Comments on: Search For Domains At Network solutions, Face Extortion By Network Solutions http://www.conceptualist.com/2008/01/08/search-for-domains-at-network-solutions-face-extortion-by-network-solutions/ Wed, 09 Jul 2008 01:02:26 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.3 By: Shashi Bellamkonda http://www.conceptualist.com/2008/01/08/search-for-domains-at-network-solutions-face-extortion-by-network-solutions/#comment-9575 Shashi Bellamkonda Fri, 20 Jun 2008 15:02:58 +0000 http://www.conceptualist.com/2008/01/08/search-for-domains-at-network-solutions-face-extortion-by-network-solutions/#comment-9575 Hey wanted to drive by again and provide an update... Again, I work at Network Solutions. We know how important this issue is for everyone, and not only did we listen, we're acting. Next week ICANN can vote an important issue to resolve to resolve front running for once and for all. We are advocating that ICANN acts now, and we have published an official statement on our web site to that end. Please excuse this URL, but given the seriousness of this issue, it was appropriate to provide a link: http://tinyurl.com/63yaox Shashi Hey wanted to drive by again and provide an update… Again, I work at Network Solutions. We know how important this issue is for everyone, and not only did we listen, we’re acting.

Next week ICANN can vote an important issue to resolve to resolve front running for once and for all. We are advocating that ICANN acts now, and we have published an official statement on our web site to that end. Please excuse this URL, but given the seriousness of this issue, it was appropriate to provide a link: http://tinyurl.com/63yaox

Shashi

]]> By: Dave Zan http://www.conceptualist.com/2008/01/08/search-for-domains-at-network-solutions-face-extortion-by-network-solutions/#comment-4938 Dave Zan Fri, 11 Jan 2008 06:25:22 +0000 http://www.conceptualist.com/2008/01/08/search-for-domains-at-network-solutions-face-extortion-by-network-solutions/#comment-4938 <blockquote>Guilty by your own admission. 34.99$ per year for a .com when other registrars are selling them for 7$ is inflated prices.</blockquote> 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. ;)

Guilty by your own admission. 34.99$ per year for a .com when other registrars are selling them for 7$ is inflated prices.

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. ;)

]]> By: Yvo http://www.conceptualist.com/2008/01/08/search-for-domains-at-network-solutions-face-extortion-by-network-solutions/#comment-4933 Yvo Thu, 10 Jan 2008 17:50:26 +0000 http://www.conceptualist.com/2008/01/08/search-for-domains-at-network-solutions-face-extortion-by-network-solutions/#comment-4933 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$/month"? http://www.networksolutions.com/web-site-promotion/slv.jsp) Network solutions: reminds of the old days with 75$ 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)

]]> By: Blackhat SEO » Blog Archive » Network Solutions is evil http://www.conceptualist.com/2008/01/08/search-for-domains-at-network-solutions-face-extortion-by-network-solutions/#comment-4894 Blackhat SEO » Blog Archive » Network Solutions is evil Wed, 09 Jan 2008 18:07:49 +0000 http://www.conceptualist.com/2008/01/08/search-for-domains-at-network-solutions-face-extortion-by-network-solutions/#comment-4894 [...] reports that Network Solutions is registering domains after availability lookups, follow-ups on Conceptualist, Elliot’s Blog, Dominik Mueller, DomainBits DotSauce. The only thing I have to say is that [...] […] reports that Network Solutions is registering domains after availability lookups, follow-ups on Conceptualist, Elliot’s Blog, Dominik Mueller, DomainBits DotSauce. The only thing I have to say is that […]

]]> By: Phil http://www.conceptualist.com/2008/01/08/search-for-domains-at-network-solutions-face-extortion-by-network-solutions/#comment-4893 Phil Wed, 09 Jan 2008 18:02:17 +0000 http://www.conceptualist.com/2008/01/08/search-for-domains-at-network-solutions-face-extortion-by-network-solutions/#comment-4893 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. 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.

]]> By: Jason Lavigne http://www.conceptualist.com/2008/01/08/search-for-domains-at-network-solutions-face-extortion-by-network-solutions/#comment-4884 Jason Lavigne Wed, 09 Jan 2008 15:45:08 +0000 http://www.conceptualist.com/2008/01/08/search-for-domains-at-network-solutions-face-extortion-by-network-solutions/#comment-4884 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. 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.

]]> By: Jason Lavigne http://www.conceptualist.com/2008/01/08/search-for-domains-at-network-solutions-face-extortion-by-network-solutions/#comment-4883 Jason Lavigne Wed, 09 Jan 2008 15:11:05 +0000 http://www.conceptualist.com/2008/01/08/search-for-domains-at-network-solutions-face-extortion-by-network-solutions/#comment-4883 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. 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.

]]> By: David Wrixon http://www.conceptualist.com/2008/01/08/search-for-domains-at-network-solutions-face-extortion-by-network-solutions/#comment-4880 David Wrixon Wed, 09 Jan 2008 12:50:33 +0000 http://www.conceptualist.com/2008/01/08/search-for-domains-at-network-solutions-face-extortion-by-network-solutions/#comment-4880 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. 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.

]]> By: Chuckk H http://www.conceptualist.com/2008/01/08/search-for-domains-at-network-solutions-face-extortion-by-network-solutions/#comment-4879 Chuckk H Wed, 09 Jan 2008 12:48:48 +0000 http://www.conceptualist.com/2008/01/08/search-for-domains-at-network-solutions-face-extortion-by-network-solutions/#comment-4879 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! 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!

]]> By: Steve Morales http://www.conceptualist.com/2008/01/08/search-for-domains-at-network-solutions-face-extortion-by-network-solutions/#comment-4863 Steve Morales Wed, 09 Jan 2008 03:51:00 +0000 http://www.conceptualist.com/2008/01/08/search-for-domains-at-network-solutions-face-extortion-by-network-solutions/#comment-4863 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 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

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