Getting A Taste Out Of Domains: Registering Millions For Free
These methods are referred to as domain kiting and domain tasting. When a domain name is registered and canceled multiple times within the 5 day grace period, the end result is that the registrant will own the name without having to pay for it. This is termed domain kiting. With domain name tasting, the registrant takes advantage of the 5 day grace period to register lots of domain names and then decides which ones perform best. The registrant decides which ones to return and which ones to keep, paying only for the ones kept.
ICANN altered the policy and fee structure around August of 2008 to eliminate those schemes. To put an end to this, Google made the announcement that they would no longer place ads on domain names that were less than five days old. Domain kiters used to use Google AdSense to make money; however, since the Google ban and the ICANN fees, this practice has come to a screeching halt. However, the fees have only caused a small inconvenience for big time domain tasters.
Because of the high number of domains registered, the cost for deleting domains within a given grace period are not high compared to the costs of doing so. Therefore, domain name tasting is still profitable to the big time players. They just pay their fees and keep on going using other ad companies besides Google Ad Sense. AdBrite is one example. However, it is a problem for small players. For this reason, UK’s Nominet created new regulations and rules to end contracts with registrants who continue this sort of practice. These steps have been fairly effective in halting the practice of abusing the system by employing domain tasting to try out domain names without having to pay for them.
Message Labs Intelligence issued a report in 2009 that said that domain tasting tactics had pretty much stopped, although, it is still possible to make some money with this technique. The end of domain tasting is discussed in this report. That is not quite completely correct. While the popularity of these practices has declined, it still occurs. The fact is that for international domains, ICANN still profits from domestic tasting when done correctly – which would be to watch it closely and do it on a large scale.
When a domain name is registered and canceled multiple times within the 5 day grace period, the end result is that the registrant will own the name without having to pay for it. The fees placed on domain name tasting have only deterred small players. However, it must be done on a large scale and closely monitored to turn a profit.
Stephen Grisham, Sr. is a copy writer for InfoServe Media, LLC. InfoServe Media is a Houston web design and web hosting company. Or if you just need a few changes to an existing site, InfoServe Media also offers website maintenance.
