Re: [ga] Phantom Registrars

["Richard Henderson" <richardhenderson@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

It's pretty simple I think. The leading "catcher" of expiring domains used to be Snapnames. They succeeded by using a fairly large number of registrars to run scripts and snap desirable expiring names. Snapnames got their cut and the Registrar got their cut. But they succeeded because statistically if you have the largest number of registrars running scripts for an expiring domain name, then you get the reputation as the best company to pay into to get the name you wanted.

Then along came POOL.com. They had a better business model than Snapnames because you didn't have to pay anything up front - only if you got the name (provided you could outbid any other people who also wanted the name). To succeed in this business, POOL needed to have more registrars working for them than Snapnames had working for them.

Initially Namescout was used as a proactive registrar and "holding warehouse" for these incoming names. POOL realised they needed more registrars to run their scripts for expiring names, so what you got was a proliferation of new registrars who were set up with the intention of running scripts for expiring domains. The more registrars, the more chances of getting names, so just create scores of new registrars for your company!

In short, I imagine most of these new "Registrars" are just the same registrar, operating under a different name, but getting extra privileges and extra access to expiring domains.

ICANN seems to have merrily accredited all these "registrars". But then, other registrars have operated very similarly before, like Domain Bank which seemed to set up Domain Pro as an extra "registrar" so they could have a second "short list" to submit to the .info Landrush 2 and the .biz launch. Both DomainBank and DomainPro operated from the same offices with the same phone numbers and the same accounting outlet, but they "counted" as 2 registrars, so they got twice as many lists into these newly launched TLD round robins when they launched. Just think what fun and games the 98 "Namescout/POOL" registrars will have if there are more round-robins for .eu or .travel in the future!

But then, what does ICANN-accreditation really mean anyway?

Maybe we should set up a million new "registrars" and see what happens...

Richard H
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Danny Younger 
  To: ga@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx 
  Sent: Wednesday, November 03, 2004 1:30 AM
  Subject: [ga] Phantom Registrars


  You might not recognize the name Jennifer Ross-Carriere, but Jennifer is listed as the contact for (98) ninety-eight newly accredited ICANN registrars.  http://www.icann.org/registrars/accreditation-qualified-list.html

  Each one of these "accredited registrars" seems to have a website that forwards to namescout.com (although truthfully I didn't inspect all 98).

  All this just for the purpose of commandeering the batch pool?
  Just my view, but I think this fully qualifies as "gaming the system".  







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