How is the Registration Market?

[MMiz]

Im looking at getting into the domain registration business in conjection with an upcoming project. I would sell the domains for ~$20. Im worried that I still wouldnt be making enough money that it would ultimately be worth it. So I have a few questions:

1. How much support goes into domain registrations.
2. I would be using DRAMS / Enom, does that seem to be a good choice?
3. Any words of advice before I start my new venture?

Thanks!

-Matt

[Robert]

Although IMO $20 is very expensive for a domain compared to what most places charge, if you target the right market you can actually sell a lot of those.

We use Enom with Drams and it's the best script around (IMO).

Before you get an Enom account, get the Drams Script because Drams Owners can get Enom accounts at 7.95 instead of 8.95.

We got ours from our merchant, ModernAuthorize

[Chicken]

You have to get a secure cert if you choose DRAMS eh? Also, if I was using PDQ, it uses the same database of members, etc., so my users' usernames will all work? I know some enom resellers have their own db. Also, would using DRAMS with 2checkout work OK, or should I look into getting an actual merchant account (or wait until volume justifies it)?

[nameslave]

My take is that reselling domain registration won't be profitable at all unless you are pricing it at say $20 per name year AND as an add-on for hosting, design or some other products or services.

By the way, I have yet to come across a more impressive (design-wise) eNom reseller using DRAMS, anyone?

[Robert]

Originally posted by Chicken:

You have to get a secure cert if you choose DRAMS eh? Also, if I was using PDQ, it uses the same database of members, etc., so my users' usernames will all work? I know some enom resellers have their own db. Also, would using DRAMS with 2checkout work OK, or should I look into getting an actual merchant account (or wait until volume justifies it)?

Well yes you would need to get a secure cert. if you are using your own merchant account, in our case, we just forward the user to our main site (verohost) which has a secure cert. When you first install Drams, you simple use the populate.php script to download all the current domains in your enom account and than you assign them to different users (afer the user registers). Full support for PayPal, Authorizenet, InfoDial, 2Checkout, WorldPay, Echo, Revecom/Paysystems and PSIGate Credit Card Processing. Credit card processing can be disabled if you wish to process payments via PayPal only. Ability to add your own credit card processors. Queuing system allows for taking checks or billing customers.



Originally posted by nameslave:

My take is that reselling domain registration won't be profitable at all unless you are pricing it at say $20 per name year AND as an add-on for hosting, design or some other products or services.

By the way, I have yet to come across a more impressive (design-wise) eNom reseller using DRAMS, anyone?

Drams provides 3 templates, which of only 1 is any good. It's very very hard to make a template for Drams because there are over uhh 60 files to edit (yikes). There are some people who will do a custom template at cost of $400 dollars (bigger yikes).

We sell an avg. of 2-3 domains per day at the cost of $10 dollars minus Enom fees. It's not a get rich scheme, but it can help with the bills.

[zoltan]

$20 is a big price. Maybe you will have a few sales, but there are too many "under $10" domain registrars, so probably all your clients will transfer their domains away (sooner or later). Just my 2 cents.

[MMiz]

I should be studying for midterms, but Im not. Just a fast reply.

$20 seems very reasonable to me. I cant describe my idea quite yet, but it allows someone to use http://mysite.com/users/username. Its non hosting related, marketed towards a group that knows almost nothing about computers, and users would be required to use my domain service for re-direction.

I was thinking about making the price higher. There are other markets besides the cut-throat Web Hosting one we all know so much about. I just hope my plan works... if not I can always be a webhost :)

[datums]

I would advise you not to go into the domain industry to sell domains at $20. I think the market is so saturated, that the best thing would be to give domains free, and charge for the added service email hosting , photo gallery hosting, web hosting create a catchy package. If you are looking to make enough to quit your current job, it's not going to happen.

As far as what registrar I would recommend
Namebargain.com hands down. They are a sub of Register.com, their applications and systems are top of the line. They have been in the game longer than anyone else, other than netsol.
Their prices are resonable. They have a few Third Party solutions including api's I haven't really used them, but as far as systems and support, you can't compare.

Good Luck.

[MMiz]

Originally posted by datums:

I would advise you not to go into the domain industry to sell domains at $20. I think the market is so saturated, that the best thing would be to give domains free, and charge for the added service email hosting , photo gallery hosting, web hosting create a catchy package. If you are looking to make enough to quit your current job, it's not going to happen.

As far as what registrar I would recommend
Namebargain.com hands down. They are a sub of Register.com, their applications and systems are top of the line. They have been in the game longer than anyone else, other than netsol.
Their prices are resonable. They have a few Third Party solutions including api's I haven't really used them, but as far as systems and support, you can't compare.

Good Luck.

I couldnt agree more with you. I would end up being an eNom reseller though. I have an extremely different business plan. I really cant go through it online, it might come back to haunt me, but Im looking to break even in the domain market. Its more of a resume builder. But thanks for the great advice, Ill take it into consideration!

-Matt

[datums]

A reseller would be alot easier to pull off, and you can go out an get customers. To be come a real registrar, I think for .com, .net verisign charges 50K for the application. This was about 3 years ago, I don't know about now. Might be cheaper now that they don't have control of the .org


Take care

[nameslave]

Originally posted by datums:

As far as what registrar I would recommend
Namebargain.com hands down. They are a sub of Register.com, their applications and systems are top of the line. They have been in the game longer than anyone else, other than netsol.
Their prices are resonable. They have a few Third Party solutions including api's I haven't really used them, but as far as systems and support, you can't compare.
Sorry, but I guess MOST experienced domain registrants (not to say resellers or speculators) would STRONGLY disagree with that.

[Robert]

Originally posted by datums:

As far as what registrar I would recommend
Namebargain.com hands down. They are a sub of Register.com, their applications and systems are top of the line. They have been in the game longer than anyone else, other than netsol.
Their prices are resonable. They have a few Third Party solutions including api's I haven't really used them, but as far as systems and support, you can't compare.

Good Luck.


Register.com is a pure rip off. They don't even list their prices on their page. I think it runs for like $30 bucks or so. I've heard millions of horror stories about Register.com.

If you want the best domain registartion service online, than goto Godaddy.com. They ranked #1 with the recent quarterly report.

Godaddy with hands down.

[datums]

As for reseller yes, they don't cater to resellers they cater to corporate types. You will here alot of horror stories about Register.com because they are the 2nd biggest.
It's expect to here more stories about Register.com them about a godaddy, who has been around, who has shown that they can survive in this market. They are public and still trading on the NASDAQ.
You pay for what you get. That is the same with domains as it is with hosting.

Where is godaddy's 800 number , I have domains with both, have you tested response times. I myself am not a reseller.
If I was I would probably go with opensrs.


The easiest thing to do, get a reseller account with opensrs.
It will keep your cost down.

[nameslave]

Originally posted by datums:

... You pay for what you get. That is the same with domains as it is with hosting.

Where is godaddy's 800 number , I have domains with both, have you tested response times.
The weirdest thing about domain names is that those who charge outrageously high fees do NOT provide good (not to say best) services at all! I have registered hundreds of domain names with more than a dozen of registrars ever since 1997, and I can tell you that you DON'T get what you pay for.

Moreover, it is NameBargain that you are talking about, right? But unlike Register.com, they do NOT have any telephone support, not to say toll-free. With GoDaddy, at least I can get hold of someone in case of emergency. And the saddest thing is: either Register.com or NameBargain does not have better support personnel in terms of industry-specific knowledge. (To be fair though, they are almost always more courteous than those hundreds that I've talked to at NetSol and GoDaddy.)

My conclusion: don't try this at home :D no matter you're a corporate or reseller.