Buy domain for client or tell him to register himself?

For our website design clients, we give advise on all the ways things can be done and mention that it is quicker if we do buy the domain for them and then we would transfer it to them once our deposit is received.

We do this because our hosting is tied in with our namecheap account, so we can pretty much start building straight away (usually).

I would never hang onto someone's domain though, I don't like the idea of web masters holding clients to ransom over it and if I were to go out of business for some reason, they are in control of their own domain.

Most of the time though our clients opt to buy the domain where we advise, at namecheap, then don't want the hassle of trying to figure out the DNS so give us login details (I advise to change those after we have done what is needed or preferably at completion of their project). Then we just pop in there and do it for them (that way we know it has been done correctly).

Just be honest with your clients and upfront, explain all the ways, you will find 9 times out of 10, then appreciate the honesty and trust you far more quickly.

Hope that helps,
Sue

The best is request or suggest him some web hosting provider and domain registrar and ask him to register himself and show him how to register it . But need his information , so the the domain and hosting is belong to him . It easy to transfer hosting owner but ,it will be troublesome to transfer domain owner.

i always register it myself and then transfer it to them if they request it, or il hold it myself and send them a reminder each year to renew their domain just so they dont forget. hasnt been a problem for me or my clients.

Think Sue is doing it great, let the client decide what method to use.
I do not like to keep a domain that is not mine either.

Hanging on to their domain is a BS tactic. I register with their details and their email but add myself as a technical contact.

We are a reseller of GoDaddy. With the CLIENT's credit card, we create a new account under our reseller account. We charge $20 for hosting, pay GoDaddy about $5. We give full disclosure to our clients. Domains we charge $30/yr, pay somewhere around $10.

This way we don't need to worry about billing, the client owns the account with their information and we get reseller checks monthly.

We urge them to register for a new domain themselves using out Godaddy reseller account if possible. They then send us the login and we look after the DNS. We will not even purchase a domain on our own account for a client. I would rather walk him through with a screenshare.

Many, many years ago we would buy the domain for the client but would never do that again. It's bad practice in my view, too much hassle to transfer and creates a subtle distrust in the clients. Similarly we never use our Google account for any clients services like GA either. Always setup their own Google account for them.

Either order for them but quote them the original price or ask them to register it themself . But what i will do is to guide them into how to buy in this way you gain trust from the client itself .

Clients draw out the process but I find putting the steps into Freedmind helps them along and it sets the tone for the rest of the project. I use freedmind to make sure that I get everything from the client and to make sure I complete every client request. It also makes it really easy to tell them that the project is now finished because they have been a part of the process and their is no room for argument.