Thank you for being a valued part of the CNET community. As of December 1, 2020, the forums are in read-only format. In early 2021, CNET Forums will no longer be available. We are grateful for the participation and advice you have provided to one another over the years.

Thanks,

CNET Support

Question

Need some help/input regarding newly bought domain name

Sep 10, 2012 1:28AM PDT

Hi everyone,

Am needing some input/advice on what feels like a sticky (and icky) situation.

I have a blog where I'm launching a new small business from, and I wanted to point my blog to a custom domain name. So, I bought myself a domain name via a domain registrar that appeared to have positive reviews online (though honestly I didn't look too closely - I feel I rushed into it).

I then followed Blogger's instructions around pointing the blog to newly acquired domain name but pieces seemed missing in the domain's DNS space... I emailed the domain registrar and asked them if they could assist. They wrote back and said that if I wanted to make changes to the DNS settings that they charge a one-time fee for that. Now, I've registered domain names before, with a company I should've obviously gone back to, and they never charged extra for this.

I didn't appreciate what felt like a 'cash grab' so I wrote them and asked them if I could cancel my domain registration with them, as I felt I'd made a mistake in registering my domain name with them.

Needless to say, they didn't like this and wrote back to say that there was nothing they could do, I'm stuck with them. BUT that they would be happy to transfer my domain name to another provider after a "60 day grace period."

Obviously, I've lost my $11 and change for this, and I don't care about getting that money back, I just want to get my domain off of this registrar because I feel like they're a bad company and I'd like to go back to the company I'm used to registering domains with...

ANY help/input/advice would be much appreciated!!!

thanks in advance,
cate

Discussion is locked

- Collapse -
Answer
11 bucks.
Sep 10, 2012 1:34AM PDT

I'd consider that to be part of the lesson about this or that and move on. I think that's nothing compared to what I've seen spent over the years but some may think it's a lot and lose sight of their real goals.

Support is no longer free so if there is some help required they charge for it. The employees demand to get paid so we pay to get support which pays those employees. Again, there are folk that don't understand this and will get upset when this happens.

BUT WAIT!!! There is an issue worth noting. DNS PROPAGATION. If you register a domain, it can take days for the world to know about it. Did you give it time?
Bob

- Collapse -
11 bucks indeed! :-)
Sep 10, 2012 1:46AM PDT

hi bob,

i guess my question is, can i not delete my domain with this domain registrar and then register with another domain registrar? (the one i've used before). in regards to DNS propogation... i only registered the domain on friday.

thanks,
cate

- Collapse -
Transfers.
Sep 10, 2012 1:59AM PDT

From what I know, that's called a transfer. Please don't get too hung up on exactly what the registrar calls it. Just change your wording for the transfer to their vocabulary and move on to discussing the transfer.

So if you want to transfer to another service, you call in and discuss it if they don't have an automatic method. But I'm still wary of full web only services. Sometimes I want to find out if this is a real business and not someone in their garage. I'm not saying a garage is a bad thing. Google started there.
Bob

- Collapse -
transferring...
Sep 10, 2012 2:08AM PDT

hi bob,

so after they asked me for $ for changing DNS settings, i told them i'd be happy to lose my $ paid to them for the domain registration but that i'd like to switch to another provider (so, transfer). that's when they wrote back to say that i was stuck with them but could transfer after a "60 day grace period."

i don't have the time to wait for 60 days is the thing, because i'm trying to launch my business.

i feel like this '60 day grace period' is some kind of weird double-speak... what does that even mean??

thanks,
c

- Collapse -
Sorry if I was unclear.
Sep 10, 2012 2:13AM PDT

1. You are talking to the current registrar.

2. You need to talk to your prospective registrar to see if they can do the transfer.

Bob (who does not do this as a business but has been around this area too long.)

- Collapse -
just need to know
Sep 10, 2012 2:47AM PDT

sorry, to clarify:

i was speaking with the current registrar (that i'm unhappy with). they say they can't delete or transfer domain until after a "60 day grace period."

i need to know if this is common practice or if they're spinning me a yarn. any idea?

thx,
c

- Collapse -
Pretty common.
Sep 10, 2012 2:53AM PDT

But it does not matter at all. It matters what your new registrar says.
Bob

- Collapse -
Answer
Often registrars
Sep 10, 2012 2:55PM PDT

do have a grace period before you can transfer a domain out, so that's not uncommon.

Regardless, in order to transfer a domain name, the current registrar must approve the transfer. If they say they won't do that for at least 60 days, then there's nothing you can do about that.

Your choices appear to be as follows:

1. Register a new domain to use (even if just temporary).

2. Pay the current registrar to make the DNS change (although you're right, this normally doesn't cost anything).

3. Wait the 60 days and launch your website in two months after the transfer is completed.

~Sovereign