Domain Expires? Pay $80-$200 To renew?

[wscreate]

Domain Expired? Pay $80 - $200 To Renew!

It sounds absurd doesn't it? But it is a reality. ICANN has established a new policy whereas expired domains are put into a new status "REDEMPTION PERIOD". This affects all registrars. Whereas the customer has the following 2 options.

1. Pay a fee of no less than $80 up to $200 to get the expired domain restored back to active status (The fee is dependent on each registrar's fee)

OR

2. Wait approximately 45 days for the domain to be taken out of Redemption period, placed into "Pending Deletion" and then finally released back to circulation where the customer again has the opportunity to re-register their domain (If someone else does not get it first!).

If you are a business, and someone makes a mistake and your domain expires, which option do you think you would choose? Yep, option 1. Option 2 is just too risky. Of course, ICANN knows businesses will be "FORCED" to choose option 1 and that is why their new policy is akin to "Extortion".

If you want to voice your opinion about this, I suggest sending your comments to your registrar and also, to ICANN at

redeem-comment@icann.org

[jazz]

Man that sucks. Before embarking on our project thought l would find out from web masters the average length to take out non profit domain name for, and the answer was two years. Okay l don't expect to have the same email addresses in two years time, and wont remember to continue the domain name unless informed.

This is just a money making venture aimed at the small guy, will forward complaint to the guys we use (godaddy.com)...

[largo]

Hmm, I think it's actually a good thing.

Before a domain expires, your registrar is supposed to contact you. They do so repeatedly. If for some reason you are not available or cannot be reached by means described in your records, then the domain is put on hold for 45 days just in case. They're charging a fee to hold on.....

Your domain is released back in public domain and gets registered by someone else is a tad worse. What if you managed name-servers on that domain?... what if... you get the picture!

[wscreate]

Originally posted by largo
Hmm, I think it's actually a good thing.

Before a domain expires, your registrar is supposed to contact you. They do so repeatedly. If for some reason you are not available or cannot be reached by means described in your records, then the domain is put on hold for 45 days just in case. They're charging a fee to hold on.....

Your domain is released back in public domain and gets registered by someone else is a tad worse. What if you managed name-servers on that domain?... what if... you get the picture!
You think it is a good thing that ICANN makes you pay a fee, amounting to 10-20 times the cost of a new registration fee if your domain expires? Really? I would assume that you also think higher income taxes are a good thing too?

Absurd.

[largo]

true, the amount is quite high, I agree. $80-200 is absurd.

Charging something for holding it, I don't think that's too absurd an idea. Honestly I'd gladly pay $200.00 for a domain that I need to keep if after repeated requests to re-new have slipped by. Who is to blame for not renewing it?

This is nothing unavoidable (like income-tax), this is an error on the part of the consumer for whatever reason. The penalty is something which a lot may not agree with. I agree with you, it's high, the concept isn't flawed though.

[wscreate]

Originally posted by largo
true, the amount is quite high, I agree. $80-200 is absurd.

Charging something for holding it, I don't think that's too absurd an idea. Honestly I'd gladly pay $200.00 for a domain that I need to keep if after repeated requests to re-new have slipped by. Who is to blame for not renewing it?

This is nothing unavoidable (like income-tax), this is an error on the part of the consumer for whatever reason. The penalty is something which a lot may not agree with. I agree with you, it's high, the concept isn't flawed though.

I agree with you. The concept is sound. However, the amount is much too high. I think that an amount equal to, maybe twice the normal domain fee, would be acceptable. Example, if Registrar A charges $20 for one year of domain registration, then the penalty (And it is a penalty) should be about $40. This additional fee would "encourage"domain registrants to be more responsible, while not "gouging" them with such an exorbitant fee.

[largo]

Very true. I'll join the effort and email ICANN.

Thx.

[ishbo]

Why should the domain become inactive for a period of time anyway if you are keeping it active? It seems to me this system would be good for domains that are not upkept, but for active ones it seems somewhat ridiculous, especially if you need a high-end server and pay a monthly fee!