Identical premium domain pricing across registries.

[ryan87]

I wonder if anyone here is interested in a topic like this to document a concerning issue with premium domain pricing. I think it's a problem for registrants and something that should get some attention. I'll post an example of what I mean and if anyone wants to add their own or give opinions on the topic, please do so!

I'm mainly interested in demonstrating the problem, but don't have a problem with speculation about what may cause it. Or, if you want to, feel free to tell me why I'm wrong about this being a problem for registrants. As a resource, ICANN has a list of registry operators. It can be hard to unwind the subsidiaries registries are using, but some are highlighted in that list. For example:

Dog Beach, LLC
c/o Identity Digital Inc.

Below is the best example I've found. It's taken from the website I'm working on. The screenshot is from Porkbun, but you can do the same check with pretty much every registrar I've tried.

I picked this example specifically because it has some big name registries that shouldn't have any kind of relationship with each other. As far as I can tell, all 5 domains are from registries that have different owners. Please correct me if I'm wrong (and you can prove it). The registry operators are:

• .bot - Amazon Registry Services, Inc.
• .diy - Lifestyle Domain Holdings, Inc. or Internet Naming Company LLC.
• .fans - ZDNS International Limited
• .help - Innovation Service Limited
• .uno - Radix Technologies Inc SEZC

It's bad enough having registries that own many TLDs using the same premium pricing across all of their TLDs, but price congruence between registries is on a whole new level of problematic for registrants. Premium domains are used to control and limit the supply of high-quality domains for registrants. Registries failing to compete, or engaging in what I call "cooperative competition", on premium domain (renewal) pricing makes it even worse.

What does everyone think?

 

[cooljub]

I would say stick to the OGs. A lot of these new ones are run by short-sighted greedy opportunists who love to have everybody by the short & curlys.

 

[biggie]

Hi

you can choose to not invest in those extensions

imo…

 

[NoobTask]

I dont know why that rule apply for every single piece in market but you can pick thouse that are not premium.
LLLL+ word that is not premium marked.

Does anyone know how expensive is to start own registry?

For example if I want start my .cum TLD what should i do?

 

[ryan87]

you can choose to not invest in those extensions

I dont know why that rule apply for every single piece in market but you can pick thouse that are not premium.
LLLL+ word that is not premium marked.

The issue with simply avoiding those extensions or premium domains is that most people don't understand the difference in value. The same thing happens over and over. In this case, people that think we're heading in the wrong direction (for registrants) get dragged along by the majority that don't understand or don't care about the issue.

Eventually, everyone gets forced to participate in a worse market (for registrants), like it or not.

Anecdotally, the number of premium domains seem to be increasing. Industry wide, ICANN imposes a limit on the number of TLDs and the TLD operators are fairly consolidated. The registry operators further restrict the supply of domains by classifying more and more as premium right from day 1.

My concern would be that eventually it'll be difficult to buy a high quality domain without it being premium and premium domains have no rules around pricing obligations.

 

[cooljub]

The same thing happens over and over. In this case, people that think we're heading in the wrong direction (for registrants) get dragged along by the majority that don't understand or don't care about the issue.

C'est la vie.