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I'm fed up. I know many of my clients are too.
How many domainers have to suffer through fraudulent or "inadequately on purpose" notifications and hassles in order to manage or control their domains at lame ass registrars?
I think all of us should be able to go right to a category on this forum that says:
"REGISTRAR COMPLAINTS"
Let me give you an example (and i can give you many) -- I registered a domain i won on snapnames, and it was a domain that expired through DOMAINMONKEY.COM (the registrar name alone should have told me to run immediately).
My normal expectations of any company LICENSED BY ICANN is that they would use ethical procedures and operate with the intention of being legitimate. Additionally, if Snapnames or Pool or Enom or GoPoppa is selling their expiring domains, that they would give us domainers a connection that the SELLER REGISTRAR will do their part in assisting us in RETAINING THE DOMAIN.
But guess what people. I have consulted for several large registrars, and I know their desires and secrets. I can tell you without you doubting my comments that they want you to renew your domains with them, especially if you have over 200 domains with them. BUT... just as much, and more than you know... if you have a valuable domain name, they could give a shit whether you renew it or not. AND THEY KNOW WHAT VALUABLE DOMAINS ARE COMING UP FOR RENEWAL BEFORE YOU RENEW THEM. It's a huge source of income for them, just like those poor blokes who buy a domain and then think they're getting a free place to park it by using the registrar's default landing page. But forget about that, let's talk about your OBVIOUSLY VALUABLE DOMAINS.
Yes, that's right. Your registrar has their eyes on YOUR PREMIUM DOMAINS. Most of the best registrars won't jeopardize their company's reputation by purposely keeping you in the dark about your renewal date. ENom bought Bulkregister, and they have a system they're honing to pound out mini websites to monetize their domains - and they've bought hundreds of thousands of domains to their own portfolios in order to own the internet real estate. They would love it if you forgot to renew some two word descriptive popular product domain. In 45 days, it's theirs, and they will auction it off with a gleam in their eye as they watch the bidders pass the $2,000 mark and keep going... check DNjournal.com for Snapname and Pool purchase prices. Those high prices aren't being paid to the last registrant --- the last registrant is crying big old waterfall tears. Why? Cuz the registrar took over the domain and is getting the majority of the value of the domain sale. It's HUGE business... literally in the 100's of millions of dollars each year. Yep.
Legit registrars aside, there are lots of reseller and dumbass registrars out there who make LOTS OF MONEY by either:
1. Not sending out renewal notices
2. Sending out renewal notices only a week to three days prior to the expiration date.
3. Hiding the EPP code for transfers out
4. Making you remember secondary codes to manage your domains even once you've logged into your account at the registrar (especially if the domain is defaulted to their own parking pages).
5. The 60 day "hold period" when a domain is bought -- gladly supported by registrars so that you can't immediately move a domain out of a lame registrar or any registrar within 60 day of registering it. What is that requirement really supposed to do? What's that "hold" period accomplishing, and for who? Security? Flipping domains too quickly? What?
Back to Domainmonkey.com, it seems that it's better for them to send renewal notices a scant 3 days before expiration, then if you haven't checked your email, and find out it's expired, they give you NO WAY to find that domain within their system and allow you to renew it even within a normal 5 day grace period. I've filed a complaint with them, so I will give you an update on their response.
Be careful on buying expiring domains that are located at these oddball registrars. There really is no watchdog organization with any bullets in their gun to sign them out when they play games with their customers. When domains can be worth tens of thousands of dollars, registrars love it when you don't renew them and they send it off to be auctioned off on Pool or Snap or wherever, and they collect their 70% when the domain is sold off.
I've been watching these registrars closely, and compiling a list of the culprits... I've complained to the EXECUTIVES of these expiring domain companies who accept the domains submitted by these registrars to be resold, and the previous buyers may have been suckered because they aren't as domain savvy as you or me. That may be GOOD for domainers wanting to get a good deal, but in another, I wouldn't want to buy a domain that was sold by a registrar who failed to fairly notify the owner of the renewal date and allow the domainer a five - ten day grace period to renew. I'm not that much of a greedy F*CK, and i don't like it being done to me.
What say you? Do you have stories of bad registrars? Let's hear them. Let's start an ongoing "REGISTRAR BLACKMARK" poll to see which registrars use the worst business practices.
It's time for domainers to rise up and DEMAND fair service. We can't be lackadaisical anymore and just accept things the way they are. It's time for the domain industry to focus on the domainers.
let's hear your comments.:upset:
Here's the renewal notices FIRST DATE SENT. The domain expired on 1.23.07
Here's their FIRST notice:
+++
From: Domain Monkeys Renewals Department <[email protected]> Mailed-By: webhost1.webhostingsystems.com
To: [email protected]
Date: Jan 20, 2007 2:24 AM
Subject: xxxxxxECHNOLOGY.ORG - URGENT
Your domain xxxxxxECHNOLOGY.ORG is about to be DELETED due to being expired. (NOTE BY ME: They're saying it's expired three days before the expiration date)
Recovery of domains after deletion is an expensive and time consuming process. You may lose your domain name PERMANENTLY.
Please visit http://www.domainmonkeys.com and renew your domain immediately to prevent the loss of your domain name.
--
Domain Monkeys Renewals Dept.
[email protected]
++++++
So when I checked on it -- TWO DAYS AFTER EXPIRATION, here's what I found on a whois check:
++++
Domain ID109878771-LROR
Domain Name:xxxxxxECHNOLOGY.ORG
Created On:23-Dec-2005 19:09:28 UTC
Last Updated On:23-Jan-2007 16:22:53 UTC
Expiration Date:23-Dec-2007 19:09:28 UTC
Sponsoring Registraromain Monkeys, LLC (R1287-LROR)
Status:CLIENT TRANSFER PROHIBITED
Registrant IDM-2596
Registrant Name:Information Support
Registrant Organizationomain Monkeys, LLC
Registrant Street1:4094 Majestic Lane
Registrant Street2:Suite 109
Registrant Street3:
Registrant City:Fairfax
Registrant State/Province:VA
Registrant Postal Code:22033
Registrant Country:US
Registrant Phone:+1.7036526049
Registrant Phone Ext.:
Registrant FAX:
Registrant FAX Ext.:
Registrant Email:
Admin IDM-2596
Admin Name:Information Support
Admin Organizationomain Monkeys, LLC
Admin Street1:4094 Majestic Lane
Admin Street2:Suite 109
Admin Street3:
Admin City:Fairfax
Admin State/Province:VA
Admin Postal Code:22033
Admin Country:US
Admin Phone:+1.7036526049
Admin Phone Ext.:
Admin FAX:
Admin FAX Ext.:
Admin Email:
Tech IDM-2596
Tech Name:Information Support
Tech Organizationomain Monkeys, LLC
Tech Street1:4094 Majestic Lane
Tech Street2:Suite 109
Tech Street3:
Tech City:Fairfax
Tech State/Province:VA
Tech Postal Code:22033
Tech Country:US
Tech Phone:+1.7036526049
Tech Phone Ext.:
Tech FAX:
Tech FAX Ext.:
Tech Email:
Name Server:NS1.DOMAINMONKEYS.COM
Name Server:NS2.DOMAINMONKEYS.COM
++++++
Within 2 days of expiration, they had already TAKEN OVER THE DOMAIN.
DOMAINMONKEY.COM... remember this registrar.
How many domainers have to suffer through fraudulent or "inadequately on purpose" notifications and hassles in order to manage or control their domains at lame ass registrars?
I think all of us should be able to go right to a category on this forum that says:
"REGISTRAR COMPLAINTS"
Let me give you an example (and i can give you many) -- I registered a domain i won on snapnames, and it was a domain that expired through DOMAINMONKEY.COM (the registrar name alone should have told me to run immediately).
My normal expectations of any company LICENSED BY ICANN is that they would use ethical procedures and operate with the intention of being legitimate. Additionally, if Snapnames or Pool or Enom or GoPoppa is selling their expiring domains, that they would give us domainers a connection that the SELLER REGISTRAR will do their part in assisting us in RETAINING THE DOMAIN.
But guess what people. I have consulted for several large registrars, and I know their desires and secrets. I can tell you without you doubting my comments that they want you to renew your domains with them, especially if you have over 200 domains with them. BUT... just as much, and more than you know... if you have a valuable domain name, they could give a shit whether you renew it or not. AND THEY KNOW WHAT VALUABLE DOMAINS ARE COMING UP FOR RENEWAL BEFORE YOU RENEW THEM. It's a huge source of income for them, just like those poor blokes who buy a domain and then think they're getting a free place to park it by using the registrar's default landing page. But forget about that, let's talk about your OBVIOUSLY VALUABLE DOMAINS.
Yes, that's right. Your registrar has their eyes on YOUR PREMIUM DOMAINS. Most of the best registrars won't jeopardize their company's reputation by purposely keeping you in the dark about your renewal date. ENom bought Bulkregister, and they have a system they're honing to pound out mini websites to monetize their domains - and they've bought hundreds of thousands of domains to their own portfolios in order to own the internet real estate. They would love it if you forgot to renew some two word descriptive popular product domain. In 45 days, it's theirs, and they will auction it off with a gleam in their eye as they watch the bidders pass the $2,000 mark and keep going... check DNjournal.com for Snapname and Pool purchase prices. Those high prices aren't being paid to the last registrant --- the last registrant is crying big old waterfall tears. Why? Cuz the registrar took over the domain and is getting the majority of the value of the domain sale. It's HUGE business... literally in the 100's of millions of dollars each year. Yep.
Legit registrars aside, there are lots of reseller and dumbass registrars out there who make LOTS OF MONEY by either:
1. Not sending out renewal notices
2. Sending out renewal notices only a week to three days prior to the expiration date.
3. Hiding the EPP code for transfers out
4. Making you remember secondary codes to manage your domains even once you've logged into your account at the registrar (especially if the domain is defaulted to their own parking pages).
5. The 60 day "hold period" when a domain is bought -- gladly supported by registrars so that you can't immediately move a domain out of a lame registrar or any registrar within 60 day of registering it. What is that requirement really supposed to do? What's that "hold" period accomplishing, and for who? Security? Flipping domains too quickly? What?
Back to Domainmonkey.com, it seems that it's better for them to send renewal notices a scant 3 days before expiration, then if you haven't checked your email, and find out it's expired, they give you NO WAY to find that domain within their system and allow you to renew it even within a normal 5 day grace period. I've filed a complaint with them, so I will give you an update on their response.
Be careful on buying expiring domains that are located at these oddball registrars. There really is no watchdog organization with any bullets in their gun to sign them out when they play games with their customers. When domains can be worth tens of thousands of dollars, registrars love it when you don't renew them and they send it off to be auctioned off on Pool or Snap or wherever, and they collect their 70% when the domain is sold off.
I've been watching these registrars closely, and compiling a list of the culprits... I've complained to the EXECUTIVES of these expiring domain companies who accept the domains submitted by these registrars to be resold, and the previous buyers may have been suckered because they aren't as domain savvy as you or me. That may be GOOD for domainers wanting to get a good deal, but in another, I wouldn't want to buy a domain that was sold by a registrar who failed to fairly notify the owner of the renewal date and allow the domainer a five - ten day grace period to renew. I'm not that much of a greedy F*CK, and i don't like it being done to me.
What say you? Do you have stories of bad registrars? Let's hear them. Let's start an ongoing "REGISTRAR BLACKMARK" poll to see which registrars use the worst business practices.
It's time for domainers to rise up and DEMAND fair service. We can't be lackadaisical anymore and just accept things the way they are. It's time for the domain industry to focus on the domainers.
let's hear your comments.:upset:
Here's the renewal notices FIRST DATE SENT. The domain expired on 1.23.07
Here's their FIRST notice:
+++
From: Domain Monkeys Renewals Department <[email protected]> Mailed-By: webhost1.webhostingsystems.com
To: [email protected]
Date: Jan 20, 2007 2:24 AM
Subject: xxxxxxECHNOLOGY.ORG - URGENT
Your domain xxxxxxECHNOLOGY.ORG is about to be DELETED due to being expired. (NOTE BY ME: They're saying it's expired three days before the expiration date)
Recovery of domains after deletion is an expensive and time consuming process. You may lose your domain name PERMANENTLY.
Please visit http://www.domainmonkeys.com and renew your domain immediately to prevent the loss of your domain name.
--
Domain Monkeys Renewals Dept.
[email protected]
++++++
So when I checked on it -- TWO DAYS AFTER EXPIRATION, here's what I found on a whois check:
++++
Domain ID109878771-LROR
Domain Name:xxxxxxECHNOLOGY.ORG
Created On:23-Dec-2005 19:09:28 UTC
Last Updated On:23-Jan-2007 16:22:53 UTC
Expiration Date:23-Dec-2007 19:09:28 UTC
Sponsoring Registraromain Monkeys, LLC (R1287-LROR)
Status:CLIENT TRANSFER PROHIBITED
Registrant IDM-2596
Registrant Name:Information Support
Registrant Organizationomain Monkeys, LLC
Registrant Street1:4094 Majestic Lane
Registrant Street2:Suite 109
Registrant Street3:
Registrant City:Fairfax
Registrant State/Province:VA
Registrant Postal Code:22033
Registrant Country:US
Registrant Phone:+1.7036526049
Registrant Phone Ext.:
Registrant FAX:
Registrant FAX Ext.:
Registrant Email:
Admin IDM-2596
Admin Name:Information Support
Admin Organizationomain Monkeys, LLC
Admin Street1:4094 Majestic Lane
Admin Street2:Suite 109
Admin Street3:
Admin City:Fairfax
Admin State/Province:VA
Admin Postal Code:22033
Admin Country:US
Admin Phone:+1.7036526049
Admin Phone Ext.:
Admin FAX:
Admin FAX Ext.:
Admin Email:
Tech IDM-2596
Tech Name:Information Support
Tech Organizationomain Monkeys, LLC
Tech Street1:4094 Majestic Lane
Tech Street2:Suite 109
Tech Street3:
Tech City:Fairfax
Tech State/Province:VA
Tech Postal Code:22033
Tech Country:US
Tech Phone:+1.7036526049
Tech Phone Ext.:
Tech FAX:
Tech FAX Ext.:
Tech Email:
Name Server:NS1.DOMAINMONKEYS.COM
Name Server:NS2.DOMAINMONKEYS.COM
++++++
Within 2 days of expiration, they had already TAKEN OVER THE DOMAIN.
DOMAINMONKEY.COM... remember this registrar.