White-glove clients
Zarla handles everything behind the scenes, including domain selection and DNS.
Zarla
Making domains the easy part
How Zarla uses OpenSRS Storefront to support every client—whether they want white-glove service or hands-on control.
About Zarla
Zarla is an all-in-one platform that helps local, service-based businesses get online fast. Built for trades like junk removal, pressure washing, and other “we come to you” services, Zarla supports customers who often start with little or no digital presence. By combining websites, domains, branding, and lead generation into a single, guided experience, Zarla removes complexity and gets businesses to their first lead quickly. That focus on speed and simplicity informs everything Zarla builds—including its approach to domains.
The challenge: one client base, very different expectations around domains
Zarla’s customers don’t all want the same level of involvement. Most want a completely hands-off, white-glove experience. They don’t want to think about domains, DNS, or configuration at all—they just want their website live. But a smaller subset of customers want more control. They’re curious, more technical, or simply want the option to manage DNS themselves.
“When they look at you as the technical architect of all their digital world, if you
“We do have the occasional client that comes in and is like, ‘I want to take over my own management.’”
— Adam Seabrook, COO, Zarla, Inc.
Supporting both groups—without increasing support risk or complicating Zarla’s platform—was the real challenge.
Why becoming a registrar wasn’t an option
Adam considered what it would take to own domain management outright. The conclusion was clear: becoming a registrar—or even replicating registrar-level tooling—would be expensive, time-consuming, and a distraction from their core business.
Even a basic, customer-ready solution would require significant engineering effort, ongoing maintenance, compliance considerations, and long-term operational responsibility.
And that investment wouldn’t make domains a strategic advantage—it would simply move necessary complexity in-house.
Zarla needed a solution that removed registrar burden entirely, without forcing them to give up control over the customer experience.
Why OpenSRS: flexibility backed by long-term trust
Zarla wasn’t just looking for features—they were looking for infrastructure they could rely on for the long haul.
Adam explained,
“I don’t think OpenSRS is going anywhere any time soon.”
That confidence came from OpenSRS’s track record. Adam pointed to the fact that some of the largest platforms on the internet have trusted OpenSRS for years.
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen Shopify switch from you guys. They’ve always used you—and if they haven’t switched, there’s obviously a reason.”
For Adam, that history mattered. Domains are foundational infrastructure. Once they’re embedded into a customer experience, switching providers later is risky and costly.
“A lot of the stuff I looked at four or five years ago just doesn’t exist anymore.”
OpenSRS’s longevity gave Zarla confidence they were building on something proven—not experimental.
The solution: a flexible, white-label domain experience with Storefront
OpenSRS Storefront gave Zarla a clean, out-of-the-box solution that could be up and running
within minutes—without becoming a registrar or building anything themselves.
“Once that was there, we were like, ‘Oh, okay—this solves it.’”
One solution,
multiple service models
With OpenSRS Storefront, Zarla can support every type of customer using the same underlying system:
Self-service clients
Customers who want control can manage their domain and DNS themselves through Storefront.
Hybrid scenarios
Zarla can still step in to help when needed, without losing visibility or access.
This flexibility allows Zarla to meet clients where they are—without forcing a one-size-fits-all experience.
Why white-label was critical
Zarla works with non-technical customers who already find the digital ecosystem confusing. Sending them to unfamiliar platforms undermines trust.
“I don’t really like sending clients off to… some random ugly-looking thing. It doesn’t have our logo and name on it.”
Storefront keeps the domain experience under Zarla’s brand—reinforcing that Zarla is the single, trusted partner responsible for the customer’s online presence.
Fast to launch, built to last
Because Storefront works out of the box, Zarla didn’t need a long implementation cycle or ongoing registrar overhead. They could:
Launch in minutes
Avoid registrar compliance and complexity
Keep their platform focused and simple
Know that OpenSRS APIs are available if deeper integration is ever needed
That combination—speed today and stability for the future—made the decision straightforward.
“[OpenSRS] was listening to us and reacting to what we needed.”
Together, those updates reflect OpenSRS’s ongoing commitment to building for resellers—and supporting them as their needs evolve.
Results: flexibility without added complexity
Zarla doesn’t treat domains as a revenue stream. The value shows up in operational simplicity and service coverage.
One domain solution for every client type
No need to build or maintain registrar tooling
Lower support risk when customers want control
A consistent, branded experience
As Adam summed it up:
“This solved a problem we ran into straight away.”
Why it matters for web builders
Zarla’s experience reflects a broader reality for web builders and agencies:
Clients expect you to handle domains—even if they don’t want to
Some clients want white-glove service; others want control
Becoming a registrar is expensive, time-consuming, and complex
Building domain tooling from scratch diverts focus from growth
OpenSRS Storefront provides a practical middle ground: a white-label solution that supports both service models without forcing a tradeoff.
The takeaway
Zarla didn’t need to become a registrar to meet every client’s needs.
With OpenSRS Storefront, they gained a flexible, branded domain solution backed by infrastructure that’s been trusted at scale for decades—so they can focus on what they do best.
Simplify domains—your way
Whether your clients want full white-glove service or hands-on control, OpenSRS Storefront
lets you support both—without building or maintaining registrar infrastructure.