Will WLS Demolish Domain Drop Catchers - New at DNJournal.com

[Duke]

The new Cover Story is out at Domain Name Journal.

Off to See the Wizard: Will WLS Demolish Domain Drop Catchers?

The story focuses on what WLS will mean for the owner of one small business - Gordon Martin, who runs the independent drop service DropWizard.com. Martin faces a major disruption of his business and is understandably anti-WLS.

There is a companion piece this month (also on the front page, just below the Cover Story) with a completely different view of WLS, written by Howard Hoffman, a domainer who is an advocate of the new service.

We are hopeful these articles will put a human face on the whole WLS controversy and be informative to those who are still wondering exactly what is at stake.

 

[NameTower]

Love these!
going to read it now
Thanks DUKE

 

[Nexus]

Awesome work. Good to know more about Drop Wizard. Highly appreciated individuals all around.

~ Nexus

 

[izopod]

Very interesting article. Again, well written, and informative.

I have just a couple of comments. I am neither pro WLS, or against it. I'm actually an "outsider" on this issue, as I have never delved into this part of the domain business. HOWEVER, I probably will once .biz names start dropping. What I am betting on is because of the speculative fervor in 11/2001, there will be a lot of decent names dropping in this space.

As far as WLS goes and those going after valuable .com names, what is stopping someone from building a business around contacting owners of names before they drop? You could then work as a broker. My feeling is that WLS will not work. Those that can't afford to play the "game" will ensure those names up for the taking won't even make it to the WLS slots... Just human nature I guess.

So although I can understand the Agnst behind WLS and Verisign, I say there are a lot of other potential businesses that could be built around the new system, to defeat it....

btw: Best of luck to you, Mr. Martin if you are reading this. I will keep you in mind when .biz names begin to drop in earnest. :-D

 

[bidawinner]

Another great Article Ron,

And I agree with most of Howards points.

WLS is going to give the smaller player that invests a little time and research the ability to actually grab a few domains .

 

[Duke]

Originally posted by izopod
As far as WLS goes and those going after valuable .com names, what is stopping someone building a business around contacting owners of names before they drop? You could then work as a broker.

You are right on the money Izopod. I know several guys who have already started official brokerage businesses in anticipation of WLS (and one in particular who has already acquired exclusive rights to represent some exceptionally good names). I don't think there is any doubt we will see an explosion of brokerage services.

 

[izopod]

Originally posted by Duke


You are right on the money Izopod. I know several guys who have already started official brokerage businesses in anticipation of WLS (and one in particular who has already acquired exclusive rights to represent some exceptionally good names). I don't think there is any doubt we will see an explosion of brokerage services.

:evil:

I love it when ingenuity meets monopolization head on...

I can envision a day, that I am alerted via my mobile phone that a seller of a name that I am after is ready to deal. All I have to push is my buyer's code, and the transaction is done (i.e money sent via DomainPal (insert name here), to the seller's account)

Now we're cooking...

 

[Duke]

If I am the owner of a domain name (and not a professional domainer) and the phone starts ringing at all hours of the night and day, I am going to want someone who understands the value of what I have representing my interests and fielding all of those calls. I can see a good broker being just as valuable to inexperiencd sellers in the domain business as they are in real estate. I think brokers will end up short circuiting a LOT of WLS subscriptions.

 

[affordablehosting]

Martin also hints at an interesting new service. “I looked at WLS a year ago when it was announced and quietly built an alternative. We’ve run it in beta for the last year (undetected so far). It will fracture the WLS system and quite frankly hand ICANN some issues it REALLY isn’t going to like.

After a domain goes to "ON HOLD", a registrar has completed it's contractual agreement to the person who owns the domain.

What would happen if a majority of the registrars just stopped letting valuable domains drop? They could forward the domains to Pool.com and DropWizard.com, and make a killing at auction.

ICANN and Verisign would be screwed. They'd either have to terminate half of their registrars, or WLS would become worthless. It would mess up the whole domain system.

Is this the can of worms DropWizard.com is thinking of opening? Sweet revenge. :laugh:

 

[Duke]

Interesting thought Affordable. Gordon Martin didn't give me any other details about what he has in mind but I do not believe he is one to issue idle threats - so I'm sure he has something in the works.

 

[Steen]

Originally posted by affordablehosting


After a domain goes to "ON HOLD", a registrar has completed it's contractual agreement to the person who owns the domain.

What would happen if a majority of the registrars just stopped letting valuable domains drop? They could forward the domains to Pool.com and DropWizard.com, and make a killing at auction.

ICANN and Verisign would be screwed. They'd either have to terminate half of their registrars, or WLS would become worthless. It would mess up the whole domain system.

Is this the can of worms DropWizard.com is thinking of opening? Sweet revenge. :laugh:

I believe that is against ICANN rules.

Not like they havent been broken before

 

[mike_dp]

Ughm I believe Verisign already has 2 million or so domains they acquired with acquisition and havnt released them back into the "POOL" so they are already doing this.. how could they fight it?

 

[mike_dp]

or was that 20 million? heh I forget

 

[affordablehosting]

I believe that is against ICANN rules.

Right... the only problem is that ICANN can't terminate half of its registrars when all the companies who currently have drop catching agreements with Pool and Namewinner decide to stop letting valuable domains drop.

If the Anti-WLS lawsuit fails, Verisign will have serious trouble suing the registrars for "Loss of business" or "breach of contract".