The domain registrar took my money but hasn't renewed my domains -- help!

February 13, 2008 10:58 AM

Unresponsive domain registrar -- HELP!

I renewed several domains in January, a week before they expired, and they're still showing as "pending" -- grrr!

This domain registrar is a reseller for another registrar. So I called the main registrar, explained that while the credit card payment went through, my domains were not renewed, and the ones that had an expiration of February 8 had been replaced with some lame-ass parking page with ad links on it.

The main registrar said "we'll try to contact the reseller, call us in 24 hours." I called them 24 hours later, and they said "we can't reach them, but we haven't received the credit card payment from them either. Create a 'free account' with us, and then send us a support ticket."

This "free account" requires credit card details (wtf?), and the support guy I spoke to said I'd have to renew the domains with them at $29.95 a pop per year. This seems excessive.

What are my options here? I'd love to transfer all the domains I have (there are 40) in bulk to another registrar (like GoDaddy, although I have issues with Bob Parsons) -- but I need the reseller to release the domains, and as Gertrude Stein would point out, there doesn't seem to be a there there. And shouldn't the main registrar have some responsibility over their reseller?

Help me through this nightmare!

posted by potsmokinghippieoverlord to computers & internet (14 comments total)

I didn't think the old registrar needed to unlock anything. I just moved over a number of domains and didn't need to get the old one involved. The new domain registar sends an unlock code to the administrative contact on the domain name, and you use that to activate the transfer.
posted by Static Vagabond at 11:08 AM on February 13, 2008

I'd have to renew the domains with them at $29.95 a pop per year. This seems excessive.

Yeah, that's an insanely high price. I agree with Static Vagabond, contact a good registrar and just ask them to transfer the domains. You are transfering 40 domains to them, so that's gauranteed money for them, and they would probably want to put in whatever work is required to get them transferred.
posted by burnmp3s at 11:11 AM on February 13, 2008

Here's my suggestion: write a letter, on paper (you can also e-mail a copy) to your registrar and the parent company, explaining the situation. It might help if you can include the name of your credit card company and the transaction number for your payment, to prove that the credit card company, at least, has a record of the transaction. Include whatever other information you think is relevant. Send the letter to the corporate headquarters (wherever that is), and if you want, you can also send a copy through e-mail along with a mention of the fact that a paper copy is on its way.

There's a fine line between doing the kind of thing I describe above, which can seem almost "I'm-thinking-about-getting-a-lawyer" hostile, and just asking the company to cut you a break because they don't want to look like bad businesspeople. So, you might want to try calling one more time, expressing your frustration (but not anger, and always be sensitive to the fact that the person on the other end is not to blame), and asking if there's anything else they or you can do.

You've already paid to renew the domain, you're being seriously inconvenienced (if you are) by their partner's failure, and could they please just somehow make it right.

If that's still a problem, then paper mail makes a paper trail, and you might want to move to more formal and trackable means of communication.
posted by amtho at 11:18 AM on February 13, 2008

For the record (although the OP would have more info) it will probably require some negotiation with Enom and/or the reseller to make the transfer happen, especially if the reseller is acting as though the domains haven't been paid up.
posted by amtho at 11:19 AM on February 13, 2008

I'd recommend using GoDaddy once you get this resolved. The site had a lot of fluff but the main domain functions work well, fast, and their customer service and prices are excellent.
posted by Chuck Cheeze at 12:23 PM on February 13, 2008

You said you called Enom, who can't help, but did you call Jump Domains? I don't see where you did. If not, that's who you should be on the phone to.
posted by loiseau at 1:24 PM on February 13, 2008

This happened to me (and 1000s of other people) with Registerfly and enom. I tried GoDaddy first but Registerfly wouldn't supply the codes needed to transfer the domain. I paid the $29.95 to enom to get my site back online, because you're right, it is a nightmare, and I was just happy to have found a solution. They didn't need Registerfly to cooperate. OTOH, I only had one domain to stress over! $29.95 * 40 is some serious change.
posted by Pigpen at 1:41 PM on February 13, 2008

Same thing as with Pigpen happened to me. However, I think eventually eNom gave into complaints and honored Registerfly rates for atleast the first year of transfer.

I suggest reading this page (specifically #8 about $9.99 for renewals). Then call up eNom, tell them your situation and how many domains you have, and then mention that you know they gave registerfly customers a $9.99 rate and since you seem to be a similar boat with an unresponsive original registrar, it would help out your decision if you could get that rate as well.

If you don't mind goDaddy and are still able to transfer your domains, I would just transfer them and then dispute the renewal charge with your original registrar.
posted by ghostmanonsecond at 1:53 PM on February 13, 2008

Thanks for the replies so far!

loiseau -- I did call Jump Domain, repeatedly. Sorry I didn't say that right off. The phone doesn't even connect. It's telling that eNom couldn't reach them either. Read this Slashdot thread to learn more horror stories.

Just to clarify -- I inherited this situation from a co-worker who has since moved on. Whenever we've needed new domains, we've gone with registrars we can reach.

I'll update this post as events warrant.
posted by potsmokinghippieoverlord at 3:25 PM on February 13, 2008

I'm not a site owner so I can't recommend what to do, but I would definitely contact your credit card company and put the charges in dispute. According to Clark Howard:

"Make sure you file a dispute with your credit card company by the 55th day. A credit card is no better than cash if you go past 60 days without filing a dispute. The dispute will take months to process and really just helps you preserve your rights under the law. You can later release a dispute if your [services are renewed]."

He is always telling consumers to put any charges for services/merchandise/whatever that was not rendered/delivered/whatever in disupte.

Hopefully it hasn't been that long. Good luck to you. ♣
posted by magnoliasouth at 8:43 PM on February 13, 2008

I called GoDaddy to explain my situation and ask about bulk transfers. The rep told me that they would need the authorization code from the other registrar (Jump Domain). Ugh.

I'm going to call eNom again and see if they will listen to reason.
posted by potsmokinghippieoverlord at 12:50 PM on February 14, 2008

Today's update: Jump Domain finally renewed the domains (just yesterday I submitted complaints via the Missouri Attorney Gerneral's Office and the BBB, but it's probably just a coincidence).

I've contacted eNom about honoring Jump Domain's prices, or at least letting me arrange for their transfer.
posted by potsmokinghippieoverlord at 10:12 AM on February 15, 2008

Leave Jump Domain - fast. After I started the transfer process away from them (with 2 months to go), they held my domains in pending for 4 months and refused to release them. They then sent threatening letters to the effect that they would send my case to a collections agency if I didn't pay the (now overdue) renewal. I called GoDaddy and they were able to get the domains from Jump Domain, and I haven't looked back.

Incidentally, the same thing happened to a colleague. I don't think mine was an isolated incident.
posted by aberrant at 7:02 AM on February 16, 2008

UPDATE: (just in case someone in a similar situation stummble onto this thread)

The eNom tech guy suggested that I contact their Customer Care division and explain the situation -- they offered $14.95 per domain if I renewed them all. It's $5 more than I'm used to paying, but if I can reach living human beings, it seemed worth it. We've pushed all the domains this week, so my domain nightmare appears to be over (cross fingers!).

Thanks for all the suggestions!
posted by potsmokinghippieoverlord at 3:34 PM on March 7, 2008