DNCart – Domain Network

Ron Jackson, editor of DNJournal recently published the June edition of his newsletter featuring a great editorial about ICANN’s decision to allow “vanity” TLDs.  There is plenty of commentary from experts such as Michael Castello and Rick Schwartz debunking the idea that new domain extensions could spell disaster for the domain industry.

DotSauce has been hesitant to cover this news for the very reasons these experts describe below, that and the fact that it has spread across many many news sources, domaining releated and otherwise. This editorial should put to rest the debate and give you a clear understanding of what will go on in the near future.

Click on the image below for a copy of the June newsletter.

Ron Jackson, Editor of DNJournal says…

“In a nutshell, past history has not been kind to new TLDs and I see little reason to believe that dumping a massive number of them on the market at once will be any more or less successful than ICANN’s previous strategy of releasing new extensions in a slow, deliberate manner.”

Michael Castello of CCIN says…

“The markets within markets of domain speculation are timing out and so many new extensions will only confuse the masses. Most domainers only talk to domainers and do not understand the logic on the street. Domainers are thinking way too much and in reality success in this business is very simple. Search engines will help with the clutter of these new vTLDs (’vanity’ TLDs, a term coined by Michael’s brother and CCIN partner, David Castello) but in the long run .com is the easy way for people to navigate.”

Rick Schwartz, co-founder of TRAFFIC says…

“This is the biggest nothing I have seen in quite some time. It won’t affect anything for 10 years and when it all kicks in, it will cost traffic to .com…ZIPPO. It may even increase it as folks become more aware of the browser bar and direct navigation.”

This article is from DotSauce Magazine – The Domain Industry’s HOTTEST Publication!

Putting the Vanity Domain Extension Debate to Rest

This is a quick announcement to let you know the .ME domain name landrush will be ending tomorrow at 8AM Eastern time.

If you have been on the fence about pre-registering some cool .ME domains, now is your last chance to participate and get the best pick of names.

Act now, Pre-Register Your .ME Domain at GoDaddy!

Open registration does not begin until July 17th and all the truly great .ME domains will be taken by those who pre-register now during landrush.

This article is from DotSauce Magazine – The Domain Industry’s HOTTEST Publication!

Last Chance to Pre-Register .ME Domains! Landrush Ends 8AM EST on June 26th

Today, GoDaddy is offering .TV domain registration for only $15.99!  This is the lowest price I have seen and is extremely discounted as compared to other well known registrars charging 4 or 5 times as much.

Click here to see GoDaddy’s .TV sale!

If you have an idea for a multimedia video website, social video sharing, media tool or service, or television show related website then .TV is perfect way to start on the right foot. Let your visitors know right away that they are visiting a media related site.

Dot TV is an excellent addition to your brand recognition. As social networking technologies evolve more and more of the web will be based on streaming video and live broadcasts.

Register Your .TV Domain for $15.99!

If you find a great .TV name, you can always resell to an end-user for many times your small registration fee in a thriving aftermarket for these types of domains.

This article is from DotSauce Magazine – The Domain Industry’s HOTTEST Publication!

GoDaddy Offers Deep Discount on .TV Registration

The .ME domains landrush is closing soon! Anyone may apply for .ME domains name during this period. After Landrush closes on June 26th, domain names requested by multiple parties will be auctioned privately.

Pricing and the Future of .ME

The cost of early registration (landrush) for .ME domains is $49/year and requires a two-year minimum registration. So, your .ME domains will cost you roughly $100.

May seem pricey… but consider that you will get first pick from all the best .ME domains!  Choose which names you pre-register wisely! You will have two years for the .ME extension to emerge and grow in popularity. Plenty of time to develop a business or generate traffic and revenue.

Promising Poll Answers

In a recent poll featured for several weeks on DotSauce.com over half of participating readers responded that they would in-fact register a .ME domain name!

Premium .ME domains such as Fly.ME, Drive.ME, Contact.ME will be auctioned off by GoDaddy with expected impressive sales numbers that will surely draw attention and raise the market value of all .ME domains.

Click Here to Pre-Order Your .ME Domain!

.ME Domains Managed by GoDaddy

Here are some key points of value for .ME domains.

• Will not be restricted, anyone in the world can claim one.
• GoDaddy will use its marketing muscle to globally promote it.
• Many languages contain the word “me” with various catchy meanings.
• Huge branding potential for English speaking countries.
• All registrars will be invited to resell the .ME extension.

Pre-Order Your .ME Domain @ GoDaddy Now

Best of luck during the landrush!

This article is from DotSauce Magazine – The Domain Industry’s HOTTEST Publication!

“.ME” Domains Landrush: 1 Week Left to Pre-Register!

The .ME domain name landrush is on! Anyone may apply for a .ME domain name during this period. After Landrush closes, domain names requested by multiple parties will be auctioned between the requesting parties.

Promising Poll Answers

In a recent poll featured for several weeks on DotSauce.com over half of participating readers responded that they would in-fact register a .ME domain name!

Pricing and the Future of .ME

The cost of pre-registration (landrush) for .ME domain names is $49/year and a two-year minimum registration requirement. So, to pre-register a .ME domain it will cost you roughly $100.

Seems pricey… but consider that you will have first pick from the best .ME domains, so choose which names you pre-register wisely! You will have two full years for the .ME extension to emerge and grow in popularity. Plenty of time to develop a branded business or generate some revenue.

Premium .ME domains such as Fly.ME, Drive.ME, Contact.ME will be auctioned off by GoDaddy with expected impressive sales numbers that will surely draw attention and raise the market value of all .ME domains.

Click Here to Pre-Order Your .ME Domain!

.ME Domains Managed by GoDaddy

Here are some key points of value pointed out in a previous announcement that GoDaddy will be managing .ME with Affilias.

• Will not be restricted, anyone in the world can claim one.
• GoDaddy will use its marketing muscle to globally promote it.
• Many languages contain the word “me” with various catchy meanings.
• Huge branding potential for English speaking countries.
• All registrars will be invited to resell the .ME extension.

Pre-Order Your .ME Domain @ GoDaddy Now

We’d love to hear your feedback, please leave a comment below with any thoughts and ideas for the .ME domain extension.

This article is from DotSauce Magazine – The Domain Industry’s HOTTEST Publication!

“.ME” Domain Landrush: 3 Weeks Left to Pre-Register!

Originally announced by DotSauce here the country of Montenegro was granted the .ME domain name top-level by ICANN. It was later announced that GoDaddy.com and the Affilias Registry will be managing the new .ME domain names.

After reading the press release it sounds like they are expecting the .ME Landrush to go similarly to the original .TV domain launch. Auctioning the premium domain names is fine and dandy but hopefully they optimize the auction platform and handle the recurring registration fees well.

.ME domains, with their universal appeal, are expected to be in high demand. So some “premium” names – including verb-oriented domains, such as “Contact.ME,” “Drive.ME” or “Fly.ME,” – will be held back for auction after Open Registration.

Official “.ME” Rollout Schedule

Finally we have some concrete time frames for the public launch of the .ME domain names!

May 6 to May 20: General Sunrise Period. During this time, anyone with a trademark is eligible to apply for a .ME domain.

May 20 to June 6: Quiet Period. The registry will be closed to registrars. Sunrise auctions will begin for names that received multiple applications. .ME domain names that receive only one application will be awarded.

June 6 to June 26: Landrush. This is the first opportunity for the public at large to apply. Anyone who doesn’t have a trademark, but is interested in a specific .ME domain, can apply during this period. This is also when Sunrise challenges begin.

June 26 to July 15: Quiet Period. During this time, the registry is closed to registrars. Names for which there was only one application during the Landrush Period are allocated. Landrush auctions will begin for names that received multiple applications.

July 17: Open Registration. Domain names are registered on a first-come, first-served basis.

Poll Question: Your Feedback on .ME Domains

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Why .ME May be Successful

Here are some ideas that I pointed out in my previous announcement that GoDaddy will be managing .ME with Affilias.

• Will not be restricted, anyone in the world can claim one.
• GoDaddy will use its marketing muscle to globally promote it.
• Many languages contain the word “me” with various catchy meanings.
• Huge branding potential for English speaking countries.
• All registrars will be invited to resell the .ME extension.

Thanks for your feedback and please leave a comment below with your thoughts on the .ME domain extension.

This article is from DotSauce Magazine – The Domain Industry’s HOTTEST Publication!

“.ME” Domain Name Sunrise and Landrush Dates Announced!

Today, we received a copy of an email which was sent out to all ICANN accredited domain name registrars. You can review the original message below.

Beginning October 1st 2008 there will be a domain price increase.

The price for a .COM domain name registration will increase 7% from the current base price $6 to $6.86. This does not include ¢0.25 ICANN fee and registrar markup.

According to the ICANN-VeriSign Settlement, this 7% price increase can and may be implemented each and every year. This may be a good time to bulk-renew your domain names and register new domains while pricing remains low.

From: VeriSign Customer Service nfo@verisign-grs.com
Sent: Thursday, March 27, 2008 4:02 PM
Subject: Advisory: Notice of Fee Change

March 27, 2008
VIA Email and Express Delivery

Re: Notice of Fee Change

To All Registrars,

VeriSign, Inc. and it’s wholly owned subsidiaries (”VNDS”) is hereby notifying all registrars of a fee change for .com and/or .net domain names effective October 1, 2008. In accordance with our contract, ICANN has already been notified. Details as follows:

1. VNDS’ fee for each annual increment of a new and renewal .com domain name registration and for each transfer of a .com domain name registration from one ICANN-accredited registrar to another will be US $6.86, exclusive of any ICANN Variable Registry-Level Fee (as defined in the .com Registry

Agreement) or any other ICANN fee; and

2. VNDS’ fee for each annual increment of a new and renewal .net domain name registration and for each transfer of a .net domain name registration from one ICANN-accredited registrar to another will be US $4.23, exclusive of any ICANN Variable Registry-Level Fee (as defined in the .net Registry

Agreement) or any other ICANN fee.

Except for the above-described fee changes, all other terms of the relevant agreements (.com and .net Registry Agreements and Registry-Registrar

Agreements) remain unchanged.

Please contact Customer Affairs Office at cao@verisign-grs.com if you have specific questions regarding this notice.

Best regards,

PJ Bolanos
Vice President, Customer Support
VeriSign, Inc.

This article is from DotSauce Magazine – The Domain Industry’s HOTTEST Publication!

Domain Registration Price Increase Beginning October 1st

There has been alot of buzz surrounding the release and questionable launch date of the .ME top level domain. Well, we don’t have an official launch date just yet, but can confirm it will be later in 2008! GoDaddy.com announced in a press release today that they have won the bid to manage the new .ME ccTLD.

Insight into the Value of .ME

• Will not be restricted, anyone in the world can claim one.
• GoDaddy will use its marketing muscle to globally promote it.
• Many languages contain the word “me” with various catchy meanings.
• Huge branding potential for English speaking countries.
• All registrars will be invited to resell the .ME extension.

Alongside GoDaddy, Afilias Global Registry Services will have oversight of the domain. Afilias is a highly respected organization which also manages the .INFO and .ORG registries.

“To take full advantage of .ME, it needs to be properly promoted and properly managed. We have an unparalleled track record in promoting domain names and keeping customers happy. Afilias has an impeccable record when it comes to managing domain extensions. We offer the complete package to catapult .ME into the International mainstream.”

Bob Parsons
Founder & CEO
GoDaddy.com

In September, DotSauce reported here that ICANN approved a request for assigning the .ME domain to the country of Montenegro, which declared independence from Yugoslavia (.YU) in 2006.

If you are looking to branch out from your .COM investments into something that will retain and increase in value over time, you will want to seriously consider composing a list of potential .ME domains to register.

With the launch of any new domain extension there will be a sunrise grace period for companies with certified trademarks to claim their respective domain names.

Get ready for a huge land rush on launch date. DotSauce will keep you updated with any developing information, we too are actively interested in this extension.

What do you think of the potential brandability of the .ME domain? Do you plan on registering some when the registry opens?

There has been alot of buzz surrounding the release and questionable launch date of the .ME top level domain. Well, we don’t have an official launch date just yet, but can confirm it will be later in 2008! GoDaddy.com announced in a press release today that they have won the bid to manage the new .ME ccTLD.

Insight into the Value of .ME

• Will not be restricted, anyone in the world can claim one.
• GoDaddy will use its marketing muscle to globally promote it.
• Many languages contain the word “me” with various catchy meanings.
• Huge branding potential for English speaking countries.
• All registrars will be invited to resell the .ME extension.

Alongside GoDaddy, Afilias Global Registry Services will have oversight of the domain. Afilias is a highly respected organization which also manages the .INFO and .ORG registries.

“To take full advantage of .ME, it needs to be properly promoted and properly managed. We have an unparalleled track record in promoting domain names and keeping customers happy. Afilias has an impeccable record when it comes to managing domain extensions. We offer the complete package to catapult .ME into the International mainstream.”

Bob Parsons
Founder & CEO
GoDaddy.com

In September, DotSauce reported here that ICANN approved a request for assigning the .ME domain to the country of Montenegro, which declared independence from Yugoslavia (.YU) in 2006.

If you are looking to branch out from your .COM investments into something that will retain and increase in value over time, you will want to seriously consider composing a list of potential .ME domains to register.

With the launch of any new domain extension there will be a sunrise grace period for companies with certified trademarks to claim their respective domain names.

Get ready for a huge land rush on launch date. DotSauce will keep you updated with any developing information, we too are actively interested in this extension.

What do you think of the potential brandability of the .ME domain? Do you plan on registering some when the registry opens?

On December 21st the .TRAVEL top level domain was opened to the global public. The price of each registration starts at $99 per domain name per year.

Tralliance Corporation entered an agreement with ICANN to manage the .TRAVEL TLD in May of 2005. Tralliance Corporation is a wholly-owned subsidiary of theglobe.com, Inc.

According to this report filed to the Securities & Exchange Commission, Labigroup (Who is owned by Michael Egan, CEO of .Travel) has agreed with theglobe.com, Inc. to buy 25,000 .TRAVEL domain names within the period of one year.

On December 20, 2007, the Company, through its subsidiary, Tralliance Corporation (�Tralliance�), entered into a Bulk Registration Co-Marketing Agreement (the �Agreement�) with Labigroup, under Tralliance�s Bulk Purchasing Program available to entities committing to a minimum purchase of 25,000 �.travel� domain names within one-year. Labigroup is controlled by the Company�s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Michael Egan and our remaining directors own a minority interest in Labigroup. Under the Agreement, Labigroup committed to purchase a predetermined minimum number of �.travel� domain names on a bulk basis from an accredited �.travel� registrar of its own choosing and to establish a predetermined minimum number of related �.travel� websites. As consideration for the �.travel� domain names to be purchased under the Agreement, Labigroup agreed to pay certain fixed fees and make other payments, including but not limited to, an ongoing royalty calculated as a % share of its Net Revenue, as defined in the Agreement, to Tralliance. The Agreement has an initial term which expires September 30, 2010, after which it may be renewed for successive periods of two and three years, respectively. Labigroup has paid Tralliance the sum of $262,500 under the Agreement to date.

This seems like an excellent marketing campaign, which should drum up interest and exposure of the new .TRAVEL TLD. However, there has been some controversy and speculation of insider trading.

As reported in this NamePros discussion, a registrant going by the name of “Labitrav” (assumed to be Labigroup’s Michael Egan) claimed the domain Tours.travel on December 20th, 1 day before the public registration launch. (See: WHOIS record for “Tours.travel”)

Updates will be posted as this story unfolds.