Web host and domain provider
GoDaddy has acquired Waltham, Massachusetts-based domain name aftermarket Afternic. The acquisition creates one of the largest marketplaces available to potential domain name buyers and sellers, with Afternic’s Domain Listing Service (DLS) offering domain names through 100 of the top registrars. The cost of the acquisition was not revealed, but GoDaddy will maintain Afternic's staff, keeping them in the Boston area.
GoDaddy's move is of particular importance to the success of the new TLDs being released to the market over the coming months. DLS offers buyers a wider range of results and gives sellers greater exposure to potential domain name customers, with a domain name being offered across a wide range of DLS partners. In the next few months GoDaddy will add DLS to its domain search results and add its own domain name inventory to DLS. GoDaddy’s architecture will underpin Afternic’s Fast Transfer network, which provides immediate domain name transfer.
“Having the right domain name is vital, no matter your venture,” explained Blake Irving, CEO at GoDaddy. “GoDaddy is working to bring the ‘domain aftermarket’ together with new registrations and make both super-simple to access. Our customers need an easy way to buy the name they want, regardless of whether it’s new or has been registered previously. This acquisition forms a registrar-led process that creates faster and more trusted transactions across the board.”
As it will make finding, buying and managing aftermarket domain names easier, GoDaddy's registrar-led model is being supported by industry partners, including Network Solutions, Register.com, and Tucows.com.
GoDaddy's acquisition of Afternic comes alongside its purchase of domain parking service SmartName, and its purchase of NameFind - a service that helps companies generate possible names for their businesses.
Do you know of any other companies involved in acquisitions? Let us know the details. Add your comments below.
