Domain registration price increases

Verisign has pricing increases going into effect on July 1st. As a result of these pricing changes, our registrar partner has informed us of corresponding increases which we must, in turn, pass along.

Effective July 1st, the new price for domain registrations, renewals, and transfers will increase from $8.59/year to $8.99/year.

Get your domain renewals in now to avoid the increase.

These changes have nothing to do with us, are not under our control, and are of no benefit to us. They’re bad for us, and they’re bad for you. Unfortunately, the same (auto-renewing into perpetuity) contracts with ICANN that grant Verisign a monopoly over .COM, .NET, and .NAME domains (among others) enshrine Verisign’s right to unilaterally raise prices by 7% every year, and they never miss a chance to do so. Their 30% profit margin in 2009 will almost certainly increase after they finish unloading everything not domain-related onto Symantec. It’s not bad work if you can get it. (And live with yourself afterward.)