A few online forums are starting to mention that some people are receiving an online survey from auDA.
Given that I have approximately 5600 domains under a variety of different email addresses, I was surprised not to receive a request for survey. Nor have any of my fellow domainers (as yet). However, a reader of this blog sent me through a link to the survey.
I was absolutely gobsmacked that there was only one question relative to direct registrations. In my opinion, that is a very poor effort auDA – you are obviously under pressure from your registrars and the registry. If you weren’t, you’d surely have a more balanced survey.
No mention of the burden of additional unnecessary costs; or the potential of losing your brand or trading name to a competitor. No questions asking whether existing rights holder should be protected. Not even any room for additional comments.
Anyway, I will publish screenshots of the survey below – readers can judge for themselves.
But before you get into the survey, please have a read of these two articles I wrote last year. They offer you some contrast.
https://domainer.com.au/we-hereby-give-you-notice/
https://domainer.com.au/follow-the-money/
Ok – So Here’s The Survey!
I don’t recall seeing the survey either, though I may be mistaken.
It looks like this survey question is built to bolster a specific agenda, nothing more. Pretty disappointing.
Indeed. 🙁
What C said. Seemingly a survey designed with a specific outcome in mind.
Was that really ALL the questions?
@Andrew – Just the ONE question. You are right to be incredulous.
Posted this elsewhere, but it’s worth posting here
Strange that you didnt get one especially with 5600 domains you would think that they would appreciate an opinion of someone who knows the business the good the bad and the ugly and see a way to tap into this wisdom this person can offer, but maybe a person who makes waves and question authority can be sidelined and only called upon when needed .
You could argue they would prefer not to get feedback from people with large numbers of domains. After all, they’re the people with the most to lose from this.
@ Shane M
I have a different point of view on this one. I think it is the small business operator (SBO) that will be most affected. As I wrote in my articles, they simply haven’t been properly consulted.
If I was a SBO and I got that survey question, these are some of the questions I’d like to ask:
1. Do you mean we are just going to swap over our .com.au to an .au domain?
2. Will there be any cost to do that?
3. If we’re not just going to swap over, does that mean I have to then pay for two domain registrations instead of one?
4. I bought my domain name last year for $10k; and spent another $15k on a website and SEO work. Am I guaranteed to get the .au domain – or will someone else (my competitor) have a chance to buy it as well?
Those are just off the top of my head. There are plenty more when you think about it.
Good points Ned.
I was just thinking along the lines of a typical SBO having to pay for another one or two domains every two years, as opposed to some of us potentially having to do the same for 100, 1,000 or 10,000+ domains.
It’s amazingly brief considering the consequences of saying ‘yes’.
I’ve always liked the idea of shorter domains, but it is such a complicated issue and it deserved something far more comprehensive than this.
I’m with you Ned – poor effort auDA!
Converting .com.au to .au solves all issues.
There’s no money in it though.6
its pretty obvious now.
its auDA + supply Vs demand + the unaware
tim
I’ve received two copies of the survey so far. I was surprised when I received the first one, and even more surprised when I’d finished the survey in about 20 seconds flat!
Wow, that’s a loaded and unbalanced question. Surely the real question is “do you think there is a need for direct registrations?”
Two issues:
One, is there evidence of market demand (i.e. demand-side) for direct registrations? In my experience, I don’t believe there is.
Two, are shorter domain names preferable in the .au context? The Names Panel says a preference for shorter domain names is the “strongest rationale” for direct registrations. That doesn’t make sense given the maturity of the 2LD domain space.
By presenting a loaded question, the survey appears to try to garner support for two propositions above – “oh look, people said that they are likely to register direct .au domains, there must be market demand and a preference for shorter domain names!”
Looks like a solution looking for a problem.
@ Victor
Thanks for your response. Excellent as usual.
What concerns me most about this latest “survey” is that auDA still hasn’t published the final version of the Names Panel Report. This also contains the Minority Report.
You’d think that they’d want to give their members and registrants the courtesy of a pros and cons report that over 20 people spent 9 months puttting together!
I’ve just sent a letter to Jo Lim (auDA) today.
http://www.domainer.com.au/come-on-auda-please-be-accountable/