Suggestion for a Free Domain Registration

#1 02-09-2008, 01:16 AM

I am really amazed by the good reviews of HostGator. I would be a customer here, someday. But as what I have observed, this hosting site is not offering free domain registration unlike other (mostly) webhosts. But if you don't mind if I could suggest this.

I hope it will be added soon! Thank You!

Regards,
Robert

Chimpie · #2 02-09-2008, 07:30 AM

Is there something wrong with you paying < $10 for a domain?

GvilleRick · #3 02-09-2008, 10:31 AM

Personally I think it is a much better idea to have your domain registration separate from your hosting. I've seen cases where folks became unhappy with their hosting and wanted to move to a different host only to have problems changing the domain nameservers because they received a free domain registration but it was in the name of the hosting company. Chimpie is right, $10 a year is cheap.

kmaw · #4 02-09-2008, 10:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GvilleRick

Personally I think it is a much better idea to have your domain registration separate from your hosting. I've seen cases where folks became unhappy with their hosting and wanted to move to a different host only to have problems changing the domain nameservers because they received a free domain registration but it was in the name of the hosting company. Chimpie is right, $10 a year is cheap.

Ditto to that... a free domain is not in the client's best interests at all!

***GatorWesley*** · #5 02-09-2008, 12:26 PM

Most companies that offer free domains either won't release it to you or sell it back to you for a ridiculously higher price if you ever decide to leave.

gwyneth · #6 02-09-2008, 12:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GvilleRick

Personally I think it is a much better idea to have your domain registration separate from your hosting. I've seen cases where folks became unhappy with their hosting and wanted to move to a different host only to have problems changing the domain nameservers because they received a free domain registration but it was in the name of the hosting company. Chimpie is right, $10 a year is cheap.

Other reasons to keep it separate: a reasonable failsafe, like having accounts at two different banks. If anything (like a category 5 hurricane) happened to the host company, you would lose minimal time, if your domain were registered elsewhere--just find a new host, enter the new nameservers and presto! You're up again.

Also, there isn't anything that's really "free"--it may just look that way. And, as the economists say, indirect taxation is always more expensive than direct.

Serra · #7 02-09-2008, 03:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GatorWesley

Most companies that offer free domains either won't release it to you or sell it back to you for a ridiculously higher price if you ever decide to leave.

Yea, I've seen a ton of problems from 'free' domains with my customers. Its really a bad idea and HG should avoid it.

BDCC · #8 02-09-2008, 03:08 PM

I so ditto this, I am currently with a host and have two websites with him.
One domain I did myself at godaddy and the other I paid the host to get for me.
Here is the problem, exactly what is mentioned here.
Reason I am looking to go with Host Gator (when they get shared windows up) is because the current host is impossible to reach for 3 months now, which means I won't be able to get the one domain transfered either, even though I paid him for the domain.

So as for my second site, I am stuck and now will have to create another domain name for that website. This will be costly cause sooo many customers have the old domain and I will lose lots. Not to mention I now will have to re-establish my new domain name in search engines.

I will NEVER get a website with my host company ever, ever again!

The part I feel lucky about is my most important website is the one I had purchased with godaddy. SO MANY of the people hosted with my current host registered their domain with him and they can't go anywhere now, they are stuck with him and the many many glitches that are going on there because it seems he is not tending to the server. Someone said he had a family crisis but for 3 months? Not a way to run a business.

Does anyone know where you can report someone like this, it is totally unfair to all the people hosted there?

::Quick:: · #9 02-12-2008, 05:59 AM

Free domains aren't "free". Most companies add $10 extra to the yearly price and most people aren't willing to pay an extra $10 for something which they already have.

ghpk · #10 02-12-2008, 06:34 AM

In case of frauds you also loose extra 10$.

I've sold large combo packs and had problems when people renew domain and skip hosting charges or vice-versa.

mtcrowe · #11 02-13-2008, 03:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BDCC

I so ditto this, I am currently with a host and have two websites with him.
One domain I did myself at godaddy and the other I paid the host to get for me.
Here is the problem, exactly what is mentioned here.
Reason I am looking to go with Host Gator (when they get shared windows up) is because the current host is impossible to reach for 3 months now, which means I won't be able to get the one domain transfered either, even though I paid him for the domain.

So as for my second site, I am stuck and now will have to create another domain name for that website. This will be costly cause sooo many customers have the old domain and I will lose lots. Not to mention I now will have to re-establish my new domain name in search engines.

I will NEVER get a website with my host company ever, ever again!

The part I feel lucky about is my most important website is the one I had purchased with godaddy. SO MANY of the people hosted with my current host registered their domain with him and they can't go anywhere now, they are stuck with him and the many many glitches that are going on there because it seems he is not tending to the server. Someone said he had a family crisis but for 3 months? Not a way to run a business.

Does anyone know where you can report someone like this, it is totally unfair to all the people hosted there?

You can handle your problem in two ways. The easiest is a 301 redirect from your old domain to your new. But, if the server goes down you'll loose the redirect.

A better solution if possible to to change registrars for your domain. This depends on who your host put as the owner. If he used his own name, then it will take a lot of legal doing. If he put your name as the owner, then any registrar can initiate a domain name transfer.

I fell into the free domain name trap when I first started my website. Luckily I was able to talk someone in the support department to put my name as the owner of the domain name, and quickly did a registrar transfer before a supervisor got wise to what happened.