Follow
The other day I posted here that a happy person got CNM.com with an Epik.com backorder, I had not seen Epik pick up any names of this caliber before so I was surprised to see this, and I was not familiar with their backorder service so I went to find out more, I found out more than I expected, most notably a happy person did not get CNM.com with an Epik backorder.
But first, the site says they offer a “First come, first serve” dropcatching — fully refundable! service, backorders are $199. I assumed this meant if you are the first person to put in a BO on a domain and pay $199 up front nobody else can BO the name, this is how it happens at Name.com, but it looks like Epik takes multiple BO’s on the same domain. I asked Epik.com CEO Rob Monster about this:
As for our backorder model, we award backorders on a first-come-first-serve basis.
People do submit backorders and then cancel them. So, the winning backorder goes to
the first active backorder.
Personally, I don’t like this multiple backorder thing, I suppose if you can see where you are in line you can keep the BO in the hopes everybody else drops theirs, but they don’t offer that option at Epik, at the moment if you BO a name you have no idea if others have BO’d the name before you, I asked Rob about this also, he said:
“We are working on adding a feature that will show users how many backorders are ahead of them, if any“.
After I posted the other day that some happy person got CNM.com at Epik for a BO fee, a reader, Jose Luis, posted a comment at my blog that he was the happy person (for a few hours anyway) when he got an email from Epik that said:
On 2013-09-25 15:50:08 we processed your request to update the following domains: CNM.COM success
Shortly after he received another email from Epik that said:
Backorder Daily Report (09/25/2013)
Here are the results for your backorder.
Domain: cnm.com
Status: caught
Refunded 0
Charged $199
Jose said he checked the whois and it was in his name, he couldn’t believe it, but then he said “Two hours later I went back to check the WHOIS and to my surprise it had changed.” I also checked the whois that afternoon which is how I knew to post that Epik scored the domain, and I remember seeing registrant information different than it is today too. So Jose immediately contacted Epik support and this was the response:
This registrar is controlled by GoName / DNI.
Domain Name: CNM.COM
Registrar: NAMETORRENT.CA INC.
Whois Server: whois.epik.com
Referral URL: http://registrar.epik.com
They had a retail buyer for the domain and kept the domain. Epik manages customers on this registrar but at no time did Epik own this domain, unfortunately.
I do see that you placed a BACKORDER for this domain yesterday. If the domain was delivered to Epik, then the domain would have gone to the first backorder. This was definitely not you – there were 8 people ahead of you with the first backorder all the way back on August 21.
Domains are delivered to Epik at 6:30 pm PT. The process of assigning the winner is entirely automated. If we get the domain, the backorder with the highest priority gets the domain.
Regards,
Rob
I asked Rob about this also and this is what he told me:
The story on CNM.com is pretty simple.
DNI caught this domain on their registrar, NameTorrent.ca. Normally DNI delivers all
domains to us by 6:30 pm PT. Our system then assigns the backorder to the winner.
Unfortunately, this registrar is not one that Epik owns. DNI is under no obligation
to deliver the domain to us if they were chasing the domain for their own account,
which they were, as was everybody else who chases domains. We did try to buy the
domain from DNI, but they wanted at least $20,000 for it.
The error was on our reporting system. The system looks to see (1) Did the domain
drop, and (2) Is the domain on a registrar for which we have API access. It then
awards the domain to the winning backorder. The problem here was that the domain
was not available for delivery as DNI backordered the system through their own
system, bypassing the Epik backorder queue.
As for how we award backorders, it is indeed on a first-come-first-serve basis. Epik
is fortunate to have access to these additional drop catch threads which is why we
can afford to offer fixed price, low cost backorders as a courtesy to our customers.
The one piece of good news about this is that Epik is catching more and more premium
domains.
So to be abundantly clear here, Epik, nor its principals, has, had, and will have no
financial benefit — direct or indirect — from the sale of CNM.com. I realize that
in a situation like this that this is hard to believe but it is the verifiable truth
should anyone choose to pursue the matter.
DNI is under no obligation to deliver the domain to us if they were chasing the domain
for their own account, which they were, as was everybody else who chases domains.
So as I see it, if the name you BO is really good, like CNM.com, a domain that everybody is chasing, Epik will not be able to compete using their network of additional drop threads, their API access to other registrars, instead they will have to compete against their partner registrars that also want the really good domains, like DNI, the registrar that apparently beat them to CNM.com, so if this is the case, only if they get the name through their registrar will you get it with your BO, and even then you have to hope nobody else put in a BO before you.
CNM.com was very good I realize, lots of competition, but so was Mouthwash.com I listed the other day, and PetSitters.com that I posted last week, and many others I post in my domain picks all the time, these are the domains I want, so at this time, based on all this, I can’t see tying up $199 on Epik backorders on names of any caliber, a few days ago when I thought they scored CNM.com for one of their customers I was excited and thought I might put some backorders in, but apparently they didn’t get the domain for Jose as I posted, poor Jose is just getting a refund…
2 Points :
1)—-Jose said he checked the whois and it was in his name, he couldn’t believe it, but then he said “Two hours later I went back to check the WHOIS and to my surprise it had changed.” I also checked the whois that afternoon which is how I knew to post that Epik scored the domain, and I remember seeing registrant information different than it is today too. So Jose immediately contacted Epik support and this was the response:——
If WHOIS of domain was at Jose’s name, Jose is customer of Epik, it means Epik has API access to Nametorrent, if not how his details gone there?
2)—-I do see that you placed a BACKORDER for this domain yesterday. If the domain was delivered to Epik, then the domain would have gone to the first backorder. This was definitely not you – there were 8 people ahead of you with the first backorder all the way back on August 21.—–
Hm backordering for first come first serve but without knowing if there are other bidders is a little dark.
Also if there were other bidders in front of Jose why at WHOIS were Jose’s details and not the details of first bidder?
in the 15 years i’ve been doing domaining rob monster is the only person in the industry who has ever cheated me.
That’s a pretty bold statement, Rathead. Can you elaborate?
Here is what I find a little suspect with this whole thing. The current whois:
http://whois.domaintools.com/cnm.com
Owner = Dennis Markov, the “so called registrar owner”.
He uses the email address [email protected]
Here is the whois address as listed in the whois for markov.com:
Registrant Name: Denis Markov
Registrant Organization:
Registrant Street: 11605 Meridan Market View
Registrant Street: PO Box 124-134 Falcon, CO 80831
That is the same business address that is used for Intrust Domains, which Epic purchased…
http://h1b-visas.findthecompany.com/l/128780/Domain-Names-International-Llc-in-Falcon-CO-80831
If it walks like a duck and sounds like a duck it is most likely a duck…
Wow… good detective work there. I backordered another good name with them shortly after they caught CNM.com. Epik did catch it but actually the same registrar that caught CNM.com caught it and it was not delivered to Epik either and now this same Denis guy owns the name..
Very curious who Denis is and why his personal Surname .com domain uses the same registrant info as IntrustDomains.com uses, the company which Rob Monster announced on Epik.com that he acquired a few years back..
Something smells rotten in Denmark.. I don’t understand how Jose’s name and info appeared on the whois and then magically changed!? Who ended up with the domain, I think someone needs to verify how the current owner came into it and what the transaction details are? I totally agree on your assessment, $199 is a bargain for said domain, but why tie up money if the domain is sniped from you at last minute.
They just did this to me, too. The domain is still registered in my name, but the NS were just changed (they swiped my domain, the douches). When I look it up on Epik they’re giving me this $199 bullshit. ALL BECAUSE I LEFT THE DOMAIN WITH GODADDY, WHO CAN SUCK A FAT ONE.
This model could act like this, so needs to be changed and have visible backorders :
If you are first bidder and value of domain estimated small, you win it.
If you are first bidder and domain seems worthy, then you are not first bidder!
That is it.
I stopped doing business with them after google banned all my stores even though i had written original articles on each one …..they tried to tell me the ban did not effect anything …..of course it did, my bottom line. As for back ordering with them ??? Are you kidding No way Jose !
How can you take $199 for a backorder and then let multiple people backorder it? That just stinks and it a poor business practice that 100% benefits the business and 0% benefits the customer. So you have no idea if the $199 you have sitting in the Epik bank account will get you the domain if they catch it. And then if they catch it you might own it for 2 hours and then not own it?
So no transparency on place in line, which equals no idea who should really own it if caught. Hmmmmm, yeah, don’t sign me up for Epik.
@ Jamea: I noticed that too, Denis Markov is the co-founder of InTrust Domains, aka DNI.
Domain Names International is the DBA of InTrust Domains, of Colorado Springs, CO.
Let’s say a few things:
– “DNI is under no obligation to deliver the domain to us if they were chasing the domain for their own account,
which they were, as was everybody else who chases domains. We did try to buy the domain from DNI, but they wanted at least $20,000 for it.”
This statement looks at least ridiculous, since Epik owns/controls DNI. It’s clearly a (pathetic) excuse. It’s like saying that the owners are competing against their subsidiary (DNI aka Intrust) or that they are not being able to sync with it. That would be too funny, but I don’t believe this is happening here.
In the remote case that such internal rule to Epik-Intrust exists, it would be a clear sign of their bad faith and intention of cheating and misleading people from the start, since they were saying the opposite in their blog (Mr Monster said: “Obviously there will be many cases where we are leaving money on the table by not keeping the name for ourselves — and we are OK with that.”)
– the “first come, first serve” model doesn’t work that way, with many people competing for the same domain. The rule is simple: the first backordering the name wins it, if the dropcatcher gets it. No multiple BO.
– “So to be abundantly clear here, Epik, nor its principals, has, had, and will have no financial benefit — direct or indirect — from the sale of CNM.com. I realize that in a situation like this that this is hard to believe but it is the verifiable truth should anyone choose to pursue the matter.”
Well, in my view, the only “abundantly clear” thing here is that the “verifiable truth” and all evidence show the exact opposite, i.e. that you are keeping high value names for yourself for reselling purposes.
I’m wondering if they are also reselling domains using the part of InTrust Mr Monster said he didn’t purchase, the marketing guys spamming everywhere …
There are a few things you have to clear up here, Mr Monster …
When Mark talked the first time about Epik, a few days ago, I opened a free account with them.
Well, if this is their way of working, no way I’m gonna do business with them, just to be crystal clear.
Maybe Rick (Schwartz) should start another section of the Hall of Shame for these cases …
P.S.
Today I’ve closed my account with Epik.
Good job Mark, have a good time!
Wow. I can’t believe how Rob Monster ruins his reputation just for $20k. Hard times, I guess.
Assuming Rob Monster is stating the facts, Epik should drop DNI from their business associates, as DNI clearly are not simply a drop-catching registrar but a retail seller of domains, with a lengthy reputation as spammers: http://www.namepros.com/742232-emails-from-domainers-selling-crap-names-3.html
Wait, is this the same DNI that operates the .ws MLM spam abomination and Intrust the “renew” your domains by snail mail scammers?
Why wouldn’t anyone want to get in bed with such reputable businesses?
Rick Schwartz, I am sure you will see all of these… And we are sure, you will say something about this…
This is a case for Hall of Shame… Absolutely…
Rob always distances himself in regards to I trust the spammers, I’m done with epik, and there master bucks epik bucks, always convert your cash, epik made a killing making all those sites, they would charge upfront fee, then take 50 percent revenue share, then got your domain blacklisted, no refunds! Wtf Rob. Now he in bed with in trust aka Alexander you did business with those douches, most hated spammer alive, class action suit guys lets sign on.
Closing my Epik account, damn shameful
Thanks for sharing Mark. Interesting and confusing. However, I have asked Rob to come by and comment on this scenario.
Can’t prove it of course, but If I had the whois information changed to my name, I own it at that point. I smell a lawsuit.
Folks,
A few clarifying comments here for the record:
– On the Intrust registrar acquisition, we acquire the registrar technology, team and the customers. We did not acquire the Intrust brand. The IANA ID of our our registrar is 617. The IANA ID of Intrust registrar was 653. As customers renew their domains, they renew onto IANA 617.
– On the topic of backorders, we have maintained this service as a courtesy to our registrar customers, most of whom are end-users, not domainers. The backorder service is made possible by continued access to a network of dropcatching threads. The fixed price backorder model was intended as a democratic alternative to auctions. Until earlier this month, it was the exception to have multiple backorders for a domain. As they say, no good deed goes unpunished. In light of the CNM.com incident, we are reviewing the backorder service to make it more transparent when there are pre-existing backorders. We will also provide the option of an exclusive backorder.
– On the topic of CNM.com, we don’t own this domain, and in fact never owned it. If Epik had caught it and kept it for ourselves, I could see the logic of a public outcry, but it is simply not the case here. DNI caught it on one of their threads and DNI chose not to make it available Epik. We earn no revenue on domains we don’t catch and deliver. In fact, it is rare that we chase domains for our own account, viewing that as a conflict of interest for providing a backorder service.
– On product portals, this was initially a very successful product both for Epik and its customers. Like many sites, Product Portals were imported Google’s Panda update with many sites getting de-indexed. Epik did make ongoing content investment at no cost to the customers. In addition, we did provide a performance guarantee which was honored to the letter, at very significant expense. Epik continues to maintain and host product portals at no cost for the customers who purchased them, including the folks who get their setup fee refunded in full.
Hope that clarifies.
Rob Monster
Epik.com
Seattle, WA
“- On the topic of CNM.com, we don’t own this domain, and in fact never owned it. If Epik had caught it and kept it for ourselves, I could see the logic of a public outcry, but it is simply not the case here. DNI caught it on one of their threads and DNI chose not to make it available Epik. We earn no revenue on domains we don’t catch and deliver. In fact, it is rare that we chase domains for our own account, viewing that as a conflict of interest for providing a backorder service.”
Jose said his info was in the whois for 2 hours. If true, how is that possible? How did DNI get Jose’s info from your backorder system if you are two unique entities?
TJ-
That dropcatch registrar is in the Epik.com Verisign pool:
Domain Name: CNM.COM
Registrar: NAMETORRENT.CA INC.
Whois Server: whois.epik.com
Referral URL: http://registrar.epik.com
Name Server: NS1.DSREDIRECTION.COM
Name Server: NS2.DSREDIRECTION.COM
Status: ok
Updated Date: 26-sep-2013
Creation Date: 25-sep-2013
Expiration Date: 25-sep-2014
As context, there are number of organizations that dropcatch domains with their registrar threads. Many of these folks have little or no capacity to manage their domains or provide customer service for domains that are caught on the drop. Epik provides a no-cost solution for these customers in the hope that these customers will renew onto Epik down the road. It is a customer acquisition strategy for Epik. It is a sensible solution for registrars who want to dropcatch domains but don’t want to run a customer-facing registrar.
Rob …u r really robbing haha
Maybe you should investigate this further:
Think back — who has sat on the board / advisors at Epik??
Other deals gone bad:
http://www.domainnamenews.com/news/rob-monster-closes-monster-venture-partners-starts-web-30-firm/4596
http://domainnamewire.com/2010/05/26/epik-acquires-domain-development-company-devrich/
Start interviewing the big names – see if they will talk on or off the record.
Rob/Epik have burned so many in the industry including very Big names who don’t want to be called out publicly OR tarnished by the association with Rob. They’ll just quietly write it off as “Stupid Tax” or lesson learned. Even lawyers know Rob’s antics as they tell their clients to cut there losses and get out.
He’s a Bully who is motivated by the fight. Epik is a true Hall of Shame winner. Do not do business with them.
Whois is an ownership record, no, clearly he was the owner, or was fraudently added as the owner, in trust is the scum of the domaining industry, what credible person would want to be in bed by them… In regards to end users the one Alexander spams to death?
Domain community calling Rich Schwartz, oh Rick are you listening. I think we have a new poster boy for the “scammer section of Domain Hall of Fame. Rick, please investigate this.
If registrars are “under no obligation to deliver the domain” to epik; It’s just a waste of time to use epik backorder.
Exactly, especially since Epik owns a registrar (DNI aka InTrust)!!!
“Rick, please investigate this.”
We are waiting for Rick Schwartz!!!
I been in the domain industry since 1997, and I never done business with Rob Monster, but I must say, I know many people who have and they always get burned. I bet this gets investigated by Rick and others, because people are really pissed of on getting burned, and enough is enough.
I need to understand something here – if Snapnames.com or Namejet would have obtained this domain using one of their several hundred registrar partners each what would have happened? I can tell, the domain would have gone to auction and sold to the highest bidder.
We would not have a case where a Snap or NJ registrar partner would have been competing for the domain… Registrar threads are leased, contracts are assigned to prevent what Rob is claiming here. Rob would need to show his lease agreement with Denis Markov for me to change my
point of view here…
“Registrar threads are leased, contracts are assigned to prevent what Rob is claiming here.”
True, and parties are free to negotiate the terms of the agreement.
In this case, it’s pretty clear that Rob Monster decided to favor some clients at the expense of others, that’s the bottom line.
Two words guys EPIK FAIL
Just a follow-up comment on Mr Monster statements:
1)- “On the Intrust registrar acquisition, we acquire the registrar technology, team and the customers. We did not acquire the Intrust brand.”
That means that Epik controls Intrust-DNI technology, so the fact that DNI is not “under no obligation to deliver the domain” to Epik is a total ridiculous nonsense. And, as you will see at point 5) it’s part of their “customer acquisition strategy” …
2)- “The IANA ID of our registrar is 617. The IANA ID of Intrust registrar was 653. As customers renew their domains, they renew onto IANA 617.”
I think he’s trying to confuse and mislead people again with these figures. When they purchased InTrust registrar technology, they got a new IANA ID, but at this point there is not an InTrust stand-alone registrar anymore, but it becomes part of Epik. The new IANA ID simply replaces the old one, which is basically deleted, since there are no InTrust stand-alone registrar activities left after the acquisition.
3) – “Until earlier this month, it was the exception to have multiple backorders for a domain. As they say, no good deed goes unpunished. In light of the CNM.com incident, we are reviewing the backorder service to make it more transparent when there are pre-existing backorders. We will also provide the option of an exclusive backorder.”
Just to be clear, when you provide a service like that, you have a TOS, and there are no exceptions to the rules, otherwise it’s like “ok, we have a TOS, but who cares, I can ignore it, who cares about customers rights …”. In a pure first-come, first serve backorder service there are no multiple BO, the first backordering gets the name, that’s it. Exclusive backordering is not an option, it’s the norm, and a part of TOS.
4)- “On the topic of CNM.com, we don’t own this domain, and in fact never owned it. DNI caught it on one of their threads and DNI chose not to make it available Epik.”
Please note that current registrant of this domain is Denis Markov, co-founder of Intrust-DNI.
Even assuming that, following the acquisition of InTrust “registrar technology, team and customers” by Epik, there are two separate entities, one represented by Epik, who owns InTrust registrar technology and team, and another entity, represented by the remaining InTrust-DNI activities, i.e. domains reselling, how it’s possible that Mr Markov got this domain using InTrust registrar technology, if the only registrar technology left here is owned/controlled by Epik? I guess he got the name because of the “shameful” practice detailed below, under point 5).
Does Mr Markov is part of Epik staff now, since Epik purchased also InTrust team?
Mr Monster have already contradicted himself several times …
5) – “As context, there are number of organizations that dropcatch domains with their registrar threads. Many of these folks have little or no capacity to manage their domains or provide customer service for domains that are caught on the drop. Epik provides a no-cost solution for these customers in the hope that these customers will renew onto Epik down the road. It is a customer acquisition strategy for Epik. It is a sensible solution for registrars who want to dropcatch domains but don’t want to run a customer-facing registrar.”
Here we are … So basically Epik uses its own proprietary technology (part of purchased InTrust assets) to provide dropcatching services to third parties which have registrar threads.
Well, since you OWN the dropcatching technology, you should set the rules and the terms of the Agreement with your Customers. When your technology catches a domain, YOU (Epik) decide what to do with it.
Mr Monster said that this is part of a “customer acquisition strategy”. The strategy in this case is basically favoring corporate customers, i.e. external registrars, at the expense of retail clients which use Epik BO service. Let’s say that this is at least an unfair commercial practice.
If you want to follow this strategy, you have just to clearly inform your retail customers that these are your rules, instead of misleading them, if not worse …
Mr Monster, you clarified perfectly, you are screwing retail customers to acquire and retain corporate clients, if not worse … shame on you …
Rob Monster is one of the biggest crooks in the business, this is just one incident of many over the years. But why are you domainers so stupid to still have accounts with Epik?
Will Rick Schwartz put Epik in the Hall of Shame? Of course not.
Rob should have left domaining when he cashed out big the last time, we don’t have time for this kind of slime. He is always running behind with subpar products, can you find a price list on their site, doubtful
*
I also call on Rick Schwartz to investigate this matter and act accordingly.
Hall of Shame needs to investigate all instances of malfeasance, including insider wrongdoing, not just players outside the industry.
Otherwise, Hall of Shame is just a bunch of hot air.
This situation certainly does not pass the stink test.
*
Any domain that is worth $199 or more, most likely INTRUST will want to keep it to spam the world with it, so most of you are wasting your $199 with backorders with epik, because any name of value will never be passed on.
With a name like Monster, it ain’t going to be pretty folks.
“With a name like Monster, it ain’t going to be pretty folks.”
Latins were used to say “Nomen omen” … 😉
“Any domain that is worth $199 or more, most likely INTRUST will want to keep it”
We are lucky to learn it before wasting more and more time.
Interesting thread and comments!
What pr it would have been, had the catch stuck!
Maybe those terms were already in place re the purchase of In Domain – always the big shots get first dibs on the best domains – even once they discover after the fact! That’s how the mob works . . .
Lets see what happens today with MyManager.com – epik just picked it up with their registrar…
It seems Denis is very good, he backorders all good .com early
Domain Name: MYMANAGER.COM
Registrar: BACKUP.CA CORPORATION
Whois Server: whois.epik.com
Referral URL: http://registrar.epik.com
Name Server: NS1.DSREDIRECTION.COM
Name Server: NS2.DSREDIRECTION.COM
Status: ok
Updated Date: 30-sep-2013
Creation Date: 30-sep-2013
Expiration Date: 30-sep-2014
Domain Name: MYMANAGER.COM
Created On: 30-SEP-2013
Last Updated On: 30-SEP-2013
Expiration Date: 30-SEP-2014
Sponsoring Registrar: BACKUP.CA CORPORATION
Status: ok
Registrant Name: Denis Markov
Registrant Organization: n/a
Registrant Street: 106 Mission Ct
Registrant City: Franklin
Registrant State/Province: TN
Registrant Postal Code: 37067
Registrant Country: US
Registrant Phone: ()+1.4252025160
Registrant Phone Ext.:
Registrant FAX:
Registrant FAX Ext.:
Registrant Email: [email protected]
Epik and Intrust Domains are a total scam company. Back in 2010 i backordered geneology.net (typo) and they charged me $69. Then i got an email saying there will be an auction since multiple bidders BO the same name. At the auction, nobody else bid so they charged me $69 again. It took me 2 months to gain access to my domain during which time they were trying to sell the name for $2,500. Not to mention they never refunded one $69 charge.
That was the last time i used epik or Intrust. That’s a good thing since i see they are still nothing but a bunch of con artists.
While many Epik.com sites were de-indexed, including mine they had one of the nicest formats available.
For the record I did request a refund and Epik/Rob did refund me directly.
@Manos – the whois for MyManager.com originally showed this – still does for me, did it change?
—————————-
Domain Name: MYMANAGER.COM
Created On: 30-SEP-2013
Last Updated On: 30-SEP-2013
Expiration Date: 30-SEP-2014
Sponsoring Registrar: BACKUP.CA CORPORATION
Status: ok
Registrant Name: Domain Sales
Registrant Organization: GoName, Inc.
Registrant Street: 200 West End Ave., Suite 500
Registrant City: Nashville
Registrant State/Province: TN
Registrant Postal Code: 37203
Registrant Country: US
Registrant Phone: (1)6159538900
Registrant Phone Ext.:
Registrant FAX:
Registrant FAX Ext.:
Registrant Email: [email protected]
Admin Name: Domain Sales
Admin Organization: GoName, Inc.
Admin Street: 200 West End Ave., Suite 500
Admin City: Nashville
Admin State/Province: TN
Admin Postal Code: 37203
Admin Country: US
Admin Phone: (1)6159538900
Admin Phone Ext.:
Admin FAX:
Admin FAX Ext.:
Admin Email: [email protected]
Billing Name: Domain Sales
Billing Organization: GoName, Inc.
Billing Street: 3200 West End Ave., Suite 500
Billing City: Nashville
Billing State/Province: TN
Billing Postal Code: 37203
Billing Country: US
Billing Phone: (1)6159538900
Billing Phone Ext.:
Billing FAX:
Billing FAX Ext.:
Billing Email: [email protected]
Tech Name: Domain Sales
Tech Organization: GoName, Inc.
Tech Street: 3200 West End Ave., Suite 500
Tech City: Nashville
Tech State/Province: TN
Tech Postal Code: 37203
Tech Country: US
Tech Phone: (1)6159538900
Tech Phone Ext.:
Tech FAX:
Tech FAX Ext.:
Tech Email: [email protected]
Name Server: NS1.HOSTJAR.COM
Name Server: NS2.HOSTJAR.COM
https://www.dynadot.com/domain/whois.html?domain=mymanager.com
Yes Mark – I am now seeing the who is data is reflecting Denis Markov just like the previous incident… At least I pasted the original whois above for the record. Now, this is a totally different registrar this time BACKUP.CA CORPORATION –
Rob, can you please explain this one?
Backup CA was from the start the registrar, they are EPIK partners it seems
@Manos CNM.com was captured on NAMETORRENT.CA INC
they have plenty of partner registrars, nametorrent grabbed cnm.com, backup ca grabbed mymanager.com
Rick Schwartz is sleeping… lol
Rick let domainers down…
So how did the whois go in his name then?
Was on my phone and didn’t see all the comments, but the question remains valid. How did the whois change?
Just catching up with the feeding frenzy here. A few comments:
– Epik acquired Intrust’s registrar operations in July 2011. We had no operating involvement with any Intrust backorder services prior to July 2011 nor does Epik have any direct or indirect ownership with DNI (aka “Alex”). I don’t think I can be more clear on this topic.
– Epik is happy to provide backorder services. The capability came with the Intrust asset purchase. Without question, we do need to make some improvements, notably we need to transparently show the number of backorders. We may also add the option of an *exclusive* backorder.
– Epik owns one registrar: IANA 617. Beyond that, Epik has direct access to a few other registrars at no cost in exchange for providing customer service to those registrants. These registrars do provide a number of successful backorders to Epik. That said, we rarely see a domain get delivered that was on the Namejet most-actives list.
– As for Epik’s failings, my main regret is that in 2010 we were overly dependent on Google. When Panda came along, it crushed the business model and nearly killed the company. In late 2010 and early 2011, the business had *negative* revenue as refunds exceeded sales. Performance guarantees were honored, albeit at significant (personal) expense.
– Today, I believe does have a world class full-service registrar powered by an increasingly robust domain management platform. I encourage anyone to try it out. Domainers get domains at cost, e.g. $8.10 for all-in .COM.
– As for the (anonymous) attacks, I believe Epik has honored our commitments. If someone thinks differently, they should contact me to discuss the matter. I am easy to reach: [email protected] or call 425-765-0077 (personal cell). For the rest, in the spirit of *Agape* love, I would simply say: He that is without sin among you, let him be the first to cast a stone.
I have nothing further to add on this topic. I wish you all the best.
Robert W. Monster
Epik.com
Seattle, WA
Please answer the people questions… What are you talking about???
Why don’t you just explain why the WHOIS changed ?
Rob Monster said “He that is without sin among you, let him be the first to cast a stone”.
Here in Italy there is a popular saying which says “scherza coi fanti ma lascia stare i santi”, which approx means “don’t mix the sacred with the profane”.
We need to see facts, transparency, not empty words and blahblahblah.
Just ask yourself why so many people talk negative about you.? If you were someone trustable then people would say something must be wrong Rob wont do that.you know what i just think “yes you can”
Why appeared Jose’s data on the whois if there were 7 other bidders, some or all of them first of him in priority, having placed their backorders previously, according to Rob Monster statement?
Now I understand more clearly why Epik’ leasing platform doesn’t take off…
Why no one, with a better reputation, go to fix this, making a similar platform? They have made something good for the leasing model, but without no trust from domainers those are all useless efforts of course…
Thanks 4 sharing. Good story for my LLL serial posts. I’ll link here when this name comes.
Rob
Appreciate your comments, spoken like a true politician. You are dodging the main question which is this:
In the past three days, two top drops cnm.com and mymanager.com were captured by your direct access to “other registrars” – both of these domains were at the top of namejets “most active” list. Both domains had back orders on your platform. Both domains were NOT delivered, but rather “taken and given to your “registrar partner” instead of your back order clients. Please explain how this can happen and why Denis Markov is entitled to helping himself for these domains?
Well said.Just changing the subject.This man should be out of domaining.What a coincidince only the “valuable” drops falls out of their hands.
This is a very diplomatic reply, which accurately avoid to answer to the main questions here.
Just one key point:
– “Epik owns one registrar: IANA 617. Beyond that, Epik has direct access to a few other registrars at no cost in exchange for providing customer service to those registrants. These registrars do provide a number of successful backorders to Epik.”
As already said, Epik owns InTrust-DNI registrar operations.
The fact here is that your agreements by which you provide “customer service to a few other registrars” in exchange for having “direct access to a few other registrars at no cost” is carried out in a way that favors corporate customers (especially those you have close relations with, it seems, like Mr Markov), at the expense of retail clients which use Epik BO service. As I’ve already said before, this is at least an unfair business practice, if not worse. I think it’s not difficult to understand, Mr Monster.
As regards the phrase “He that is without sin among you, let him be the first to cast a stone” I think you should give clear answers to the main questions on the table here, avoiding to mention Jesus, cause this phrase is totally out of context here and cause such kind of comparisons look at least inappropriate.
Sorry folks this is not what I do at HallofShame.com
It is not flagrant, nor repetitive. Little too gray for me.
I am not going to be judge and jury. Please don’t even ask to put that burden on me. That’s ridiculous. If somebody got wronged, then there is a court system to sue for damages. I follow folks who are convicted or are so outrageous, so widespread, that there is no debate.
I agree, regardless of what anybody thinks happened here, it is just speculation…
Making some business with Rob and from his blah blahs with long paragrafs i say i do not know if he did but “Yes He can”
I agree with Rick, let’s wait that “speculation”, as defined by Mark, becomes flagrant guilt, then we’ll see.
Cause “the leopard does not change his spots” 😉
In the meantime, people who feel damaged, like Jose Luis, should sue him, showing documentary evidence of the damages/misconduct.
End of the story for me.
Hopefully I’ve never been one of his customers :P.
Have a good time folks!
I will continue to monitor the drops and report any more cases of this. Robs reputation will suffer from the bloggers and his misconduct. A search of epik.com does not pull favorable results. I can’t see anyone in their right mind placing future back orders with epik. Mark, I think this must make your number one most commented post!
Yea lots of comments on this one Jamea, thanks for reading…
Come up here and read that
https://www.namepros.com/domain-name-discussion/809394-epik-com-backorders-is-it-just.html
There are massive plot !
The domain is now registered to Denis Markov. Mr. Denis Markov is CEO of goname.com [http://www.bbb.org/nashville/business-reviews/internet-marketing-services/gonamecom-in-nashville-tn-37075579]
Goname.com is the outfit behind all those spam emails for dropping names that are similar to ones you already own. You know the ones that used to come from InTrust Domains.net, but now come from [email protected]
Epik.com bought intrust domains. Goname uses epik.com as a registrar for those names they are spamming – why not use their own registrar?.
Goname’s t&c’s [http://goname.com/help/universalTerms] are the same as intrust,s used to be. In fact no.8 still refers to intrust – “8. USE OF INTRUST NETWORK’S SOFTWARE”.
Whichever way you look at it, Rob Monster & epik.com are very closely linked to Denis Markov & goname.com & their huge spam operation.
He doth protest too much, me thinks.
Rob monster is a cheat the scum of the domaining world.