discuss Domain Registrars...What Do YOU Look For?

[DanBingham]

With so many domain registrars out there, it's a highly competitive market. Most of us become victim to getting ourselves locked into a registrar because its cheap, and fail to think about the bigger picture and only then it's too late.

So, as the question above asks, what do YOU look for in a registrar?

Discounts? Savings on multiple purchases? Ease of transferring out, and associated costs? Quaility of aftercare service? Location? Or maybe something else?

Interested to know your thoughts.

 

[Name Trader]

I look for the name starting with Dyn Which encompasses all the qualities a good registrar should have into 1 package. YMMV. Tell me what you don't like about "Dyn" and I can recommend another. But the package will not necessary be as good as "Dyn". I try to keep all my domains at 1 Registrar. Which isn't always possible. I also like the registrar with the word "Silo" in it. Although it isn't "Dyn". I like "Uni" too but they are usually only cheapest for NGTLDs, even after the Domainer Discount on the GTLD/ccGTLD. Just because I haven't mention your favorite Registrar doesn't mean I have not tried them. It just means I like the features here as a package, better.

It's difficult. To give you specifics. You see what I like in all the messages above. If you have 10 domains, you probably have less "must haves" than someone with 10,000 domains. You need to be realistic with you "must haves" will be.

Price is important. Service is very important. I prefer to have an account manager with quality resolutions to questions, and true openness to making changes, within a 24hr turnaround on weekdays, than poor quality support available within 1hr, which takes a day to resolve (if ever) with no possibility of them taking on possible suggestions.. Which interestingly, for my hosting I expect true quality support within 10 minutes with ticket resolved within half-an hour or less.

Privacy/NoPrivacy is only a function of price of domain plus price of privacy. I prefer cheap prices and free privacy. I love the privacy which allows you to put a link to portfolio sales website, in the Privacy. It's called Partial Privacy of "Dyn". I actually don't know any other Registrar which has this feature.

With so many features, the learning curve might be a tad longer than GoDaddy. But it's well worth the additional time to learn, in order to get the best out of "Dyn"

 

[NYJimbo]

Price and deals/specials
Easy transfers and pushes
Full featured control panel with bulk change capability

 

[creataweb]

Trust factor

 

[Rich]

Customer service, uptime/reliability, ease of use, security are all must haves. I do like bulk pricing also

 

[Name Trader]

1. Price consistently good on many extensions.
2. Trusted long term record.
3. A good system so normally I don't need customer support, but when I do fast response.
4. A marketplace so if desired I can sell domains right there sometimes.
5. Good clarity on policies.
6. Free privacy if I want it.
7. Good reviews from real users.
8. Fast, automated and smooth unlock, Auth Code system.
9. Also offering cost effective hosting services will be important to some who desire all in one solution.
10. Reminds me efficiently when domains about to expire, also about upcoming price changes or promotions.

I would NEVER advise to anybody to use the same hosting company as your registrar. Let's be realistic. Most problems are hosting related. Their solution is to quickly block access to your account until, you can comply. Which often times is not an easy fix. When the host puts a block on your account, they generally put a block on all hosted domains and all registered domains. Everything is toast. With an independant hosting company. When they put a block on your account, you can sign up at another hosting company and point all your hosted domains to the new hosting servers. But I wouldn't recommend you do that for the domain which caused the problem, without seriously fixing the problem. Else you could easily find yourself in host water with your new host too

Other than that. I think it's a good list of wants.

 

[Kate]

I have an account manager at Dynadot too. But I have had almost zero interaction with her. I never need to contact anybody.

A good registrar should have sound systems and should be bug-free as much as possible. When things are running smoothly, customers can handle things on their own.

When the system is poorly designed, customers waste time, customer support team also waste time. If CS gets involved it usually means there is a problem, you don't want problems.
So the UI is certainly very important. Especially for big portfolio holders. An API can be a must-have too.

 

[BRANDERX]

all the above & also, in this day & age, should be internationally recognized.

 

[.X.]

Trust, ease of use, phone customer service

 

[Domains - Wanted]

After much culling, still having 1,000++ names to renew each year and dozens more registered monthly, I mainly look for the 3 P's... PPP... Price, Price, Price!

I concur with @stub about Dynadot, currently running a $6.99 promo... one of my favorites, too. Their unique option of dropping newly registered names, if you so desire within 5 days of registration, comes in handy

Exabytes (Tucows reseller) and AlibabaCloud, with long running $6+ newreg promos, keep a smile on my face

LCN, with their long running $6+ transfer promo is always at my fingertips

And I'm not ashamed to admit I adore the hated NetSol, at least while their $1 promo is running

All this said, for really serious business, more valuable names, or those you expect to sell shortly, nothing beats Rob Monster's personal touch at EPIK, as well as their unique Escrow and sales options

Sorry, not a fan of the universally loved Namesilo. I try to avoid registrars that lock-in your domains against transfers once they expire. I have found that, say, 30 day grace period comes in very handy...

 

[Name Trader]

@stub

Maybe you need check these,

Avoid Dynadot, worse and worse service.

https://www.namepros.com/threads/avoid-dynadot-worse-and-worse-service.1096263/#post-6865440

Dynadot refusing to unlock account, what are my options? ...

https://www.namepros.com/threads/dy...hat-are-my-options.824770/page-3#post-6860198

I've read those threads

1. I don't ask for domain locks to be released after a domain is expired. And I have never sold a domain so close to expiry that this has happened. So this problem has never applied to me. But when I asked my Account Manager (Who I trust) prompted by that thread, They told me all I had to do was to request the lock to be released.

2. This thread was so old I understood any complaints had been fixed. Also. Because of my reply to 1, I also believe these to have been fixed.

3. If anybody likes. I can pick any domain which has recently expired and will ask for the domain lock to be removed and we can see what they say to me. Of course it has to be a domain in my account. There is nothing underhand with their treatment of me. If they will not unlock a domain for you, you are being treated differently to me. And we can ask why? OK?

 

[Name Trader]

No matter how 'sound' a certain registrar is, the industry is not hence you need support that can lead you through the constant issues.

One example with dynadot (since it seems that the thread is going that way, ie. to talk about dynadot) was when I tried to register a certain japanese idn .co domain with them but constantly failing.

A few email exchanges (and days) later, they claimed it was impossible for that domain to get registered since the registry wouldn't allow it.

I tried with another registrar I knew they register idn .co's (domain.com of all places) and not only they tried their best to register the domain (it's true that domain needed some extra effort to get registered) , they even let me have the first year registration for free due to me waiting 24hrs to get it.

One registrar tried, the other did not. That's what I mean by 'good support'

Good support is when you need to ask a question, you get an accurate response in the shortest possible time.

 

[Furquan]

@stub

Maybe you need check these,

Avoid Dynadot, worse and worse service.

https://www.namepros.com/threads/avoid-dynadot-worse-and-worse-service.1096263/#post-6865440

Dynadot refusing to unlock account, what are my options? ...

https://www.namepros.com/threads/dy...hat-are-my-options.824770/page-3#post-6860198

It looks like you have taken it as personal & trying to build a bad reputation for a company which has proven to be as honest as its.

I highly recommend @Dynadot & @namesilo both are great register with highly trained customer services rep & trusted by lots of domainer.

 

[Name Trader]

@stub

If you do not mind,
Let's do the test.

I would like to see what will happen,
if you pick a domain(it needs to be more than 10 days after expiring day) yourself which has recently expired and ask for the domain lock to be removed.

I have no problem with doing this test. It was an offer to help. I have already requested from my Account Manager (before I posted my offer here) for a clear explanation about their policy. Based on that reply, which I will share here, I will request them to unlock a domain expired for 11 days or older. And will also share that reply here. It's the beginning of the weekend. So I am not expecting to get these replies until early next week. Because Personal Account Managers generally don't work weekends.

 

[simmplex]

@stub

Thank you very much.
You are a really nice guy.

 

[UmerK]

Price and flexibility concerning transfer/push.
Only two things I look for with price being most important, all other stuff is secondary

 

[Bob Hawkes]

1. Price consistently good on many extensions.
2. Trusted long term record.
3. A good system so normally I don't need customer support, but when I do fast response.
4. A marketplace so if desired I can sell domains right there sometimes.
5. Good clarity on policies.
6. Free privacy if I want it.
7. Good reviews from real users.
8. Fast, automated and smooth unlock, Auth Code system.
9. Also offering cost effective hosting services will be important to some who desire all in one solution.
10. Reminds me efficiently when domains about to expire, also about upcoming price changes or promotions.

 

[anantj]

It's not about me taking anything personal. I'm trying to get to the real facts thru all the smoke and mirrors. When my account manager tells me all I need to do is to request to unlock the domain. I don't question their judgement because I trust them. That if I ask, they will unlock the domain and I can transfer it away. So I don't see how or why this is against ICANN Regulations. There are many Registrars who trample all over ICANN's owners rights, like GoDaddy, I'm offering to do a test, to see whose statements are correct yours or @simmtex or mine.

Can I ask why you @Furquah are answering to a message I sent to @simmplex? Is there any connection between you?

Um, @Furquah was replying to @simmplex and not to you!

 

[Hypersot]

It was wrong to name registrars in this thread as it is about discussing the qualities of the registrar and not the registrar itself.

I would go with support, support & support.
I need to know that the people working at a registrar care about their customers equally (that's something that does not happen with the 'D' registrar you mentioned stub)

@OP
It would be wise to set a poll based on what it's been discussed here (ie. pricing, support, trust, etc.)

 

[Name Trader]

I have an account manager at Dynadot too. But I have had almost zero interaction with her. I never need to contact anybody.

A good registrar should have sound systems and should be bug-free as much as possible. When things are running smoothly, customers can handle things on their own.

When the system is poorly designed, customers waste time, customer support team also waste time. If CS gets involved it usually means there is a problem, you don't want problems.
So the UI is certainly very important. Especially for big portfolio holders. An API can be a must-have too.

Don't get me wrong. I rarely contact my Account Manager at Dynadot, unless the documentation is ambiguous and I need to get something resolved ASAP, or if I'm in a conversation about wanting changes/improvements to their systems. There is 1 other reason why I contact my Account Manager, is when the Rank and File do something opposite to the past transactions, which was previously agreed between myself and my Account Manager. I cannot think of any other reasons off-hand.

 

[Name Trader]

Hi Bob,

It could be for any of those reasons. Usually it would be from a complaint from a disgruntled member of the public (possibly a disgruntled customer). The problem is, the Host have a reputation to uphold. It's better for them to behave pro-actively. Even if you are their customer. There have been many, many cases about this stuff. But don't recall a recent public case for a while now. One of the nastiest examples was against GoDaddy, sorry I don't remember the domain right now, where there fraud department turned off the whole account at 4pm on a Friday, and their department won't answer the phone after 4pm on a Friday (even if they work until 5PM), or just give you lip-service until they return on a Monday. If this is a profitable website, they could be losing 10's of thousands of dollars a day. The timing of the turning off your account seems almost vindictive. But the website owner is treated like a pariah rather than a customer. This is mostly SOP for all Hosts. Suspend your account first and ask questions later. If your Host is also your Registrar, you will find everything is locked down, even if it's unrelated to the original complaint.

Besides. The best registrars don't necessarily make the best hosts, and vice versa. It's better to be safe than sorry. And keep your Registrations and Hosting separate. Because the rectification of the problem is in your hands. You are not locked out for an indefinite length of time negotiating with your host whilst the problem is sorted out, and domains which require renewal cannot be renewed because they too are locked down.

All these examples are REAL. You combine your Registration and Hosting at your own risk. IMHO.

 

[Name Trader]

It could also be your website security is weak and somebody has injected phishing code into your website.

 

[dsam23]

Competitive and transparent prices with free whois privacy option and also good customer service.

 

[simmplex]

@stub

Maybe you need check these,

Avoid Dynadot, worse and worse service.

https://www.namepros.com/threads/avoid-dynadot-worse-and-worse-service.1096263/#post-6865440

Dynadot refusing to unlock account, what are my options? ...

https://www.namepros.com/threads/dy...hat-are-my-options.824770/page-3#post-6860198

 

[anantj]

I've also had an issue with DD where they put in a false backorder for me (Some random LLNN.net domain) which I never even backorder for!