Domain name front running

Posted by Leo on January 25th, 2008 at 08:00am

Have you ever tried to search for a domain name, and found one you really like, but it becomes unavailable the next day you come back and register it? Apart from the conincident that someone else wants to purchase the same domain name, this could be due to domain name front runners were at your back.

Front runners purchase / steal domain search data from ISPs / registries and ‘taste’ these names. (They are also called domain tasters - which is one type of front runners.)

Therefore, it is best practice to purchase a domain name right the way if you found it. We all know how hard it is to find a good domain name now, especially in the .com domain.

However, there was an article recently about Network Solutions being ’so kind’ to try to protect us from it. What they do and the way they do it isn’t too great though. The information below is from Jonathon Nevett, Vice President of Policy at Network Solutions.

When you search for a domain name in the Network Solutions website and it becomes available but not purchased, Network Solutions would ‘reserve’ it for 4 days. During these 4 days, you will not be able to purchase this domain name elsewhere unless from them.

If the domain name is not purchased within these 4 days, then it would be released back to the registry.

What does this mean? This means that they know a domain name of interest, and would keep them to make sure that interested party is going to purchase from them! Mr Nevett said “we do not monetize the traffic on these domain“. That is clearly a lie. You buy from them, and you paid and they got monetized.

“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.” But it seems to me they are being the front runners now.

I seriously hope that ICANN is going to do something.

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