Instra Registrar - BEWARE, DO NOT USE!

[Carlton]

On 9/28/15, we paid this Australian registrar (Instra) a $425 pre-registration fee on a premium .miami domain - which they were unsuccessful in acquiring.

They are now attempting to hijack the $425 by "applying a credit" at their company instead of crediting the amount back to the credit card.

I have written the company to inform them that this is unacceptable. This is the type of disreputable practice that will cripple a company's future business.

Every other registrar we used refunded the pre-registration fee if they were unsuccessful in acquiring the domain. Be forewarned.

 

[Abdullah Abdullah]

On 9/28/15, we paid this Australian registrar (Instra) a $425 pre-registration fee on a premium .miami domain - which they were unsuccessful in acquiring.

They are now attempting to hijack the $425 by "applying a credit" at their company instead of crediting the amount back to the credit card.

I have written the company to inform them that this is unacceptable. This is the type of disreputable practice that will cripple a company's future business.

Every other registrar we used refunded the pre-registration fee if they were unsuccessful in acquiring the domain. Be forewarned.

Hello there , I am sorry to hear your problems but it appears once again, it is a Tos issue. I took the time to see if what they are doing to you is mentioened in any of their legal documents and I checked the refunds policy at http://www.instra.com/en/about-us/refund-policy under
New Domain Name Launches

It clearly states this "In the event that we successfully submit your application to the registry or upline provider, and we receive confirmation that your application has been confirmed, your application fee cannot be refunded.

During these special application periods, we may also charge a domain name registration fee too. This fee is charged as a separate billing item, however if you are not successful in obtaining your domain name during these specific periods, the registration fee will be allocated as a credit, which you may use to register another domain name."

So can we say what they did to you is right? Also try to read the refund policy and the ToS , it is very very important. If you read this, I think you would have understood it now and even changed your mind and requested the domain from another registrar.

If they promised you in any email that they will credit back your credit card in the event of not winning the domain, then you have a chance, if not , I am afraid , you will have to accept it.

Even under credit notes , it states this "
Credit Note Terms
For the majority of refund payments, a credit note will be applied to your account. A monetary value is assigned to the credit note. You may use this credit to purchase another product and/or service from our web site using the credit note.

You should be aware that unused credit notes will be forfeited 730 days (or 2 years) from the date that the credit note is added to your account. "

So you have no luck , I am afraid.

 

[Carlton]

It's allowed via Terms of Service, but is a poor business practice because there is no real justification for holding people's money when they fail to deliver. The greater point being that when a registrar adopts an abusive practice, they lose in the long run via a damaged reputation. The vast majority of reputable registrars have no need to exploit their customers. Instra could easily decide to respond with a refund and establish good will, or they can hold $425 and risk having several hundred future customers avoid using them.

 

[Carlton]

The company has offered to refund the money after I contacted them. I appreciate that they are willing to do this at the customer's request. I will post back to confirm the refund was completed.

 

[Abdullah Abdullah]

That is good to know Carlton

 

[FPForum]

Glad to hear they are refunding. Keep us posted!

 

[Carlton]

The company has offered to refund the money after I contacted them. I appreciate that they are willing to do this at the customer's request. I will post back to confirm the refund was completed.

After nearly a month long wait, the funds we paid for a .miami pre-registration at Instra were finally refunded back to our credit card.

It should be the practice of all registrars to return customers' money when the registrar is unsuccessful in obtaining a pre-reg. Time is valuable to most of us, and having to chase down one's own money sours the business relationship as well as a customer's desire to do future business with such a company. I would add that any registrar who intends to keep their customers' money following a failed auction or pre-registration should make this fact apparent and clear ... up front, and not hidden beneath lengthy terms of service.

I had never used Instra before. For all I know, they have done right by many customers. I sincerely hope that they abolish this practice of keeping their customers' money after unsuccessful efforts to secure domains for the customer. As an alternative, maybe they should charge a pre-registration fee up front. That would allow the customer to make an informed decision, up front, before choosing to do business with the company. Of course, any such fee should be cleared stated.

In this instance, Instra touted their pre-registration services as "FREE". The truth would have been more accurately conveyed by stating "Instra pre-registration is FREE, but we will retain all funds deposited and apply them exclusively to future Instra purchases." That way, the prospective customer will understand that their money will be locked down at Instra and can only be spent at Instra.