I received an e-mail from NSI this morning informing me that my domain name registration will expire on 4-4-01. They supplied a link to their online payment page, which listed several options for renewal. I chose the 10 year renewal at 40% off plan and paid with my check debit card an amount of $210.

I get an e-mail about 3 hours later informing me that 10 years is the maximum length allowed and because I still have 3 weeks left on my current term, I'm not eligible for the 10 year term. They also inform me that my debit card has been charged $252 for one 5 year plan (20% off) and two 2 year plans (10% off)! They're not asking me if I'd like to go this route, they've already charged $252 to my debit card!

So, instead of paying $210 for 10 years like I thought I was, I paid $252 for 9 years! I call them up, explain I do not accept these terms, that they're NOT what I originally agreed to, and to cancel payment and credit my debit card. After 45 minutes of being handed off to different departments, and having to hang up and call different numbers, I hang up while on hold, still waiting to talk to yet another department.

When I finally gave up, their position was: Payment has already been made, if you want a refund, you need to fax us a copy of your bank statement, which upon receipt, we will CONSIDER, not do it, but CONSIDER crediting $252 back to your debit card. I have since received an e-mail from NSI with a fax form attached for that very purpose.

At this point I'm thinking, @#$% them! I'm not going to be inconvenienced or waste anymore of my time, especially with no guaranty they'll correct their error. I call my bank and put a stop payment on it.

Forgive my venting, but hopefully this will spare others from make the same mistake I did.

<<EDIT>>

Dispute the charge with your credit card company. That should at least give you a 75% chance of getting your money back.

BTW - you may want to reconsider a 10year plan with NSI. There are many other registrars out there that charge $15 or less for one year (more years may be more of a discount as well). You can transfer your domain from NSI as well.

The sad thing is, even with a 40% discount you were going to pay $21 per year -- considerably more than you'd pay at any number of registrars without having to commit to a 10-year period.

Anyway, you made the right move going to your bank to stop it. Clearly NSI made an unauthorized transaction. Don't apologize for venting, such experiences with NSI are not uncommon, and the more people pass that knowledge on the better!

If the name expires on 4/4, you might be cutting it close to move it to another registrar, but that's what I'd do. Put in a transfer request somewhere else, and chances are it will go through before that expiration date. If not, at the last moment renew for one year only and then let the transfer go through. You'll end up paying $10 or so more than you have to, but you'll be away from NSI in the end.

Another horror story about Network Solutions. Its just TOO BAD they cant get their system simplified like everyone else has managed to do....It seems they make more work for themselves and at the same time try to convey how simple everything is with their system.... when its not that way at all. Ya Right!!

You still have some time left to transfer to another registrar. Many of us use http://000domains,com, an Open SRS RSP. Their online Domain Manager system is a vast improvement over NSI's antiquated system. Their prices ($13.50) are almost a third of NSI's before they discount them a bit. There are other reputable registrars as well.

You have a legal right to request a chargeback as the terms are not as agreed and represented.

Sorry others have had to deal with similar problems with NSI, but it's comforting to know I'm not the only one! I been having a run of such problems lately (I think I'm having a Murphy's law week), and I'm starting to feel snake bit. The biggest irritation is the time such events waste. I lost nearly a 1/2 day because of this. Errr!

<<EDIT>>

Network Solutions is a nightmare to deal with most of the time. I am sorry that you chose to renew with them...especially for 10 years. YIKES!

You can transfer registrars and go with an openSRS affiliate. At this point, it's not going to save you any money - as Network Solutions doesn't do refunds. HOWEVER, it will probably save you 10 years of headaches.

If you transfer registrars - you won't lose any of the time you paid for. By law, it has to be carried over to the new registrar free.

--Tina

Network Solutions is a pain in the *ss all the time, I've never had a smooth domain transfer for one of my 300 clients. On the other hand any clients who registered with register.com or directnic.com I have no problems with domain transfers. Network Solutions hassles the customers instead of doing their job.

I long for the day when the NSI/Verisign/Microsoft domination of the web is over.

What domination would that be? NSI has a decided advantage in registrations in that it was the only registrar for a few years. However, many people are moving to other registrars now that we have a choice. They may still end up with more than any other registrar because there are so many other choices now, along with their advantage of having been the only one for so long.

Microsoft has had an effect on hosting, what with Front Page, ASP and a few other things. However, they ar enot able to dictate change and monopolize as they have been able to do with desktop computers, and even there their influence is diminishing (go Linux!)

To state that either dominates the world wide web is simply inaccurate.

I'm just reading this thread now (it was started a few days ago) so sorry if this is too late to help Phil, but as I've posted here before, I've had teriffic luck with Dotster.com for domain registrations, and their 10-year registration is less than $94.95 (which works out to $9.50/year). I've transfered several domain names over there from NSI, and although it takes a few days, the transfers went through without a hitch.

Yet another NetSol horror story.

There is a reply about transferring domains away from Network Solutions, but what I've run into already as a registration service provider is that NetSol is VERY VERY VERY slow sometimes when it comes to approving transfers.

I'm surprised that so many people STILL register domains with NetSol day in and day out. But then again, I remember six or seven years ago when I got started on the web and NetSol was the only game in town.

http://www.dotster.com is a very good registrar to be with! They are using a automated service. My domain's nameservers and contact info changes within 24 hours! However it took 5 days for me to transfer it from Totalnic to Dotster.

Hey Duster:

What domination?

Are you aware that both Verisign and NSI are both owned by Microsoft? You are entitled to your opinions, but if you don't call that a domination of the web, I don't know what is.

When was the last time you had a choice in certificate authorities? It's either Verisign or the highway.

Microsoft still does dictate to the market. Both the hosting market and the desktop market. Linux is still a minor player.

My statement is quite accurate when you take the facts into consideration.