Network Solutions to Auction Their Own Names?

http://blog.domaintools.com:80/2007/10/snapnames-dead-man-walking/

Another great post on Jay's blog..  he points out that Network Solutions has filed for a trademark on the term Namejet relating to "online auction services".  That's significant because many of the high quality domain names sold via the Snapnames.com auction site (recently acquired for 35mm by Los Angeles based Oversee) are in fact Network Solutions expiring domain names.

Netsol's position as the first retail registrar means that many of the valuable generic, meaningful .com domain names are registered with them. As a result, a higher percentage of quality expiring names fall away from Netsol than from other registrars. I expect Netsol will make the next logical evolutionary leap and not auction their best names, keeping them to create a media concern of their own.

Why sell your names 'now' in an auction to a narrow band of professional buyers when you can retain names and create a media company of your own like those buyers are doing.  Perhaps they'll simply run the auction over a longer period, attracting the highest possible payers from around the world.

Whatever the evolution I will likely drive sales prices higher. There are just no secrets left in this biz ;)

Comments

[Patrick McDermott]

"I expect Netsol will make the next logical evolutionary leap and not auction their best names, keeping them to create a media concern of their own."

Frank, I know this is being done but what right does a Registrar have to "keep domains"?

I remember reading somewhere on the ICAAN site that such activity is against ICAAN policy.

Am I mistaken?

Patrick

[DCMike77]

I have no idea why registrars, such as NetSol, keeping great names from dropping is allowed. I'm having difficulty articulating my reasoning here other than to say that there must be something ABSOLUTELY unethical and problematic with NetSol acquiring 6-figure expiring domain names for a ridiculous $8 registration fee.

How can this be?!? What are your thoughts here and what, if anything, should ICANN do about it?

[Adam]

Patrick, not to steal franks answer but if you do a little background on some of the other major registrar players you'll see they all have massive portfolios of domains they've "kept to themselves" . The 2 biggies being Dotster and Enom.

[Drewbert]

and Tucows.