new gTLDs .DEV early access - pre-registering and my experience (iama.dev)

[DomDev]

I thought to share my recent experience pre-registering an early access phase domain.

As many of you already know, google's .dev domain is in early access phase and go live on Feb 28th. Currently it will cost you $500+ to register a domain in early access phase (where as once it gone live it will be just $17+). I had pre-registered the domain in the title with gandi.net on Feb 19th (at the time early access price was $16,000 + ouch.). I was not super excited or extremely wanted that domain name anyway so I was like if I get it it is good.

On Feb 22nd I got email from gandi that someone else already registered that name and no more available. Feb 22nd was the exact date where the early access price was reduced from 16K to $500+. This made me think that someone was monitoring my registration and/or research on this domain and eagerly waiting for early access price to come down to snatch it.

I don't know if iama.dev is much worth it nor I am super disappointed on this. I never had a plan to buy it for $500 anyway. However surprised to see that this thing happened. It could be someone working for the registrar or the other registrar where I checked the domain for price comparison. Or it may be just a coincident. What you guys think? (I knew the say that we shouldn't be researching the name we are interested in third party sites etc. however in this case I was not too serious).

 

[DomDev]

Adding to this, for those who doesn't know or clear what I meant:

When a new tld extension introducing to public:
Early access = the phase during that time a domain with this extension can be registered for much higher price than its actual price when it becomes available generally.

Pre-register = A service provided by registrar to reserve a name and they will try to register it on behalf of you as soon as it becomes available generally for all (with its actual price that would be much lower ). This is not guaranteed though and registrar will refund you if they cannot register it (this is what happened to me)

 

[ecomslice]

This entire industry is full of schemes and rigging, falsified auctions, pumping of trends so , I personally feel iama domain was by far an additional scam taken on by some level of the registrar.

 

[DomDev]

@ecomslice yes I think the same, It can't be mere "coincident", especially "iama" is not a one word/dictionary word etc. It could be from registrar itself that someone did this!

Lessons learned: Do not pre-register or reserve your domain in such cases, wait patiently and try to hand reg/or if possible use script/sw on the day when it is publicly available.

Oh well, let see what is happening with this domain (iama.dev). After Feb 28th we may be able to see if it was a re-seller or an end user who really want to develop on this! Or we may not see anything for quite sometime. If something very interesting I will come back and update here