Landrush phase for .uk short domains now open

[ratboy]

Wow mental way to do it, hard to understand but this is the process:

1. Get a domain registrar to "create" via the automaton or Domain Manager
2. They make a note of the reference number
3. They visit here: https://secure.nominet.org.uk/flows/pay-landrush-auction-fee.html and they pay
4. They input your details, presuming all names go to auction, they will email you info about the auction which begins on 20/7/11
5. You then (I presume) are free to spend your money as you wish.

THAT is why it's not financially viable to do these for customers...

So those of you who aren't TAG holders. I'd suggest actually getting a tag if you have over 50 names anyway. So much easier. You'll also be able to do so much more management wise than using another company. So, look at it as an investment, if you do it now you can sort out your own short names as well.

 

[grantw]

The reference number is passed to the customer so they handle 3 onwards.

Grant

 

[alex]

Okay so I've applied for them and paid, with invoice received, and still not showing on the Sunrise WhoIs, is there a lag between paying and them appearing?

 

[ukdomains]

A bidding war is going to erupt mostly like

 

[inbound]

On the process, Nominet have been pretty poor with the whole shebang - you only have to look at the dubious IP grounds that some managed to squeeze in with to get decent domains without going to landrush/bidding and you'll see that this process has been flawed from the beginning. Now you see the hoops that non-tag holders have to go through - it all smells as if it has been set up to benefit Nominet Members (given that they are the ones who run effectively Nominet you can see why some people may suspect this, although I see it as incompetance rather than a conspiracy; I thought Nominet were quite good prior to all of this).

Bidding war...

Yes there will be domains that have a lot of people chasing them and hence could go quite high, and I expect most/all .co.uk names to go to auction if the report on here a month ago is correct.

BUT I personally don't see the huge potential that others might expect from 2 letter domains. Most companies that have deep pockets have already put their domain marketing plans into action, they have invested heavily into marketing domains such as TheAA.com rather than start all over with aa.co.uk (which American Airlines outbid The AA for, and not much was bid by the looks of things). AA.com is American Airlines so it made some sense that they have the .co.uk, but a big company that does not have the LL.com isn't likely to spend much on the LL.co.uk because the name will just be a nice to have. Think of companies that use a .co.uk as their main URL, if they are large they usually also have the .com too and use .co.uk because it's sometimes better to use that in the UK.

I'll be bidding for names that I expect to develop. There are people out there that can afford to pay a lot for these domains - but should they? There are 556 .co.uk names available (I think), that's five and a half grand dropped just to take part in the bidding on them all, before you think of the others (org, me, net).

I'd say that the lack of interest from companies in the IP phases is a sure sign that there isn't the cash to be made that many believe, sure a few will hit a big sale but very few and it'll be predictable letter combinations rather than speculative ones (who is going to pay a fortune/much for zp.org.uk?).

 

[brum]

the auction is it open to anyone or only those who have applied for the name ?

 

[dotNetFreak]

the auction is it open to anyone or only those who have applied for the name ?

Only those that applied for the domain.

 

[monaghan]

the auction is it open to anyone or only those who have applied for the name ?

All the info is on the Nominet page! - http://www.nominet.org.uk/registrants/aboutdomainnames/reserved/

Domain names which receive more than one application will go to auction, and the domain name will be awarded to the applicant who places the highest bid.

 

[foz]

There are 556 .co.uk names available (I think)

I get 555 .co.uk's, perhaps someone can second or third it?

 

[dotNetFreak]

Yup, 555 .co.uk / 654 .org.uk / 714 .me.uk

 

[dotNetFreak]

Lists for anyone who is interested:

http://www.acorndomains.co.uk/nomin...-landrush-application-service.html#post321607

 

[foz]

Yup, 555 .co.uk / 654 .org.uk / 714 .me.uk

Thanks.

 

[monaghan]

I've had a number of "end user" people find me and I'd not done anything other than put a simple page on my site and inform Nominet that I'm accepting requests.

To follow up on this, I've had more "end user" requests than those from fellow domainers, so I'd suggest the message must be getting out to "Joe Public".

 

[Alien]

Well, that's my 5 names applied for......time will tell!

 

[chrisduggan]

Just to clarify. You will be entered into the auction process for any domain names that have been applied for successfully, using your payment reference which will be passed onto NFPAS.

Basically saying its £10 + VAT for each domain you want to bid on.

Nominet confirm .me.uk applications will be processed shortly
(of which there are a lot)

Please remember you will only be able to bid on the domain names you have applied for.

 

[foz]

Just to clarify. You will be entered into the auction process for any domain names that have been applied for successfully, using your payment reference which will be passed onto NFPAS.

Thanks. Looks like 30 minute snipe rule with auction day roll-over at 5:00pm.

Some people are going to be sat in-front of their computer for a few days.....

http://www.nfpas.co.uk/downloads/nominetsunriseauction.pps

 

[dotNetFreak]

Nice one Foz, I was looking for some additional information regarding the auction process.

So from 10am you can place a bid, but the auction doesn't start until someone actually does place a bid and then runs for 30 minutes?

If no-one else bids in that 30 minutes it's awarded, however if another bid is received the auction is extended for 30 more minutes and so on until either 5pm at which point it rolls over to the next day and starts again or until someone stops bidding?

Do all of the auctions start the same day?

 

[wb]

The auction timings don't appear to be very well thought if one person can start an auction at 10am and win it within 30 minutes (i.e. if the other bidders(s) haven't had a chance to log on and bid).

Surely the more logical option would be to have a standard auction countdown timer (24-48 hours would be sufficient), with proxy bidding and time extensions near the end to prevent sniping if required.

 

[foz]

So from 10am you can place a bid, but the auction doesn't start until someone actually does place a bid and then runs for 30 minutes?

If no-one else bids in that 30 minutes it's awarded, however if another bid is received the auction is extended for 30 more minutes and so on until either 5pm at which point it rolls over to the next day and starts again or until someone stops bidding?

Do all of the auctions start the same day?

That's how I see it, so you will have the potential to sit all day between 10am-5pm.

Will have to wait and see. If I were them I would spread them over a month or so.

Looks like they won't allow proxy bidding

 

[chrisduggan]

10am 20th July.

Correct, the auction will run until no one else places a bid within that 30 min time slot. Going by that video. Seems pretty straight forward process.