Registrar for Consolidation?

[DryHeat]

I've been thinking of consolidating my domains (around 1000) to a single registrar. I'd deeply appreciate input as to who'd you recommend for Best overall value, service and support, as well as ease of transfer of names in case of a sale.

Is it true that going with a local registrar (same county) can be helpful in the event of a litigation?

 

[hanogl]

Excellent question, one that I have been playing with for a while.

I have participated in Info LR1 and LR2 and now own accounts at 28 registrars. I am also looking at consolidation but I think it is still a bit early since I expect/hope that there will be an LR3 one of these days. It makes more sense to consolidate after this happening.

As for the registrar choice, I would like to be in control as much as possible. Currently everytime I buy or sell a name I find myself ending up in some endless waiting with at least one non-communicating registrar, sometimes two. So I would like to be able to at least issue my own auth codes and approve transfers.
Also I would like a web interface to manage my domains, and of course price is an issue.

Taking this into account I would currently see 3 options:
1) Bulkregister.
2) Godaddy.
3) OpenSRS.

I have also seriously considered to really go for it and become an official registrar myself together with another domain/webhosting company but that plan didn't work out.

Would love to hear other people's thought on this.

Hans

 

[DotComster]

I love BulkRegister, still a reseller for them - but it's $80 to join and $10 to $12 a domain. Their API was not that good - but I hear the new ones are better.

Enom is the best in my opinion, get a good reseller and your in bussines - it's also easier to handle than GoDaddy. I use a new script called DRAM, makes it that much easier to use - especialy with the payment systems.

OpenSRS I have not tried yet, but will do sooner or later.

 

[abrams1117]

I have an eNom reseller account, you control the domain lock, and ownership information.
Get your own, or find a good one.

 

[GiantDomains]

^^^
no arguement - go enom.

 

I guess it depends on whether you want to manage the registrar relationship yourself - as in become your own reseller - or use an existing registrar or reseller.

-t

 

[StockDoctor]

I don't know if any registrars provide for free transfers in, but if you choose to open your own reseller account at Enom (and pay the reseller fee) for 1000 names I believe they will give you a $6.95 price that extends the registration out another year.

I agree with hanogl on the LR3 situation, and also would like to wait and pay for name renewals as they come due rather than 1 chunk up front. Why let them earn the interrest?

 

Free transfers from one registrar to another won't happen. The transfer process between registrars adds one year to the registration - no way around this - so the registrar is out $6 and you get another year added to your domain just in the act of transferring.

Transfers from Verisign (and some others) can also consume support staff - with many of these requiring repeated transfer attempts, multiple phone calls to the registry, faxes, etc, so you also need to be careful that whomever you transfer to does not charge for failed transfers...

-t

 

[GeorgeK]

I'm at OpenSRS for consolidation purposes. They're not the cheapest, at $10/name, but as a top 3 registrar, you know they'll be around for a while. Having them in Toronto, where I reside, is great.

Dotster or eNom would be my next choices. Make sure any registrar you go with has domain lock.

 

[ReignDomain]

eNom.