Patent Filed for Tiered Domain Registrations

Technology company Demand Media has been granted a patent for a tiered domain registration scheme.

The system would allow the customer to purchase a domain at one of several tiers. The idea is to offer discounts to those who may not need the full functionality and features of a typical registration.

Domain Name Wire has a good example of how such a system might work. They provide an overview of a three-tier system. Tier 1 provides all the standard features of a domain for the standard price, but as you move down the tier scale, the domain gets cheaper, but someone else can register the domain at a higher tier and take it away from you.

If such a system were put in place, domain tasters would greatly benefit. A name that brings in only £4 in revenue per year would not be profitable, but the new system could let the owner bump it down to Tier 3 and pay maybe only £2 to register it for a year.

I don’t foresee a need for such a system. Domains are cheap enough as it is and those serious about developing a strong website aren’t going to compromise on their domain registrations. The only people set to benefit from this scheme are domain tasters. Registrars are unlikely to put a tiered system like the one proposed in place any time soon.