domains Transferring a .ai? You are not getting any years added

[equity78]

Kyle Tully posted on X that he paid $140 to transfer his .ai domain name to Spaceship. The name moved over, he paid $140 but even though the checkout showed (including one year renewal). Spaceship replied Hey there! We use this template for all transfers, regardless …

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[Chris Hydrick]

What does this mean?

https://twitter.com/x/status/1831735280883187937

Does that mean that the AI registry doesn't charge the registrar a transfer fee when a domain is moved from WHOIS.AI to another registrar?

Do registrars charge customers for moving a domain from WHOIS.AI to their registrar when that doesn't include a renewal?

 

[Future Sensors]

Interestingly, the .ai registry has been accusing GoDaddy (of all registrars) of issues with domain transfers into their platform.

https://domainincite.com/29678-ai-registry-advises-buyers-not-to-use-godaddy

 

[bmugford]

What does this mean?

https://twitter.com/x/status/1831735280883187937

Does that mean that the AI registry doesn't charge the registrar a transfer fee when a domain is moved from WHOIS.AI to another registrar?

Do registrars charge customers for moving a domain from WHOIS.AI to their registrar when that doesn't include a renewal?

Where is the $140 going?

Either Spaceship is keeping it. For nothing.

Or, the registry is keeping it. For nothing.

Either way, the registrant just got ripped off for $140.

Brad

 

[Future Sensors]

It seems Vince Cate is waging a personal vendetta through his little AI kingdom.

Not that unusual for cryptography software developers, at all...

 

[dncafe]

I don't think it's bad to have high prices at the registry level. It keeps out a bunch of domainers like us, stops big spam networks from using your extensions and limits active .AI websites to real companies. Look what happened recently with .XYZ and all their .99 cent sales, which led to a ton of junk domains getting regged a devauling .XYZ as a whole.

I do think what Spaceship has done here is totally wrong though.

 

[bmugford]

It seems Vince Cate is waging a personal vendetta through his little AI kingdom.

Not that unusual for cryptography software developers, at all...

His comments would make it less likely for me to buy an .AI domain.

It's clear where the priorities lie, and it is not with registrants.

Brad

 

[Future Sensors]

It's clear where the priorities lie, and it is not with registrants.

That’s why it’s even stranger that he’s accusing GoDaddy, given how well they seem to fit.

 

[Future Sensors]

I only have one <3L>.ai domain and will probably not renew, now that I know the tricks played by the .ai registry.

 

[Chris Hydrick]

What does this mean?

https://twitter.com/x/status/1831735280883187937

Does that mean that the AI registry doesn't charge the registrar a transfer fee when a domain is moved from WHOIS.AI to another registrar?

Do registrars charge customers for moving a domain from WHOIS.AI to their registrar when that doesn't include a renewal?

Can anybody confirm what happens when you transfer a .AI domain from WHOIS.AI to Spaceship?

If Spaceship is still charging a $140 fee, I'm wondering if that does include a renewal, since that's what their checkout says AND since spaceship isn't being charged a transfer fee from the .AI registry...

I'm basically wondering if transfers from WHOIS.AI include a renewal at most registrars (since the .AI registry doesn't charge a transfer fee) but transfers from any other registrar besides WHOIS.AI don't include a renewal because of the abnormal .AI registry transfer fee?

 

[pb]

Where is the $140 going?

Either Spaceship is keeping it. For nothing.

Or, the registry is keeping it. For nothing.

Either way, the registrant just got ripped off for $140.

For sure it's the registry, as all registrars have this fee (with no renewal).

[edit] sorry, didn't catch that your question was about the special case of whois.ai
In that case I'd guess the fee is consumed by the registrar, just as 99% don't reimburse us for the renewal fee returned by the gtld registry after a "too early" transfer.

 

[bmugford]

For sure it's the registry, as all registrars have this fee (with no renewal).

So, then the registry is penalizing a registrant who wants to move their domain to their preferred registrar.

Pissing off registrants by forcing them to pay money for nothing. That's just good business!

Brad

 

[bmugford]

I am sorry, but the greed (and entitlement) is a very bad look.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1831784540878381252

 

[Future Sensors]

[edit] sorry, didn't catch that your question was about the special case of whois.ai

Vincent Cate specifically mentioned the "machine" auctions.whois.ai in his tweet.

Here's more info about this hostname, from a blog by @Bob Hawkes:

https://www.namepros.com/blog/the-ai-domain-extension-sales-pricing-auctions-use.1295250/

"the .ai registry performs a monthly auction of expired .ai names itself. The auction site is auctions.whois.ai."

 

[bmugford]

Vincent Cate specifically mentioned the "machine" auctions.whois.ai in his tweet.

Here's more info about this hostname, from a blog by @Bob Hawkes:

https://www.namepros.com/blog/the-ai-domain-extension-sales-pricing-auctions-use.1295250/

"the .ai registry performs a monthly auction of expired .ai names itself. The auction site is auctions.whois.ai."

He is alienating a lot of people with his comments -

 

[Future Sensors]

Vincent Cate is really saying the wrong things right now.

 

[bmugford]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1831787313367847021

 

[Kyle Tully]

Richard at Spaceship gave me a credit for this transfer so I was able to renew the name without copping another $140 fee While there were issues with how spaceship displayed the transfer info (which will hopefully get sorted soon thanks to all this kerfuffle) it's the greed of the AI registry driving this policy that really needs to change.

 

[bmugford]

Richard at Spaceship gave me a credit for this transfer so I was able to renew the name without copping another $140 fee While there were issues with how spaceship displayed the transfer info (which will hopefully get sorted soon thanks to all this kerfuffle) it's the greed of the AI registry driving this policy that really needs to change.

That's good.

Spaceship certainly needs to fix the wording at checkout.

However, this really brought up the fundamental issue with the greed of the registry itself.

For some reason they feel entitled to exorbitant fees to simply transfer a domain. Not only that, but they want the money without even adding a renewal.

Brad

 

[Future Sensors]

However, this really brought up the fundamental issue with the greed of the registry itself.

For some reason they feel entitled to exorbitant fees to simply transfer a domain. Not only that, but they want the money without even adding a renewal.

It’s interesting to see that Vincent Cate genuinely believes in these practices and even tries to convince others of their fairness. I wouldn’t be surprised if he was the one who originally came up with this.

Sometimes it’s better for a registry to avoid participating in such discussions...

 

[bmugford]

It’s interesting to see that Vincent Cate genuinely believes in these practices and even tries to convince others of their fairness. I wouldn’t be surprised if he was the one who originally came up with this.

Sometimes it’s better for a registry to avoid participating in such discussions...

It reminds me of the saying "pigs get fat, hogs get slaughtered".

This idiom is used to express being satisfied with enough, that being greedy or too ambitious will be your ruin.

The extension was in the right place at the right time. That's about it.

If they are going to take such a hostile stance towards registrants, well that is at their own peril.

A domain extension is built on the back of registrants. It's best to treat them well.

Brad

 

[bmugford]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1831788665171013726

 

[Future Sensors]

"If the registrar is not an ICANN accredited registrar then the UDRP will be processed by Vince and emal should be sent to [email protected]."

Source: http://whois.ai/faq.html

I’m concerned about his objectivity in UDRP matters, especially considering the jealousy and greed he’s currently displaying towards domain investors on Twitter.

 

[silentg]

What was Vince talking about then? If 95% went to his registry, how will Spaceship / NameCheap advertise with just 5% of the money?

 

[bmugford]

"If the registrar is not an ICANN accredited registrar then the UDRP will be processed by Vince and emal should be sent to [email protected]."

Source: http://whois.ai/faq.html

I’m concerned about his objectivity in UDRP matters, especially considering the jealousy and greed he’s currently displaying towards domain investors on Twitter.

The idea that one person at the registry has this power is highly problematic.

How is he qualified to handle disputes?

These should he handled by a third party, unaffiliated with the registry.

Also, the typos are not real inspiring "complintant", "emal", etc.

Brad

 

[Chris Hydrick]

What was Vince talking about then? If 95% went to his registry, how will Spaceship / NameCheap advertise with just 5% of the money?

Maybe he saw it as "registrar protection"... protecting the registrars initial advertisement that hooked a customer to register a .AI domain with the advertising registrar?

Potentially: A sell point from the .AI registry to registrars who support .AI domains is that registrants will be locked into said registrar unless a registrant decides to pay the .AI registry transfer fee.