WTF? Domain Tasting? Front Running? Eh?
Have you ever been searching around looking up a whole heap of variations on a possible new domain name, trying to work out which ones are actually available, and which one might be the best one to register?
And then, when you finally make the decision, go to register it and find out it’s no longer available!
Bugger!
Apparently the chances are good that you’ve been a victim of a front runner – i.e. domains being registered by someone else just after you conducted a domain name search.
And would you believe…. This practice is actually used by A Major Domain Name Registrar!
Network Solutions has publicly stated that they actually reserve domain names for up to four days when someone searches for one on their site, as a “security measure” to protect their customers.
“This protection measure provides our customers the opportunity to register domains they have previously searched without the fear that the name will be already taken through Front Running.”
Try to register it at another registrar… it’ll be unavailable!
Apparently lots of domains are registered by domain “tasters” – people who purchase a domain, whack some ads on it, and see what happens. Apparently these unscrupulous people can somehow grab lists of domains that normal people are investigating for purchase.
And I thought it happened because there was someone else on the planet that had the same brilliant idea as me at the exact same time!
It seems I haven’t got an evil twin after all!
Too Cynical @ January 25, 2008
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