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Please explain how to transfer a domain name to a new owner when selling a website?

by Bornstein75
17 replies
Hi guys,

I want to sell a site of mine, and I have never done this before. I know it's easy enough selling the site, i just have to download all my files and give the new owner the files, but if I want to hand over the domain name and transfer it into their name, I was just told by the company where the domain name is registered, that it will cost $220 to transfer ownership....is this correct..???

It costs around $12 to register a domain for a year when you buy it yourself...but to transfer it to someone else if you sell it costs $220...that makes no sense to me???

Can someone explain to me if this is right, or is there another way of doing this?

Thanks
#domain #explain #owner #transfer
  • Profile picture of the author Jay Sullivan
    Jees...where is the domain name registered...cause for $220 you're being ripped off blind there buddy.

    I ALWAYS register all my domains with namecheap..if you have to pay to transfer ownership...phhhfftt...terrible!

    With namecheap you can do what you want with the domain name, transfer it to other users for free, and that's the way it should be with all domain name registrars, this is a ridiculous amount to pay...

    I suppose the classic lesson learned here is ALWAYS READ THE SMALL PRINT....

    Let me know cause i would really like to help you out here buddy.

    Hang on...is this an .au domain?

    If so, you may aswell keep the domain name in your name, point the nameservers to the new owners nameservers and leave it at that..otherwise you'll forfeit the 2 yrs registration fee you've already paid and have to re-register the domain again.

    It does cost $220 to change ownership of an .au name.
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    • Profile picture of the author Bornstein75
      Originally Posted by TheWriter View Post

      Jees...where is the domain name registered...cause for $220 you're being ripped off blind there buddy.

      I ALWAYS register all my domains with namecheap..if you have to pay to transfer ownership...phhhfftt...terrible!

      With namecheap you can do what you want with the domain name, transfer it to other users for free, and that's the way it should be with all domain name registrars, this is a ridiculous amount to pay...

      I suppose the classic lesson learned here is ALWAYS READ THE SMALL PRINT....

      Let me know cause i would really like to help you out here buddy.

      Hang on...is this an .au domain?

      If so, you may aswell keep the domain name in your name, point the nameservers to the new owners nameservers and leave it at that..otherwise you'll forfeit the 2 yrs registration fee you've already paid and have to re-register the domain again.

      It does cost $220 to change ownership of an .au name.
      Thanks for the replies everyone.
      My domain name is a .com domain.

      I have registered it at a company called: crazydomains dot com dot au

      This is what they have written about transferring ownership of a domain name:

      "Changing ownership of a domain name is a PERMANENT function. You will not be able to change the ownership back once you have made the change.

      As you may know, ownership change means to transfer all of the rights and duties of domain names to designated person/corporate. To protect your properties, we do not accept the application of ownership change online by telephone or email.

      To change the ownership of domain name, Crazy Domains must reset your domain name license. This effectively means your registration period starts from the day it is reset, any previous registration period will be lost.

      The fee will thus be the standard cost of new registration or equal value, plus the change of ownership fee.

      example. AUD $24.00 .com.au domain + AUD $220 change of ownership fee

      We need you to fill in and fax back the following documentation."

      The other thing I was thinking about was just giving the new owner the username and password to my Registrar, but the problem there is that I have multiple domains registered at this Registrar, so if they logged in, thy would have access to my other domains.

      I wonder if I get another free account opened at my registrar and then push the domain I want to sell to that account, an then I can just give the new owner the username and password to that account.

      I am so confused with all this.

      Thanks.
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      • Profile picture of the author Richard Tunnah
        Originally Posted by Bornstein75 View Post

        Thanks for the replies everyone.
        My domain name is a .com domain.

        I have registered it at a company called: crazydomains dot com dot au

        This is what they have written about transferring ownership of a domain name:

        "Changing ownership of a domain name is a PERMANENT function. You will not be able to change the ownership back once you have made the change.

        As you may know, ownership change means to transfer all of the rights and duties of domain names to designated person/corporate. To protect your properties, we do not accept the application of ownership change online by telephone or email.

        To change the ownership of domain name, Crazy Domains must reset your domain name license. This effectively means your registration period starts from the day it is reset, any previous registration period will be lost.

        The fee will thus be the standard cost of new registration or equal value, plus the change of ownership fee.

        example. AUD $24.00 .com.au domain + AUD $220 change of ownership fee

        We need you to fill in and fax back the following documentation."

        The other thing I was thinking about was just giving the new owner the username and password to my Registrar, but the problem there is that I have multiple domains registered at this Registrar, so if they logged in, thy would have access to my other domains.

        I wonder if I get another free account opened at my registrar and then push the domain I want to sell to that account, an then I can just give the new owner the username and password to that account.

        I am so confused with all this.

        Thanks.
        $220! I'd want them to hand deliver my domains to my new clients for a week for that! They're taking the michael!

        Rich
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  • Profile picture of the author P.Sharma
    This is the first time I have heard a charge of $220 for domain transfers. Are you sure they are chargin you? Also try asking your domain registrar if they have a support system(most likely)
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  • Profile picture of the author SageSound
    Well, as they say, failure to plan is planning to fail.

    If you're planning to build and sell a web site, including the domain name, then you're best off starting out with a RESELLER type of hosting account. That way, you set up the domain on its own account, set up the site, and when you sell it, you only have to do two things:

    1) "push" the domain name to their account at YOUR registrar; and

    2) send them the login info for the hosting account.

    Takes about 30 seconds and costs nothing.


    Who is your domain name registrar, and who is providing your hosting?

    Are you selling the hosting with the domain and site?

    What does their Terms of Service say in this case?


    If you don't have a reseller account with an independent domain name registration, then you have three things to deal with:

    1) transfer the domain name to the buyer -- which will cost somebody something, and can NOT be done for a while if virtually any part of the domain name registration info has changed within the past 60 days;

    2) the buyer needs to set up hosting somewhere, then redirect the domain's DNS to point to that hosting account;

    3) somebody needs to move the files.

    We're talking a bit more than 30 seconds here. Maybe 2 months or more. And the cost can range from $10 to ... well, hundreds.

    -David
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  • Profile picture of the author Richard Tunnah
    Easiest way to transfer a domain is for he buyer to sign up with a free account at the same domain host as you. Then you can usually push it to another account free. There may be a fee to transfer to another domain host but not $220! Usually cost of domain renewal and some charge a admin fee.

    Rich
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    • Profile picture of the author radhika
      Originally Posted by Richard Tunnah View Post

      Easiest way to transfer a domain is for he buyer to sign up with a free account at the same domain host as you. Then you can usually push it to another account free. There may be a fee to transfer to another domain host but not $220! Usually cost of domain renewal and some charge a admin fee.

      Rich
      Yeah, this works OK.

      Once the domain is moved to your buyer domain account, you can hand over the site files to him along with ftp info etc.

      .
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  • Profile picture of the author Dean Martin
    A quick web search of your registrar shows a lot of complaints and problems.

    If I were you I would just do a simple domain transfer to one of the companies that is easy to deal with (enom, godaddy, namecheap, etc)

    This will cost you the transfer fee or $8-10 or so but will add a year to your domain registration. The transfer out will take 5-10 days or so but at that point you'll be with a competent registrar that you can simply push the domain (for free) to the new owner's account.
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  • Profile picture of the author Jay Sullivan
    Ok, what you quoted about pricing only applies to com.au transfers and changes...i think you'll find that changing ownership of a .com will be free...
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  • Profile picture of the author Bornstein75
    Thank you guys for all your help.

    just one last question......with namecheap, go daddy etc.... when you say you can puch the domain to the new owners account for free, does that mean you can push the domain to a new owners account who wants to host the domain at a totally new registrar, or can you only push the domain for free to the new owner if they have an account set up at that registrar?

    Thanks
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    • Profile picture of the author Richard Tunnah
      Originally Posted by Bornstein75 View Post

      Thank you guys for all your help.

      just one last question......with namecheap, go daddy etc.... when you say you can puch the domain to the new owners account for free, does that mean you can push the domain to a new owners account who wants to host the domain at a totally new registrar, or can you only push the domain for free to the new owner if they have an account set up at that registrar?

      Thanks
      It's free to push it to another account with the same domain host but not free to transfer to another domain host (ie godday to namecheap). I'd make it easy for yourself and ask the buyer to get a free account at the same domain host as you.

      Rich
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      • Profile picture of the author Bornstein75
        Thanks Richard.

        That is the solution...sort of....

        I was now told that I can create a separate free user account, and then move/push the domain name I want to sell to that account for free, and then once I have sold my site, just give the new buyer the username and password to access that domain name....so that's a solution.

        3 more questions:

        1. The thing is that the domain name will still be registered in my name and if the new buyer wants to transfer the domain name into their name, it will cost $220....is this correct??

        2. Does it really matter if a domain name is registered in someone else's name if you take it over?

        3. With Name Cheap, Go daddy etc.....Is it free to change over ownership once the domain name you are selling is pushed/moved to the new owners account?

        Thanks....
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        • Profile picture of the author -prodigy-
          I'm not going to go into details at this time or include names, but like you, I have a domain registered through an Australian registrar. It was the first domain I purchased many years ago. Based on the information you have provided and my personal experience, there are at least two Australian registrars/resellers that have terrible business practices. I'll elaborate on this forum perhaps when I have more time and have wrested this domain out of this registrar's grip.
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        • Profile picture of the author Bornstein75
          Thanks for the replies guys but still wanting to know the answers to my questions:



          That is the solution...sort of....

          I was now told that I can create a separate free user account, and then move/push the domain name I want to sell to that account for free, and then once I have sold my site, just give the new buyer the username and password to access that domain name....so that's a solution.

          3 more questions:

          1. The thing is that the domain name will still be registered in my name and if the new buyer wants to transfer the domain name into their name, it will cost $220....is this correct??

          2. Does it really matter if a domain name is registered in someone else's name if you take it over?

          3. With Name Cheap, Go daddy etc.....Is it free to change over ownership once the domain name you are selling is pushed/moved to the new owners account?
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  • Profile picture of the author Stallion
    Another solution that you could do is just host the domain for the person. I hear that's what flippers do. They have reseller accounts, so they just set up a cpanel for the domain and the user can use the site like that. Plus pay you a monthly hosting fee.

    Since you're with a tiny registry they are going to charge you a retarded amount, so I thought this might be a zero cost alternative for you.
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    • Profile picture of the author melanied
      This is the great thing about being in business - you'll never make this mistake again! Lesson learned.
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      *melanie

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  • Profile picture of the author brucekaushik
    friend you scared me even before i start website flipping ... i never ever imagined that this kind of issues can turn up before you ... its sad

    anyways good luck to you.
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    Those who did not get success yet, we better spend less time and test more things, as we get success we can branch out (or choose to continue as a team).

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