To keep this thread alive, here is my complaint to Better Business Bureau. Of course nothing got resolved and isn't going to be. This company is the WORST EVER. In fact, these words are way too nice to describe this no good, piece of crap, false advertising garbage. Their customer service doesn't speak any english, even when they write emails which should give them plenty of time to reread what they wrote. After being contacted by BBB, 1and1 only decided to reply to one of my complaints, which wasn't even the main issue.
BBB complaint:
"I have purchased 39 domains from this company in multiple transactions. This company advertises "free private registration" for domain names if they are purchased through this company. When a customer orders a domain, they are asked if they would like to put that domain in a new package or an existing one. However, if a customer chooses to order a domain in an existing package, they are taken to administration control panel where private registration is not an option, even though private registration was selected at the beginning of the transaction. I see this as a "bait and switch" issue that is not fair to customers who order domain names with the idea that private registration would be provided to them like the company advertises. This company also advertises "free domain transfers" on their domains, but they do not follow through with their promises, and charge the customer for transfering domain names within 1&1 packages. I believe this is false advertising. When I ordered multiple domains on 11/21/05, I discovered the problem where private registration is only granted if domains are bought in a new package, so after ordering, I contacted customer support to let them know that I wanted those domains in my main package but wasn't able to do that with private registration option. I asked what I could do, and customer support wrote me an email saying that I could move them from one package to another without being charged. I proceeded to move these domains from one package to another, and got charged twice for these domains. Not only did customer service say that my card would be "charged back" after moving these domains, I believe that "free transfers" as 1and1 advertises should be a free service. After the requested domains were transfered from one package to another, 1and1 also proceeded to remove private registration for my domains which were suppose to be included with my purchase, making all my registration information public on top of charging me another $5.99 for each name. 1and1.com's customer support didn't not respond to my emails for several weeks, when I asked them billing questions via email. I believe that they practice false advertising and bait-and-switch techniques in their business which needs to get reviewed. Their customer satisfaction ranking is terrible, and there are thousands of compaints about this company all over the internet. Unfortunatly I didn't know how this company operates until I ran into these problems when using their services."
Their response to BBB:
"I am sorry for any confusion however in this case the customer, Mr. xxxxx is incorrect.
We advertise on our site for domain names mentioning the free private whois, if you follow this link then you are taken to order the instant domain name package, and from their you do get the free private whois information.
When ordering domain names from within your 1&1 package we do not mention that it comes with private whois.
I would like to point out that all our major competitors charge for anonymous/private whois as standard, we offer this for free.
In this case I do not see that we are at fault, and I am not prepared to offer any refunds.
Thanks, Richard Winslow"
SURPRISE!!! Of course there will be no refund! DUH! The guy didn't even bother reading the freaking COMPLAINT. I never said that I ordered these domains through my existing package.
Here is an exellent example of customer service emails you will be receiving if you have problems with your account:
"Dear xxxx, (Cust: xxxxxxx)
Thank you for contacting us.
It looked like youve not added the domains from the old package, in contrary , you added them to a new package. You can transfer the domain from one packag to another, however, youll be charged back for each of the domains price.
For example: If you want to move domain "usa-test.com" from Contract id: 4440189 to Contract id: 4564833
1. Log into you Control Panel. Click on "Administration" for the package you wish to move the domain to. (Administration for Contract id: 4564833) 2. Click on Domains 3. Click on "New" and select "Add on A Domain".
4. Enter the domain name (usa-test.com) you wish to move to this package and click Next.
5. Accept the terms and click "Next".
6. Click "Next".
7. The current registrant info of the domain is displayed. Click "Order" finally.
After this is done, you have to approve the transfer in the other package (Contract id: 4440189)
1. Log into you Control Panel. Click on "Administration" for the package that has the domain. (Contract id: 4440189) 2. Click "Domains"
3. Click on "Domain Transfer Status".
4. Click "Edit".
5. Accept the release. Click "Next".
6. Click "Send".
If you have any further questions please do not hesitate to contact us.
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Sincerely,
Josephine Gamotin
Technical Support
1&1 Internet"
Can someone please explain what "charged back for each of the domains price. " means? I thought it meant that I will be credited any amount that they charge on my card for transfering within the packages, apparently (in 1&1 english) it means I will be charged extra for transferring domains from one package to another. Long story short, I got charged $80 for moving ~12 domains from one package to another, and on top of that, they removed private registration on my domains once they went into my main hosting package. So I ended up paying around $12 a domain w/out private reg.