RE: [registrars] Regarding transition to market forces

["Monte Cahn" <monte@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Champ,
 
Verisign still owns 15% of NSI correct?  Fortunately for you and your
organization, NSI gets the benefit of a price increase or decrease since it
essentially costs your organization 15% less of higher or lower costs -
regardless of price.  I think we are all pretty "sensitive" to the
relationship that still exists between Verisign and NSI.
 
Best Regards,

 

Monte Cahn

Founder / CEO

 

Monte@xxxxxxxxxxx

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  _____  

From: owner-registrars@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:owner-registrars@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Mitchell, Champ
Sent: Thursday, November 24, 2005 9:46 PM
To: Tom C; John Berryhill
Cc: registrars@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: RE: [registrars] Regarding transition to market forces


Folks,
 
Discussion of pricing among competitors, even in the most general terms,
makes me very uncomfortable. We have never done so and  it is not an
appropriate topic for this forum. I don't mean to sound stodgy, but I spent
a lot of years as an antitrust lawyer and I guess I am just sensitive to the
subject. 
 
On the other hand, discussing the costs being imposed upon us and thereby on
the consuming public by monopolists with the consent of and under a monopoly
granted both directly and indirectly by a Department of the United States
Government, and in addition by monopolies that remain subject to the
oversight of that Department, is not only appropriate, but is our obligation
to consumers and the right of every citizen of this country. 
 
So with all respect, I urge that we limit our comments on economics to the
unjustified increases in registry fees orchestrated by these two monopolist
acting in concert. Thanks, Champ

  _____  

From: owner-registrars@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx on behalf of Tom C
Sent: Thu 11/24/2005 10:48 AM
To: John Berryhill
Cc: registrars@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: [registrars] Regarding transition to market forces



My question is, at what point do we stop allowing market forces to
continue driving prices down? Let's be honest, consumers are not
demanding  lower prices.  It is Registrars, and web hosts, who have made
the decision to compete on price, rather than on service. With current
prices at $1.99, $2.99, $5.99 and $6.49, I believe we are doing far more
damage to our industry with lower pricing than with higher.

Market forces do not always lead to lower prices.  The auto industry,
home prices, gas prices, real estate and coffee are just a few
examples.  My grande double shot, extra hot, vanilla latte at Starbucks
cost more this morning than a domain name at some Registrars, and it
wasn't good for a year.

-Tom

John Berryhill wrote:

>>I am not aware of market forces leading to an increase.  I certainly
>>haven't seen that amongst registrars where market forces do apply.
>>   
>>
>
>...which, Bruce, is precisely what is stated in the Q&A 1.4: "Prices have
>dropped from US$50 per year for a .COM domain name to as low as under US$10
>since ICANN introduced registry and registrar competition in 1999"
>
>Uhmmm, gee, so in the competitive registrar market, prices dropped by a
>factor of five, but "market forces" dictate a 7% per year increase
>henceforth at the registry?  And this is despite the fact that .com is a
>"thin" registry.  So here our anonymous ICANNite is basically saying that
>the registrars maintain more data and provide more customer service than
the
>registry on margins of less than four dollars.
>
>This is not a "Q&A", this is a case study in dissociative identity
disorder.
>One shudders to imagine the childhood trauma responsible for this
>manifestation, but the author is in need of professional help before the
>apparent inner tension leads to physical problems.
>
>These are words intended to obfuscate, not illuminate.
>
>
>
> 
>