>I'm not suggesting that registrars are crooks, nor am I suggesting that
>resellers should band together to become registrars. I'm groping for
>ways to redress a fundamentally flawed model, in which in the process of
>getting business for myself I am compelled to hand it over to a
>competitor.

How is the system fundamentally flawed?  Because it protects the registrant
by ensuring that only organisations that have passed technical and administrative
accreditation procedures are able to access the registry?

Doesn't sound very flawed to me.

jon

>-- Original Message --
>Reply-To: dns§lists.auda.org.au
>From: "Ron Stark" <ronstark&#167;snapsite.com.au>
>To: <dns&#167;lists.auda.org.au>
>Date: Wed, 25 Jun 2003 13:28:15 +1000
>Subject: [DNS] Registrant Agreements revisited
>
>
>You're confusing the issues.  In the domain name space, the contract is
>between the registrar and the registrant - the reseller does not exist.
>In respect of domain names, a reseller acquires registrar customers, not
>customers of their own.
>
>In peripheral services (hosting, websites et al, the contract is between
>the reseller and the registrant, and the registrar doesn't exist.  In
>this respect, the reseller acquires his own customers.
>
>The weakness is that you (as in a registrar - not necessarily you as
>Enetica) say that you never approach a reseller's customer directly by
>way of direct marketing.  But you can (and are obligated to) contact
>registrants with respect to domain names.  Now how do you deal with
>that?  You use that vehicle to direct _your_ client (the registrar) to
>your website, where you can now regail _my_ client with offers of
>hosting, email services, websites etc - in other words, you are
>immediately my competitor.
>
>If a prospect goes to your website, then mine, and decides to use your
>services, that's fine - that's competition.  If a client that _I_ have
>given you goes to your website because of a commnication from you about
>domain names, and becomes your client for non-domain name services,
>that's unfair advantage.
>
>I'm not suggesting that registrars are crooks, nor am I suggesting that
>resellers should band together to become registrars.  I'm groping for
>ways to redress a fundamentally flawed model, in which in the process of
>getting business for myself I am compelled to hand it over to a
>competitor.
>
>I'm not sure the answer lies in changing auDA's process either, because
>either way you end up either restricting registrars' business, or you
>are disenfranchesising resellers.
>
>Resellers and registrars need each other, and there will always be a
>(sometimes) uneasy co-existence.  My initial suggestion of an
>Assocciation of Resellers had several motivations:
>
>- To create clout through collective buying and bargaining power, where
>there is none at the moment
>- To give credence to being a reseller, since in auDA's eyes resellers
>don't officially exist
>- To create a vehicle through which resellers can establish their own
>codes of conduct (which naturally include auDA's) but are extended to
>cover non-domain issues.
>- To create an entity whereby resellers can have their own
>accreditation.
>
>auDA has, by and large, jumped on rogues and charlatans in the domain
>name space.  Outside of that very specific area, however, auDA has
>neither say nor jurisdiction.  A rogue reseller can do what they like
>outside of the narrowly-defined auDA area of responsibility, and we've
>already seen that loophole in the last couple of weeks.
>
>Ron Stark
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Deus Ex Machina [mailto:vicc&#167;cia.com.au] 
>Sent: Wednesday, 25 June 2003 12:34 PM
>To: dns&#167;lists.auda.org.au
>Subject: Re: [DNS] Registrant Agreements
>
>
>Ron Stark [ronstark&#167;snapsite.com.au] wrote:
>> In respect of the domain name, the only contract is between the 
>> registrar and the registrant.  Resellers don't exist.  That's the auDA
>
>> model.
>> 
>
>thats not entirely correct, there are contracts between the registrar
>and resellers and between registrants and resellers.  what isnt allowed
>is an indirect contract with a registrant.
>
>For example Enetica's reseller contract binds the reseller to auda
>policies thus including them in the whole process. auda specifically
>require that anyone doing more then 10 domains a month is officially a
>reseller.
>
>Given that auda will not change anything in a rush, resellers should
>make the most of the situation, rather then trying to hide the
>registrar, where the registrar has a good reputation and a strong brand
>they should leverage off it.
>
>Just like you dont buy joe blogs rebranded shoes at the local shoe store
>you buy nikes, addidas etc. even though nike has company owned stores.
>unlike shoes a domain is not a physical product but a licence.  imo the
>whole branding concept still applies. the actual licence is identical
>between registrars but the service and support and additional services
>are not and that is where the key diferentiators are for registrars and
>thus resellers.
>
>the same scenario happens everywhere I walk down my local plaza and half
>the small store brands are sold accross the path in grace bros. where I
>end up buying something depends on more factors then just price. if I am
>after advice I will go to the small store, if I know what I want and
>know there is a sale I will probably buy from GB.
>
>selling the knowledge that if there is an issue you may be sitting on a
>phone queue for 30 mintues with registrar XYZ or have to make
>international calls with registrar DEF but get rapid help with registrar
>ABC is just an obvious selling point that resellers can use to say this
>is why we use registrar ABC. as an example.
>
>if the concern for not letting customers see a registrars retail site is
>price then selecting registrars with high retail price is an obvious
>tactic provided they give you a good margin. Enetica specifically has a
>high retail price for this reason, to ensure reseller have a decent
>margin, higher in almost all cases then Enetica itself.
>
>imo the registrars that have a good reputation and service will dominate
>the ones which dont.
>
>Vic
>
>
>
>
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