Ahhhh. I hate doing these posts. I really want to write positive things, I really do and have tried. When I discovered expiring Tucows domains were heading to Afternic, I showed joy and wrote of my happiness here!

Why was I happy? I was hoping, just hoping since the domains would be getting a lot more attention that Tucows would stop "cherry picking" expiring domains.

IMO Tucows domain portfolio should be built the very same way mine is. If I want to purchase an expired/expring domain I put my hard earned money on the line and purchase it in a way that I consider Legal. Bidding against other’s publicly risking real money that feeds our families as an investment.

Now if your a publicly traded company and offer domain registrartions like Tucows, and a customers domain expires, Tucows allow you as a customer plenty of time to renew the domain. During this expiring domain process (about 20 days into expired status) this domain get’s listed in an expired auction. Well, I should say MOST expiring domains are offered Publicly. The ones that do not make it to auction are either renewed by the old owner or Tucows just keeps the domain and pay’s the Registry Fee and ICANN fee and that’s it.

Ken Schafer says (Vice President, Marketing and Product Management at Tucows)~ " We do review expiring names and we move a small percentage to our Domain Portfolio at the end of the 40 day Grace Period. The majority of names will now go to the Afternic auction. Source is from Tucows blog and the comment is #2.

Bill Sweetman has confirmed this here on this blog as well in the past that Tucows keeps some expiring domains for it’s portfolio, but Ken cleared it up that they will keep doing it today!

So to shorten this up, As Ken says, The Majority of names will now go to the Afternic auction…. In my eyes and as an investor, this mean and again is in my opinion… We take all the good stuff and leave the shit for the rest of you! So have fun buying all the crap domains we didn’t want…… Suckers!

So I see no reason for me or any other investor to weed throught the crap that Tucows will be sending Afternic now, since it’s already picked through before it even hits auction! If you think this is wrong that Tucows is allowed (and does) to keep expired domain names and does not allow the general public a Chance at purchasing the domain in a public auction to not feed them with money  for Registration, buying expired domains, etc. (This is your choice. I am not telling you that you have to do this).

I will personally put up $200 and pay for 1 domain (per entity)  to be transfered out of tucows to your registrar of choice. I will pay you via mass pay ($10 Max) paypal. You will need to show proof of the transfer out starting with todays date (June 25, 2008) . Once the domain has finish transfering (approx 5 days) contact me via the contact page here. I will verify with any info you provide and whois history. I will create a page here on the blog of the domains transfered out to keep track of the $200. Please include your paypal email address when you provide your proof of transfer.