For the "go live" landrush on .eu domains (April 7) many registrars accept now pre-registration.
This is about to chose a registrar with correct service and correct price, but also how much efficient they can be in forwarding your request in this "first come - first served" phase.

I am quite surprised at the difference in offers from Go Daddy and eNom:

Go Daddy: no charge for queue registration, then .eu domain for $20/year

eNom: queue fee $10 (no refrund if you don't get your name), then $40/year

Anything to justify the difference?

P.S.: eNom provides also a VIP queue for $300!!!!

There's a .eu registration website somewhere, an official one. Afetr I signed up with a name from Enom I checked it and they have already received 3 certified paper requests from people way more likely to be awarded the domain I applied for (local council for a town name). I'd find that site and check whatever name you're planning on applying for first. (something like euregistry.com).

seems expensive anyway, I like com better

Godaddy is offering them. The only one I trust

Before you waste any money on attempting to get hold of a .eu you might want to make sure you actually qualify for one.
Most "general people" in the US won't for example.

As far as I know .eu domains are available for people residing in the EU only.

As far as I know .eu domains are available for people residing in the EU only.

Which I assume is the least of problems if you have someone qualified residing in EU to help you out. But then again, is .eu really so interesting?

There's a .eu registration website somewhere, an official one. Afetr I signed up with a name from Enom I checked it and they have already received 3 certified paper requests from people way more likely to be awarded the domain I applied for (local council for a town name). I'd find that site and check whatever name you're planning on applying for first. (something like euregistry.com).
http://www.eurid.eu/en/general/whois-database

I'll go for Go Daddy then. Not sure what eNom can offer way better for more bucks.
Beside that, yes, I'm perfectly aware of the conditions (from April 7, only to be a EU resident). As to the interest... well: no more no less than .us or .uk or other geographically bound domains.

I'll go for Go Daddy then.

Unless it is a very unusal domain name (which means there is no hurry) I would go for a registrar who accepts only one application per domainname which I think is more fair.

Unless it is a very unusal domain name (which means there is no hurry) I would go for a registrar who accepts only one application per domainname which I think is more fair.

Didn't think of that. Good point. Though I guess if you ask, none will say "I do it".
I have heard (official warning from EURid) of some registrars pooling their queues for future auction between applicants which is of course not accepted by EURid. So I imagine the benefit of a registrar to do so would be to raise the bid among those who would have applied for the same name in their queue. I can't see any other reason if there is no charge for the queue itself.
May be the only way to react as a customer so not to be fooled is to pre-register to several registrars
Not sure I'm going to play this stupid game though the name I'm looking for is not that unusual apparently when I see .com, .net and .org are already taken.

Didn't think of that. Good point. Though I guess if you ask, none will say "I do it".
I have heard (official warning from EURid) of some registrars pooling their queues for future auction between applicants which is of course not accepted by EURid. So I imagine the benefit of a registrar to do so would be to raise the bid among those who would have applied for the same name in their queue. I can't see any other reason if there is no charge for the queue itself.
May be the only way to react as a customer so not to be fooled is to pre-register to several registrars
Not sure I'm going to play this stupid game though the name I'm looking for is not that unusual apparently when I see .com, .net and .org are already taken.

I normally use cheap large registrars but when it comes to a "special" domainname when there is a preregistration procedure I use a small rather expensive but competent company. They really know how to play the domain game and their success rate is good. Just for the record, I simultanously have preregistered with the cheap large registrars but they seldom succeed. But on the other hand, I never bulkregister anything and I do not actually try to register to sell the domainname, I am looking for good names for real projects that I myself or maybe someone else has in mind. And this makes it all the more important to "catch" the right generic name.

I guess it is hard to tell who is the most competent and if it really depends on the price. "Expensive" is not always "good".
Actually, I wonder how one provider can be better than another one at that game.
The one which would care to submit its list the D-Day at midnight? The one with the best bandwith to enter its requests faster?
The one with a small list (better than a huge list when you are at the end, an argument to stand for your recommandation: small is better).

But does eNom offer more chance with charging for the queue? I would say if they can't do it that's as many bad feedback for their reputation.
And what about their $300 no-refund queue charge to be on their "first class" queue? I imagine at that price they can't afford a bad service. Their argument is you have better chance because fewer there. Which favors the idea all is about the length of the list. Easier for small registrars ... if they start at midnight.:)

I guess it is hard to tell who is the most competent and if it really depends on the price. "Expensive" is not always "good".

I do agree with you totally. But a company that only accepts one pre-registration per domain name without charging anything for the application, makes sure to play by the rules and has a good track record is what I call "good". I my case their flat rate for registrations in most tlds is usually the actual cost for the domain name + $20 + expenses, which is much less than Enom but of course more than Godaddy and the others. And if the business venture does not motivate $20 I guess I dont need the domain name :)

And if the business venture does not motivate $20 I guess I dont need the domain name :)

Yup. $20 once is not a big deal if you really want it! You can hardly get a good meal for that LOL!
That's more a principle problem. FYI, I have asked eNom about their extra charge. I'll report here their answer (if any). Should be interesting....

This is the answer I got from eNom:

"Hello,

The length of our queues is published and the value of it is how short our queues are compared to those that are free. You may be hundreds or even thousands down on their list. If perhaps one domain is very valuable to you, you should put it in the VIP queue. Otherwise, the standard queue might be your best option. If you want to use a free queue at another registrar, you will more than likely be in a very very long line."

In clear they bet on the fact their tariff being more expensive (especially no-refund pre-registering charge) their list is shorter so they offer better chance to be the first.
I guess it all depends on how probable you expect competition...

This is the answer I got from eNom:
<cut, cut>
In clear they bet on the fact their tariff being more expensive (especially no-refund pre-registering charge) their list is shorter so they offer better chance to be the first.
I guess it all depends on how probable you expect competition...

Well for $300 you might as well have applied for the site during Sunrise II. If you needed to register a company within EU that would still have amounted to more or less the same cost all in all with the same result (no refund in case of not obtaining the domain). But on the other hand that would have needed som planning way ahead, so if you really believe in Enom and that the domain is worth more than $300 you should go for it.