Massive Distribution Channel Represents 90% of the Domain Name Market

Wednesday, May 21st 2014, Gibraltar
Famous Four Media, the registry operator for .BID, .TRADE, .WEBCAM and some 54 other Top Level Domains, has signed its 100th ICANN accredited registrar. Registrars are the only way through which end-users of domain names can purchase the domains, and Famous Four Media believes that these 100 registrars provide the largest distribution channel currently held by any new gTLD Registry operator, covering some 90% of all currently registered domains. The registrar is a critical element in the domain name supply chain, because registries are not allowed to sell directly to the end registrant. Andy Churley, CMO of Famous Four Media explains, “We have a laser-sharp focus on making it as simple as possible for registrars to work with us. Moreover, registrars are not passive third parties – signing an agreement with us means that they have already committed considerable resources integrating with Famous Four Media’s registries, and we are all intent on making the process for the end-registrant as easy as possible. To this end, we endeavor to provide our Registrars with top-flight, turnkey marketing resources to enable them to go out and find the right homes for our domain names.”

Critical to domain name sales, registrants need to be able to find distribution outlets, which in turn need to offer desirable “product” - in this case, the domain names themselves. And with the hundred Registry Registrar Agreements (RRAs) Famous Four Media has in place, a multiple is in effect in that they cover over 450 of the 1000 ICANN accredited registrars, since each agreement with a registrar can cover multiple sub-brands, not to mention the tens of thousands of domain name resellers around the world.

Through Famous Four Media’s proactive on-boarding process, registrars are ready to go to market in every sense. They have undergone technical accreditation, have put time and money into integrating systems for failsafe registration, and have committed resources to market Famous Four Media’s domain names through every conceivable mechanism. Churley continues, “It is very significant that we have the channels lined up before the domain names are generally available. And we have worked hand-in-hand with our registrars to simplify and streamline everything, in order to make the purchase process for the domain name registrant as seamless as possible. We are acutely aware that registrars have limited resources to actively promote gTLDs in their inventory, so they are necessarily selective about which Registries they support. At Famous Four Media we are proud and honored that so many registrars want to work with us to bring our new gTLDs to market.”

“The decision to partner with Famous Four Media was straightforward” said Richard Stevenson , Head of PR, 1&1 Internet Inc, www.1and1.com, one of the world’s largest domain name registrars, and one of the first Registrars to have signed the Famous Four Media RRA. “Not only do they have some great gTLDs that we think our customers will benefit from, but their processes are simple and consistent across all of their TLDs. At 1&1 we are excited to work with Famous Four Media to help bring their domain names to market.”