Free SSL is likely to make registrar partners uneasy.
Last week GMO Registry, the company behind the .shop top level domain name, announced that it was providing a free SSL certificate to registrants of .shop domain names.
While this might seem like a great perk for registrants, the move risks irking the registrar partners that GMO relies on to sell .shop top level domain names. A free SSL certificate is one less product for registrars to sell their customers.
GMO Registry CEO Hiro Tsukahara told Domain Name Wire, “.shop SSL will be sold only through registrars who opt-in so I don’t believe there will be any conflict. We’re working very closely with our partners to make sure they’re happy in working with us.”
Still, I can’t imagine registrars will be excited about this move.
One of the reasons .tel had trouble gaining traction was because the domain was designed to host contact data in the DNS rather than a website. Registrars were unable to sell high-margin hosting as an add-on to .tel domains and had to create a new integration with .tel. (This will be changing for .tel.)
SSL is quickly becoming a profitable add-on for domain name registrars. Some registrars now offer Domain Validated certificates for free, but hope to upsell customers on more expensive organization validated and extended validation certificates.
The reason, I do not build out my domains is because of the SSL certificate. Take it away, and the internet might get better. It is a stupid piece of paper, in my eyes and a waste of my money.
I get that they are trying to grow their own business, but extras are the lifeblood of most registrars. An SSL’s specifically is one of the highest netting products they offer.
Great deal for the registrant, but I could imagine some push back from the registrars. You do have to applaud GMO a little though for thinking outside the box. While it may seem a little unethical to the registrar it still going to help GMO’s bottom line.
1 and 1 registrars offer FREE SSL, FREE Lockdown, FREE Whois Privacy, Free website, Free email etc.
Registrars who think in terms of their customers will grow and those who do not fail and shrink.
I applaud this innovation from .shop It will help me choose to use that extension. I am sure they have no problems finding suitable partners to support them and in turn I will support those partners with my business. Easy.