BlueRazor are holding my domain hostage

[WORDSWORTH]

I recently purchased a domain close to expiration that's registered with BlueRazor. Prior to purchasing, I typed BlueRazor.com into my browser. The site looked like any other GoDaddy/WWD reseller so I created a free account for the push. I have accounts at quite a few GD resellers and have never had any problems.

The purchase was concluded swiftly and I went to renew the domain but received a nasty shock. In order to renew, I must also purchase a BlueRazor membership for $9.95. There was no option to remove the membership from the cart, only the renewal. I tried a two year renewal, but without success. I contacted support, who confirmed that a membership must be purchased in order to renew a domain.

Whilst I should've checked the full TOS prior to purchasing, this seems like a shoddy way to make money. Worse still, the membership renews automatically unless cancelled between 10 and 3 days prior to the billing date. LOL what a joke. Most folks aren't going to remember this narrow timeframe, so will keep on paying for membership, even if they've transferred their domain out by this time. Reminds me of some mobile phone companies who give deep discounts but only if phone bills from months 3,7 and 9 or whatever are sent in during a specified timeframe. I would never deal with them either.

So now I'm forced to pay for something I do not want and do not need (and will probably forget to cancel) or I will lose my domain.

So fellow NP'ers, be sure to do your due diligence with domains registered at GD/WWD resellers and avoid the unhappy situation I've found myself in.

:td:

 

[WORDSWORTH]

"Non-disclosure" is not a very good way to do business.

Thanks for the heads up.

L2

I think you might have misunderstood. I did not purchase the domain from BlueRazor directly, rather from a private seller. BlueRazor is merely where the domain happens to be registered. My fault for not reading the TOS.

 

[FreshAvails.com]

This is not a godaddy reseller. This is an independant registrar OWNED by GoDaddy. Even with the expiration coming very soon, you should be able to safely transfer to another registrar. Call godaddy and tell them the situation (don't say it is Blue Razor) As long as you have access to the management tools(unlocking the domains & getting the auth code) and the domain is in your email, you sould be able to do a transfer.

 

[WORDSWORTH]

This is not a godaddy reseller. This is an independant registrar OWNED by GoDaddy. Even with the expiration coming very soon, you should be able to safely transfer to another registrar. Call godaddy and tell them the situation (don't say it is Blue Razor) As long as you have access to the management tools(unlocking the domains & getting the auth code) and the domain is in your email, you sould be able to do a transfer.

Thanks for the info. I already tried to transfer out but BlueRazor are blocking it because of the 60 day account change rule. I will try contacting GoDaddy.

 

[WORDSWORTH]

Nope, I got it - I would have also thought you would get a free "push" by opening a free account just like hundreds of other resellers. It might have been in their TOS, but if I was going to have to pay, I would expect it to be on their website where a user would actually see it, not buried on page 10 of the Terms of Service. I consider that to be "non-disclosure" for the most part, although from a legal standpoint, page 10 is 'prolly still considered "disclosure".

No matter how you cut it, it's still a bad way to make a buck or two.

L2

I did get the free push but only got stung when trying to renew. Leaves a bad taste.

 

[WORDSWORTH]

BlueRazor offer cheap backorders to their members. Having had to pay the membership fee or lose my domain, I decided to give their backorders a try to at least recoup part of the membership cost. The system is exactly the same as GoDaddy (well, they are owned by GoDaddy after all - they did verify this when I called their support). So I placed a backorder.

I placed my backorder in good time. I saw the Capture In Progress message in the Backorders and Monitoring area. Everything was looking as it should have been.

The domain was captured by GoFranceDomains.com, a GoDaddy shell registrar used for drop catching purposes. I placed a prior backorder with BlueRazor, it was caught with exactly the same registrar and I was awarded the domain without an auction. Great. I would either be awarded this new domain outright or would participate in a 7 day auction if there were multiple backorders; right? WRONG!

The domain was awarded to a GoDaddy customer without auction. So what use is a BlueRazor backorder if there is multiple interest? GoDaddy backorders have priority even though they they are the same company and the domains are being caught by the same registrars? I've sent a message to support and can't wait to see how they try to wriggle out of this.

 

[RicoShay]

Sorry to hear about your troubles Matt. Good thing you brought it our attention - I know to stay away from them and hopefully so will others. It sounds like a very shoddy "company".

Look forward to hearing the response to your support ticket! Do post it here

 

[Spade]

Blue Razor is a relic of a few years ago. It "WAS" the equivalent of costco for Domains. It never really got off the ground but they did manage to attract a few customers. The second you posted this thread, I was pretty sure I knew the problem. I would call up Godaddy on this one, I imagine there is something they could do about moving this. Unfortunately, you may just have to transfer it.

Justin