Via DomainState. Stratagenix writes:
BEWARE: Don’t Search For Names At NetworkSolutions.com
Network Solutions has instituted a 4 day lock on all domain names searched on their site. They are effectively using phishing techniques to hijack or steal domain names and forcing domain name registrants to register their names at Network Solutions. The standard domain name registration fee at Network Solutions is $34.99 – significantly higher than the leading alternatives. I was forced to register a domain name with them today or chance losing it to another registrant. This is unethical in my opinion and should be illegal. I will be filing a complaint at ICANN.
Network Solutions is the perfect example to Corporate America mentality. The difference? It is close to home so we actually feel it ourselves. What is that mentality you may ask? It is the belief that we can do anything and get away with anything, and if things go south, we either stop or pay a little fee and all goes back to normal.
Of course it’s OK for Network Solutions to do such things, including registering and holding for ransom domains with trademarks in them (read thread above) but for you to do such a thing? That is Cybersquatting.
I expect other registrars to do the same very soon.
More at NamePros, DomainNameNews.com and Slashdot.
The message is clear: AVOID NETWORK SOLUTIONS And.. SPREAD THE WORD!
What a bunch of scammers. I just tried it myself and sure enough NetworkSolutions now own the domain. Why are they allowed to get away with this? What are expired domain names allowed to go directly to auction? Why is this industry a free for all?
Holy crap!
Completely unethical and a conflict of interest! This is why this industry is difficult. As much as I hate to say it there needs to be a TRUE authoritative body to look after it.
Just like the Telco has the FTC/FCC
Just like NASDAQ & NYSE have the NASD
Just like every state has a Bar Association for LAwyers
Just like every state has Medical Boards for Physicians
……………..
Until then it’s the wild wild west!
Thanks for the heads up!
It appears they are testing this out only in certain areas. I have searched there for a long time to see if names are available and have never come across this problem. I just searched 10 names both with the .com attached at the end and without. All are still available. Tried a few times.
My guess is they are testing the water to see how many conversions occur by this new technique before deciding to go mainstream. It is not world wide as I am in North Carolina without being affected.
I posted earlier about monopolys forming on this blog when oversee acquired moniker. (No response was given) This is just more proof how those with major power in this industry can affect everyone. Monopolys will continue to form because there are simply too many individuals in this industry (With the stature to empower change)that look out for number 1 and not the industry as a whole. Additionally, there are no unbiased organizations formed to enforce standards. Standards not enforced are new standards set. (At the mercy of the Consumer) Icann, is not the answer.
It will only get worse due to the value of domain names rising. I find it very unethical to place names on auction that have expired thru a registrar. It is extortion, 100%, it is not allowed in any respectable industry.
However, everyone has accepted it and have empowered/encouraged registrars to continue practicing these unethical behaviors by continuing to partake and support these extortion auctions.
We have brought these new standards upon ourselves and have the nerve to complain about the monopolys pushing the envelope.
The finger continues to be pointed at domainers, not registrars.
Anology:
A drug dealer is only as powerful as the amount of drug users willing to pay. Non paying drug users equals no power to the drug dealer.
The bottom line is there are no unbiased organizations established in this industry to prevent monopolys and unethical business behaviors from occuring. Until these organizations are formed, things will only get worse. A united front needs to be established/supported to make a difference. It is not about individualism in this industry. Wait till yearly registrations reach extortion levels. It is around the corner. The writing is on the wall, unless we support an unbiased organization collectively.
Steve Morales
Hi,
I am Shashi Bellamkonda and I work for Network Solutions.I wanted give our view .
We are not monetizing these domains, nor do we intend to keep them after the holding period.
Network Solutions is not front running. “ Front Runners� are people who register domain names known to have been searched, for the purpose of monetizing them and then selling them at inflated prices either directly to the customer who searched for the domain or through aftermarket channels.
We have started protecting all domain name searches at Network Solutions by holding the searched domains for our customers for a short period of time before releasing them. This gives our customers the opportunity to register names later without fear that the name will be registered by a “Front Runner.�.
We did this because we heard customers complain that queried domain names are being snatched up by other people as soon as they searched. Network Solutions makes sure its search data is secure and we do not sell it any third party. I know that Network Solutions has no intention of keeping any searched domain or monetizing it
—-answer—-
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Guilty by your own admission. 34.99$ per year for a .com when other registrars are selling them for 7$ is inflated prices. Also it makes no sense to believe this reasoning as if your server is secure as you claim it to be, than no one would “snatch” those searches elsewhere.
Sahar
Actually Steve , While I haven’t ran any queries myself “As of Yet” One of my friends just did and we’re both in North Carolina ….. The domain is now held hostage
I take my hat off to shashib for making attempting to clarify the situation. Unfortunately, you (shashib) have completely verified that this in fact is the mission of your employer - that is, to hold your customers hostage.
If Network Solution truly was attempting to protect their customers *ALL* they would have to do is educate their customers by informing them that “by conducting this domain search and not buying the available domain immediately they run the chance that some third party may purchase available the domain……”
Am I wrong?
Mark,
You are right, think it was a glitch when I tried it earlier.
Sahar, great job mainstreaming this unethical business practices.(Using your stature to make a difference) Hopefully this will deter other registrars from even attempting to try it. It has spread all over the internet rapidly, since noon today on namepros.com and among many blogs. I sent an email to a couple of NYtimes reporters hoping they will cover it and bring bad publicity to Netsol. I encourage others to do the same to ensure they cover this unethical business practice.
Opportunity has arisen to make a difference in this industry and make an example out of a power house for unethical behavior that has gone on too long among many businesses in this industry. It may never come again on a silver platter like this. Collectively, If we do not seize this opportunity to unite and lash out, other registrars will follow rapidly. Then once again, we will have ourselves to blame and the complaining will continue. It’s time to Step up to the plate, send an email to several NYtimes reporters.
Steve Morales
Perhaps a better option would be to hold the domain for 15 minutes, instead of several days? If their intent was as they stated.
At any rate, the action taken accomplishes more than one thing: it does prevent hackers from registering domains searched for on Net Sol, and it also prevents potential customers from shopping around. “We don’t intend to monetize…” etc; but if someone is actually in a hurry, waiting 5 days to register a domain can be worse than paying an inflated price. Even IF the intent is as shashib states, what is really enforced? The idea that the first person to think of a domain name should be the only one allowed to register it, even if someone else is quicker?
IMO the solution is to eliminate the grace period during which registrations can be canceled; so they cannot register a domain and hold it for a few days before getting their money back. The grace period only exists to allow marketers to do research with no strings attached, not to protect fairness. The rule should be either you pay money and own the domain, or you don’t.
My proposed strike back at NS is for the community to stay alert for a change to this grace-period rule; at the moment when the change is to take place, thousands of people do searches for useless domains at NS, NS’s automated programs tentatively put a hold on all the domains, the rule changes, and they cannot ask for their 4-day refund.
I believe the confusion Steve hit was that if you search for more than one domain at a time, AFAICT, they do not reserve them. They did it to me over one domain, and when I searched for a handful later, they did not. Which seems to imply they’re not really just trying to protect their customers.
shashib- whatever NS’s intentions, perhaps it is clear now that making excuses isn’t going to make potential customers decide they’re not upset. The only way NS could save face would be to STOP doing it. What a concept!
Network Solutions has a very dodgy past from an IDNers perspective, as all IDN registrants were forced to leave as Network Solutions dropped support of such names.
For Network Solutions to have any real credibility in the wider World they need to acknowledge their mistakes and correct that position.
As for Front Running, they would need to be able to identify value from dross. As they are still shunning the one area that will see massive value growth in 2008, it seems improbably to me that they would even have the expertise to make a go of Front Running.
I don’t see how this is a service to their customers when the domain is not being held for the original searcher. Anyone can register the held domain, they just have to do so through Netsol. I tested this yesterday with a domain someone searched and posted on a board. I then went to the domain and through the netsol landing page was able to go through the entire registration process right to the checkout. I didn’t make payment but I was able to and could have registered the domain.
In addition to my comment above, if this is to protect their customers then why are they only reserving .COM domains?
I searched for netsolyoumadeabigmistake.com ,net,org,info and biz and only the .COM was resevered.
Tested a few names myself and sure enough it is true. This is a horrible business practice. Net Sol is acting like an Ass Sol.
Network solutions: reminds of the old days with 75$ domains, a 2 year mininum and snailmail notices of renewal.
Anyways Shashi just shows how internally blind NETSOL is on their practices. Big “no no” on this issue.
(PS: also there link selling/buying is in the grey area. How else do you call “get 5 links per month to a site for 800$/month”?
http://www.networksolutions.com/web-site-promotion/slv.jsp)
Which no one is forced to do business with if they don’t agree with their prices. Sorry, Sahar, but I gotta disagree with you on this one.
Network Solutions’ .com domain prices have been $30 a year on their storefront, before, during, and (if ever) after this current practice they’re doing. And they’ll likely keep it that way depending on their business model.
If you’re one of their VIP customers, though, you get a coupon code.