[registrars] Payments for multi year registrations.

[Larry Erlich]

Rob Hall wrote:
> Bob,
> 
> I think you are way off base here. 
> 
> Frankly, I don't think any Registrars still pay only a year at a time,
> as there is a negative incentive to do so.  With the Registry prices
> rising each year, a Registrar would be crazy to not pay it all the years
> up front, as their costs are only increasing every year.
> 
> That said, although we don't do it, I know some Registrars offer a
> registration period longer than 10 years.  I think that is perfectly
> acceptable for them to do so as a business model.
> 
> If a client wants to buy a 100 year Registration, and they enter into a
> contract with a Registrar to do so, I see nothing wrong with that. 

I guess it depends on what you mean by "nothing wrong with that".
Personally, from a business standpoint it doesn't make any sense
and that even assumes that "this thing of ours" is around in even,
say, 28 years. Actually, it's a really bad idea (but then so is paying
a certain registrar what is it, $108/year for the right to display ppc 
ads with the hope that a name can *legitimately* have enough traffic to 
justify that type of, um, gamble.)

Anyway, if we are talking about Network Solutions, (which
was sold to General Atlantic for $800 million according the the WSJ,) 
this is what the fine print says if you choose the 100 year option at $999:

"100 Year Domain Service - Network Solutions will register your domain 
name for the maximum term available at the underlying domain registry 
and then, as long as your domain is registered with us, we'll add 
additional years to that registration on an annual basis for a total of 
100 years of registration service from the date of your purchase. 
Service is non-transferable and non-refundable."

(snip)

"What if I transfer my domain name to another registrar?
     It is important to note that your pre-paid 100 Year Domain Service 
is provided exclusively by Network Solutions for you, and will terminate 
upon any transfer of your domain name to another registrar, with no 
refunds. The number of registration years that transfer to a new 
registrar will be the current term of the registration at the time of 
transfer, as reflected in WHOIS."




Larry Erlich
http://www.DomainRegistry.com

--------------------------------------------------------
DomainRegistry.com Inc.
ICANN Accredited Registrar * Since 1996
215-244-6700
erlich at DomainRegistry.com
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> The
> client is making a choice and the Registrar a commitment to renew the
> registration for that period of time.   Sounds good to me.  
> 
> Registrars are supposed to have different business models.  That is what
> makes us competitive and different.
> 
> Rob.
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-registrars at gnso.icann.org
> [mailto:owner-registrars at gnso.icann.org] On Behalf Of Robert F. Connelly
> Sent: Tuesday, May 29, 2007 1:50 AM
> To: Registrars Constituency
> Subject: [registrars] Payments for multi year registrations.
> 
> Dear Members:
> 
> Those of us who were on the ill fated "Code of Conduct Task Force" felt
> that there should be a requirement that registrars taking multi year
> registrations should pay the registry immediately for the full
> registration paid for by the registrant.
> 
> Over the years, we have had some vigorous debates over this issue in the
> RC meetings.  To me, it was analogous  to taking out a "twenty pay year"
> life insurance policy and paying the broker for the first ten years --
> with the broker paying the insurance company a year at a time.
> 
> When we had a run of five and ten year fraudulent registrations a couple
> of years ago, I was able to see the point of putting through the first
> year registration and waiting long enough for the chances of a
> Chargeback to elapse before paying for the full contract.
> 
> I can see two incentives for delaying payments beyond the chargeback
> issue,  1. building cash flow and 2. the expectation that registry fees
> would go down with time.  I certainly had expected them to do so.  Those
> of us in Core thought the six dollar fee to Verisign was very excessive.
> 
> 
> However, not only have the registry fees *not* gone down (except .net),
> they have gone up.  In addition, a very hefty ICANN fee has been added.
> Registrars holding back on full payments for multi year registrations
> will be hit with a shortfall at some point.  Since the RegisterFly.com
> problem, we can all see the risks of building cash flow by such methods.
> Some day there will be a day of reckoning.
> 
> Regards, BobC
> 
> 
>