Domain investors are upset with Automattic and the way it handled the .Blog rollout.
Apparently, Automattic processed a bunch of .Blog applications, then used the data to evaluate many and reclassify them as premium domains.
The practice defeated the prospect many had, entrusting the makers of WordPress with their dot .Blog desires.
Programmer and blogger Chris Chidle wrote a scathing report of his application for Chris.Blog that was declined. In retaliation for this “dick move” by Automattic, Chris registered Chris.lol – a Uniregistry gTLD. The .LOL domain belonged to the North Sound Names portfolio of more than 3.6 million domains that was released by Uniregistry.
Verisign is involved in the biggest gTLD acquisition, that of .Web, for well over $130 million dollars.
As the Registry for dot .Web domains, the managers of .COM (and .NET) will have a great opportunity to deliver a meaningful gTLD to the masses, and that includes bloggers.
Whatever you do, Verisign, please don’t screw it up like Automattic did.
For starters, the flip-flopping on domains that were available and applied for, is ridiculous.
Second, at approximately $30 a pop, the pricing of .Blog domains is not going to attract those who want a domain for their blog. Bloggers are generally frugal, and they will get a cheaper .com, especially when the keyword .Blog domain they were after is priced for crazy amounts of money.
For example, Florida.blog is priced at $5,500 dollars a year, same for Mommy.blog. Daddy.blog is cheaper, at “only” $2,200 dollars annually. 😀
Good luck with that, Automattic.
