Last Friday, I shared responses to ICANN’s blog post about relief for registrants in light of the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic from several domain registrars. Most domain registrars are offering customers the ability to get back their expired domain names without having to pay what is typically quite a hefty restoration fee. Registrars are generally reliant upon the upstream domain registries to back this offer.
Earlier today, 101domain published a blog post detailing how it is assisting its registrant clients. In the blog post, 101domain had information about what individual registry providers are doing to help registrants. Companies like Verisign, .Club registry, Donuts, Afilias, and other major registries have offered relief to registrants via its registrar partners. XYZ Registry can be added to that list.
This afternoon, the XYZ Registry and CentralNic published a press release with details about how they are working together to help registrants. XYZ Registry operates a number of extensions, including .XYZ, .Baby, .College, .Storage, and several others, while CentralNic manages the back-end of the operation.
Like other registries, XYZ and CentralNic are offering a restoration fee waiver program similar to what other registries are offering. Registrars partners of CentralNic are able to pass this along to their customers who are in need.
Here’s the press release I was sent:
XYZ to waive redemption fees during the COVID-19 pandemic
Los Angeles, CA – April 14, 2020 – The XYZ Registry, known for its wide array of domain names, is waiving Redemption Grace Period (RGP) Restore Fees during the global coronavirus crisis through CentralNic’s RGP Restore Fee Waiver Program. Participating registrars that carry XYZ TLDs, including leading gTLD .xyz, will have the option to waive the redemption fees from now until June 30, 2020, at which time the program will be evaluated for continuation. With this program, XYZ is providing some flexibility to registrants affected by the pandemic.
Customers experiencing delays in funding, aid, or business recovery, may need to wait to renew their expired domains. The RGP Restore Waiver Program removes the extra fee that the customer is typically billed for renewing a domain that is past its expiration date. Under this program, the customer will only pay the normal renewal fee, and the registrar will waive the extra redemption charge. If you have any questions, please contact your registrar directly.
Along with .xyz, participating XYZ TLDs include .College, .Rent, .Security, .Protection, .Theatre, .Storage, .Baby, and .Monster. With over two and a half million collective registrations worldwide, many of XYZ’s customers could be eligible for the redemption fee waiver. Participating registrar partners with customers whose domains fall into the Redemption Grace Period from now until June 30, 20201 will be able to waive the extra fee to renew.
“We know that COVID-19 has come with many serious challenges for our customers, and we don’t want them to get penalized if that means getting behind on their bills,” says XYZ Registry CEO Daniel Negari, “XYZ is committed to our community, and will do everything we can to support our partners at this time.”
The RPG Restore Fee Waiver Program is available to all accredited CentralNic registrars. A sign-up form was distributed to CentralNic registrars early Tuesday morning.
About XYZ
XYZ is a next-generation technology company giving all people fresh domain name options, including the most popular new domain in the world, .xyz. The registry also operates .College, .Rent, .Security, .Protection, .Theatre, .Storage, .Baby, and .Monster, as well as .Cars, .Car, and .Auto through a joint venture. Learn more about XYZ on Fox Business News with Maria Bartiromo and Wired, or at www.gen.xyz.
Very interesting update Elliot. I have reached out to Dynadot and been advised there are no such reliefs in place i.e. full redemption fees will be applied. I have also reached out to Todd (Han) their CEO but no response so far. Perhaps you might get an update. Disappointing, having spent many thousands of dollars with them over the years.