How to Choose Your Reputable Domain Registration Service

How to Choose Your Reputable Domain Registration ServicebyRobert LeggettCopyright (c) December 2003Years ago we registered our first domain name with the onlyshow in town -- InterNIC. They were expensive and notconsumer-friendly -- can you spell "monopoly?" Then weregistered two more domain names with them. Expensive...butOK...if that was all we wanted to do. They would charge usto sell one of our domain names...monopolies can do this!Then, they followed the fate of MaBell. Government steppedin and allowed competitors in the Domain Registrationbusiness.If you feel more secure sticking with a name-brand with along track record, register your domain name with them.However, do check their prices...still higher than theircompetitors who offer identical and sometimes superiorservice -- ( http://www.nic.net/pricing.html ) -- DomainName Registration Pricing. Deregulation forced them to bemore competitive. But they charge more...relying upon their"brand name."We moved our three sites over to Terrasite...about half theprice we were paying...and no charge for selling off one ofour sites. Hooray! for competition! And a levelplaying-field!More Domain Register companies have since set up shop inCyberSpace. Some are very good. Others are veryquestionable.After beginning our quest for our ***perfect CyberSpaceprofession where we could do nothing! and make a whole lotof money! in a month! and be set for the rest of ourlives***, we registered 2 more domain names.We approached Terrasite. Did they have an affiliate programwhere we would make money every time somebody registeredthrough us? Or when we registered more sites? No responseafter several tries. We guess they found their niche marketand their ***perfect CyberSpace profession where they donothing! and make a whole lot of money! every day! and areset for the rest of their life.***So...we registered these through one of the I-Marketinggurus we like. Better through him than with a faceless bigoperation which doesn't answer emails.We pursued our learning curve over the months. Notguru-material yet...but we can dream. Isn't that what makeslife interesting?...pursuing a good dream? So...we plan toregister many more domain names...all will help us expandour business(es). We want a reasonably priced credibleservice...and not consumer-challenged.We searched in Google. We searched Whois. Note: We likeusing -- ( http://www.whois.sc/ ) -- Whois Source: Domainname search lookup that allows a wildcard search of allcurrent/deleted/expired whois domains. It is EZ to use andresults are good.We are trying out what we feel may be the right one for us-- Domain Direct --( http://www.EarnYourLiving.com/DomainDirectRegistration/ )-- The Easiest way to Register, Build & Host your Website!Why do we feel good about them? They are affiliated withTucows. Tucows are good people and have been around for manyyears. We used to visit them for a lot of free downloads --back in the days of DOS 5.0. There were similar operationsout there, but Tucows always had it together and wasconsumer-friendly.Also, they register your domain name with ICANN. Find outmore about the importance of ICANN --( http://www.icann.org/ ) -- The Internet Corporation forAssigned Names and Numbers. This is the Master Registry ofall domain names -- somebody has to do this in order to keeporder.Terrasite gave us no problems transferring our Registrationover to DomainDirect. We are conservative. We left our othertwo domains with Terrasite -- let's see how DomainDirectworks out. These two don't need to be renewed until2004...we have time.When we tried to move one of the two we had registeredthrough the "guru"...we had to threaten the service we wouldreport them to their state's Attorney General. We copiedeverything to the guru...who may have marketed the wrongservice...honest mistake. They finally let it move over toDomain Direct. Hey...it's *our* property, it's *our*money...it's *our* choice of where we do business.NOTE: When you change registrars -- begin 2 months beforeyour expiration date. That gives you time for "screw-ups"along the way. Basically, if you are paid up and requestyour move outside of 30 days...there should be no problem.If you move at the last minute, some registrars will chargeyou another year as a penalty. Also...when you move toanother Registrar, you don't lose money -- your originaldate of registration gets credited over. So...you pay for ayear. Your date of renewal is at the end of that year plusthe remaining time you have left.The "guru's" registrar offered renewal for half their fee ifwe stayed with them. Our experience with them dictates wewalk away and never look back. We voted...with our feet andour wallet. There should be no problems when we move ourother site...We feel good about DomainDirect. We have an affiliaterelationship. Yes...we get a little commission every time weregister another domain name. And...every time somebodyregisters through our affiliate link. DomainDirect paysaffiliates when $100 in commissions is accumulated. Thisequates to every time 8 new domains come through us, we get$100. Ain't much...but it helps lower the cost per eachdomain name we register for ourselves. If you plan toregister 8 or more domain names...it is worth your while tobecome their affiliate.------------------------------------------------------------Robert Leggett has over ten years experience marketing DiveAdventures over the Internet. Robert helps individuals andbusinesses globally grow their businesses and enrichtheir lifestyles. Learn more -( http://www.EarnYourLiving.com ).Subscribe to his "Free for Life" newsletter -"CyberSpaceMarketeer" - Receive your Free eGift.

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