Domain registrars beg not to transfer

So I own a bunch of domain names. We’re talking about random domains purchased at the tail-end of the dot-com bubble, when everyone thought that getting a Dot-Com was like buying a piece of virtual real estate. Thus was the origin of “UP-LOAD.com” which was picked up six or so years ago with the silly idea that it sounded like a name someone might want someday. (Turns out, that someone was me.) Likewise, I bought a dozen more over the years, with an occasional one getting attention, and offers for remunerations. (That’s a fancy way of saying that someone once actually paid me the BIG BUCKS to acquire a domain name.)

Keeping a lot of domains means I have way-too-many email addresses, which lends itself to being inundated by every variety of spam known to man, and some known only to alien life forms. I also tend to get assorted emails from real people mistakenly thinking I’m someone else. Certain domains, like CDWO.com, attract mistyped emails intended for better-known ones (CDW.com), leading to various embarrassments from the sender. Others like UDIM.com get those interested in the United Dairy Industry of Michigan– which one would imagine might give those Michigan cow folk some incentive in buying me off, but apparently they’re happy just being a Dot-Org.

Since I own ‘em, I’ve “repurposed” some domains for my various online ventures, a sort of retcon of reality, with IHEX.com becoming “Internet Help Express” and CDWO.com turned into “Creative Development for Writers Organization.”

And having so many means that oftentimes, I forget that I need to renew them until they’re up for cancellation. I’ve kept domains at multiple registrars, from the original monopoly, Network Solutions, ($34.99? boo! hiss!), to increasingly annoying GoDaddy.com (Superbowl ads don’t equal quality), to my current fave, 1and1.com (cheap and easy!) Always in search of the best deal, I’ve been consolidating the veritable farrago of my domain holdings into one account, transferring each one as they come up for renewal.

Which brings us to the reason for this entry: apparently the “domain registry wars” are getting desperate… we’re talking begging like hungry puppy-style. Later, Here’s what I just received from Dotster on receipt of my request to transfer Up-Load.com:

Dear Dotster Customer,

We noticed you elected to transfer the following domains to Schlund+Partner AG. If this is a mistake you can reject the transfer request below by clicking on “reject transfer” If this is not a mistake and you are unhappy with Dotster’s prices or services please let us know your feelings. We’d like a second chance to get you to stay. However, if you decide to transfer your domain(s) you can disregard this message and the transfer will proceed. We’d like to encourage you to stay by offering you reduced account pricing. If you choose to take advantage of this offer and cancel your transfer, we will permanently reduce your registration, renewal, and transfer pricing. Your new pricing will include $8.95 registrations and renewals along with $7.75 transfer pricing. We DO NOT charge an ICANN fee, as most other registrars do. The new pricing applies to the following TLD’s – .com, .net, .org, .info, .biz, and .us. Just click on “renew domains” below to take advantage of this offer and cancel your transfer. The new pricing will apply to all future registrations and renewals as well, and is effective immediately.

So the secret is: everyone else gets to pay $14.95– but just because I want to go elsewhere, I’m being offered a permanent 40% discount? Sorry, Dotster, I like 1and1.com’s flat price of $5.95. Plus, it kinda seems short-sighted and ethically dubious to try to bribe some customers away from using another service. Imagine how you’d feel about your cable company if you found out the neighbor got a steep discount when he wanted to switch to satellite. I can’t think of another industry where companies might stoop to such tactics.

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