More on the issue of reseller / registrar relationship

More on the issue of reseller / registrar relationship

From: Ron Stark <ronstark§snapsite.com.au>
Date: Mon, 23 Jun 2003 10:52:56 +1000
To me the central issue is whether, as a reseller, I'm empowering a
competitor to my own detriment.

My customer list (as distinct from my contact list) is a key asset to my
business.  As a reseller of domain names I'm obligated to not only disclose
that list, but to entrust it to my registrar.  Having inherited my customer,
that registrar can then approach them with impunity, because auDA's
jurisdiction does not extend beyond domain names.

If my registrar offers competing services to my clients I have a serious
reservation in dealing with that registrar.  If a registrar approaches my
_potential_ customer and wins the business, that's fair competition.  If my
registrar simply adopts my _existing_ customer and takes my business, that's
piracy.

I know of no other commercial endeavour in which a business is compelled to
hand over their customers to their competitors, with neither protection not
recourse.  And here's a challenge to registrars - who will give a cast iron
guarantee that I as a reseller am not at risk from such predatory business
practice.

Is there anybody out there interested in establishing a Reseller's
Association to restore some balance / equity in this minefield of reseller /
registrar relationships?

Ron Stark
mailto:ronstark&#167;snapsite.com.au
Received on Fri Oct 03 2003 - 00:00:00 UTC

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