Kenya Network Information Centre (KeNIC) has announced dates for its upcoming Second Level Domain (SLD) auction. The online auction will run from 01st October 2023 to 3rd November 2023. This year’s auction will be the fourth auction after others were held in 2017, 2021, and 2022.
The Second Level Domain is the first point of contact internet users have with your website. It’s the most memorable part of a URL and therefore the most important. In most instances, it is the name of a brand or company.
In this auction,719 names will be available to buyers. KeNIC states ” These are premium names with high demand compared to third-level domains.”
The breakdown of the available names is as follows. There are 93 domains categorized as Platinum domains, 68 domains categorized as Gold Domains, and 558 domains categorized as BUY NOW Domains.
KeNIC says analysis of previous auctions has informed the criteria used to form the 3 categories. Additionally, the list of 719 names is final. Hence, it won’t be altered till the auction closes.
Purchase Options for the Second-Level Domain Names
KeNIC will have the online platform opened and will present buyers with two options.
The first option is the Buy Now option. In this category, domains from the reserved Premium names will be available for purchase without bids. Moreover, the buying price is inclusive of the registration price and is payable immediately.
Once a client makes payment, they will be able to choose a KeNIC-accredited Registrar from a list on the online platform. Thereafter, the domain will then be transferred to the Registrar.
Take note, Domains in this category are sold on a first-come-first-serve basis.
Bid Option
In this option, the buying price is not inclusive of the registration price. Clients will first have to bid for the domain. The winner of the bid selects a Registrar and pays the Second Level Domain registration price.
Bid winners are notified via email. Additionally, they are obligated to make payment within 7 working days after the Auction is closed. If the payment is not honoured in time, the domain will be awarded to the second highest bidder who also must pay within 7 working days.
Crucially, winners must show proof that they have initiated the payment process within 72 hours of being declared winners.
KeNIC is yet to open the online auction platform. We will inform you as soon as it goes live.
