This is a case of ‘let the seller beware’ …
The tiny Polynesian island nation of Niue is beginning to think it’s been had.
Frankly, it’s clear they didn’t do their homework before they did their deal.
Ironically, it seems the buyer hadn’t really done his, either.
Anyone who has been inundated by advertisements for ‘global domains’ can easily understand that it’s a burgeoning business. The specter of purchasing a domain at a much better price than the more common ‘dot com’ or ‘dot net’ or ‘dot org’ is most attractive to most aspiring entrepeneurs on limited budgets. This niche’s market leader is most likely Global Domains International (GDI), which has no doubt put Western Samoa on the mental map of many a cybernaut. The key element in that deal is that the Western Samoan government granted the rights to GDI in return for a royalty for every domain sold.
Niue’s name is derived from the local language’s phrase for, “Look, a coconut!” It seems they should have used theirs more thoroughly before signing a domain deal with...