Unregistered "premium" .com names

[Elaxx]

I had thought that .com names were regulated in such a way that if a name is available, you can register it for the basic price ($10 a year or what have you). However, I found a .com name that I am interested in, but Namecheap wanted $1,995 for the name (with $10 a year thereafter), even though it was apparently unregistered. The site name was listed as "premium." It's two words in English, spelled correctly, no hyphens, but it wasn't anything brilliant; I'm the end user, it's for a niche business idea.

Anyone mind telling me what gives?

 

[korganian]

It's obviously not "unregistered"

 

[Elaxx]

It's obviously not "unregistered"

Clear enough, but does that mean someone has already put it up for sale on Namecheap? Or is there some central clearing house where you put up a domain for sale, and if people search for it on various sites (Namecheap, Godaddy, wherever) that sales price will appear?

 

[ecalc]

Lookup the record in the dot com registry database: http://www.verisign.com/en_US/whois/index.xhtml

"no match" = not registered

 

[korganian]

It's called domain aftermarket sales. Most registrars want people to list their domains for sale with them so that they can take a commission when the domain is sold through their platform. There are many agreements between different companies to share in the listings and commission generated from these aftermarket sales.

 

[korganian]

You are better off contacting the domain owner directly instead of through the registrar because the domain owner can then afford to offer you a better deal since he will no longer have to pay a commission on the sale.

 

[JudgeMind]

I had thought that .com names were regulated in such a way that if a name is available, you can register it for the basic price ($10 a year or what have you). However, I found a .com name that I am interested in, but Namecheap wanted $1,995 for the name (with $10 a year thereafter), even though it was apparently unregistered. The site name was listed as "premium." It's two words in English, spelled correctly, no hyphens, but it wasn't anything brilliant; I'm the end user, it's for a niche business idea.

Anyone mind telling me what gives?

Check at other registrars to see if they offer at a regular or cheaper price, unlikely it is unregistered if it is that price. Is likely a domain showing available to buy as a premium domain through a multiple listing service like sedo or afternic.

 

[Elaxx]

Thanks for the replies. I should have looked up the whois info but I had just read about new gTLD registrars holding on to "premium" domain names and I wondered if this was also possible for .com

 

[Jurgen Wolf]

Some registrars and 3rd-party WHOISes are using MLS-feeds from Sedo.com and Afternic.com
That's why many traditional domains are displayed as "Premiums" (if they were listed on those marketplaces and not deleted).

 

[cdboard]

was it already registered?

try registering it at godaady. tell us what the result is.

 

[FieryDomains.com]

More premium domains at: Suleg.com

 

[Kate]

Some extensions (especially 'new' extensions) often sell unregistered names at a premium price (and often premium renewals as well). But it is also a practice in certain long-established extensions like .tv.
In .com the registration price is regulated.

If you're interested in purchasing the domain, I would suggest that you look if the name is listed at other marketplaces. Sometimes the price is not uniform across marketplaces. Commissions also vary from one venue to another, and the domain owner may have factored the fees into the asking price - or forgot to update the price at some place. The price may vary as a result.