KeyDrive acquires Moniker and SnapNames

[Adam Dicker]

Oversee.net sells off domain marketplace, expiring domain, and registrar companies.

KeyDrive, which owns domain name registrar Key-Systems as well as NameDrive, has acquired SnapNames and Moniker from Oversee.net.

Combined, KeyDrive says it is now the sixth largest ICANN accredited registrar.

Rumors about the acquisition have been swirling around DOMAINfest this week.
KeyDrive has now updated its web site to confirm the acquisition.

Both SnapNames and Moniker were challenging acquisitions for Oversee.net.
SnapNames lost its most important domain registrar, Network Solutions, shortly after the acquisition in 2007. It then dealt with the so-called “halvarez”
scandal where a SnapNames employee was found shill bidding in auctions.

Moniker was also a challenge, primarily because it was purchased at the peak in early 2008. Oversee.net paid about $24 million for the domain registrar.
Although the sale price hasn’t been disclosed, you can be it took a sizable loss on the sale.

Source:
http://domainnamewire.com/2012/02/01...and-snapnames/

[DomainsInc]

wow big news. what kind of histor does keysystems as a registrar have?

[Seraphim]

What kind of history does keysystems as a registrar have?

I second that question (currently have 800+ domains at Moniker.com).

[Adam Dicker]

Key systems owns http://www.domaindiscount24.net/

My feeling is the folks at Domainfest are at the last Domainfest, Oversee probably won't exit in 2013.

Adam

[Seraphim]

Moniker.com's biggest weakness in my opinion was and is customer support. It was great when Monte and Bari were involved and able to answer questions, however in the time in between the support has been absolutely atrocious. I would like to stay with Moniker.com for the long term and really hope that this ownership change will bring with it some dedicated customer support with long term consistency. The roller coaster ride of ups and downs has gotten old.

[David G]

Key systems owns http://www.domaindiscount24.net/

My feeling is the folks at Domainfest are at the last Domainfest, Oversee probably won't exit in 2013.

Adam

Never heard of domaindiscount24 before and surprising they are using the .net extension as their main site address. It appears the .com redirects to the .net

Isn't key-systems a German company run by a once active domainer and old forum member?

[south]

I beilieve the big question here is: Who the hell is KeyDrive? Hmmm.. Luxembourg? Why does sedo pop in my head?

[Adam Dicker]

I beilieve the big question here is: Who the hell is KeyDrive? Hmmm.. Luxembourg? Why does sedo pop in my head?

Not sure but I think Eurodns is in Luxembourg.

[south]

Thanks Adam. More info here also: KeySystems and NameDrive Merge into KeyDrive SA

Hmmm....

Keydrive.com is owned by Frank Schilling’s NameAdministration

[chipmeade]

Key-Systems has been around for a long time and a pretty big player with very good history. They have specialized in various extensions (Believe they offer more extensions than anyone else) as well as reseller and in-house registry relationships. I believe they also manage the back-end (reseller, dns, shopping cart etc..) for a bunch of cctlds.

[DomainsInc]

"Keydrive.com is owned by Frank Schilling’s NameAdministration"

wonder if he'll completely stop bidding on snapnames.

[Seraphim]

KeyDrive.lu

[Molotov]

I never liked both of this companies sold.

[David G]

This news helps explain why Moniker recently raised renewal fees 10% which was 3% greater than warranted. That's because with a business sale the price is based in part on forecasted revenue of course. I had a webhost do the same thing in the past with a sudden unwarranted price increase and a notice of their sale a short time later.

It's quite disturbing news in my view which may not bode well since domain firms most anywhere in Europe are widely and well known for high prices combined with questionable customer support and non-friendly policies. That's why so many domainers in Europe only deal the non-european firms like GoDaddy for example.

[jaydub]

I guess we will have to monitor this. I am not a fan of GMBH/DomainDiscount24/Eurodns support. I used them to get me a couple of ccTLD's in land rush but their pricing is way out of line from a domainer's pov.

[David G]

"Keydrive.com is owned by Frank Schilling’s NameAdministration" wonder if he'll completely stop bidding on snapnames.

I doubt Frank is connected to them and he likely owns the name based on its generic value re car "driving" and keydrive.lu did not want or get the .com version for some odd reason.

[DomainsInc]

I doubt Frank is connected to them and he likely owns the name based on its generic value re car "driving" and keydrive.lu did not want or get the .com version for some odd reason.

ah, well thats a silly thing to put in the article then. i took it to mean he owns keydrive business. either way, this change is somewhat concerning.

[Mark Talbot]

Looks like some more domain industry consolidation. It wont be the last.

While the shuffling of companies coupled with the inevitable exit of some of the bigger industry players will make for a stronger environment, you will see a shrinking competitive marketplace which may lead to higher costs for the secondary market.

Interesting times.

[David G]

Why would the exit of bigger players be a positive? Wouldn't the exact opposite be true?

[Adam Dicker]

Moniker.com's biggest weakness in my opinion was and is customer support. It was great when Monte and Bari were involved and able to answer questions, however in the time in between the support has been absolutely atrocious. I would like to stay with Moniker.com for the long term and really hope that this ownership change will bring with it some dedicated customer support with long term consistency. The roller coaster ride of ups and downs has gotten old.

When companies are run poorly, the exodus is always looming.
Consolidation is just another way of saying only the strong will surive by eating the week.

Adam