Uniregistry has been selling its new gTLD domain names since the end of February of this year, but they have not been selling them via GoDaddy, the largest domain name registrar in the world. According to a tweet from Uniregistry founder Frank Schilling, as of yesterday, new gTLD domain names managed by Uniregistry are now available for purchase by customers at GoDaddy.
Proud to see all Uniregistry TLDs on the shelf at #Godaddy today! The best extensions are now available at the biggest registrar.
— Frank Schilling (@Frank_Schilling) October 21, 2014
I checked, and GoDaddy is now selling Uniregistry extensions like .link, .sexy, .tattoo, .blackfriday, .guitars, and others. The pricing seems comparable to other registrars, although the prices are more expensive than buying the domain names directly from Uniregistry (not taking any discounts into consideration).
In February of this year, Kevin Murphy of DomainIncite.com wrote an article about “why registrars are boycotting .sexy” and other Uniregistry new gTLD domain names. In his article, Murphy wrote, “The reason, according to multiple sources, is that Uniregistry’s Registry-Registrar Agreement contains two major provisions that would dilute registrars’ “ownership” of their customer base.” According to Schilling, the onboarding process at GoDaddy is extensive, and if any issues occur during the process, it is moved to the back of the queue.
At the present time, there are approximately 100 domain registrars selling Uniregistry domain names. I am told that approximately 150 registrars have signed the Uniregistry RAA, so it looks like the company is ramping up.
Obviously, having GoDaddy sell Uniregistry’s domain names is a big win for the company. GoDaddy has the largest consumer reach among domain registrars, and Uniregistry is sure to pick up many new registrations as a result. Schilling commented, “We are glad to be onboard and on-sale there as it helps our extensions to become more viable in the primary and secondary market.”
