How do Registrars themselves own so many top .US names?

[David G]

Anyone here know why so many of the excellent new .US names seem to be owned by various registrars.

For example, last night I tried to reg several new us domains but they were already grabbed by Dotster.com. Not taken for a client but they actually owned the names. I have also seen other Registrars owning various good .us names, including many of the top- tier ones.

Perhaps Ms. Wanda May knows the answer to this as she has been researching the registrars.

It sure does not seem very appropriate what with their inside track and speed to reg names for themselves. Is that allowed by ICANN?

 

[MattyP]

I know why.

But not being American stops me from saying so.

You never know I may want a .us someday

 

[David G]

Originally posted by MattyP
I know why.

But not being American stops me from saying so.

You never know I may want a .us someday

Hey Matt, from what I recall the rules say a foreigner may own a .US is they in fact have a "business presense or business interest" in the USA. In fact, I noticed many .US names owned by people in other nations while heavily doing Whois' on .us names last night.

For example, if you have a "business associate or internet partner" here in the US, such as being involved in redirecting traffic for revenue purposes, and having their dot-com url hosted on a Server here it seems like they would qualify to buy .us domains.

 

[MattyP]

at reading between the lines Dave.

That in fact was my point. I thought it may be to cover up foreign registrations of .us names.

I am pleased I don't have to hide anymore if your description of having a US presence is correct.

How far has .us registration gone? I was playing around yesterday and typing in names at whois. One I typed in was Platyp.us It was gone. lol

 

[simone]

Thats what you get when you let the foxes watch the hen house.

 

[MattyP]

says foxy Simone.

 

[clemzonguy]

You know I noticed the same thing about some really great names but I wasn't sure if maybe I just was reading to far into it or what. I don't know that I saw any type of rules that would keep registars from taking any type of personal interest in the names as this is all about money anyways. Wonder if they are watching what names we are typing in.

Not all the great names are taken I am still going through the WHOIS. Some are taken you just have to make sure using a real time registar to truly verify (if the WHOIS shows up empty on www.whois.us.) Try using different forms of a name if the one you want isn't taken. Here are some decent ones available:

periscope.us
foreshadow.us
wrestler.us
outbid.us (auction site?)
vulnerable.us
kissed.us
debunk.us
evildoers.us lol
revoke.us
subdivide.us
shrank.us
shaving.us
warpowers.us
detain.us (website for Guantanamo Bay peeps?)
metalworker.us

 

Absolutely, your all right..
Many registrars have snag'd the good names, the one word's.

Why?
well, cause they can.

is this fair?
Who knows, i guess they have the power as a Registrar to buy names too...

Most Registrars who bought good .us names, also have an
* Drop Name service
* Name Auction service

NameScout captured: NetHost.us

Enom captured: WebHost.us & SearchEngine.us

* still not sure who got Sex.us

last nite, the who is still had an 'un recorded' registration... even
though the name was not available for registration.

 

Originally posted by RealNames


Hey Matt, from what I recall the rules say a foreigner may own a .US is they in fact have a "business presense or business interest" in the USA. In fact, I noticed many .US names owned by people in other nations while heavily doing Whois' on .us names last night.

For example, if you have a "business associate or internet partner" here in the US, such as being involved in redirecting traffic for revenue purposes, and having their dot-com url hosted on a Server here it seems like they would qualify to buy .us domains.

for a foreign citizen / biz owner to
a) establish an usa corporation (any state in the usa)
b) retrieve/obtain an EIN # (employer identification number)
c) set up usa biz mailing addresss (not a po box either)
d) open an usa biz checking account
e) establish card payment services, accepting usa dollars.

This is the business we do.. and have done, and have provided to biz owners around the globe for almost 4 years now.

It takes time, but the entire process can be done.

This entitles this foreign citizen to register an .us also.

it's not that hard.

 

[simone]

I am definately convinced that some of them generate lists of names that people have searched for, and if you dont take that name, someone close to them will. They are watching you !!!

 

[clemzonguy]

Well if you go to the US site you can see that all the registars are not located in the US.

So if ENOM was registering names then that means they could have participated in their own auctions. I mean what could stop them from that. I won the insurance.us bid for $490 and saw prices well into the 15,000 dollar range. I still have as of yet to receive my $20 refund on my account or any reply from them.

BANK.US was on afternic last i checked. Maybe what happened was that they bid on their own auctions thus winning them and therefore loosing no money and if they sky rocketted $$ they took the money upfront and hopefully they'd snag the name and someone else would pay. I could see lots of opportunity in this name game. Simply upbid on the names that people were holding onto for low amounts. Thought it was funny they only posted the top 50 also. Nice strategy.

I seriously think .INFO and .BIZ are gonna fall by the wayside. But it's all up to how many people actually develop quality sites and not just grab up names. I have a working .INFO site and it's a pain to get indexed. It still does not show up in google after months which is hurting business.

 

Originally posted by simone
I am definately convinced that some of them generate lists of names that people have searched for, and if you dont take that name, someone close to them will. They are watching you !!!

Your Right.. i do believe..

with technology as it is.. capturing ip add'y's.. etc..

the registrar 'search boxes' i'm certain capture the
'searches' and provide a useful tool to the Registrars
themselves.

i have thought that very same way for years..

 

Originally posted by clemzonguy
Well if you go to the US site you can see that all the registars are not located in the US.

So if ENOM was registering names then that means they could have participated in their own auctions. I mean what could stop them from that. I won the insurance.us bid for $490 and saw prices well into the 15,000 dollar range. I still have as of yet to receive my $20 refund on my account or any reply from them.

BANK.US was on afternic last i checked. Maybe what happened was that they bid on their own auctions thus winning them and therefore loosing no money and if they sky rocketted $$ they took the money upfront and hopefully they'd snag the name and someone else would pay. I could see lots of opportunity in this name game. Simply upbid on the names that people were holding onto for low amounts. Thought it was funny they only posted the top 50 also. Nice strategy.

I seriously think .INFO and .BIZ are gonna fall by the wayside. But it's all up to how many people actually develop quality sites and not just grab up names. I have a working .INFO site and it's a pain to get indexed. It still does not show up in google after months which is hurting business.

Enom bought WebHost.us & SearchEngine.us
hmmmmmm

** Verisign even has many e-bay domain names for sale.. check that out.. and look at their asking prices for the names **

Verisign is selling domain names on e-bay.

hmmmmmm

 

[Nic]

Verisign is desparate no one is buying into the new bz crap

 

[skylark]

When did you post this question? It's typical that immediately after a domain name landrush some of the registrars can't update their whois with the actual registrant. Until they can, they just list their registy as the owner. I had two domain applications at GalCom for the .US landrush and it listed them as owned by Moshe Fogel (Afilias manager). Of course, I knew it meant I actually got the names - sure enough, a day later my name showed up as the owner. It's no big deal. Just wait for the updates.

 

[mike]

It's all part of the hustle, the domain hustle. They all- Do the Hustle!

Sing it

Do, Do, Do, Do, Do, Do, Do, Do... Do, Do, Do, Do, Do, Do, Do, Do... Do the Hustle!

 

Originally posted by mike
It's all part of the hustle, the domain hustle. They all- Do the Hustle!

Sing it

Do, Do, Do, Do, Do, Do, Do, Do... Do, Do, Do, Do, Do, Do, Do, Do... Do the Hustle!

Mike..
You being funny? yae! your funny alright.. fun & funny! :laugh: