Snapnames, how do they do it?

[cvxdes]

Ive been looking at their site, the domains are amazing. How do they ever pick up domains like that? How do they grab them the seccond they're avalible again.

 

[webfreak]

You think they're going to tell you? :D

 

[Devil_Dog]

They have an exclusive partnership with netsol.

Netsol is basically the 1st registrar on the block so that = prime domains from back in the 90's that are expiring.

 

[RJ]

They have an exclusive partnership with netsol.

Netsol is basically the 1st registrar on the block so that = prime domains from back in the 90's that are expiring.

Exactly. Any name that is with Network Solutions that expires (and is not renewed) does not actually drop as normal. It gets auctioned through Snapnames first, and sold if anyone bids on it. They have a partnership system with several registrars called "Transfer Fulfillment".

This is becoming increasingly common. Names that expire from Dotster end up for auciton exclusively at Namewinner and names that expire from GoDaddy now end up at TDNAM.

 

[gazzip]

They have an exclusive partnership with netsol.

Netsol is basically the 1st registrar on the block so that = prime domains from back in the 90's that are expiring.

Yep and probably about another 100 registers including register.com which I think is another oldey ?

The Netsol names are usually the better ones though due to their age.


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[deronsizemore]

Ive been looking at their site, the domains are amazing. How do they ever pick up domains like that? How do they grab them the seccond they're avalible again.

How are you able to look at the domains on SnapNames? I'm registered there and the only thing I've ever been able to do is place a list of domains I'd like to register, not be able to see an actual list of available ones.

 

[Ben42]

I don't see how this is even legal. I'm sure they are paying quite a bit for that "Partnership". They are in essence just selling registrations to the highest bidder. In this least it's unethical.

I believe there will be a big class action lawsuit within the next 5 years or so.

 

[gazzip]

I don't see how this is even legal. I'm sure they are paying quite a bit for that "Partnership". They are in essence just selling registrations to the highest bidder. In this least it's unethical.

I believe there will be a big class action lawsuit within the next 5 years or so.

It will be interesting if this does happen, I read somewhere that the registrars get the largest percentage of the sale, not sure how true this is but I would imagine Snapnames is and will continue to make an absolute fortune.

I was just in two auctions this week that ended at over $50,000 each !! That's just two out of probably thousands of them each week.

ps - You're not BenFranklin at Snapnames by any chance are you?? :hehe:


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[Devil_Dog]

I don't see how this is even legal. I'm sure they are paying quite a bit for that "Partnership". They are in essence just selling registrations to the highest bidder. In this least it's unethical.

I believe there will be a big class action lawsuit within the next 5 years or so.

I don't see how it's illegal. It's their name(the registrars) and they can do whatever they want with it, basically.

As long as there's a market for it, it'll be around.

 

[aldwin]

I don't see how it's illegal. It's their name(the registrars) and they can do whatever they want with it, basically.

As long as there's a market for it, it'll be around.

Actually it is the registrant name, not the registrar..

 

[gazzip]

I don't see how it's illegal. It's their name(the registrars) and they can do whatever they want with it, basically.

I am not sure if the registrars actually do own the domains, I thought they just operate on the behalf of the operaters of the TLD ?

For example with the new .eu's - the registers have to make agreements to eurid saying they will not wharehouse domains or register them for their own use, they are allowed to register some in their own name but just for company use as far as I am aware.

I am not sure what the legal requirments are concerning .com's and what a registrar has agreed to in the terms in order to become authorised to sell them to the general public.

Maybe someone here who operates a registrar would like to comment on this ?

Do registrars actually have any right to ownership for an expiring domain that is registered through them ?

Sorry if this is off topic but the original question has already been answered and Ben42 has brought up a very good point IMO


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[Devil_Dog]

Actually it is the registrant name, not the registrar..

So if you let a name expire, ie not pay for it, you'd still consider it yours?

 

[Ben42]

I don't see how it's illegal. It's their name(the registrars) and they can do whatever they want with it, basically.

As long as there's a market for it, it'll be around.

Thats like saying the mint can print money and sell it on the side for whatever they want. Their job is to distribute, not grab valuable names as they expire and sell them on the side.

Just because it's not them actually selling the names is a nice little loophole. I'd be interested to know how much netsol is making on the deal. Someone like DNJournal REALLY needs to break this story.

What if ticketmaster kept all the best seats for big shows and sporting events and gave them to their "Partner" who auctions them off to the highest bidder a couple weeks before the event? You'd call foul right?

 

[Devil_Dog]

Thats like saying the mint can print money and sell it on the side for whatever they want. Their job is to distribute, not grab valuable names as they expire and sell them on the side.

Just because it's not them actually selling the names is a nice little loophole. I'd be interested to know how much netsol is making on the deal. Someone like DNJournal REALLY needs to break this story.

Netsol's job is to distribute names?

Could have sworn they were in the business of profit....

 

[Ben42]

A registrar's job is to register names for people. Thats why they offer all those other things (Private reg, hosting, ect.) because there isn't enough money in it by itself.

 

[Devil_Dog]

because there isn't enough money in it by itself.

Thus the creation of drop auctions.

 

[Ben42]

But thats the point, they are selling something that isn't theirs.

If they registered it they could sell it, but if a registrar started registering all these names they'd raise a lot of eyebrows. Thus, they do it the sneaky way...through someone else.

If you notice, the registrant never changes from netsol on dropped domains. It never changes to snapnames.

 

[gazzip]

A registrar's job is to register names for people.

This is off the Icaan Registrar Accreditation agreement:

3.7.9 Registrar shall abide by any ICANN adopted specifications or policies prohibiting or restricting warehousing of or speculation in domain names by registrars.

The bit that bothers me is I just tried to get a dropping name at snapnames - it did not drop but was reg'd for another year by the registrar concerned :td: - Now if they new I was the only person who had placed a backorder on that name for $60 but they think it is worth more than that then did they choose to keep it and possibly auction it off again at a later date ?

that sucks if that is how they are operating !
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[Devil_Dog]

This is off the Icaan Registrar Accreditation agreement:

3.7.9 Registrar shall abide by any ICANN adopted specifications or policies prohibiting or restricting warehousing of or speculation in domain names by registrars.

The bit that bothers me is I just tried to get a dropping name at snapnames - it did not drop but was reg'd for another year by the registrar concerned :td: - Now if they new I was the only person who had placed a backorder on that name for $60 but the think it is worth more than that then did they choose to keep it and possibly auction it off again at a later date ?

that sucks if that is how they are operating !
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You have a point there but I am sure snap and verisign have some type of legal mumbo-jumbo agreement with a kajillion never heard of words and terms stating that snap has the legal authority to auction these high-prized names off.

That sucks in your situation. I have yet to come across anything like that thankfully.

 

[gazzip]

Yeah you're right Devil_Dog - there is always a way round things to make them appear or become legal, the whole .eu process showed that ! :td:

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