This article is the first in a series where NamesCon is conducting interviews with its Exhibitors and Sponsors. NamesCon is the largest commercial domain name conference and is held every January in Las Vegas. The NamesCon 2015 dates are January 11-14, 2015 at the Tropicana Hotel on the famous Las Vegas strip.
Today we are lucky to have Joe Alagna from 101domain.com:
Q. Hi Joe! Can you tell us about your company and how long you have been there?
A. We’re 101domain.com and have been around since 1999. We’re an ICANN Accredited Registrar offering the largest selection of ccTLDs in the world. We’re also very transparent. Our CEO likes to call our website the Wikipedia of ccTLDs. We’re also all in on new gTLDs so you can find information on any one of them on our site.
Q. This is your second time exhibiting at NamesCon. Can you tell us about your first time and what you got out of it?
A. I knew NamesCon was going to become the most exciting new trade show in the domain name business from the start. When you have people like Richard Lau and Jothan Frakes at the helm, price a show so that anyone can afford it, and host somewhere as accessible and popular as Las Vegas, you have a winning formula.
Q. 101domain.com is a leader in the new GTLD space. What are your thoughts on the releases so far this year?
A. Opinions on new gTLDs are as wide and varied as the number of new choices available! No matter what anyone thinks, we are a domain name registrar and our position from the start is to do everything we can to make the decision process easy for registrants and domainers who are interested in new gTLDs. We have landing pages for every new gTLD. We support all the stages and phases, including Sunrise, Early Access / Landrush, Special Phases, and General Availability. Keeping our customers updated on releases and changes is a top priority.
As to good, bad, success, and failure, the rules are different today. A registry doesn’t need a hundred million domain names registered to be considered a success. At twenty to thirty dollars per year, they only need 150K to 250K domains registered and renewed each year to become a five million dollar business. It’s not better or worse, it’s just different and our kids are going to grow up using this new system.
Q. NamesCon is all about business networking. Can you tell us a story about the success of a meeting at NamesCon last year?
A. Our biggest successes last year came through our affiliations with registries. We negotiated a fantastic partnership with .club, offering free unlimited hosting with every .club sold since then. It has become our largest new gTLD sold. The .club team is fantastic and has supported us in our efforts. That probably wouldn’t have happened if we weren’t hosting booths right next to each other at NamesCon last year. Our supplier relationships all were enhanced by the networking opportunities at NamesCon 2014 and we can’t wait until NamesCon 2015.
Q. At the WaterNight charity event you had your head shaved spontaneously after a bid and challenge from a Faisal at NameCheap. What was the reaction when you returned home?
A. We’ll need a bar and two beers to tell the whole story. Just take away these two lessons. 1.) Don’t dare Faisal Premji. 2.) Even after 35 years, it’s not a good idea to come home from Las Vegas and surprise your wife with a bald head. 🙂
Thank you Joe! We invite people to contact Joe to set up a time to drop by the 101domain booth in Las Vegas in January at NamesCon!
I want to mention that today NamesCon is donating 100% of registration revenue to charity in honor of Veteran’s Day. More details here:
http://www.thedomains.com/2014/11/11/namescon-is-donating-100-of-registration-revenue-received-on-veterans-day-to-charity/
Hello,
i have a great domain name biometrics.id.
Id is refer to Indonesia country, but id could mean IDENTITY.
how much its price..?