Registrars now blocking registration of dropped domains

[mrjohn]

GoDaddy says they're now place a 48-hour hold on new registrations of domains that expired.

I didn't call NameCheap, but based on how their site is treating dropped domains, they're also doing the same thing.

Anyone else running into this issue?

 

[The New Guy]

So would it be safe to say that it seems like Dynadot and NameBright are not following this stupid strategy, but everyone else is?

It may not be that stupid from an overall perspective for them.

Say you have a few hundred domainers with a list of 25 names from the drop catch list. They do a bulk search, see nothing is available, then do it over and over again. Drop time can last 45-60 minutes some days. You have a huge drain on resources from people trying to hand drop catch on servers that were meant for hand regs.

If the names they pick are popular, the domainer might not get the name. That means no money for the registrar at all. Or they get one or two - and then they try to check out with a coupon. Hundreds of hits for dozens of names, all for maybe $20 - if the domainer is lucky and gets their names.

Meanwhile hundreds of regular users are trying to register a new domain for their business or organization - customers who may also use hosting and services the domainer won't. And their experience is potentially harmed by people who won't be nearly as profitable for the company as the regular customers.

So there are two ways to handle the problem: Either push them to a backorder service (that you own) or set up an API where those people can use a server that is dedicated to drop catching so regular customers aren't inconvenienced.

It looks like the registrars did the math and realized domainers are using resources that aren't being covered by their registration fees, and they've moved to fix the problem. Domainers may not be happy, but I can't blame the registrars for having to deal with reality.

 

[Name Trader]

At last. A logical explanation why Registrars are doing this. But wait a minute. They are all doing this in unison. That smacks of a rigged market I can understand why GoDaddy might do this, but not every other registrar. Also any registrar which doesn't follow suit, will have a business gain. Assuming the buyers are prepared to pay without coupons. This strategy on the domainers side is scraping the bottom of the domaining barrel, IMHO.

GoDaddy are to blame for this situation to begin with. With their loss-making coupons on new registrations.

 

[cbk]

Once the domain name has gone through the pending delete and shows available, Godaddy search knows know difference between a fresh drop and a domain that has always been available. There is no conspiracy not sure why this is still being discussed.

 

[campout]

So would it be safe to say that it seems like Dynadot and NameBright are not following this stupid strategy, but everyone else is?

Here's the list of working registrars we've compiled so far. Everyone, let me know if you discover anymore:

• DynaDot - $10.99
• NameBright - $8.53
• Name.com - $10.99
• Uniregistry - $10.88

Prices are for dot-com registrations. NameBright stands out so far.

 

[jideofor]

Godaddy is fucking mad to have started this bullshit. I tried registering a domain and they just wont let me pick it at that normal price. It seems they allowed someone else to pick up a domain from drop that I wanted. And now, they have allowed someone else to register the domain name.

 

[Nerevar]

Meanwhile hundreds of regular users are trying to register a new domain for their business or organization - customers who may also use hosting and services the domainer won't. And their experience is potentially harmed by people who won't be nearly as profitable for the company as the regular customers. <...>
It looks like the registrars did the math and realized domainers are using resources that aren't being covered by their registration fees, and they've moved to fix the problem. Domainers may not be happy, but I can't blame the registrars for having to deal with reality.

I would disagree... Domainers bring lots of money to GD, because they sell domains on actions. In fact, before a domain reaches the end user, it may switch owners quite a few times. And every such transaction, done on GD platform, brings them now 20% of the selling price. So even though the domainers do not usually buy hosting, they are quite profitable as customers. Besides, if a company needs a name, they will buy it anyway, from GD or domainers. The demand for company names is stable and fixed: a company can not live without a name, and it will not buy 2+ names even if you forbid domainers from registering names.

 

[The New Guy]

I would disagree... Domainers bring lots of money to GD, because they sell domains on actions..

But domainers can still sell on auctions if they buy elsewhere or use a dropcatching sevice.

The constant slamming of regular godaddy registration servers by domainers bulk checking dozens of domains hundreds of times a day gives them nothing more and actually harms them overall.

 

[Nerevar]

Perhaps yes, perhaps no. These days, GD attitude has shifted my preferences to buying second-hand domains on forums, instead of searching and hand-registering. Maybe I am an exception, but discouraging domainers from hand-registering is not a very clever tactic imo.

 

[Jasonn]

But domainers can still sell on auctions if they buy elsewhere or use a dropcatching sevice.

The constant slamming of regular godaddy registration servers by domainers bulk checking dozens of domains hundreds of times a day gives them nothing more and actually harms them overall.

well the smart thing to do would be to limit bulk searches by a single ip to x many times not block people from buying.

 

[The New Guy]

well the smart thing to do would be to limit bulk searches by a single ip to x many times not block people from buying.

And people would be complaining about that here as well.

There are solutions, but some don't want to take them because they feel entitled to use another company's resources (registration servers) the way they want, regardless of how it impacts the company or their other customers. And those customers are more plentiful and more important to the company's ability to stay in business than the domainers who are using the resources in a way they weren't meant to be used.

 

[cdboard]

..... discouraging domainers from hand-registering is not a very clever tactic imo.

would it be clever to discourage domainers from using $1 codes?

 

[Nerevar]

would it be clever to discourage domainers from using $1 codes?

Err, how? I do not see a way to do that. At least not by creating a lag between the drop time and the time that domains become available.

 

[Jasonn]

And people would be complaining about that here as well.

There are solutions, but some don't want to take them because they feel entitled to use another company's resources (registration servers) the way they want, regardless of how it impacts the company or their other customers. And those customers are more plentiful and more important to the company's ability to stay in business than the domainers who are using the resources in a way they weren't meant to be used.

regardless in most cases you can still bulk search all you want, they just come back as unavailable so it doesn't seem like it will save them any resources unless people just stop using them. also it seems like godaddy isn't blocking dropped domains anymore. at least they didn't yesterday.

 

[cdboard]

Err, how? I do not see a way to do that. At least not by creating a lag between the drop time and the time that domains become available.

that's how it could be done. look at what has been posted in this thread.

someone saying they will regg a name somewhere else if G shows it as unavailable. someone saying they won't regg a (low value) name at all, if they cannot grab it with a G coupon code (as soon as it drops).

lag time means fewer coupon codes used by domainers.

 

[campout]

I was able to successfully check availability and reg drops in real-time on GD today. Maybe they have reversed themselves for good.

 

[Name Trader]

We shall see. Keep us informed @llcacquire. If they did away with coupon codes for new registrations, it might help marginally, but people are still going to do bulk lookups at GoDaddy. They haven't attacked the root of the problem, imho.

 

[DubDubDubDot]

I bought a fresh drop from GoDaddy yesterday. I hadn't previously tried during this discussion, but it's working now.

 

[Electric-Shadow]

Will try during this evenings drops and see if anything's changed.

 

[Nerevar]

GD does not block dropping registrations any more.