There are a couple things here worth commenting on.
First, no one here (that I know of) has ANY sort of ethical issues with
the secondary market. It is a positive sign of a healthy eco-system.
Second, we made a concious decision to focus on service providers who
used domain registration as part of a solution or a suite of services
for their customers. This segment has specific needs and specific
processes that are different from those of folks who heavily participate
in the secondary market.
We have a number of customers, George and others, who have chosen to use
our platform to manage their inventories. A small number of our biggest
customers fall into this group. They generally choose us because the
tools fit what they are doing and they trust us with their valuable
inventories. They tend to acquire the names elsewhere and manage them
with us.
Third, I am quite happy to admit that I underestimated the time it would
take for this market to reach a long-term solution and the size of the
opportunity. Sometimes we are right and many times we are wrong!
We have explored partnering with some of the folks in this space. We
still may. I am of the opinion that the long-term solution is not even
close to being reached. Also, I honestly don't know that we could add a
lot of value for you guys in the current environment (ie. partnering
with pool, club drop, snapnames, etc.). I would love to hear where you
think we could help you. I hate to waste time where we cannot add value.
I know that in a world of hundreds of threads we cannot do much on our own.
Lastly, Chuck, I am sorry to took what you heard as us not wanting your
business. It is much more about where limited focus and resources are spent.
Comments welcome as always.
Regards
Russ Goodwin wrote:
> At 07:16 PM 8/9/2004, George Kirikos wrote:
>
>> --- Chuck Hatcher <chatcher@ashland-ky.net> wrote:
>>
>> > > will Tucows/OpenSRS perhaps start pursuing expired
>> > > domains? I'd join a system that would help increase
>> > > my odds of getting the names I desire.
>
>
> Absolutely... I'm astonished they haven't already joined up with Pool,
> Snap, or Enom, et al. Missing out on some big bucks here folks.
>
>
>> > You don't think it would be unseemly for Tucows to promote domain
>> > name
>> > speculation as a legitimate activity? (I always got the impression
>> > they
>> > viewed this kind of customer as sort of like that odd uncle the
>> > family
>> > doesn't like to talk about.)
>
>
> Unseemly? You may not like real estate developers, but Donald Trump has
> made a pretty penny, lost it, and made it back. The same thing is going
> on with domains. As a registrar, Tucows should be partnered up with one
> of the "drop catching" services; in there picking up choice domains
> every day for auction.
>
>
>> How do you know who is a "speculator"? When one registers a domain
>> name, it doesn't ask what your intended use is....
>
>
> Your intended use doesn't matter as long as you aren't breaching the
> terms of registration. If you are, the injured party will come after
> you via UDRP or the courts and take your domain (and maybe some
> damages), have a nice day, please come again.
>
>
>> Even if we agree on a definition of "speculator" (aside from "he has
>> the domain I want, and won't sell it to me for $35"), in a capitalist
>> society, what makes such behaviour "illegitimate"? Last I checked,
>> Tucows/OpenSRS wasn't a registered charity, neither are most of its
>> resellers. Although I'm sure many of us do give to charity, from our
>> profits on other activities.
>
>
> "Speculation" is part of a healthy market and is here to stay - congrats
> on jukebox.com, George, I hope it's making you a mint. ;)
>
> Tucows could get into the game but apparently chooses not to do so. I'm
> sure Domain Direct could use more customers - especially the sort who's
> willing to pay $10k+ for a single domain.
>
> -Russ
-- Elliot Noss Tucows Inc. 416-538-5494 enoss.blogware.com
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