Regsquatting

[Grrilla]

The way that registrars have entered and disrupted the drop market is maddening.
My latest beef is w/ GoDaddy, (who appears to be the primary culprit among the major registrars), and involves the the double standard they apply to the time period they will hold a name, before letting it drop- if indeed, they are letting the better names drop at all.

I've been following a name that expired on Sept 1st, and when I run a search I get this message:
Whois Output Obtained From: whois.godaddy.com
No match for "[example].com" in the registrar database.
However, when I go to register the name, it shows up as not being available. I haven't gotten involved w/ their new auction system, but my guess is that this has something to do w/ the problem.
Just what is the breakdown on their auction system? Are they cherrypicking the better names that expire, and than putting them up for auction? How long are they holding onto them if a sale doesn't occur?

When a name drops from the registry, the name should automatically enter the drop queue at the registrar and delete the queue cycle completes. Period. For a registrar to hold a name any longer than has a conflict of interest, plain and simple. They have been paid for the service they provided- they don't own the name or have any special rights to it. So why do some names, (the less attractive ones seem to drop right on schedule, while others, (the ones worth picking up), dawdle about and never seem to cut loose?

This is just one more situation that is part of a long string of incidents, that makes me happy that, about 10 mos ago, I decided to transfer out all of my names registered w/ Grabdaddy. Another month or so to go, they will be out of my life, and they can.... :kickass: :D

 

[gazzip]

The solution is to cut through all of the crap- if payment is not been received by the time it is due, it goes back to the registry. Wham-Bam. If there must be a grace period, 72 hours should suffice.

No longer will registrar's be charging an owner $200-$300 to "redeem" a domain! No longer will registrar's be holding onto a name to squeeze juice from it. No longer will registrars get a ticket for a5 day "test spin" of a domain name. Keep it lean and cut out all of the unnecessary, antiquated and fuzzy bureaucratic fat away from, what should be, a simple procedure to solve a straight forward matter.

Agreed, that would be nice but it's not that likely unfortunately

 

[Grrilla]

Agreed, that would be nice but it's not that likely unfortunately

Not as long as the lunatics are allowed to run he asylum. Bureaucrats are all about setting up systems that are dense and circuitously designed ultimately, for the purpose of enhancing job security. Starting over with a clean slate is an anathema to them because if the system is simple and direct, there is no longer a need to have an office full of people shuffling stacks of paper around and bouncing email memos back and forth and holding board meetings where the order of the day is, "Well, do you think we should hold off on this agenda item and discuss it at a later meeting, so as to allow Herb's group more time to collect information on this? (zzz...)

There are some redeeming attributes, however. Modifiying and building new layers onto an existing model requires departments filled w/ more people to help interpret and decycypher the system and aid in resolving issues and problems that may arrise, which does create jobs. Hmm... Come to think of it, this same structural model, reminds me alot of a computer operating system that I no longer use.

 

[wot]

Wots ICANN :?

 

[Kenny]

Wots ICANN :?

Wot, your 1500th post... perfect. :bingo:

 

[DomainSlayer]

Boycott them. There a big company, but if enough people get livid things will change.

 

[Dresdan]

I don't really have anything remarkable to add to this thread, I just wanted to thank all of you that did. I have just got a crash course in dropped (or should I say undropped) domains and the way things are handled by some unethical companys. I am hoping to register my first domain soon and am here researching the process and this has been very informative for me on a speculative idea I have been researching. Thank you all for sharing your information and experiences.

 

[Kenny]

Mike... you remember last week I
told you Regfly whisked away one
of my names? It was due on the
26th and the morning of the 27th
it was gone from my account.
No grace... no answer to my
emails, while 2 other names I
plan on letting drop are still getting
emails to hurry and re-reg 10 days
past reg date. That sux.
I sent this letter to them thanking
them for their efficiency.

Hello Regfly

I would like to comment on your efficient managament of time. I can
honestly say your company knows what time it is. Take for example
when a reg is up, as in the case of XXXXXXXXXXXX.com Yes sir,
right on time pulling that out of my account, and how kind not to
burden me with say... a couple of days grace to get you the NINE
DOLLARS, but then I'd have to carry it for another year.
Yep, you guys are the best, and I'll make sure to tell ALL my
friends how I was treated. Oh so effecient.

Oh, and the way you protect me by my making yourselves the
DEFAULT contact over MY domains even though I've changed them
15 20 times to my name, you just love your jobs so much you want to
do all the work. Of course it does make it slightly difficult if perhaps
an OWNER might want to transfer OUT of this safe, efficient and
caring family.

So tell me, are you feeling the love?
Because I sure am.

So I'm going to retry AGAIN to reset my contact info,
see if maybe I cant return some of your kindness by
relieving a little pressure off of you guys.

Oh, you dont have to thank me, it really will be my pleasure.

I know you wont forget to remind me how you emailed every day
telling me my time was coming... in 7,6,5,4,3,2,1.. todays the Ken, reg
it or lose it. Or how 2 days later, sure, no problem, I could buy it out
of redemption.

The model of efficient, the standard by which all should be measured.
Like 1DNi, and 1and1, several other like momuments to this new
industry in which we are all trying to establish a little identity above
the chaffe that surrounds us.

Thanks for ALL your help and concern. I hate to ask another favor
but maybe you could email the procedure to transfer OUT, and how I
might set the contact so it doesnt default back to you the second I log
out.

Feeling that love, kp

 

[armstrong]

Times like these make me go back to my calculations from a year ago on how much it would cost to establish our own registrar - one owned and run by domainers, for domainers. I remember the costs to be quite reasonable for even a small group of five to ten. All the more so for hundreds (thousands?) of NP'ers.

<- digs out old excel feasibility study

 

[Dave_Z]

Times like these make me go back to my calculations from a year ago on how much it would cost to establish our own registrar - one owned and run by domainers, for domainers. I remember the costs to be quite reasonable for even a small group of five to ten. All the more so for hundreds (thousands?) of NP'ers.

<- digs out old excel feasibility study

I think Adam Dicker did exactly that, although I haven't heard much lately.

There were even talks in another forum of putting up a co-op registrar.

 

[armstrong]

Adam used the logicboxes solution. This is the same one used by directi (the 2 companies are related somehow), which is not known for being stable, nor user-friendly. This may be why Adam can't market his registrar aggressively just yet.

 

[Grrilla]

One of our members PMd me suggesting that this would be a good topic to bring into the discussions at DNOS.org For those of you who don't know what the DNOA.org is:

The Domain Name Owners Association is a trade association of domain name buyers, sellers and owners of all types dedicated to the advancement of the domain name industry through the building of trust and professionalism of its members.

http://www.DNOA.org You, (I mean, we) :red: , should all check it out.

 

[Kenny]

And thats what I thought, this would make an XLNT opening gambit
for the DNOA. This issue is like the weather, everybody talks about it
but no-one does anything about it. hmmmm, on my way to DNOA forum
now. :kickass:

 

[Grrilla]

For DNOA members who are interested, I have carried on this this discussion at:
DNOA
Look for: Regsquatting and It's Implications

Feel free to continue posting here and/or at the above linked thread if you are a DNOA member.

PS The discussions are for DNOA members only. I did not intend for this to be an advertisement for DNOA.org, although, as I think about it more, that isn't such a bad idea.

 

[primacomputer]

Just wanted to provide an update on the name I let drop with Godaddy as part of my experiment to monitor how their scam works...

After receiving reminders for a month or so I no longer had the option to renew it, however it was still listed as being in redemption period. It was then listed for sale at TDNAM for about a month. Then things got more interesting.

The status was changed to registrar-lock and the expiration date was extended by a year. Did Godaddy pay the fees required for this? Then about a month later it dropped. Why would they let it drop (actually delete it) then if they had paid for it?

Strange thing is that another name that expired more than a month earlier than mine is still in redemption period status. And it's had it's expiration date extended by a year. Doesn't seem to be any rhyme nor reason to the time line.

Also both names had invalid contact information in blatant violation ICANN rules.

[whois.godaddy.com]
No match for "xxxxxx" in the registrar database

I wonder if ICANN and Verisign would be interested in a list of all the names which have had their expiration date extended by a year by Godaddy with apparently no payment being made?

 

[mole]

[whois.godaddy.com]
No match for "xxxxxx" in the registrar database

This was done by Godaddy when the name goes up for auctions in tdnam to achieve two things:

1. the original registrant will find it extremely inconvenient to salvage the name, and therefore hopefully won't.
2. people can't contact the registrant to buy the name off (the registrant renews at reg fee, and sells off for a net gain), and thereby sabotage the whole tdnam auction process.

The system is both good and bad, I've had a couple of names in which contact with the registrant to sellout at $500+ was just ignored, then tdnam gets it for me at $10 + reg fee :D

Moral of the story, if you really want to keep your names, renew it for 2 years out at least. If not, let it back to the pool, there are lots more bigger fishes to hook out there.

 

[primacomputer]

I appreciate the pros and cons of it for you personally. The fact still remains that not having valid contact information is a flagrant violation of ICANN rules. If you do it you loose your name. They do it all the time to make an extra buck. Just another example of how crooked these guys are, which is the real “moral of the story”

 

[wild boar]

Just wanted to provide an update on the name I let drop with Godaddy as part of my experiment to monitor how their scam works...

After receiving reminders for a month or so I no longer had the option to renew it, however it was still listed as being in redemption period. It was then listed for sale at TDNAM for about a month. Then things got more interesting.

The status was changed to registrar-lock and the expiration date was extended by a year. Did Godaddy pay the fees required for this? Then about a month later it dropped. Why would they let it drop (actually delete it) then if they had paid for it?

Strange thing is that another name that expired more than a month earlier than mine is still in redemption period status. And it's had it's expiration date extended by a year. Doesn't seem to be any rhyme nor reason to the time line.

Also both names had invalid contact information in blatant violation ICANN rules.

[whois.godaddy.com]
No match for "xxxxxx" in the registrar database

I wonder if ICANN and Verisign would be interested in a list of all the names which have had their expiration date extended by a year by Godaddy with apparently no payment being made?

lol why do you people like go daddy anyways? I've never registered a domain there before.. all mine are with namebargain.com, and I don't get bombarded with ads wanting me to buy this and that. Godaddy is all about money. If they can find a way to keep domain names that are dropped for their own profit, then they will. I just find their site too confusing anyways.

 

[EbookLover]

Boycott them. There a big company, but if enough people get livid things will change.

But I wonder how much GD relies on domain traders for profits.

From my understanding, the money in the domain reg biz is not in the domain regs but rather in the extra services like hosting etc. (which is why GD has that spammy/confusing checkout process).

They do it all the time to make an extra buck. Just another example of how crooked these guys are, which is the real “moral of the story”

WHo is "they", GD or ICANN?

 

[Grrilla]

lol why do you people like go daddy anyways?

Excuse me? I don't know wh0 "you people" is referring to but it, certainly, doesn't accurately depict the demographic of the majority of members at this forum, IMO. There are a number of current threads that are discussing GoDaddy (and others), in depth. You can find these threads by doing a forum search using the search box above/right on this page.

WHo is "they", GD or ICANN?

GD and other registrars who divert the flow of domain drops away from the open market and into their own control by cherrypicking the best and most desirable, (and profitable), expired names out of their customer's accounts. This is a relatively new phenomenom and is having the effect of lowering the quality of available drops that are available in the open market. They are working around existing ICANN procedures and usurping an area of the domain name resale market that has been, up until the last year or so, reserved for resellers and/or the GP. There are several obvious advantages that a registrar has over the avg. independent domarketer- particularly, when the registrar overreaches it's authority and unethically enters into a process that it is not supposed to be involved in and hurdles the checks and balances that were in place to protect the consumer from potential conflict of interest and insider control probs.