Brand owners, beware.
The .sucks top level domain name has been slow to take off, rendering its alleged “extortion” strategy wounded. But this might change next month.
.Sucks registry Vox Populi will begin a rebate program in January that will temporarily drop the wholesale price of .sucks domains to $1.99 ($19.99 for premiums). That’s a 99% rebate.
This is sure to stoke new .sucks registrations, including of popular brands. But brand holders would be wise to think twice before filing a UDRP on the names. The discounts only apply to first-year registrations, so cybersquatters will have to pay the regular (and prohibitive) prices when it comes time to renew a year later. I suspect most will let the domains drop unless there’s a renewal promotion a year from now.
Vox Populi says the intent of the program is “to stimulate an emerging consumer and advertising market for the dotSucks platform.”
Well, now that’s a provocative take on a rather routine registry initiative, no?
After nearly two years of meeting the market with dotSucks domain names, there are emerging trends — advocates, advertising & communities — we want to stimulate. As for “cybersquatters,” the policies of the registry (not just its pricing) has mitigated against that practice. Those don’t change.
Finally, programs begin and end. Each participating registrar will get to run the program for 30 days only; beginning not earlier than January 2017 and ending by the end of April 2017. Could have told you that if you’d asked.
I know it’s temporary but hadn’t specifically noted that. I added that word.
I’m saying what will happen, not what you want to happen.
That’s a lifetime opportunity to pay $19.99 for icann.sucks instead of paying $185,000 … is there a dropcatch service for that ? 😉
Just make it 1 cent while your at it, nobody cares, this is one of the worst, and the business world has taken a stand against it, well done brand managers.
Temporary sucks.
No thanks.
Ha ha … so true
I like .sucks and think it has the potential to become disruptive over time. .com went no-where for 6 years after launching. Then it took off. It’s Y2 for many of these new endings and sucks is one of the best
Face the music, people. The new gtlds are dead and consumers hold CompanySucks.Com in much higher regard than Company.Sucks which is generally considered to be a silly novelty. Hate to say I told you so, but I told you so.
Wow, it is amazing how those that fear their investments in the oldTLDs will be devalued _still_ have nothing better to do…
.SUCKS is the worst think that was brought by the ICANN new gTLD program to internet users and Trademarks.
Nothing brings out people’s better qualities – politeness, patience, charity, tolerance, giving people the benefit of the doubt – like .SUCKS!
“to stimulate an emerging consumer and advertising market for the dotSucks platform”
GTFO you clowns