you need more help.

Amcy

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AmCy

briman1970

I think I did it (patting myself on the back)!

I get the feeling that Bob Parson's new service is the exact opposite of what I hoped would be a fair system. Of course he had it finished before I wrote him the letter, but it makes me think he is starting on the path to the dark side.

I think the service goes against his philosophy of making a small amount of money from a lot of people. Prove me wrong Bob.

Brian

www.AmCy.org

Yup. Looks good. Thanks for posting both your letter and the reply from B. Parsons. You can remain as a contributor to the blog if you like, or I can remove you as a Team Member if that's your preference.
????: NamePros.com http://www.namepros.com/showthread.php?t=86343

Yeah. I think Parson's new spot is just another site for profiting from the dropped names market. Oh well.

AmCy

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AmCy

briman1970

Thanks AMCY, I'd be honored to stay on with ya.

iDeviseFlash

pretty cool stuff, i enjoyed reading the letter.

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briman1970

Thanks iDevise!