Hi Elliot,
Interesting that Snapnames is now eager to shun their own EXCLUSIVE option
(Snapback) in favor of increased revenues. The free market has spoken --
volumes in regards to the WLS option. What's next? An auction at the Registry
level with all proceeds going to the Evil Empire?
I do think Tucows can add value here. Clearly, joining the many involved as
Snapnames or Pool agents would change nothing. However, allowing us on-demand
bandwidth or perhaps a more effective drop service would help us compete with
Snapnames and Pool.
There is now few ways to avoid auctions for good domains, those we might have
secured for $50 from Snapnames will now go for hundreds, even thousands. I'd
rather pay for bandwidth and take my chances upfront. At least I won't be
summoned to some stupid auction -- against robots! --and some inconvenient
date and time (unless I lose at Tucows).
Any hope? Anyone else have ideas?
Best Regards,
Loren
elliot noss <enoss@tucows.com> wrote:
> 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
>
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.1.3 : Tue Oct 19 2004 - 23:37:58 EDT