123-reg transferring domains to UK3.com predrop?

[foz]

I don't think their is any Registry on the globe that auctions off expiring inventory?

If Nominet started, it would be against the FCFS (First Come First Served) policy.

 

[DarrenTSO]

There is an issue group about this at the moment
http://www.nominet.org.uk/digitalAssets/54343_Draft_Executive_Summary_Meeting_110927.pdf

Worth reading that - research is ongoing. Some interesting points raised:-

It was also mentioned at the group that many registrars find the economic model of the .uk
franchise challenging and the secondary activities undertaken are used to support their economic
model on selling .uk domains.

The disparity between the cost of a domain name and the perceived value was highlighted. For
many registrars a domain name registration is of little value because the cost per unit is so low.
However, for the registrant the value of the domain name and any associated website can be
considered to be much higher particularly if they have a business that relies on the website or they
devote considerable resource to its development and promotion. One of the responses to the issue
brief suggested that a registrant could face legal liability as a consequence of a registrar placing
parking on the site without their knowledge. This could result in the site being considered to be a
trading site and therefore in breach of consumer regulations. Other submissions referred to the 7
potential for links to be associated with trademarked brands or competitors thus causing conflict
for the registrant or damage their business. Some participants expressed the view that the numbers
of complaints they received regarding this type of activity were extremely low.

As a number of registrars already engage in this type of activity the group established there was a
need for greater clarity and transparency regarding what could be changed on a domain name if
the registrant does not renew

The group agreed that whilst there did not appear to be a requirement to fundamentally overhaul
Nominet’s current renewal process there are some key areas which would benefit from further
discussion by the group:

 The principles of the expiry period and for whose benefit it should be.
 The issue of who has rights to the domain name within the expiry period and the points above
on the potential for a hierarchy of “rights”.
 Consideration should be given to the level of transparency registrants expect from renewal
processes and how best this can be achieved based on the particular activity in question.
 Greater clarity for registrants on what could happen to a domain name that passes the expiry
date would be useful and best practice ways of achieving this.
 Dropcatching was considered to be outside of the scope of this group. Nominet was encouraged
to consider proposing an issue group to specifically discuss this practice. In this regard drop
methods for domain names could also be included in that discussion. However, the group
would look at pre-expiry activity as it related to the expiry period itself.
 That all of the above would be assisted by best practice international examples.
Dates of next meetings and any other business
32. The date of the next meeting of the issue group has been confirmed as Tuesday 1 November 2011,
London. A third meeting was also set as 6 December 2011.

Whilst under the Chatham House rules, it can't be said exactly who said what within the meeting/issue group, it is obvious that some very large registrars would like the right to change nameservers etc on day 1 after expiry, as well as have further rights with regards to keeping domains and auctioning them off. (With respect to "finding the economic model for .uk challenging")

 

[namestrands]

foz have a look at ENOM-NAMEJET and GoDaddy-Auctions

 

[Bailey]

Thanks for the heads-up guys, I'm surprised I missed this thread from it's initial start date.

This does tie in with 123-regs recently NEW process of removing domains from accounts 5-7 days before the full recovery period. Although i have always managed to get my domains re-entered onto my 123 account with a phone call (even happened last week). This at least explains whats happening and Why ?

I honestly thought 123 actions were to prevent the occasional renewal allowed through their interface after "the full deletion and subsequent available cycle" (which I know can also happen)

 

[foz]

foz have a look at ENOM-NAMEJET and GoDaddy-Auctions

Is that the Registry auctioning off inventory? e.g. Verisign.

Enom and Godaddy are Registrars, selling off their own inventory. It's legitimate for .com registrars to hold onto domains past expiry and do what they please. Tucows has been holding and selling (recently) for years.

Blossom's point was for Nominet to step in and auction off the expiring domains. That's how I read it.

 

[DropCatcher-co-uk]

No agreement

Sorry to disappoint you chaps but there's no such cosy agreement. 123-REG would never enter into any such agreement because they're way too big for anything like that and they also have a dropcatching service, if you can call it that.

It's no secret at all that we're active buyers and in common with many Acorners, we contact registrants prior to their domains being deleted and offer them money to transfer their domains to us. I have a full time teleworker approaching such expired registrants. We don't target 123-REG users specifically and bought domains last week that were on 15 different tags. Not a single one of which were colluding with us or engaging in any sort of malfeasance.

Unfortunately many registrants after being so approached, having been so casually prepared to throw their domains away for the sake of £6, suddenly renew their domains and then demand absurd sums for them. Many however, settle for the modest sums offered and are happy to transfer their domains to us. Some of the domains have nice aging and so we just ask them to retag the domains to us and we purposely leave the registrant untouched for SEO reasons.

I do apologise if the reality is not the salacious scandal that some hoped for!

 

[Rob_F]

Sorry to disappoint you chaps but there's no such cosy agreement. 123-REG would never enter into any such agreement because they're way too big for anything like that and they also have a dropcatching service, if you can call it that.

It's no secret at all that we're active buyers and in common with many Acorners, we contact registrants prior to their domains being deleted and offer them money to transfer their domains to us. I have a full time teleworker approaching such expired registrants. We don't target 123-REG users specifically and bought domains last week that were on 15 different tags. Not a single one of which were colluding with us or engaging in any sort of malfeasance.

Unfortunately many registrants after being so approached, having been so casually prepared to throw their domains away for the sake of £6, suddenly renew their domains and then demand absurd sums for them. Many however, settle for the modest sums offered and are happy to transfer their domains to us. Some of the domains have nice aging and so we just ask them to retag the domains to us and we purposely leave the registrant untouched for SEO reasons.

I do apologise if the reality is not the salacious scandal that some hoped for!

Thanks for your post, Chris. Reassuring to know. Every domain that I checked was on 123-reg tag/webfusions tag prior to being transferred over, hence my suspicion. I wasn't aware it was happening with other tags too.

You are obviously just very good at tracking down the owners and having them transfer the names over. Thanks again for clarifying things.

- Rob

 

[namestrands]

With the history of 123-reg it's not a stretch to assume backdoor dealings. Perhaps on this occasion it is as you say, however others should take note that it's not only nominet who is monitoring it's also the domain community. There can not be one rule for one and not another.

Leaving the registrant untouched for SEO reasons does however raise a whole other issue, and what you gain in alleged SEO you lose in credibility.

 

[monaghan]

Some of the domains have nice aging and so we just ask them to retag the domains to us and we purposely leave the registrant untouched for SEO reasons.

Surely, this is against the Nominet guidelines? If the original registrant has released control of the domain, the domain should be transferred into your name.

Are you not at risk from loosing domains with the wrong registrant details?

Is the old registrant not potentially liable for content shown on a site showing as registered to him?

 

[namestrands]

I wish there was a like button..

 

[webfusion]

Sorry to disappoint you chaps but there's no such cosy agreement. 123-REG would never enter into any such agreement because they're way too big for anything like that and they also have a dropcatching service, if you can call it that.

It's no secret at all that we're active buyers and in common with many Acorners, we contact registrants prior to their domains being deleted and offer them money to transfer their domains to us. I have a full time teleworker approaching such expired registrants. We don't target 123-REG users specifically and bought domains last week that were on 15 different tags. Not a single one of which were colluding with us or engaging in any sort of malfeasance.

Unfortunately many registrants after being so approached, having been so casually prepared to throw their domains away for the sake of £6, suddenly renew their domains and then demand absurd sums for them. Many however, settle for the modest sums offered and are happy to transfer their domains to us. Some of the domains have nice aging and so we just ask them to retag the domains to us and we purposely leave the registrant untouched for SEO reasons.

I do apologise if the reality is not the salacious scandal that some hoped for!

Hi

As some will already know from other threads I work on behalf of 123-reg.

I would just like to confirm the above and also say that 123-reg have no partnership whatsoever with UK3.com


Regards,

Ricky

 

[DropCatcher-co-uk]

Registrant transfers

I'm pleased to confirm that all future domain purchases will have the Nominet registrant transfers effected at the time of purchase and we will shortly go through completing the transfers of domains already purchased.

I trust that this meets with everyone's satisfaction.

 

[GreyWing]

Hi

As some will already know from other threads I work on behalf of 123-reg.

I would just like to confirm the above and also say that 123-reg have no partnership whatsoever with UK3.com

Regards,

Ricky

Hi Ricky,

Can you rule out though that 123-reg have no relationship with any party that allows the transfer out of customer's domains to a third party without their specific knowledge.

I'm not talking about something that is in the small print hidden away when they joined you, I'm saying something they the clicked and actioned a specific request to move a domain from your system to another.

Cheers
Graeme

 

[namestrands]

For reputation and this industry to survive then by all means surf right to the edge of the rules, but for goodness sake don't breach them.

 

[GreyWing]

For reputation and this industry to survive then by all means surf right to the edge of the rules, but for goodness sake don't breach them.

Slow down cowboy, Chris may have a new system of obtaining names, just because he doesn't wish to explain himself for the benefit of the forum, doesn't mean he has done anything wrong. He may just wish to keep it a secret so he can continue with his edge.

I'm more in favour of stopping the system where registrars can activate a name transfer, that's all I am bothered about stopping. Not accusing of blaming anyone, because Nom need to stop certain stuff so all have a level playing field regardless of will to do otherwise.

 

[namestrands]

I was referring to keeping the same registrant details.

All concerned about the registrar issues then suggest you join the policy group on it and make your voice heard. This is our industry and our responsibility to ensure that it survives.

 

[Admin]

Hi Folks,

I have had a request from 123-reg Corp to close this thread as the suggestion being made has been proven to be inaccurate and the subject matter is potentially harmful to the Webfusion / 123-reg brand.

I will abide by their request but please open a new thread to discuss the Nominet registrant accuracy following a transfer issue, as long as you don't aim it at 123-reg or UK3.

Many thanks

Admin