Another Shady SnapNames.com Registrar Partner Goes AWOL

[Theo]

Of course it's for dropcatching. The question is, are these real companies or nameplates with a PO box and a redirect to Snapnames? Wasn't a case of such fraud during the .mobi sunrise period?

 

[denny007]

The question is, are these real companies or nameplates with a PO box and a redirect to Snapnames?

Those are "real" companies in the sense that they exist. But if you are asking if there is office and employees one does not need to be a genius to know there are not.

 

[Theo]

Right. I am not asking whether they have a crew of employees, I'm interested in knowing which is the mother company.

 

[denny007]

Right. I am not asking whether they have a crew of employees, I'm interested in knowing which is the mother company.

It is not really relevant if its owner is person or company. Somewhat interesting is to know which company they are related to, as I alraedy said - there is several groups (Pool, Snap, Directi, Enom and others), pretty good idea of those groups were on "domain detectives" site before they censored it down.

I guess Directi group has now most connections because besides their own shell registrars they have also lots of Logicboxes customers (they give significant discount if customer let them use their dropping connection).

But since quality of dropping (really dropping) domains is getting lower and lower every year, the importance of dropping pool is lower and lower. More important are now sales and special partners ("fake drops")

 

[Seraphim]

Simple - for Dropcatching.

So if 1 company has a 130 different aliases, it's 130 times more likely to catch any given drop? I don't understand... In the end, does the domain land with a random registrar, hence the need to seed the field with hundreds of fake / shell registrars?

I had always thought drop catching hinged upon how aggressive one particular company is stand alone. Is there a reliable source of information where I can read about the process?

 

[Gerry]

Right. I am not asking whether they have a crew of employees, I'm interested in knowing which is the mother company.

I believe it is Directi.

Answerable and all these others are reseller accounts of Directi.

I am not sure of the Whiz.in involvement.

SnapNames is also using Whiz.in affiliate, manage.snapnames.com.

Honestly, they all appear to be one of the many Directi Reseller Club storefronts.

Interesting: There is a member named Directi logged into this thread.

 

[denny007]

So if 1 company has a 130 different aliases, it's 130 times more likely to catch any given drop? I don't understand... In the end, does the domain land with a random registrar, hence the need to seed the field with hundreds of fake / shell registrars?

I had always thought drop catching hinged upon how aggressive one particular company is stand alone. Is there a reliable source of information where I can read about the process?

Yes more dropping connections there is higher the chance. Also there are rumors the exact dropping time can be calculated a little bit which would increase the odds.

There is lot of info, some at Dnjournal (i.e. interview with the guy who were programming Dropclub is particulary informative). Also lot of info here on dnforum from older times.

But now dropcatching singnificancy is much lower than ever before, as all those groups hoarding names are not dropping them.

Honestly, they all appear to be one of the many Directi Reseller Club storefronts.

All are on LOGICBOXES platform, there is hundreds and hundreds of registrars using this platform.

My guess is Snapnames will be pulling their registrars out of LB platform and start using their own. Which must have pissed Directi group so they separated.

Another thing is the drop pool is smaller/of lower quality now and tasting ended (in the past Snapnames was tasting gazillions of domains every day so all their registrars paid off) so they do not need that many registrars.

Interesting: There is a member named Directi logged into this thread.

Well since Directi posted into this trhead is not that interesting is it ?

 

[Gerry]

Well since Directi posted into this trhead is not that interesting is it ?

Yup. now that I am on me second cup of coffee, I see that.

Another thing is the drop pool is smaller/of lower quality now and tasting ended (in the past Snapnames was tasting gazillions of domains every day so all their registrars paid off)

I've noticed this in several auction sites.

There is less quality to spread around and every one is focusing in on a few driving prices up.

My fear now is these auction services warehousing.

 

[Theo]

So if 1 company has a 130 different aliases, it's 130 times more likely to catch any given drop? I don't understand... In the end, does the domain land with a random registrar, hence the need to seed the field with hundreds of fake / shell registrars?

I had always thought drop catching hinged upon how aggressive one particular company is stand alone. Is there a reliable source of information where I can read about the process?

No, I think the number of connections per registrar to the Registry are of equal number. To overcome this, they get more ICANN accredited registrars to plug their sockets into the main outlet. The problem points back to ICANN, as far as I am concerned; same with the tasting process loophole etc.

 

[Seraphim]

But now dropcatching singnificancy is much lower than ever before, as all those groups hoarding names are not dropping them.

Yeah, seems like it's been about 2 years now since strong domains went to auction. With regard to lists that I monitor, most valuable domains switch hands before full expiration. Others will almost hit auction, and then change hands hours before. I see lots of big players ending up with these domains, not just hoarding registrars. It does look like it's mostly a private enterprise now, with only low margin domains being released to the public.

Too bad the drop game doesn't have more oversight, so the actual public stood a chance at picking up decent names. When Tucows warehouses a $500 domain, it is more or less permanently off the market.. Even if you offer them $40,000 for a $500 domain, they will still tell you it isn't for sale. I've tested this experiment many times with bulk hoarders. At a certain number, you can't micromanage domains anymore, so even low end stuff gets attached to the profits of a small percentage of actual performers. It's a shame to see names go up, knowing they will never come back down.

 

[denny007]

My fear now is these auction services warehousing.

Warehousing what ? And why would they do that ?
There is still lots of action going on with "partner drops" (i.e. namejet has Netsol and Enom, Snapnames has Moniker and Doster group etc). and with peoples sales.

The problem points back to ICANN, as far as I am concerned

Well I would not call it "problem". I am glad when I see domains dropping I can be sure some dropcatcher will get it and I can bid on it. If some insane domainer would get it with his single registrar connection he would never sell it or would be asking 100-times more what I can buy it in the auction...

 

[Seraphim]

No, I think the number of connections per registrar to the Registry are of equal number. To overcome this, they get more ICANN accredited registrars to plug their sockets into the main outlet. The problem points back to ICANN, as far as I am concerned; same with the tasting process loophole etc.

Agreed, it is an ICANN problem. The drop game became a private club where only high rollers and hoarding registrars have access to good domains. ICANN needs oversight badly, it's obviously extremely corrupt...

 

[Gerry]

Pool was doing this same thing.

I had no idea where a domain was that I won.

I had recieved no notice from pool (except the congrats and I would be hearing from my new registrar within 24 hours) or the gaining registrar.

When I called Pool, they told me it was not their problem. They catch the name, I am billed, and what happens to it after that was not their concern.

I was told point blank, "we have fulfilled our end of the contract."

This was the number one reason I stopped dealing with Pool. The use 5th rate reseller accounts as a dumping grounds for valuable names.

 

[denny007]

Pool was doing this same thing.
I had no idea where a domain was that I won.

Majority of domains won at Pool are managed in one single Namescout account - those are domains caught by their own registrars (40 or 50 or so). They have couple of partners but I do not recall ever lose domain there...

 

[Gerry]

Warehousing what ? And why would they do that ?

Not all dropping and expired names are hitting the auction block. Many of these registrars and auction companies have become their own biggest customer. GoDaddy was doing this and I believe eNom as well.

ICANN was putting a stop to this along with tasting but they are so damn ineffective.

Subsidiaries are being set up to get around this issue.

Many are kept by the registrars and drop services and slapped with a WHOIS privacy to keep a proxy on them.

 

[denny007]

The drop game became a private club where only high rollers and hoarding registrars have access to good domains.

It is this way since 2003 or 2004...

ICANN needs oversight badly, it's obviously extremely corrupt...

Oversight HOW ? Forbid doing WHAT ? Its practically impossible and besides why ICANN should care ? Is not like they are doing anything illegal here. Also I doubt is "corrupt" - like Snapnames is giving envelopes to someone at ICANN ? For what ? Can't imagine that...

Not all dropping and expired names are hitting the auction block. Many of these registrars and auction companies have become their own biggest customer.

Snapnames is not hoarding, Pool is not hoarding, Namejet is not hoarding. They were registering and keeping a lot but everyone could have backordered it (and on Snapnames buy it even AFTER Snapnames caught it even without backordering it for prices starting $9 if nobody else backordered it).

There is still huge volumes sold especially at Namejet and Snapnames, Dnjournal reports just the big sales but there is huge quantity sold of domains bellow $2K.

 

[Gerry]

Majority of domains won at Pool are managed in one single Namescout account - those are domains caught by their own registrars (40 or 50 or so). They have couple of partners but I do not recall ever lose domain there...

I was contacted by Pool and the gaining registrar within 24 hours after I started the Credit Card investigation.

2 weeks had gone by when I called Pool. And it was in a NameScout account.

It was Pool's attitude of this whole matter not being their problem that lost my business and their attempt at telling me they had fulfilled their contract with me by getting the name. Where it ended up was not their concern.

 

[denny007]

^Pool people are little bit stoic, their owner is rich guy and he does not really give much fok if someone stops backordering or not. So "prima donna" attitude do more harm to you than to them...

 

[Gerry]

^Pool people are little bit stoic, their owner is rich guy and he does not really give much fok if someone stops backordering or not. So "prima donna" attitude do more harm to you than to them...

This is not about a Prima Donna attitude. It is about a classless service and service that sucks.

Why do you no longer do business with place you used to do business with?

Sure, it is all righteousness in your book.

Having a prima donna attitude has absolutely nothing to do with this.

It is merely your perception of the situation and your opportunity to get in some cheap shots. And ask me if I give a flying fuc about Rich and his perception of me.

 

[Seraphim]

It is this way since 2003 or 2004...

Oversight HOW ? Forbid doing WHAT ? Its practically impossible and besides why ICANN should care ? Is not like they are doing anything illegal here. Also I doubt is "corrupt" - like Snapnames is giving envelopes to someone at ICANN ? For what ? Can't imagine that...

Why should ICANN care? What a silly question. If not to govern, what is ICANN's purpose? So you think that registrars hoarding dropping domains is a sustainable business practice? Cutting the public out of the picture is sustainable for .com? Last I checked domains aren't gold coins, outside of domain trading they do have an actual function. The public should have access to expiring domains via auction.