Domain tasting is the practice of registering a domain with the intention of taking full advantage of ICANN’s “Create Grace Period” (CGP), holding those domains, testing to see if it has traffic and then deleting that domain name within a specified time (typically 5 days). The “tasting” costs nothing unless you keep the domain past 5 days. Domain Tasting is the term coined to describe a process using which rich companies (in the guise of an ICANN accredited Domain Registrar) register millions of Domain Names, test them for advertising revenues (domain parking) at virtually no net cost to them.
All this is possible because of a concept called “Add Grace Period” which is part of the ICANN policy for domain registrars. Under this policy, any registrar will get full refund on any domain deleted within 5 days of its registration. This refund system was introduced as a means to allow Registrars to delete domains that were mistakenly registered or which were registered using Stolen Credit Cards.
But as outlined above big registrars with chests of money are misusing the system to make money at virtually no cost.
How does it harm others?
1. Tasting harms the end consumer by making unavailable any domain that a customer may have utilized for a better reason. This forces the consumer to either buy a better domain at an auction or make do with a not so suitable domain for his use.
2. Tasting Harms, everybody in the Domain Name business-Small registrars like us lose money because our customers cannot get hold of any domain that they want to buy. Domain Resellers also lose for the same reason
Why does not ICANN stop domain tasting?
ICANN is discussing this problem and a solution is expected soon. Soon in ICANN’s calendar can mean anything between 1 year to 5 years.
How much does it cost to use Domain Tasting?
There is no cost to sign up for Domain Tasting however one must add sufficient credit to their Domain Tasting account upfront in order to use the service. When a domain is added to their “Domains in Evaluation” list, the fees will be debited from their Domain Tasting account. This amount includes both a minimal non-refundable Domain Tasting evaluation fee and the registration cost of the domain which will depend on TLD. If you do not choose to keep a domain after it is evaluated, the registration cost will be credited to your Domain Tasting account. If you choose to keep a domain before the evaluation period is over, no money will be credited to your account.
You can taste domains at http://tasting.dotcomgenie.com