.Biz Domain Prices Increasing? — Why are
NeuStar’s rational for increasing prices: Everyone else is doing it.
.Biz registry NeuStar is raising wholesale prices 7% to $6.42. NeuStar’s rationalization for raising prices has nothing to do with increased security or management costs. Instead, NeuStar basically stated “everyone else is doing it, so we’re going to do it too.”
NeuStar’s letter to ICANN regarding the price increase states “NeuStar is taking this action to align .BIZ domain prices more closely with those of competing global TLDs.”
VeriSign started the trend by hiking .com prices 7% and .net prices 10% effective later this year, the maximum allowable under its contracts with ICANN. NeuStar may raise its prices 10% per year.
.Org registry Public Interest Registry disclosed a price hike to $6.15 per domain. .Info registry Afilias is also increasing prices to $6.15.
Wholesale prices are those the registry charges accredited registrars to register, renew, or transfer a domain. The registrar then tacks on its profit margin in registration prices. Many registrars sell registrations for $1.00 more than registry fees, so they will have little choice but to increase prices later this year as these increases go into effect. Registrants can save money by renewing domains ahead of the price hikes.
