Web Hosting Talk : Web Hosting Main Forums : Domain Names : Godaddy's $1.95/yr deal for private registration - not for renewal!

[DonW]

I encountered the following issue with GoDaddy's "DomainByProxy" service. They are promoting private domain registration for $1.95/yr. But this rate only seems to apply to the initial purchase or transfer of a domain, or purchase of new privacy service at the time of domain renewal.

If I try to renew one domain I own that currently has private registration set up, the shopping cart indicates a price of $8.95/yr for the private registration (on top of the $8.95 domain registration itself.)

They do not explain this policy ANYWHERE that I have looked. So the $1.95 deal sounds like a "lock in scam". As in - once you are committed to private domain registration, they raise the price to the (previous across the board) higher price on renewals.

I supposed I could cancel private registration right before I renew my domain's registration, and then add privacy back to it. Leaving a short window of exposure as the real person behind the domain.

It's just irritating - more of the corporate unexplained "the price is not really the price" bait and switch BS.

I expected better from GoDaddy.

Anyone else know of a better way around this?

[zoobie]

welcome to wht

initial purchase or transfer only evidently

so, you signup for a new name and get the privacy for $2
ok
you want to save $7?
ok
consider generic names to satisfy the tos
like maple street cafe
yahoo contact email
phone number to voicemail
etc...
now, you've saved $9
you give me back $2
right?

[grandad]

How is a special offer like this a "scam"?
Don't you ever shop in an ordinary shop or supermarket?
Never heard of "loss-leaders" and seen price reductions to encourage buyers?
Never been to a sale?

[DonW]

Zoobie, thanks, I'll take that under advisement (including your commission ).

Grandad, it's scammy because they don't explain the policy ANYWHERE. And because once you're set up as private, the renewal comes up at the usual high price.

On Godaddy one has to wade through a bunch of "buy this add on" crap which is par for the course, but I have never seen a deceptive unstated pricing policy like this in use before this.

[DonW]

Re: the topic of this thread, I figured out a workaround that results in being charged the discounted rate for private registration when you renew.

This procedure works best for domains that are up for renewal imminently.

How to do it:

1) Cancel your private registration (temporarily) for the domain that you wish to renew. This will cause you to lose any remaining private registration service for the balance of the current term of the domain registration. (that is why it's best to do this when a domain is about to expire.)

2) Your domain should now say "public" in the Godaddy domain window.

3) Now go through the renewal process, and choose "private registration". You can select as many years as you want. The fee added for private registration will be $1.95/year.

4) Renew.

The disadvantages are:

1) It requires timing the transaction close to the expiration of the domain, unless you don't mind losing a large balance paid for private registration.

2) It leaves a short window of time in which you are listed publicly. I went through this last night for one expiring domain and the time between canceling private reg. and renewing with new private reg. was about 10 minutes, but it let me do it. (I have no idea if anything on the web is likely to capture this info.)

The bottom line is that if you renew a (current) private domain through GoDaddy, the per year charge for private registration is $8.95 (more than the domain.) If you ADD private registration to a now public domain, the charge per year for private reg is $1.95.

[technanny]

This is not a scam. This is a special promotion. They are offering a low price to purchase with a standard renewal. Most companies do this

[DonW]

I expect GoDaddy to explain it better than they do, which is now "not at all". They lead you to believe that privacy is now a $1.95/yr option. The lack of forthrightness is why I posted.

[leloup]

Thanks for the tip anyway.

[carlitosway]

Other GOOD icann registrars gives its for free (not resellers)