Reader Complains About Minds + Machines New gTLD Pre-Paid Reservations

I got this email from a reader yesterday complaining about 4 reserved domain names in .casa, .horse, or .cooking during the Minds + Machines Priority Reservation Phase. The reader says that the 4 domains he pre-ordered and paid fully were guaranteed last
Autumn.

“For technical reasons ICANN, which regulates the domain name space, disallowed the Priority Reservation program after you made your reservation.”

“We agreed with them to put your name(s) into our Landrush phase instead. There is no additional charge and you do not need to do anything. But there’s a chance that someone might apply for the same name as you and, if that happens, there will be some additional steps.”

This means that he funds have been withheld from Minds + Machines for all these months and will continue to be reserved until .casa, .horse, or .cooking go out of the Landrush phase in a few months. And of course there is a chance he will not get the “guaranteed” domain names.

“If you do not receive the domain for any reason (for instance, if you don’t want to go to an auction, or if you do go to auction and lose), Minds + Machines Registrar will issue you refund. If for any reason you want a refund immediately, just ask us and we will be
happy to refund you (see below for details).”

So he might get a refund about a year after he paid! This is not right.

This is the email he got from Minds + Machines:

Dear Registrant,

If you are receiving this email, you reserved a domain name in .casa,
.horse, or .cooking during our Priority Reservation Phase.

For technical reasons ICANN, which regulates the domain name space,
disallowed the Priority Reservation program after you made your
reservation. But for the vast majority of you, there won’t be any
disruption. We agreed with them to put your name(s) into our Landrush phase
instead. There is no additional charge and you do not need to do anything.
But there’s a chance that someone might apply for the same name as you and,
if that happens, there will be some additional steps.

What is Landrush and what happens during this phase?

Landrush is the time during which domain names are available for
registration before the top-level domain is open to general, first-come
first-served registration. Your Priority Reservation names will be entered
into the Landrush phase. If your Landrush application is the only one for
the requested domain, then you will be notified at the end of the Landrush
phase that your Landrush application is now a registration, and no further
action or payment on your part will be required. In the case of duplicate
applications, you will be invited to an online auction (we’ll send you all
the details if that happens). If you do not receive the domain for any
reason (for instance, if you don’t want to go to an auction, or if you do
go to auction and lose), Minds + Machines Registrar will issue you refund.
If for any reason you want a refund immediately, just ask us and we will be
happy to refund you (see below for details).

What does this mean for you?

Your domain name has been changed from a Priority Reservation to a
Landrush application. If someone else has applied for the same domain name
as you, then you may either ask for refund or enter into an auction. If no
one else has applied for the same name as you, then your Landrush
application will turn into a registration during the allocation time
period, in August, and will then go live in September.

We do apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused you and
welcome any questions or concerns you may have. Please feel free to email
them to support@mindsandmachines.com.

With our thanks,

Wendy Bury
Head of Customer Service
Minds + Machines Registrar