My opinion: Riding on Expiring Domains

In a recent article posted on CircleID, author “Talented Fool” writes regarding registrars taking over domains when they enter the expiration grace period in an article titled “Riding on Expiring Domains”. These registrars replace the domain owner’s site with a parking page, and often sell these domains through expiring domain services like SnapNames. Talented Fool suggests that this is a violation of the domain owner’s property rights.

I can’t disagree more. If a registrar puts its own site on a non-expired domain, that would be wrong. But we’re talking regarding a domain that someone has discontinued paying for. If you stop paying your rent, you get evicted. People that believe grace periods are there for abuse are the same people that pay their credit card bills late. There’s no difference here. Talented Fool also writes:

If it’s fair to assume the most likely time potential buyers will know your are serious regarding selling a domain is during the grace period (this is the 45 days following your registration renewal date), it’s easy to see why this is such a popular process with registrars.

But what if you wanted to post your own web page with a notice that may provide a sale where you would keep 100% of your sale price – not 15% [which you are owed if a drop service sells your expiring domain]?

Well, here’s an idea. Pay another $8 to renew the domain and put up your for sale sign.