Partnerships with registrars for the sake of drop catching

[AEProgram]

Anyone ever tried this?

Figure you target the best names and offer hefty fees for the registrar that catches it? I know one large catcher has this as part of their program but wondering about anyone's success or failure stories related to this?

 

[Joseph Green]

It turned out to be a lot more work than it was worth. By the time we and the registrars designed systems to dropcatch and an API that we could use to communicate with those systems, it was several months later. And by that time, their ambitions had grown into offering their own competing dropcatching services. After the same outcome with multiple registrars, we decided to scrap the idea of partnerships.

The best way is to buy failing registrars or start your own, like Reberry did.

 

[AEProgram]

It turned out to be a lot more work than it was worth. By the time we and the registrars designed systems to dropcatch and an API that we could use to communicate with those systems, it was several months later. And by that time, their ambitions had grown into offering their own competing dropcatching services. After the same outcome with multiple registrars, we decided to scrap the idea of partnerships.

The best way is to buy failing registrars or start your own, like Reberry did.

THANKS!

what do these failing registrars go for?

berry is giving everyone a good run for their money, they been catching some solid stuff

 

[werty]

Not worth it. This is what auction houses do so what makes you think you can do it better than them? You would need 10-20 registrar connections to just stand a chance against the small auction houses / drop catchers VS pay $20 or less per domain backorder through them (small drop catchers). It simply isn't cost effective and it keeps getting more competitive.

 

[AEProgram]

Not worth it. This is what auction houses do so what makes you think you can do it better than them? You would need 10-20 registrar connections to just stand a chance against the small auction houses / drop catchers VS pay $20 or less per domain backorder through them (small drop catchers). It simply isn't cost effective and it keeps getting more competitive.

The goal here wasnt to go after avg names, anyway I dont see this viable anyway

thanks people

 

[werty]

For premiums, you need even more $$$ to compete with the big boys. It's easier and more cost effective to just bid on them on the auction houses. You need big money for both directions imo.

 

[werty]

For premiums, you need even more $$$ to compete with the big boys. It's easier and more cost effective to just bid on them on the auction houses. You need big money for both directions imo.

 

[AEProgram]

For premiums, you need even more $$$ to compete with the big boys. It's easier and more cost effective to just bid on them on the auction houses. You need big money for both directions imo.

tell that to goname

 

[werty]

Checking the whois on a few domains on their homepage, I see them registered at drop catchers I normally use myself like most domainers. Not sure what you mean? Epik thing?

 

[AEProgram]

Checking the whois on a few domains on their homepage, I see them registered at drop catchers I normally use myself like most domainers. Not sure what you mean?

You are mistaking by thinking they use epik to catch. Its a long story but goname is a private group that has a few partnerships with registrars and in the past year caught names that everyone was after, some of the best names too, including recently gladiators.com etc

 

[werty]

Yeah I saw that when it happened as I was after that name but honestly if you backorder everyday, you will see most premium domain auctions end up at Snapnames and namejet and now dropcatch. Running 1 registrar is very costly itself. You really need BIG money to compete either way. And apparently they use the auction houses as well so it seems they still need them.. On their homepage it says they own about 40,000 domains. Multiply that by $8-10 for renewals each year. Then add all the registrar overhead.

 

[AEProgram]

Yeah I saw that when it happened as I was after that name but honestly if you backorder everyday, you will see most premium domain auctions end up at Snapnames and namejet and now dropcatch. Running 1 registrar is very costly itself. You really need BIG money to compete either way. And apparently they use the auction houses as well so it seems they still need them.. On their homepage it says they own about 40,000 domains. Multiply that by $8-10 for renewals each year. Then add all the registrar overhead.

Gonames has one resource and thats epik for drop catching! If they would manage to have more wed all be in big trouble.

My idea was simple, build a network of registrars and offer them 350 bucks if they catch a name for me, i would only submit names that we all know full well will end up 4k+ at auction, maybe one of those a week

Pheenix has been giving many large networks a run for the money they caught voko and many other solid names that where heavily backordered

I do not think one needs 500 registrars to stand a solid chance

 

[werty]

I tried this approach in the past with intrust and didn't work out. If someone has the ability to drop catch, they would prefer the profit from the domains than anything else. I know that some registrars are willing to rent you their registrar connection for $500 a month or so. But this is for 1 connection only. In the end, you are not going to get a $4K-$5K (reseller price) domain for $350. Sure they might catch 1-2 premiums here and there but all that matters in the end is the net profit. I am not sure what their net profit is but my guess is that it's easier to succeed by keeping it simple and using the auction houses. I've sold a $xx purchase for $xx,xxx so it's possible but not likely.

 

[Kate]

^ The above is very true.
Statistically, you are not going to catch a lot with one single registrar pool. If you have dozens at your disposal then everything is different.

The big dropcatchers like Snapnames, Pool (RIP), Enom (Namejet) generally own shell registrars (to increase the number of available connections to the registry), but they also partner with independent registrars to catch domains. I think any independent registrar must have been approached by one of these catchers.

But I know of a few private registrars that have withdrawn from the drop game, because it was no longer cost-effective for them. Setting up and maintaining a registrar is not cheap.

BTW, even registrar operators like Kevin Ham (Vaxis) or Buydomains use the auction houses, either for prerelease domains, or domains they weren't able to get.

But you can try your luck.

For ccTLDs I have often entered into private arrangements with registrars, some of which often don't have a regular backorder program in place.