Do You Actively Avoid 1and1?

Domain_Stir · Mar 26, 2018

Ok... Long time users... please bear with me here.

I'm sure you're sick of seeing posts of 1and1 domain transfer horror stories. I've searched the history here and am well aware this not a new topic, but I just wanted to get a sense of how many people in this profession:

Absolutely avoid 1and1 for not allowing easier, more cost efficient way of domain transfer (no existing user "push" option)
Avoid purchasing domains from sellers who list their domains as being registered at 1and1
Would you consider using them if they changed their transfer policy and enabled the ability to "push" domains to existing users?

I just want to get a metric to see just how many people avoid that registrar and also see if you think that if we (as a community) think it might be beneficial to petition? Change.org? Ok... now I understand this isn't a major issue plaguing society or some movement to weed out social injustice but if your like me it's been a real road block to efficient transactions and... in some cases, your stuck holding a fairly significant amount of inventory.

This will probably turn out to be a relatively small sample but I'm just interested to see if anyone thinks it would be worthwhile? Take the poll, chime in below. Would really love to get peoples take on this.

Below are a few Change.org example petitions requesting companies change/adjust their services/corp policy. How many signatures do you think it would take to see any kind movement on this issue by 1and1 on this?

Tell BOA to not end their free checking (379,671 signatures)
McDonalds: Its time for a healthy, meatless option (118,271 signatures)
Tell Walmart, target and Toys R Us to give their employees the Thanksgiving day off (82,105 signatures)
Bring the 2015 Civic Type R VTEC Turbo to North America (24,539 signatures)

Domain_Stir · Mar 26, 2018

Coinking said:
I don't like 1and1 registrar because its don't allow to free push. I love dynadot and namesilo

Would you use them if they offered any kind of push option?

Coinking · Mar 26, 2018

Domain_Stir said:
Would you use them if they offered any kind of push option?

I think it's will be a good for domainers.

Domain_Stir · Mar 26, 2018

carob said:
Yes, no need to repeat or create new thread, just ask Google about:

1&1 sucks

1&1 stole my domain name

1&1 collection agency

Can't understand why we keep getting these new threads, 1&1 have not changed.

I get it. I really do. I've seen the posts but I haven't seen anything about getting info to get them to change their policy. I'm just trying to get some kind of gauge of current sentiment. That's why added the poll. Its one thing to to see tons of posts and another to see that (hypothetically speaking) "out of 1,000 people polled, 95% people that currently avoid 1and1 said they would start using if they changed their policy". That's what I am going for. Or if enough people think it may be worthwhile to actually petition them.

MasterOfMyDomains · Mar 26, 2018

So many horror stories with some registrars, I don't want to worry to save a few dollars.
I'll pass

Domain_Stir · Mar 26, 2018

MasterOfMyDomains said:
So many horror stories with some registrars, I don't want to worry to save a few dollars.
I'll pass

Would you use them if they changed the "push" option? Or better yet... Would you consider buying a domain from someone that used them as registrar if you were certain they changed their policy?

creataweb · Mar 26, 2018

Would never use them, don't care what they change.

tonyk2000 · Mar 26, 2018

I beleive there is something in German law that definitely allows them to do what they do (send legal papers demanding renewals and this sort of things), at least to Germany-based users who are forming a high %%% of their users. So they found that this business model is profitable for them, and it is unlikely that they would be willing to change it with or without petitions.

Domain_Stir · Mar 26, 2018

tonyk2000 said:
I beleive there is something in German law that definitely allows them to do what they do (send legal papers demanding renewals and this sort of things), at least to Germany-based users who are forming a high %%% of their users. So they found that this business model is profitable for them, and it is unlikely that they would be willing to change it with or without petitions.

Can you elaborate? what do you mean by demanding renewals?

tonyk2000 · Mar 26, 2018

Domain_Stir said:
Can you elaborate? what do you mean by demanding renewals?

If their customer did not renew a domain (or hosting) - they send it to debt collection agency. There is a lot of evidence of this business practice posted on boards/blogs/etc.
I can confirm this myself - when I was "young" domainer (or, not yet domainer) many years ago - I registered something with them, later decided to let the domain expire - and subsequently received various communications from debt collectors hired by 1and1

MasterOfMyDomains · Mar 26, 2018

Domain_Stir said:
Would you use them if they changed the "push" option? Or better yet... Would you consider buying a domain from someone that used them as registrar if you were certain they changed their policy?

No. Not into dishing out my personal info to sketchy operations.
Why complicate life more for couple dollars

Domain_Stir · Mar 26, 2018

tonyk2000 said:
If their customer did not renew a domain (or hosting) - they send it to debt collection agency. There is a lot of evidence of this business practice posted on boards/blogs/etc.
I can confirm this myself - when I was "young" domainer (or, not yet domainer) many years ago - I registered something with them, later decided to let the domain expire - and subsequently received various communications from debt collectors hired by 1and1

Thanks! I did a NP search specifically for this just now and saw what you were referring too. I haven't seen anything about specifically since 2015. So I am hopeful things have changed for the better... I have several that are up for expiration in May (like 20). I double checked their "help" and their verbiage was pretty straightforward (minus the typo, Ha!).

"Learn how to cancel your domain by deactivating the automatical renewal function.
For your convenience, all domains with 1&1 have the "automatic renewal" feature active. This means that we automatically extend the domain expiration date another year so that you remain owner of your domain.

If you no longer wish to extend the expiration date of your domain, you can cancel your domain or let it expire on its expiration date. Extending the expiration date of an additional domain will be billed with the yearly fee according to the domain's corresponding price.

If you deactivate the automatic renewal for your domain, it will be cancelled on the next registration date."

I hope its as easy as they say. If not... this going to be a bumpy ride.

Domain_Stir · Mar 26, 2018

MasterOfMyDomains said:
No. Not into dishing out my personal info to sketchy operations.
Why complicate life more for couple dollars

Great to know. Seriously. This further explains why I received significant attention to domains until they found out who the registrar was. Then... crickets...

frank-germany · Mar 26, 2018

Furquah said:
I am using them long time, didn't found a single issue with them.

maybe you never transferred a domain out

Domain_Stir · Mar 26, 2018

alcy said:
well... auctions like GD auctions force buyer to pay upfront for transfer to gd. so pushing is not even an option. also, in other auction sites, I do not really see why a buyer would refuse to pay for transfer.. because in the end it is not money wasted or extra cost.. buyer is just paying to renew his domain for another year by transfering it. whcih sooner or later we all have to renew anyway.

At godaddy the term for this is considered an "Account Change" or switching a domain from one account to another. To avoid the reg fee, if the buyer has an active, current account at godaddy they can go through the "Account Change" process. This is what would be considered a "Push". This passes the domain to another account as is without additional reg fees.

For Godaddy and all the other major registrars, they all have the type of fee when "Transfering" a domain away from one registrar to another. In this instance, yes you have to pay for an additional year reg. There is a slight difference between the two.

mhdoc · Mar 26, 2018

when I didn't renew two domains with them they sent me to collections.

Domain_Stir · Mar 26, 2018

mhdoc said:
when I didn't renew two domains with them they sent me to collections.

how recent was that?

zeff · Mar 26, 2018

Still don't know the reason i've been charged for an invoice.
Did quit them, easy decision to make.

Furquan · Mar 26, 2018

frank-germany said:
maybe you never transferred a domain out

I transferred out one domain from 1&1 to GoDaddy & it was a smooth transaction.

Also,

I just recently transfered a .co domain from Whois to 1&1 it was another great experience from 1&1

alcy · Mar 26, 2018

Domain_Stir said:
At godaddy the term for this is considered an "Account Change" or switching a domain from one account to another. To avoid the reg fee, if the buyer has an active, current account at godaddy they can go through the "Account Change" process. This is what would be considered a "Push". This passes the domain to another account as is without additional reg fees.

For Godaddy and all the other major registrars, they all have the type of fee when "Transfering" a domain away from one registrar to another. In this instance, yes you have to pay for an additional year reg. There is a slight difference between the two.

I know what a push is.

if you are concerned about selling domains for $10 and your buyer being too cheap to pay $10 transfer fee, then maybe you should find better buyers, who will both pay you more, and then flip your domains for more than $10 profit.. so they can pay you the transfer fee

cheers

centreurope · Mar 26, 2018

1and1 used to have all the defaults one can imagine.
A member from here told with reason that they had changed the laws of mathematics, as 1+1=...0
Though, their communication, their hosting and their policy have improved the last two or three years, at least from what I can observe in the French market.

Kate · Mar 26, 2018

alcy said:
I think one problem with 1and1 is that they aren't as refined for dommainers as other places.. they do hosting etc.. and their priority is not domains.

Indeed they are a hosting company, domain names are a natural extension of their business, not their core activity. It's two different things. Use a webhost for hosting, and a registrar for domain names. Using one single company for both is not a good proposition.

Also, since they are German they have a different approach to domain names, that is not natural for domainers who are not German. .de names have no expiry date, they are renewed forever (usually charged by the month), if you no longer want the domain names, you have to renounce them explicitly. Not paying the bill does not constitute formal abandonment.
If you don't pay the bill the registry (Denic) will take over and demand payment. Austria works the same.
At least this is good for inheritance. If you die your heirs can receive your assets.

mhdoc · Mar 26, 2018

Domain_Stir said:
how recent was that?

4-5 years ago.

alcy · Mar 26, 2018

Kate said:
Indeed they are a hosting company, domain names are a natural extension of their business, not their core activity. It's two different things. Use a webhost for hosting, and a registrar for domain names. Using one single company for both is not a good proposition.

Also, since they are German they have a different approach to domain names, that is not natural for domainers who are not German. .de names have no expiry date, they are renewed forever (usually charged by the month), if you no longer want the domain names, you have to renounce them explicitly. Not paying the bill does not constitute formal abandonment.
If you don't pay the bill the registry (Denic) will take over and demand payment. Austria works the same.
At least this is good for inheritance. If you die your heirs can receive your assets.

as far as I know they renew .com domains in same way as others..
once per year. and you can set auto renewal to off.
if you do that, and they still charge you, then I don't think that's legal.. even in germany

as always most people who have issues there probably forget to turn off auto renewal.

4better · Mar 26, 2018

Have domains with 1and1 too and so far no issue with them yet for the past 3 years. You just have to be careful when renewal comes because your domains are in auto renewal mode. You need to deactivate the auto renewal function otherwise you'll be receiving invoice and charged right away. Pushing a domain within 1and 1 is just like transferring the domain to another registrar, you have to pay for it (I mean, the receiver/buyer pays for the transfer fee).

Also, when transferring domains from other registrar to 1and1, they will not charge you upfront. The domains will be transferred first to your 1and1 account without paying for the cost of the transfer (one year renewal). Payment comes a few weeks or a month later in which case you'll then receive an invoice and your credit card would automatically be charged for the transfer fee.

alcy · Mar 26, 2018

4better said:
Have domains with 1and1 too and so far no issue with them yet for the past 3 years. You just have to be careful when renewal comes because your domains are in auto renewal mode. You need to deactivate the auto renewal function otherwise you'll be receiving invoice and charged right away. Pushing a domain within 1and 1 is just like transferring the domain to another registrar, you have to pay for it (I mean, the receiver/buyer pays for the transfer fee).

Also, when transferring domains from other registrar to 1and1, they will not charge you upfront. The domains will be transferred first to your 1and1 account without paying for the cost of the transfer (one year renewal). Payment comes a few weeks or a month later in which case you'll then receive an invoice and your credit card would automatically be charged for the transfer fee.

I heard 1and1 actually have a billing cycle.. probably not same for all accounts.. which explains the invoice delays you speak of.

so you essentially get billed once per month.. for all your activity.

Do You Actively Avoid 1and1?

Do you avoid registering domains at 1and1 and would you use them if they allowed for a domain "Push"

Yes I avoid them and would NEVER use them even if they changed their policy

Yes I avoid them BUT would definitely consider using them if they changed their policy

No, I do not avoid them and love their services as is

I really don't care either way because this doesn't affect me in any way

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