For many domain resellers, the focus is on registration – although sustainable business added value is often only created through the services associated with the domain. Customers are not just looking for an address on the Internet, they also expect security, reliability and simple administration. This is exactly where additional services such as DNS management, WHOIS privacy, Domain Guard, Let’s Encrypt certificates and Anycast DNS come into play. In this article, we will show you how you can use these services to differentiate your offering, retain customers in the long term and significantly increase your sales potential.

DNS management: The basis for professional use

Easily accessible, modern DNS management is a central tool for end customers – be it for the configuration of mail servers, website forwarding or verification protocols such as SPF, DKIM or DMARC. DNS zones for domains can usually be managed directly via reseller platforms such as ResellerInterface, sometimes also via API or using preconfigured templates.

For many customers, the ability to manage their DNS records centrally and reliably is a real added value. Resellers, in turn, can either integrate this service as standard or market it in an extended form as an additional service (e.g. with dynamic DNS or API access). Business customers, agencies and tech-savvy users in particular appreciate this control – and pay for it.

WHOIS Privacy: Protection for personal data

Even though much WHOIS data is no longer publicly accessible since the GDPR came into force, WHOIS privacy is still relevant in many TLDs (e.g. .com, .org, .net). For these endings, domain holder data is still published today – unless explicitly protected – especially for registrations outside the EU.

WHOIS-Privacy replaces these details with neutral placeholder addresses or proxy services and thus protects against spam, identity abuse and unwanted contact. As a reseller, you can purchase WHOIS-Privacy from many registrars for around €0.50 to €2 per year. The usual market resale price range is between €5 and €10 per year, which enables margins of 70-90%. Data-sensitive target groups in particular – such as freelancers, the self-employed or NGO websites – like to make use of this service.

Domain Guard / Domain Safe: Protection against domain loss

The loss of a domain – whether through accidental transfer, social engineering or malicious manipulation – can threaten a company’s existence. Domain Guard (also known as “Domain Safe”, “Transfer Lock+” or “Registry Lock” depending on the provider) offers an additional layer of security here.

With the protection mechanism activated, critical changes – such as owner changes, name server changes or transfers – can only be implemented after explicit approval by the registrar. Some systems even require telephone or manual confirmation for high-security domains. For customers with valuable projects or brands, this is a clear added value that they are happy to take advantage of.

The service is available in different ways depending on the TLD. In simple cases, it is a “Registrar Lock”, which is usually free of charge. Higher security levels such as “Domain Safe” cost around €1 to €2 per year to purchase. For certain TLDs such as .com or .bank, a registry lock is even possible, which costs between €20 and €250 per year. Accordingly, as a reseller you can set sales prices of between €10 and €300 per year – depending on the scope of protection and the target group. The achievable margin is between 80% and 95%.

Companies with well-known brands or high online turnover are particularly keen to invest in this protection – especially as domain loss or misuse can sometimes cause massive financial damage.

Let’s Encrypt: Free SSL – professionally integrated

Another service that is ideal as an additional service is the provision of free SSL certificates via Let’s Encrypt. Although technically savvy customers can also integrate these certificates themselves, the administrative effort – especially the regular renewal – is an obstacle for many.

Through automatic integration via your infrastructure or your reseller interface, you can offer customers a simple “SSL included” package. This not only increases the security of websites, but also their trustworthiness in the eyes of visitors. SSL certificates are now a ranking factor for Google and a prerequisite for modern browsers, which are increasingly blocking or warning about unencrypted pages.

Tip: Even if Let’s Encrypt certificates are free of charge, the setup and maintenance service can be offered as a premium service – e.g. as part of a hosting or domain service package.

As a reseller, you can add smart value to this service: You offer Let’s Encrypt certificates as “Managed SSL” – including setup, monitoring and renewal. The purchase price is effectively €0, as Let’s Encrypt can be used free of charge. As a professionally managed service, however, this service can realistically be sold for between €9 and €29 per year – with a margin of almost 100%.

Especially if you offer hosting or e-mail services, an integrated SSL offer is a strong argument for your complete package.

Anycast DNS: Global stability for every domain

A technical but very effective additional service is the use of anycast DNS. In contrast to traditional unicast DNS systems, anycast distributes queries across a global network of nodes. This means that DNS queries always reach the geographically closest server – which significantly increases the response speed and reduces downtimes.

Anycast is a clear advantage, especially for internationally oriented customers, e-commerce sites or projects with high traffic volumes. Redundancy and load balancing make the DNS infrastructure more robust against DDoS attacks and network outages.

As a reseller, you can purchase anycast services from specialized providers for €3 to €12 per domain and year. The usual resale margin is €10 to €25 per year, with a margin of 60 to 80% – depending on the range of functions and target group.

Conclusion: Additional services are not an accessory – they are your business model

In domain reselling, it is not the basic products that generate long-term revenue – but the services surrounding the domain. Today’s customers value data protection, security, availability and simple administration. DNS management, WHOIS privacy, Domain Guard, SSL certificates and anycast DNS are not technical gimmicks, but elementary building blocks of digital infrastructure.

Individual services can be sold in a targeted manner – ideally, however, you should add them to packages, e.g:

• “Secure & Private” package for €19/year: WHOIS Privacy + Domain Safe + Managed SSL
• “Global Performance DNS” package for €29/year: DNS management + anycast + SLA support

If you actively work with it as a reseller, you can:

• Increase your sales per customer,
• Improve your customer loyalty,
• and stand out from the pure price competition.

The effort required to integrate these services is often manageable – especially if your reseller interface offers modern interfaces, templates or automation options. The added value for your customers – and your business – is all the greater.