Did you know that a domain name is cheaper than $25 per year?

6 replies
Here's my story:
Some years ago, I wanted to buy a .com domain. I didn't have a credit card and I didn't have a clue how to buy a domain name. So, I searched the local newspapers and I found a local company that was selling domain names. The price for a .com / .info was 15 Euros + VAT per year (more than $25 at that time). I "bought" the domain names I wanted (one with .com and one with .info) When I tried to associate a hosting account with them, I realized two things:
- I didn't have a control panel, where to change the DNS. I had to call the company and to request by phone a DNS change
- Each year, I had to pay that company 15 Euros + VAT for my domain names, and that company will pay further, on my behalf, the actual price.

That moment, I realized that I forgot to ask the company "Who you'll pay on my behalf?". Long story short, I started to read more about registering domain names. Surprise! That company was buying domain names from GoDaddy! They didn't even bother to have a reseller account - they registered my domains on their account, using their name! I wasn't the owner, nor the administrative contact - in fact I wasn't mentioned anywhere. Maybe because GoDaddy doesn't have a column with the tag "The sucker who pays for a domain name way more than he should." I can't believe that I paid 15 Euros + VAT for an .info to that company, while they bought it from GoDaddy for 99 cents. That company is considered a very successful one in my country and its young boss is a role model.

This way, I heard first time about GoDaddy and moved all my domains there. It wasn't simple. Because I wasn't the owner of the domains I paid for, I had to negotiate a lot with that company to release the domains to me. Luckily for me, the road from that company to GoDaddy is one way.

These two links helped me a lot to find out useful information about where my domains:
Trace DNS Delegation
(this offers an explanation if your new domain name doesn't come online)

KLOTH.NET - DIG - DNS lookup - find IP address


For those who are at the very beginning, it's good to know : you should pay $25 per year for a domain only if you want to make others happy. If you want to make yourself happy, there are coupons that allow you to buy a .com domain starting with about $1.

How I wish I heard about this years ago ...

Sergiu FUNIERU
#$25 #cheaper #domain #year
  • Profile picture of the author woonkiat
    Wow, that't a bad experience. My domain is from namecheap at about $10 a year.
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    • Profile picture of the author Sergiu FUNIERU
      Originally Posted by woonkiat View Post

      Wow, that't a bad experience.
      In a way - yes, it's a bad experience. On the other hand, I learned a lot in the process. I lost $50, but the money I saved over the years don't come close to $50.

      It's funny. If the company had gave me control panel access, would have taken me a lot more time to figure out that was something wrong.

      Sergiu FUNIERU
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      • Well, maybe that's why they recommend to stick with the big guns like namecheap or godaddy. Though I honestly wouldn't recommend godaddy, made a few bad experiences with them as well. Bad support, tons of spammy upsells...namecheap is a lot more professional I think.
        Anyway, good that you learned something from your bad experience, after all it wasn't pointless
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    • Profile picture of the author theentry
      Originally Posted by woonkiat View Post

      Wow, that't a bad experience. My domain is from namecheap at about $10 a year.
      Same here, and even cheaper with coupon codes
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  • Profile picture of the author paulie888
    Sergio, sorry to hear about your experience being overcharged for domains. Out of curiosity, how long ago was this?

    I think just about everyone is aware now of how inexpensive domains are, especially with Godaddy buying up ad spots everywhere and getting so much public exposure. I'm guessing your experience with this local company was in the days before Godaddy rose to prominence (and notoriety)?

    Paul
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    • Profile picture of the author Sergiu FUNIERU
      Originally Posted by paulie888 View Post

      Sergio, sorry to hear about your experience being overcharged for domains.
      I remember that I told a bank teller, working for a huge American bank, to pay attention to the last letter on my first name. I said "My name is Sergio, but the last letter is U". Two weeks latter, I got my credit card, issued to Sergiou. I still have it.


      Originally Posted by paulie888 View Post

      Out of curiosity, how long ago was this?
      It was about 4.5 years ago.

      Sergiu FUNIERU
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