My habit of using Network Solutions to check the availability of domain names then jumping over to GoDaddy to buy them will have to stop. Whenever I get an idea for a site I brainstorm a bunch of domain names by checking availability/similar names through Network Solutions because, despite their outrageous prices, they have the best interface for doing so.
However for the second post in a row I must declare shenanigans.
The other day it was Mosso’s ‘new’ hosting service that was really their old service downgraded and repackaged. Today it’s Network Solutions new practice of holding any domain you search for through their system ransom for five days. “Front Running” (registering a domain someone is searching for) is one of the dirtiest tricks on the intertubes. I wouldn’t be half as pissed if Network Solutions didn’t charge more than three times what GoDaddy does. If NS had lowered there prices instead of implementing this system I might have switched because as I mentioned they have a better interface than other registrars, now I’ll never use them.
See for yourself do a whois on networksolutionssucksballz.com and you’ll see it’s held for five days and can only be bought through NS.
Apparently it’s been going on for about a month now and the natives aren’t too happy about it.
Domain Registrar Network Solutions Front Running On Whois Searches
Network Solutions Holding Domain Names Ransom
Network Solutions PR Damage Control
Shenanigans!
[UPDATE] A safe way to lookup domains http://support.suso.org/dns/saferdomainlookup.php
2 Comments
I’ve been using instantdomainsearch.com for over a year. It’s sweet sauce. They offer an SSL version (https://instantdomainsearch.com/), though the queries are sent using GET requests. However, I’ve never been suspicious of frontrunning on my queries.
Network solutions suck royally! I have registered a domain on behalf of a client and it has been with them for the past 4 years, It is up for renewal in May and obviously they are quick to send you a renewal notice. Since we now have dedicated servers with GoDaddy, I decided to have the domain moved to GoDaddy. The process is simple, I unlocked the domain at NETSOL, and proceeded with the transfer by initiating it with GoDaddy as normal and the transfer was refused. Being out of the country, I had to call NETSOL on 5 different occasions and every time I was given a sales pitch as to why I should stay with them. Every call resulted in an excuse after another. Escalating the matter to a higher tech support; wait 24 hours and reinitiate transfer; put the domain in your name instead of the company; contact GoDaddy as we’ve never received a request…etc. You name it, they suggested it. Finally they asked me to send an official letter on my client’s letterhead and a color scan of my passport requesting the lock to be removed. Imagine having to go to a client and ask them for such letter when I have been smoothly handling all their needs for years. Never again I tell you would I have to do anything with such incompetent company that simply plays games. I now have to wait 24 business hours for them to act. Try GoDaddy for a change and you will then understand the difference. You cannot measure what you do not have with Network Solutions, and what you don’t have is service or know-how in their customer service and they treat customers as crooks and fraud and all the secret questions and answers and email verifications mean nothing when they are about to lose a piece of business.