SnapNames
SnapNames is an online marketplace for resale of domain names. The company offers a platform for buyers and sellers of domain names to transact business in a secure, transparent environment. The company is located at Portland, Oregon, USA. SnapNames is a 100% subsidiary of Oversee.net, a Los Angeles company that also owns other well-known brands such as DomainSponsor, Moniker and LowFares.com.
History
SnapNames was co-founded in June 2008 by engineers Raymond King and Ron Wiener [1]. The company is a genesis of an idea that Raymond King had as a student, while tracking a domain name which he wanted for himself, and whose registration expiry date was nearing. King wrote a programming script that enabled him to know the moment the domain name expired, so that he could quickly move in and re-register it in his name. His success led him to the founding of SnapNames, with the objective of providing its services to corporate clients who wanted to guard their domain names from accidental deletion from the domain registry. The company later expanded into offering its services to individual buyers who wanted to buy used domain names which have been deleted from the domain registry.
SnapNames was acquired by Oversee.net in the year 2007.
Business Model
The company operates the buying and selling of used domain names through the business model of online auctions. The company offers three major facilities to its clientele:
- Daily auctions: Interested buyers have the facility to visit the site and browse through a daily listing of the registered domain names that are available for sale, and bid for them.
- Monthly Showcase auctions: The site prepares and publishes a list of domain names which in its opinion has good potential.
- Live Auction events: The company organizes and conducts live auctions at various places in the United States, which interested buyers and sellers attend in person. These events also allow online, telephone and proxy bidding. The facility of live streaming video is provided, too.
The company has profit-sharing arrangement with a number of registrars to make the data in their registry available to the auctioning public.
Patent Filing
In May 2007, SnapNames filed for and obtained a patent (No 7,472,160 B2) [2], titled "Domain name management system and method". The patent is filed under the names of Raymond King, Ron Weiner, and Len Albert. This system makes it possible to identify a registered domain name which has received a threshold level of interest from potential buyers, thus rendering it auctionable.
Accomplishments
January 24, 2008 SnapNames reaches $3 million dollars in sales. [1]
On July 16, 2009 SnapNames.com, in partnership with Moniker.com, began a monthly showcase auction to target corporate buyers. [2]
Company Information
Customer Support: support@snapnames.com
+1 (866) 690-6279 (toll-free)
+1-503-241-8547 (outside U.S.)
Mailing Address: 1600 SW 4th Ave
Suite 400
Portland, OR
97201 USA
Office Phone: +1-503-219-9990
Fax: +1-503-274-9749