Used to be when you needed a domain name, Network Solutions was the only game in town. Now there are many choices. One of the services Network Solutions offers is domain name lookup, but with a wicked twist. If you just look up a domain name, they grab the name for several days so you can only buy it from them. Then you pay them $35 for the domain name and $9 for whois privacy. And they don't tell you they are doing this.
Currently I use iPower Web to host my website. And I get new domain names
for $6.50 with privacy for free. That's $37.50 less for each domain name. And all the other extras (domain pointing, etc.) are included for free while Network Solution charges.
So this has been going on for the week, and I thought that Network Solution would have fixed it or at least put a disclaimer on their website. No such luck. I looked up "nsislammed.com" on iPower Web. It was available. Then I looked it up on Network Solutions. It was available. Then I went back to iPower Web and it was gone. Network Solutions grabbed the name.
So when you come up with a clever marketing ploy to get customers I strongly suggest before doing your customers a "favor" you clearly tell them what you are doing and ask them if it o.k. Because people talk. A lot.
I loved how N-S explained they were doing nothing "wrong." Yes, and jacking a price on a commodity may not be techically illegal - just sleazy. With so many people out there that are still Web neophytes (you mean I need to own my URL? And, what's wrong with www.bobsbaitandtackshopandhairsalon.com for a domain? What do you mean people won't find me?)
Tip to Network Solutions: Just because you can doesn't mean you should (duh-oh.)
Posted by: Mary Schmidt | 15 January 2008 at 07:47 AM