Renewal prices will be low for premium domains registered May 16-June 30.
Investing in new top level domain names for which the registry charges an annual premium is a tough proposition for domain name investors. I might be willing to pay $1,000 for a good domain in a new TLD but continuing to pay $1,000 a year to renew is tough to swallow.
Rightside, the company behind 39 top level domain names including .attorney, .rocks and .news, is getting ready to launch a program that makes investing in premium domains a better proposition.
Any Rightside premium domain registered between May 16 and June 30 at participating registrars will have a wholesale renewal price of just $10, forever.
So if you pick Ballet.studio for $1,250, your renewal cost will be close to $10 every time it comes up for renewal. (Registrars can charge a markup on the $10 wholesale charge.)
Your five-year cost for Ballet.studio is about $260 per year ($1,250 + perhaps $15 a year thereafter) instead of $1,299 per year.
This is much better than a promo Rightside’s Name.com registrar ran last year. The discount (I believe it was 50%) looked good on the surface. But domain name investors could do the math: if you get half off a premium domain for the first year, that’s just a 10% discount if you hold the domain for five years and pay the hefty renewal fees each year.
The new promo makes it easy to hold onto domains longer while looking for a buyer.
The discount applies to the domain forever unless it expires. So if you sell the domain, the buyer gets to pay the reduced renewal fees.
The promotion does not include Rightside’s “Platinum” premium domains that are priced above $50,000 or set to “make offer”. (Although I’m sure they’re willing to negotiate on these.)
Here are some examples of Rightside domain names and their retail prices at Name.com. During the promotion period, you’ll pay the retail price for the first year and then get the discount in subsequent years.
Interactive.studio $1,875
Adblock.software $1,250
TourGuide.video $750
Advertising.ninja $625
Barcelona.rocks $625
RayJ says
Does this discount continue to apply if you sell the domain(s) to someone else as well, or is it only for the person or business who makes a purchase during the May 16 – June 30th promo window?
Andrew Allemann says
It applies even if you sell the domain name and includes transfer fees. The only way the price changes is if the domain is deleted and registered again by someone else after the promo period.
Bob says
What part of “All new gtlds suck!” does this company not understand?
Joseph Peterson says
@Bob,
Quite an extreme opinion. Even if you think so, what good would it do Rightside – as a company selling nTLDs – to believe what they’re selling has no merit?
I bought a handful of domains during their 50%-off sale last time, strictly as an experiment; and those have seen some interest – including unsolicited offers up to 4 figures.
Most domains weren’t priced viably for domain investors. At best, few were borderline affordable during that 50%-off sale. So it’s good to see Rightside making a sensible adjustment.
janedoe says
Pitt it won’t be retroactive and cover premium domains already purchased if renewed during the offer.
Bringing down the renewal price would increase over all interest in the domains.
And a lower renewal cost equals more interest in further investment
Acro says
janedoe – Does your car dealership send you a check for a car that you bought 2 years ago and it’s currently discounted?
Andrew Allemann says
Acro, I see your point and don’t disagree with what Rightside is doing here. But I think the analogy of the car is wrong. Domain names are a subscription service. She’s not asking for a discount on what she’s already paid, just what she will have to pay to renew it in the future.
Brad says
“Promotion” More like price cut since nobody pays $1,200 a year for a stupid gtld that confuses 90% of consumers. If people are paying $1,200 a year for a gtld, that only helps .com prices which don’t have silly renewal fees.
S. Brady Alliy says
I get the 20 year familiarity thing however a) most people are clueless to what a domain is and b) if you use a brand like tax.software as a link in social media posts and the user clicks and arrives at tax.software I am pretty sure that they will be comfortable even thought it may not be a .com and if they tell others via sharing to click the links then same applies. Not sure what the strong hatred for change is unless to protect long held investment domains. My advice to domain investors invest wisely, Compare the power of brands to social media vs content in the SEO world and don’t close potential income doors without considering all your options