Warning: Register dot com 50¢ domain sale scam

[DomainGnome]

I've got to vent. Did anyone else get this? Today I received an unsolicited message to my email address of record with Register .com.

It claims an "End of the Year Sale $0.50 Domains .com .net. .org .biz .info" Nowhere does it say for new customers only, as you can see.

Well I clicked through the "Get Started" link, signed in, and the short story was that for one domain the cart total was $38, not 50¢. Tried it several times, different ways, always the same. So I chatted with the live chat window thing, here's the unedited transcript of exercise in futility:

Hello! Please wait just a moment and a specialist will be right with you!

We can help you save additional money off your order when you bundle services. Ask your specialist for details.

A Register.com specialist will be with you in approximately 0 minutes 3 seconds. 
You are 1 in line.
You are now chatting with 'Rob A' Register.com. Can I please have your name and phone number in case we are disconnected?
you: I am responding to the email I received regarding 50¢ domains. Instead, I am charged $38?
you: *1 year domain registrations only. Premium domains, multi-year registrations, and domain renewals are not eligible for this offer. Offer cannot be combined with any other promotional offers. Customers on a monthly billing cycle will be billed every 4 weeks.
Rob A: You seem to have just perhaps gone to the site for this. *You would need to click through the link in the email provided so the special promotion code gets entered into the cart
Rob A: Also if you already have an account you will not be able to use this special as it is for new customers only
you: Email DOES NOT SAY FOR NEW CUSTOMERS ONLY.
you: ANYWHERE
Rob A: Sorry. *As far as I am aware it is for new clients only
Rob A: I would suggest you contact our support center at 888-734-4783 or (902) 749-5918 or *fill out either the international callback or email option at https: //www.register.com/customersupport/contact.rcmx so we can review the account and see if they can assist. I do apologize for the inconvenience.
Rob A: Was there anything else I could assist you with today?
you: Well, please let them know I am transferring any existing domains to godaddy, who have not lied to me about promotions. thanks!
you: And, for your information, the email was sent to my existing email address that exists for my register.com account only, so why would I receive a new customer offer at an existing customer's email address???
you: I will be posting this dissappointment on namepros.com
Rob A: We never lied to you and I am very sorry you feel that way and I am also sorry you are not trying the option I provided to you to see if we could resolve this issue for you as well. As stated above, I thought it was for new clients only.. It may not be I hope the rest of the holidays are good for you. *Thank you for contacting register.com
Chat session has been terminated by the site operator.

This is a blatant case of bad existing customer relations for 1) Sending a misleading or outright wrong email to an existing customer, 2) Failing to provide any meaningful customer support through the customer support chat. I will not go through any further hassle, if they have not figured out that they're pissing off their customers with this stuff at this point, I'm not going to jump through hoops to let them know it. ByeBye Register.

Thanks, I think I feel better now.

 

[Ms Domainer]

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Grrr.

I hate Register.com support--they are always trying to upsell you at a time when you're already upset. Don't they get that offering you their overpriced add-ons is the last thing on your mind?

You are right to be upset--just bad business practice to lure a customer in with a deal and then yank it away when it's already in your cart.

*

 

[SlimPickins]

thanks for the heads up and can sure understand your frustration.

what an odd marketing ploy.... if they are sending these emails out unsolicited to "hopefully" new customers then where did they get the emails and why not offer something "special" for current customers instead/as well rather than spamming/trolling for new blood with an exclusive sweet deal?

And if they are not even bothering getting email lists of NON-CUSTOMERS, and are sending offers (that are not valid) to existing customers, they are essentially rubbing salt in the wound when you can't cut their normal $38 registration fee down to $.50.... which would probably remind many how high that fee really is and maybe it is time to transfer out... odd balls.

 

[DomainGnome]

If I did something wrong and the deal actually works for anyone, I'm willing to edit or delete this post, but I'm not expecting I'll have to. What is anyone else's experience with this email?

 

[FPForum]

A new .com isn't even worth $0.50 if it's with register.com..

Hop over to the GoDaddy thread or do a quick google search and you should be able to get a fresh .COM there for a buck or two. I'd rather give GoDaddy an extra $0.50 or $1 before I would register a name with register.com

 

[kosvam]

In general it seems that they are trying to trap in customers.
http://www.namepros.com/domain-registrar-reviews/665917-register-com-transfer-out-problem.html

 

[alien51]

I think this is a case of "fine print/missing print" advertising tactic.

Technically, they did not lie to you. They simply withheld the full information.

You can only lie, if you said something false. But in this case, the 50-cent promo was true... only that the "for new customers" rule was never mentioned. It is still deceptive advertising, nonetheless.

In advertising, this is called the "catch". It's like the $1.99 promo of Yahoo/Melbourne IT. Somewhere drowned among the heaps of words, is the obscure rule that you need to cancel your account if you transferred out your domain, or else they will bill you $34.95 renewal fee evenif your domain is already transferred to Godaddy.

I think Godaddy uses this tactic as well. You get a coupon code for 0.99 cents, but you will never know it is GEO-locked until you reach your shopping cart and the promo doesn't work.

 

[maksimfa]

or somehow you are also on their new prospects list. You can be a bit frustrated... but it does not mean they scammed your knowingly or even have to let you buy something from them.

Get over it, it happens, mistakes happen.

How many times do we try different coupon codes at godaddy or elsewhere to see what works?

I bet if you were a tad more polite, they would give you a discount as part of good customer service... instead, blowing up does nothing. =)

 

[DomainGnome]

or somehow you are also on their new prospects list.

The email used is one created for the register account, it exists with no one else.

but it does not mean they scammed your knowingly.

I think it does...

Get over it, it happens, mistakes happen

This was no mistake, but I am quite over it now.

I bet if you were a tad more polite, they would give you a discount as part of good customer service

I think that "Rob A." the "Specialist" all but admitted that he was clueless and unable to do anything about it.

But thanks for your input, you must be a true optimist, or just love taking the position of devil's advocate.

 

[snowbird]

I would like to agree with you if you are in fact referring to the retail side of register.com. I do find their marketing tactics on the retail side are a bit intrusive at times.

However, with that being said, I would also like to add that I have a partner division account with them and I have nothing but positive things to say about their partner division operations. Their support is amazing and they have no intrusive marketing tactics on the partner division side either. I also consider their pricing on the partner division side to be very reasonable.

 

[Jason.tv]

I don't see how this is a scam, you made no purchase, obligations, and occurred no expense from register.com and you're complaining?

Godaddy has multiple $1.00 coupons right now; can you spring the extra .50c?

Thanks,

Jason

 

[hostingpromo]

I like name.com, namecheap.com

 

[denzuko]

Exactly, I just got out from their site.

 

[officevalue]

I don't see how this is a scam, you made no purchase, obligations, and occurred no expense from register.com and you're complaining?

Godaddy has multiple $1.00 coupons right now; can you spring the extra .50c?

I agree with OP if indeed this is only 50c for new customers. I have some domains with register.com and got the email too and nowhere does it is for new customers only. Would it not also be a scam if you got an email from Amazon or an ad in the newspaper for a grocery store advertising some product at a price, only to find out after clicking on the link or going to the store that that offer was only for new customers?

Slightly less scammy is when I check out through Paypal, I often see offers to get 6 months no interest and $10 off if I pay by Bill Me Later, but this too is apparently for new customers as well. I talked to either PP or BML once before making my purchase and they thought this too. I think that is more along the lines of poor communication between BML and PP, not a deliberate trap, though PP does try to trap you into anything that will prevent them from paying CC interchange fees, like switching to BML or bank transfer by default, unless you have a balance in your PP account in which case you can't even use CC at all. They would use the balance first.

 

[wikes82]

They actually write it down on the registration page for the $0.50 domain

https://www.register.com/promo/domain-to-website-v2.rcmx?trkID=WWWe01tI2W

LIMITED TIME OFFER. Offer valid for new customers in the US and Canada only, limited to a total of three domains. Upon expiration, all products will be renewed at the then current price.

It's a very small print all the way to the bottom of the page

 

[zoomactive.com]

I think this is a case of "fine print/missing print" advertising tactic.

Technically, they did not lie to you. They simply withheld the full information.

You can only lie, if you said something false. But in this case, the 50-cent promo was true... only that the "for new customers" rule was never mentioned. It is still deceptive advertising, nonetheless.

In advertising, this is called the "catch". It's like the $1.99 promo of Yahoo/Melbourne IT. Somewhere drowned among the heaps of words, is the obscure rule that you need to cancel your account if you transferred out your domain, or else they will bill you $34.95 renewal fee evenif your domain is already transferred to Godaddy.

I think Godaddy uses this tactic as well. You get a coupon code for 0.99 cents, but you will never know it is GEO-locked until you reach your shopping cart and the promo doesn't work.

I thought deceptive advertising is illegal? They have to have everything in the fine print underneath the ad and it does not say new customers only. [ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/False_advertising"]False advertising - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia[/ame]

---------- Post added at 03:17 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:16 PM ----------

They actually write it down on the registration page for the $0.50 domain

https://www.register.com/promo/domain-to-website-v2.rcmx?trkID=WWWe01tI2W

LIMITED TIME OFFER. Offer valid for new customers in the US and Canada only, limited to a total of three domains. Upon expiration, all products will be renewed at the then current price.

It's a very small print all the way to the bottom of the page

Ah, I see. Did they say anything about seeing full details on their website? If not, they still violated the law.

 

[alien51]

They actually write it down on the registration page for the $0.50 domain

https://www.register.com/promo/domain-to-website-v2.rcmx?trkID=WWWe01tI2W

LIMITED TIME OFFER. Offer valid for new customers in the US and Canada only, limited to a total of three domains. Upon expiration, all products will be renewed at the then current price.

It's a very small print all the way to the bottom of the page

As they say, the customer is always right. lol

 

[officevalue]

They actually write it down on the registration page for the $0.50 domain

https://www.register.com/promo/domain-to-website-v2.rcmx?trkID=WWWe01tI2W

LIMITED TIME OFFER. Offer valid for new customers in the US and Canada only, limited to a total of three domains. Upon expiration, all products will be renewed at the then current price.

It's a very small print all the way to the bottom of the page

Nothing about that in the email.

Seems companies do this a lot though. Target has (or used to) a sign at both ends of guest services desk that they match competitors' advertised prices. They won't however match if it requires a club membership (whether paid like Costco and Sam's Club or unpaid like Kroger's Preferred Card or Tom Thumb's Reward Card. Some might argue that you pay by sharing personal and purchase information with stores. Then again if you pay by CC, you always share that info.)

Staples has (and perhaps still does) run ads to the effect "$100 off all tablet computers. Excludes HP." Can't even write two sentences without contradicting yourself?

 

[zoomactive.com]

Nothing about that in the email.

Seems companies do this a lot though. Target has (or used to) a sign at both ends of guest services desk that they match competitors' advertised prices. They won't however match if it requires a club membership (whether paid like Costco and Sam's Club or unpaid like Kroger's Preferred Card or Tom Thumb's Reward Card. Some might argue that you pay by sharing personal and purchase information with stores. Then again if you pay by CC, you always share that info.)

Staples has (and perhaps still does) run ads to the effect "$100 off all tablet computers. Excludes HP." Can't even write two sentences without contradicting yourself?

Ive stumbled upon a dirty trick at Walmart. They match all competitors offers however if you get too excessive on the offer they have a whole book of terms that they can pull out to cover their arse. I would fight it but I got other things to worry about than a large multi national company breaking the law again.

 

[Jasonn]

they have a $1.50 sale that is for all customers, though i wouldn't waste my time with register.com if i were you.

 

[Ms Domainer]

*

Registrars to avoid: Register, Yahoo, and 1&1.

There may be more, but this unholy trio consists of the most egregious.

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