Domain Registration Then and Now

When I first started to purchase domains and was learning about registering them, I felt that I had crossed over to some secret world (inhabited by possibly shady characters) and I was a total outsider who didn’t know the secret password or handshake. Becoming more comfortable with how buying domains and how to transfer them works has been a great relief to my nerves. Hosting was the next hurdle, but I am over that one too.

What I did not know was that when you “buy” a domain name. You are the owner but the names are managed by companies that called registrars. The registrars maintain the databases of all the domain names and have regulations to follow in order to allocate names as people buy them. They also have to work with the organization that gives these names the ability to be part of the internet (by giving each a IP address).

You see, most of the domains I own are registered with different companies that charges far less (around $8-10). I try to avoid the really, really cheap domain registrars because the functionality of their sites is usually not very good. Most companies have discount coupons available and special codes for those who buy bulk domains (more than 50 seems to be the amount that will get you a code for a discount on your purchases or renewals).

I have received scam letters which notified my to renew domains (for $24). Those letters I were from Domain Registry of America. The reason they are scams is because that company WAS NOT the registrar for my domains. They basically collect the domain registration data which is listed in the whois database for websites with which they have no existing business relationship. Then, they try to trick uninformed domain owners into thinking they need to respond to these “official-looking” renewal letters. Those who know better, know that the company that is in charge of the registration details of their domains will send them an email when it is time to renew a domain. And, the renewals can be managed through the registrar’s website – they are rarely done through the postal mail.

What Should You Pay for a Domain Registration?

One thing I knew for sure (as soon as I realized I still had time to transfer that domain away from the current registrar) – I knew I was NOT paying almost $35 for a year. I quickly transferred the domain to my favorite (NameCheap). And it cost me under $9* and the privacy feature (which they call WhoisGuard) is free when you transfer to them. Many companies will offer a low first-time purchase price and specials on domain transfers. Do your research if you like saving money as much as I do!

I save money when I register domain names with Namecheap. Their prices are not the rock-bottom, but their domain management system is easy-to-use and the time it takes to manage domain transfers seems to be faster and simpler than some other companies I have used.

My second favorite place to buy domains is

GoDaddy. They used to have a kind of bad reputation, but I think they have made significant improvements and I haven’t had any problems using their services for a long time.

So, don’t get ripped off when you buy a domain name – both of the companies I have recommended here are reputable and they have good support for anyone who is new at this (or nervous about it, as I was when I started).

*price is based on the fact that the domain was a .biz and I used a coupon for the transfer (SWITH2NC).

Disclaimer:

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I want to recommend the easiest to use (and a low cost option) for buying domains (domain registration). For buying domains, I totally recommend Namecheap. Their interface is really easy to use (I have never gotten confused with it, as I have with other places I have bought domains). Compared to 1 and 1 (which is awful) and GoDaddy (which is just ok) I think Namecheap is far superior and the domains cost less. For the first year, the privacy feature for your domain is free.  There are many coupon codes available – look them up online whenever you are about to buy a domain – one place that seems to keep them up-to-date is retailmenot.

For hosting, I have never had any problems with HostGator – in fact I like this hosting company a lot! You can host one site for less than five dollars a month – of course, few people do that anymore. For multiple (unlimited) domain hosting (with all the bells and whistles) it only costs 7.95/month – though there is a slight “catch” – you have to pay for an entire year to get that low price. Still, there are other payment plans (monthly or every 6 months). And there are often coupon codes to be found to save extra money, so don’t forget to look those up before you plan on paying for hosting. There are also reseller hosting accounts that are great and don’t cost too much (for you webmasters and graphic designers).

I hope these tips help you when you start building your web empire

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