Problems With a Registrar

they won't approve transfers...

[PatrickDeese]

I decided it would be prudent to move several domains to a different registrar.

I have been using the same small registrar for about 3 years and have had pretty good luck with them, and they have ok prices.

The first one I transferred failed and I wrote the registrar and told them I needed to urgently transfer some domains to another registrar in order to "ungroup" a set of related domains.

Using this smaller company makes this group of domains stand out like a sore thumb if you start looking at whois records.

I then sent another transfer request and was able to get that over to the new registrar (godaddy).

So a few days later, I try to transfer 4 more domains (I have about 35 domains total with this company). I get a special letter from them saying that if I *don't* transfer they'll lower my domain registrations to $7.95 a year, but if I don't accept the offer they will process the transfer. I don't accept their offer, and guess what?

They all get rejected. Again.

So I am not happy this time. I write yet another email and tell them that they better stop denying my transfers - which I am doing to protect my livelihood - otherwise I will file a complaint with ICANN and make sure to transfer ALL my domains to other registrars.

All of the domains in question are in good standing (aren't due to expire, etc).

At this point, I am ready to dump them for these VERISIGNish tactics.

Has anyone ever filed a complaint with ICANN for these type of tactics? Is there anything I can do to make them stop this BS and process legit transfer requests when I make them?

[BlueSky]

ICANN's focus is primarily limited to high level issues like making policies, studying trends, doing system reviews, etc. They don't handle individual customer-service problems like you're having here, but you can submit a complaint to them about this. They in turn will monitor it right along with other complaints to see if there are any trends with that registrar. That is about the best you will get out of them.

If you cannot resolve this with your registrar, then the alternatives are to go to private agencies (like the BBB), government orgs (like the state Attorney General), and/or file a private lawsuit.

[cabbie]

As usual Bluesky is spot on with his info, Patrick.As long as the domains aren't within 60 days of expiring by rights they are obliged to process the transfer.Perhaps you could just threaten them with Bluesky's options.
I definetly would not be in a rush to transfer the domains to Godaddy though as the have a similar attitude towards customers [webmasterworld.com...]

In future you cannot beat mydomain.com for service and options.

[PatrickDeese]

24 hours after my "strongly worded" letter - all the domains came through with approval requests from the foot dragging registrar.

Then I got a human written email saying that they didn't understand what the problem was - because their "automated system" had already approved the transfer.

However, one of the domains was renewed less than 60 days ago, and they say they won't transfer it until the 60 days has elapsed to prevent chargebacks.

I am changing registrars for all my domains. I don't need this.

[cabbie]

No registrar will transfer a domain within 60 days of registering or expiring but if you move them consider mydomain.com.Most of their services are free and I use their nameservers as well for some of my sites for variety ;).