Exorbitant domain cost

[gjskerman]

Hi Gang,

Does anyone know how to avoid the exorbitant costs drop catchers & domain registrars place on expiring & expired domains?
Is there software which can find/catch/backorder page rank, link value domains before the drop catchers & domain registrars put there price on them?
Would much appreciate some answers.

Thanking You

Geoff Skerman

[Theo]

You'd still need access to the Registry that nowadays is hogged by the big boys. $59/$69 isn't exorbitant for a domain; the problem is when several people want the same domain and it enters an auction.

[snicksnack]

If you want to do drop catching yourself, you need to be an accredited registrar. However the chances of getting the good domains are very slim, as the the big drop catchers have most likely the better system and for sure more slots at the registry.

[Theo]

Snicksnack, you don't need to be an accredited registrar to catch dropped domains; but you need bandwidth to the Registry that is more or less allocated to the various dropcatching services.

[snicksnack]

As an accredited registrar you get access to the registry. Each registrar gets a certain amount of slots/bandwith. If you are not accredited with the registry, you cannot get direct access for drop catching, you would need to get thru an accredited registrar which provides his slot to you.

[Theo]

What I mean is, you don't need a slot to attempt to catch domains after they drop. Not all domains are caught by other services. All you need is access to the API of a registrar.

[snicksnack]

What I mean is, you don't need a slot to attempt to catch domains after they drop. Not all domains are caught by other services. All you need is access to the API of a registrar.

yeah, but only an accredited registrar can provide you with his slot. As a regular Joe, you cannot do it.

[katherine]

An API is too slow to compete against dropcatchers. Because all requests must go through the registrar.
Registrar have direct access to the registry which means fewer hops.

An API can help beat the handreggers though.

[Theo]

Yes, if speed is detrimental you can't beat the dropcatching services. Unless you start your own

[katherine]

Even having one registrar pool may not help a lot when fighting for drops against hordes of registrars controlled by Snapnames or Enom401 402 403 404 405 etc.
Talk about cut-throat business

On a sidenote I have heard of at least two registrars that dropped out of the snap game
Because quality has dried out long ago, and fewer good domains are dropping nowadays. The real action is in the prerelease market.