The .PRO Discussion

[InvisionTech]

It seems .PRO is slowly coming out of the cage with cheaper reg prices than they were a year ago and major registrars like netsol taking notice of the extension and promoting it.

Here are some that I picked up in last couple of days:

Alexandria.pro

Anchorage.pro

Arlington.pro

Belfast.pro

Birmingham.pro

Budapest.pro

Durham.pro

Fairfax.pro

Italian.pro

Lisbon.pro

Fire away with your regs after the relaunch on September 8th, 2008.

 

[siga]

Backorder .pro ???

Theres quite a few .pro domains coming up for renewals in the next 3-4 months. This leads me to enquire if any one has come across a backorder service for .pro incase any of these domains are purposefully dropped?

Anyone seen any?

Thanks in advance.

 

[akcampbell]

I regged Plumb.pro today at Gandi.net to test out their system, the problem with Gandi is they charge 19.6% French VAT on top of their quoted price. When you convert GBP back to USD that works out to $21.50. I paid by Paypal and there is a delay of several minutes between clicking pay and the domain getting registered.

 

[mjs]

Payday.pro-developed website

Last year, I sold Payday.pro as an undeveloped site. (WHOIS incorrectly still lists me as registrant, et. al.) I recently had cause to explore the developed website. I believe Payday.pro is affiliated with a network of like sites. While I don't necessarily endorse loans of the type marketed therein, the website has a professional appearance, and warrants a look. Go PRO!

 

[akcampbell]

Do you not mind your WHOIS details listed as the registrant of Payday.pro? I would be concerned that legally I was still deemed to be the site owner with the buyer the beneficial owner, so if there were any legal claims against the site, it could end up on your door step.

Also, you are presumably the qualified professional vouching for Payday.pro, if they acted unprofessionally and somebody complained to RegistryPro, that wouldn't look good. Either that or RegistryPro might think you are renting the domain to somebody to taste, which would breach the own use terms of the .pro registrant agreement. Whoever is behind Payday.pro has no telephone or address contact details on the site so that would add to the impression that you were the owner. I would wonder why they are so keen to protect their identity and use yours.

 

[hakita]

Here is the result of my experience of transfering vente.pro from encirca to gandi.

I start the transfert

-> Gandi send me an email:
Registrar transfer for the domain: vente.pro Important: confirmation required
We have received a request from the registrar unknown on behalf of
***** requesting that Gandi be the new registrar of this domain....
I responded as requested.



-> THe Gandi sent me another email:
STANDARDIZED FORM OF AUTHORIZATION
DOMAIN NAME TRANSFER - Initial Authorization for Registrar Transfer
Re: Transfer of vente.pro
The current registrar of record for this domain name is UNKNOWN.
has received a request from Gandi SAS
on 2009-01-12 15:15:34 for us to become the new registrar of record.
If you WISH TO PROCEED with the transfer, you must respond to this message via one of the following methods (note if you do not respond by 2009-01-26 15:15:34, vente.pro will not be transferred to us.).
Please go to our website, http://icann-transfers.info/?domain=vente.pro&action=REQUEST&trigger=5317171 to confirm.

I do so


-> Then Gandi sent me a intermediate report:
This is a resume of the domain transfer request described below: It is
sent to registered contacts for this domain at the current registrar
(unknown). It is also sent to possible future contacts for this domain
at {{{ GANDI. Please note that this is only an INTERMEDIATE result. You
will be notified again at transfer completion; delays up to 7 days
before completion are to be expected, you don't need to contact us.
Domain: vente.pro }}}
Registry: unknown
{{{ Contact: (handle NONE-0) ACCEPTED the transfer.
Result: transfer has been requested to the registry Transfer is
proceeding normally; we now have to wait for your current registrar to
accept or reject this transfer.
}}}






-> The, the final report:
This is the final result of the domain transfer request described below.
Domain: vente.pro Result: refused by previous registrar


I restarted the transfert request, without sucess...
Nobody among Encirca and Gandi is able to give a answer....
I guess this result is good and profitable for encirca.
And This is exactly the reseon why i try to quit encirca. I experienced many strange issue with them.

 

[mjs]

Hakita,

Your frustration with Encirca's transfer process is regrettable. I am going to forward your post to Encirca's CEO, Tom Barrett, for follow-up. I don't believe that Encirca is intentionally thwarting your intentions. Rather, the problem stems from the unusual reality that, in the evolving .PRO paradigm, transfer requests remain novel. I wish you better results!

MJS

 

[EnCirca]

new transfer process for .pro

Dear Hakita,

This is Tom Barrett from EnCirca. I saw your note and wanted to post a quick reply.

On your transfer for vente.pro: The registry has recently changed the transfer process for .pro: previously, it was a unique process requiring the contact's ROID. But now, it uses the "auth info" as all of the other tld's. So the process at EnCirca is simple:
a. login to your account and select "modify domain"
b. set your auth info code, unlock the domain and save the changes
c. you should also be the admin contact, but confirm just in case.

The registry still has a few bugs to work out. But, EnCirca does not intervene in the out-going transfers, to either deny or accept. So, they typically are processed in 5 days.

We are planning to accept our renewal pricing for .pro domains. We also are preparing to launch a directory service that will help advertise your .pro domain. Stay tuned for an update in a few weeks.

best regards,

Tom Barrett
President
EnCirca

Here is the result of my experience of transfering vente.pro from encirca to gandi.

I start the transfert

-> Gandi send me an email:
Registrar transfer for the domain: vente.pro Important: confirmation required
We have received a request from the registrar unknown on behalf of
***** requesting that Gandi be the new registrar of this domain....
I responded as requested.



-> THe Gandi sent me another email:
STANDARDIZED FORM OF AUTHORIZATION
DOMAIN NAME TRANSFER - Initial Authorization for Registrar Transfer
Re: Transfer of vente.pro
The current registrar of record for this domain name is UNKNOWN.
has received a request from Gandi SAS
on 2009-01-12 15:15:34 for us to become the new registrar of record.
If you WISH TO PROCEED with the transfer, you must respond to this message via one of the following methods (note if you do not respond by 2009-01-26 15:15:34, vente.pro will not be transferred to us.).
Please go to our website, http://icann-transfers.info/?domain=vente.pro&action=REQUEST&trigger=5317171 to confirm.

I do so


-> Then Gandi sent me a intermediate report:
This is a resume of the domain transfer request described below: It is
sent to registered contacts for this domain at the current registrar
(unknown). It is also sent to possible future contacts for this domain
at {{{ GANDI. Please note that this is only an INTERMEDIATE result. You
will be notified again at transfer completion; delays up to 7 days
before completion are to be expected, you don't need to contact us.
Domain: vente.pro }}}
Registry: unknown
{{{ Contact: (handle NONE-0) ACCEPTED the transfer.
Result: transfer has been requested to the registry Transfer is
proceeding normally; we now have to wait for your current registrar to
accept or reject this transfer.
}}}






-> The, the final report:
This is the final result of the domain transfer request described below.
Domain: vente.pro Result: refused by previous registrar


I restarted the transfert request, without sucess...
Nobody among Encirca and Gandi is able to give a answer....
I guess this result is good and profitable for encirca.
And This is exactly the reseon why i try to quit encirca. I experienced many strange issue with them.

 

[soggyindo]

Dear Hakita,

This is Tom Barrett from EnCirca. I saw your note and wanted to post a quick reply.

On your transfer for vente.pro: The registry has recently changed the transfer process for .pro: previously, it was a unique process requiring the contact's ROID. But now, it uses the "auth info" as all of the other tld's. So the process at EnCirca is simple:
a. login to your account and select "modify domain"
b. set your auth info code, unlock the domain and save the changes
c. you should also be the admin contact, but confirm just in case.

The registry still has a few bugs to work out. But, EnCirca does not intervene in the out-going transfers, to either deny or accept. So, they typically are processed in 5 days.

We are planning to accept our renewal pricing for .pro domains. We also are preparing to launch a directory service that will help advertise your .pro domain. Stay tuned for an update in a few weeks.

best regards,

Tom Barrett
President
EnCirca

Tom,
that's very cool - dropping into the .pro thread! thanks, and welcome!

your (and our) idea to rethink the renewal pricing, to bring it closer in line with .com (or, at worst, .tv) would be the best thing to make a thriving .pro extension, and encirca too.

although i'm a 'fan' - i got my encirca renewal letter yesterday, and seriously considered dropping all my names. if this was rectified i'd be expanding my business with encirca instead.

cheers,

andy

 

[MasterGuru]

Dear Hakita,

This is Tom Barrett from EnCirca. I saw your note and wanted to post a quick reply.

Dear Tom,
Are you planning to reduce .pro reg/renewal fees (Maybe $10 like .com domains)?
It will be a good idea to expand .Pro

Kind regards,
MasterGuru

 

[InetGuy]

What are the best places to auction .pro domains? Thanks

 

[Jody2009]

InetGuy..Welcome to NamePros ... 1st Time Poster.

What are the best places to auction .pro domains? Thanks

Welcome to NamePros InetGuy.
Make sure you read your "Welcome to NamePros.Com!" message in your "Private Message" Account Section and spend some time researching the site features referenced there.

As for .Pro Auctions...
I have not yet sold a .Pro name at auction so I can't personally tell you where the "best" place is to sell .Pro names.
I do try to keep track of where .Pro names are sold.
Babysitting.pro recently sold on Sedo at a regular Auction for $ 500.00.
Sedo is currently having a Premium Auction and I didn’t see one .Pro name in that group.
I’ll be interested in seeing how many .Com/.Net/.De etc. names reach $ 500.00.
If you go to the Sedo “Domain Search” page and choose “.pro” extension and then choose not “all” in the Category but Specific Categories, you’ll find many .Pro names for sale in that category.
FYI...I tried to do the same search on Afternic, for .Pro names only, and it gave no results.
If you learn more about .Pro Auctions, please share it with the Board.

 

[InvisionTech]

Lower registration fees = More registrations

Lower renewals fees = LESS drops = i will keep most of my names = affordable = register some more = profits for the registrar = give me a reason to transfer 100+ .PROs registered else where to encirca as well.

It is a win win situation, lower registration and renewal fees, please.

 

[Terrains]

I will transfer 30+ names to Encirca as well.

 

[akcampbell]

Even more important than lower reg fees is getting rid of existing license restrictions. The hassle of validation and audits make .pro unattractive for registrars to sell.

If only 7.5% of registrars by total domains registered offer .pro and in turn only 10% of their customers are eligible to register, and say only 10% of those would consider switching from other extensions, and maybe 20% of the remainder can develop, very few people are going to find out about .pro as registrants or end users.

That makes .pro an unattractive development proposition which is why most people sit on their hands and wait for something to happen.

Removing license restrictions would

1) Increase the number of registrars offering .pro
2) Increase the number of people eligible to register
3) Increase .pros registered
4) Increase developed .pros
5) Increase .pro recognition

 

[mwzd]

I agree on the license restrictions removal, but would recommend a professional use of the domain.

Would also like to see a saner price point, most expensive tlds don't do large volumes. Without volumes, there is no market.

Cheers

 

[akcampbell]

I agree about professional use provided what that means is clearly defined and fairly enforced. Currently, professional use isn't defined or enforced so .pro is getting all the downside of restrictions but none of the benefits in terms of unique selling proposition and marketing.

 

[Ben42]

I agree about professional use. You have to be a licenced professional YET someone has ns2.bigt*ts.pro listed as a name server on their Monthly report.

http://www.icann.org/en/tlds/monthly-reports/pro/registrypro-200809.pdf

This is VERY UNPROFESSIONAL inho.

RegistryPro is going about this all wrong!

 

[InvisionTech]

Just picked up Plastic.pro

 

[namewaiter]

13 Geographic Distribution of .PRO Domains ( as sept 2008)
Country Count Percentage of Total
US 7563 75.216
FR 1013 10.075
CA 210 2.089
IT 143 1.422
GB 75 0.746
CH 56 0.557
DE 39 0.388
ES 33 0.328
NL 27 0.269
IL 24 0.239
JP 19 0.189
NO 16 0.159
PL 11 0.109
BE 10 0.099

Source : http://www.icann.org/en/tlds/monthly-reports/pro/registrypro-200808.pdf

so isn't this the list as of Sept '08???
US 11875 57.724
FR 3805 18.496
DE 1120 5.444
CA 571 2.776
GB 470 2.285
IT 459 2.231
RU 162 0.787
VE 145 0.705
PL 143 0.695
ES 127 0.617
BE 117 0.569
CH 109 0.53

Source: http://www.icann.org/en/tlds/monthly-reports/pro/registrypro-200809.pdf

The previous looks like August '08, quite a significant month over month increase

 

[Ben42]

Well there were 4213 New Reg's at NetSolWhich puts it at 2/3's to what Encirca has and Encirca's been doing .pro pretty much from the start. That is a hugh just % wise.

If Netsol keeps advertising .pro they will pass Encirca, (If they haven't already). It's too bad the reports are so far behind.