Moving 200 Domains: Concerns are Price, Customer Service Speed, Upfront Funding for Bulk Pricing

Please Address ALL 3 Concerns (Plus Any Domain Security Issues)

[csdude55]

Can you guys and gals recommend a domain reseller to sign up with? I have around 200 domains that I renew annually, so I'm looking for:

1. the best price;

2. relatively fast support (no waiting a week if I have a problem);

3. if I have to pay upfront (eg, $1000 from which funds are deducted for each domain) then they need to apply deposits relatively fast, too (no waiting a week for the money to show up after I send it)

[tangor]

@csdude55 ... this request possibly falls into the "do not recommend services" in the WW TOS ...

As for dollars ... do the search yourself and read any on line reviews, also, pick your geo sources to see if close to home or overseas will address you budget and needs.

Used to do Canadian ... now use USA ... better pricing, but that's just my recent experience.

[Webwork]

Alrighty . . Since I wrote the Domain Forum's "terms" - and fully understand their intent, their operation and operational effects (plus moderate this forum) - I sometimes grant waivers in the interest of public service and kickstarting conversations when the sound of crickets . . umm . . when effective noise (spam) suppression creates the need for a different kind of noise (crickets) suppression.

So, let 'er rip. Share your experience AND please address all the "concerns" listed in the thread's titles.

Love, Hugs and Kisses
Webwork
P.S. Hey, pandemic fatigue creates a need for some extra love . . hugs . . kisses . . wine . . and maybe some newly legalized (in New Jersey) recreational . . foliage. :p ;)

[JorgeV]

Hello,

If it's okay, I'd like to recommend :

- Porkbun - [porkbun.com...]

- Cloudflare - [cloudflare.com...]

Cloudflare is the cheaper you can find (beside promotional discounts) because CF doesn't take margins, it's just the bulk price from the Registry and the ICANN price. However, it requires that you use their DNS.

Personally I used CF, I can't tell if their support is good or not, because, so far, I didn't get any issue. (excepting when their DNS faced outages last summer, but craps happen)

Previously , I've been with Namecheap and 1&1. No issue with them either. But at 1&1 you cannot set up DNSSEC without subscribing an extra option, which from my understand is against the ICANN rules.

[PCInk]

I am with a host in the UK. They don't charge for moving domains to them. They do charge £10 for moving a domain away, plus tax. That would be about $3180 if you wanted to move 200 domains away from them in the future, assuming prices don't rise.

If you are looking at moving domains, be sure to check if they have leaving costs.

[JorgeV]

They do charge £10 for moving a domain away

I didn't know such thing still exist. This is robbery.

[brotherhood of LAN]

I used to run a PBN network building service, and part of that was using registrars and their APIs to try streamline the process. Registered about 5K domains in all, generally I'd say the newer registrars are better particularly for offering timely support. That said, the only time I ever needed to contact support was if their API (or their login area) wasn't able to do what I wanted.

Are all your domains gTLDs?

Domainbox: Bought by GoDaddy, decent API, prices decent, decent coverage of TLDs, support not great.

Enom: decent API, prices decent, decent coverage of TLDs, support not great

Gandi: decent but complicated API, expensive unless you deposit $$$$ or buy lots of domains, decent coverage of TLDs, support not the best (think they are mainly French speaking)

GoDaddy: or Wildwestdomains. Have since updated their API which I've not used much, decent pricing, decent coverage of TLDs, support terrible.

InternetBS: decent API, prices decent, decent coverage of TLDs, support is good.

Namebright: poor API, "at cost" pricing, nameservers/DNS isn't reliable, poor coverage of TLDs, support is poor.

Namecheap: OK API, prices decent, decent coverage of TLDs, support is good. They have a live chat for sorting issues. Some of their services are provided via enom

InternetBS: decent API, prices decent, decent coverage of TLDs, support is good.

NetworkSolutions/SRS: dated API, OK pricing, support poor

OpenSRS: OK API, didn't use them very much

Porkbun: Limited API

I lean towards ones that have a decent API for updating DNS, renewals etc especially if you intend on allowing other people to update things. Also because I wanted to register any number of ccTLDs, I had to look at more registrars as ccTLD coverage can be patchy, or in some cases they charge far more than the wholesale price of the domain.

All in all, I think Namecheap, InternetBS and Namesilo were the most easy to work with while providing a decent service. YMMV of course, just my own observations here.

FWIW generally I think you're going to have to pay to renew for an additional 1 year for all those domains when you transfer to another registrar.

[csdude55]

I've looked through all of these, and right now I'm leaning towards Cloudflare. I actually bought some of their stock when the US market crashed, so I guess if I'm gonna give my pennies to someone then it should be a company that might give me a profit in the long run! LOL

@JorgeV, can you elaborate on your experience using them for DNS? The setup is pretty confusing for me, since this is a whole new thing for me... does it actually impact the speed of the site any, or is that just sales talk?

[JorgeV]

Hello,

I don't know what to say.

CF's DNS is very easy to use. For each domain, you can set any DNS entries you want. I don't know what's you experience with DNS but this is very basic and common.

Also, you do not have to have your domain name registered at CF, to use their DNS. This is free. So, you can try with one of your domain, to learn how to use their DNS.

As for speed, the DNS resolution is faster, because CF has servers all around the world.

However, I have no idea if CF has an API or anything which can help you automate process. Someone else will certainly be able to give you more precise information. Sorry.

[Kendo]

I saw this post the other day and was going to comment but decided to stay out out of it

I would have recommended OpenSRS (Tucows) but today am wondering if they are a domain reseller or a parasite, because whenever I search for new names these days I keep getting prices like $4,000. It seems that someone there has listed all of the possible good name name possibilities and put ridiculous prices on them.

Of the other domain resellers mentioned here, are they similarly suffering from inflated greed glands?

[csdude55]

The company I've been using goes through OpenSRS, too... interesting, I thought it was their own thing. I'm not seeing domains like that, though, even when I'm trying to find something that I would expect to have a price tag (like a 4-letter .com).

I looked through my settings and don't see any option to include AfterNIC or anything, but maybe your system has more options than mine?

[Kendo]

maybe your system has more options than mine?

Dunno. Been with them since 2000 when we had to pass a domain/DNS skill/knowledge test for account approval. These days they let anyone resell.

When looking for a new name, anything that looks like it may be useful and related to anything is already set aside with a huge price tag.

[csdude55]

I WISH mine did that, it would be helpful to be able to show clients that they could be the domain they want if they're willing to pony up the money. You never know when someone has $5,000 burning a hole in their pocket... especially if they're thinking of it as a long term business investment.

That has to be an account setting for you. You might could email them and ask if there's a way to turn it off, I've read that OpenSRS (at least used to) have great support.

[Kendo]

used to have great support.

Its on a par with what I get everywhere these days... takes a few days to get a response only to find that they didn't read your message properly and then you have to repeat it over again until it sinks in. Skim readers are a waste if time.

[csdude55]

Yeah, that's exactly what I'm trying to avoid, too. Most of the bigger US companies subcontract their support to India now (which means that they don't necessarily understand English that well), and many times they're helping 4+ clients at once. So they look for key words that they understand, type it in to their computer, then paste whatever canned response the system gives them.

That's useless, and I'm at the point of just refusing to deal with those companies. I'd rather pay a little more (within reason) and get the support that I actually need.

[robzilla]

Moved everything over from NameCheap to NameSilo some years back. No upselling, volume discounts, steady prices, and good support. The interface is not going to win any beauty awards but it works well enough and doesn't get in your way. They have an API but I've never used it. Prepaying for services is an option ($15 per wire transfer).

[Kendo]

subcontract their support to India now (which means that they don't necessarily understand English that well)

I get this from all support these days. It is not just their English, it is the skim reading. They assume that your question is the same as most questions that they get without actually reading it. That way they miss the vital specific info that they already have and mind-numbingly ask you for. For example you have already listed the case number, the invoice number, your account ID, etc and then they ask you for those details?

[RedBar]

I've been usimg joker dot com for the vast majority of my names for 20+ years with no issues, all your concerns are addressed.

[tangor]

@csdude55 ... What's the verdict? Still plugging along with the old or have you located a new?

Inquiring minds! :)

[csdude55]

@tangor, I'm sorry to leave you hanging, but my mom passed away on Nov 27 and I haven't had a whole lot of time or energy to put in to it :-( I'm probably going to revisit this in about 2 weeks, so I'll have to update you then...

[tangor]

Condolences most sincere. I know full well how crazy things get--- my mother passed two years back, and I'm still missing her. Family first. Always!

[csdude55]

I'm sorry for your loss, @tangor :-( My mom's funeral was today, so now I'm working on menial tasks just to stay busy and distracted. I suspect it will hit me pretty hard at Christmas, when everything is so different...

But anyway, I'll post back on the domains in a week or two, just bear with me.