One for the Circular File
This entry was posted on 4/23/2006 12:40 PM and is filed under WEB HOSTING.
I own a couple dozen domains. Most of these are registered with my own hosting service (webhosting-123.com), which is a reseller for GoDaddy/Wild West Domains. The most I have ever paid for a new domain or domain renewal is $8.
Several of my domains are up for renewal over the next few months. So, when I checked the mail yesterday there was this letter from a certain company that is in the domain registration business. I won't mention the name in order to protect the guilty. Apparently they go through the "pending renewal" lists and send these letters out; you may have received one yourself.
What a deal they wanted to offer me. For the low price of $30, they would renew my soon-to-expire domain. For only $50 they would renew it for 2 years!!! WOW!! I was so impressed (sarcasm intended). I didn't exactly fall off the turnip truck yesterday, so I did the math. I can renew for two years with them (and transfer my domain to them in the process) for $50, or I can renew for 2 years with myself/GoDaddy for less than $14 (since I have a reseller discount). What to do, what to do.
Pretty slick marketing gimmick. But don't fall for it. You should never pay more than $7-$8 for a domain or renewal. Needless to say, with a slick chuckle, I deposited the letter in the circular file.
-Ray
