Network Solutions Follow Up: Even Dumber and More Evil Than Before!
January 22nd, 2008 by Vishen Read more about Articles, ReviewsA few days ago we wrote a post on how Network Solutions screwed us out of a domain and we recommended that people avoid Network Solutions at all cost.
The post made it to the front page of Reddit and got referenced on a number of blogs. Superb!
But here’s an interesting little development.
Most of the comments on my post were positive.
But one post stood out, from a guy called Jeff. He said:
Just wait 5 days, and then buy domain name from GoDaddy. Bit of a hassle. but no biggie. On the other hand, if you are going to use your new blog like this one (repost other peoples info in a way that’s more boring then how they did it. Or, taking a reddit thread, creating a bs post arround it, submitting it to reddit, and etc.) please don’t bother with it.
For the record, Jeff jeff, this was an original post, not a copy, nor did we use any threads from Reddit. We quoted a press release… So I was puzzled by this comment.
Furthermore, Jeff accidently left his email address (required when you comment on a post) as XXXXXX@NetworkSolutions.com.
Was he joking or did he really work for Network Solutions? I mused for 3 liberating seconds.
Digging deeper, I traced his IP address to come from Reston, VA, which according to Google Maps is just 6 short and evil minutes from Herndon, VA -
… the location of the Network Solutions Main Office!
Hmmmm. Somehow I suspect Jeff might be working for Network Solutions.
Well Jeff, whether you work for Network Solutions or not, let me reply as to why what they’re doing is wrong.
Trapping Internet Users into Paying Inflated Prices for Network Solutions’ Service by Holding Their Domains Hostage Is Atrocious
Network Solutions Has the #1 and #2 Spot on Google for “Who Is” and “WhoIs” respectively. Most users seeking to check a domain’s availability will end up on your site.
NOWHERE on the site does Network Solutions mention that they’re going to LOCK the domain for 5 days if you do not buy from them immediately.
You accused me of faking my post Jeff. But what I experienced was real.
And you claimed this policy by Network Solutions was no big deal and that I could buy my domain 5 days later from GoDaddy.
Well, actually it was a big deal.
My blog editor and I were shattered when we went on GoDaddy to purchase the domain (which your WHOIS had claimed was available) only to find it “had been snatched up.” We never knew that we could claim it in 5 days. How on earth are most internet users supposed to know that?
We knew someone had watched our search. And we passed on that domain as lost. We went with another domain for our blog.
This, I suspect, happens to most users. Your company’s policy causes innocent people to either think their domains are lost and give up - OR pay you ridiculously inflated prices for these domains.
What’s worse - is that you adopted this policy AFTER thousands of websites linked to your Who Is service and pushed it to the top of Google.
Now THAT is a betrayal of public trust.
So my opinion stands. Network Solutions should be avoided AT ALL COSTS.
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About the Author
Vishen is a co-founder of MindValley.
Before MindValley, he was an exec in Silicon Valley and New York for several internet and technology firms. He turned bedroom entrepreneur at 27 and by the time he was 31 had founded 6 web businesses and never had to work a conventional job again.
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They just keep digging the hole deeper.
These people at NSI did what I always thought someone evil could do. Search for domain names on NSI and you will have to register with them, or find another name. They have done the same to me with a couple of domains. Unfortunately, one is actually registered with them because we needed it badly. Network Solutions has been there for a long time but they have now betrayed me and I can see that many other people too. I will never again use them for anything. Not even visiting their site. They´re not worth it. I hope it slaps them back.
Why don’t you just email Jeff to confirm whether he works for Network Solutions, and whether he’s speaking officially on behalf of the company? You have his email address.
My boss used Network Solutions disingenuous whois tool to check the availability of two domain names that we planned to register with godaddy, and sure enough, they automatically registered them with the 5-day registrar lock. I called tech support and asked them to release the locks. The CSR was polite, and defended the policy as a convenience to the user, but I did mention the huge amount of negative press they were getting as seen on Google news. The CSR claimed that Network Solutions had checked with ICANN and received the green light to go ahead with the policy of locking searched domain names.
Anyway, I got him to remove the two locks, and he gave me a ticket number and said they’d be released in up to 2 days. They were available in 15 minutes, and we were quickly able to register them on Godaddy.
Anyway, if it happens to anyway, it doesn’t hurt to call them and ask them to remove the locks immediately. Enough of those calls and lost business and they’ll get the message … maybe. Not that I want them to. I’d like to see all unethical business go out of business.
To: Jeff
This unethical practice that your company is engaged in has made me:
1) never search for a domain name using Network Solutions.
2) never, I repeat, never register a name with your company.
Recently, I used Network Solutions to search for a domain name using a keyword of GPS. After entering name after name, gpsgrapevine.com showed up available. Although not my first choice, a TLD of .com was somewhat exciting.
I close my browser to check my Paypal account before I purchase the domain name. Within 2 minutes, I go to GoDaddy.com to purchase the domain, and BAM! it’s taken. To say I was pissed is an understatement.
So, immediately I do a Whois search, and low and behold the owner is Network Solutions! Upon calling them, I get a rehearsed response of, ” We hold it for four days to protect you from from losing it.” WTF!
However, the guy on the phone said that it was available if I wanted to pay the $34.99 fee. So much for “protection”!
BASTARDS!
Hmm.. I thought NetSol is cute..
Look, just get over it already, not only did NSI make a public announcement about this, its also been ALL OVER DIGG and REDDIT, which apparently you know how to use… Just stop crying, because you had to go out of your way in order register your domain… if you’re going to buy it at godaddy you still have to check availability anyway… so why did you use NSI’s website??? Why did you make an extra step for yourself???? Suck it up and buy it at NSI, are you that cheap that you can’t afford 35 bucks???? loser
Network Solutions Follow Up: Even Dumber and More Evil Than Before! | Deliggit.com…
blog.mindvalleylabs.com
More on the Network Solutions domain tasting saga.
Just wait 5 days, a…
Bit dramatic, dont-ya-think?
I am a long-time reader and frequent commenter. Now that I know you have no problem singling people out by publishing the company they work for if they happen to post negatively about you, I will no longer be reading or commenting here.
Awesome job of calling them on their scam, and then calling them on their BS comment on your reddit post. Bunch of morons. And for the record, I have avoided NetSol for years. Not only do they charge too much, and not only do I hate the way they do business, they have no ethics. Evidence speaks for itself.
I second the boycott of network solutions. They’re keeping my dad on their site, holding it and not allowing him to transfer to godaddy.
Well said, good job on the IP tracking there Vishen, I can’t believe they’d come trying to bash people for their criticism.
To Network Solutions:
THE PUBLIC OBVIOUSLY DO NOT WANT YOUR NEW FORERUNNING “SERVICE”. It would be very wise if you were to remove it ASAP.
A public apology wouldn’t go amiss either.
Nice one Vishen!
This organization obviously doesn’t have a clue.
I think they’re opened themselves up for trademark infringement lawsuites, I’m nearly holding my breath waiting for the headline on a class action.
I find it odd people use Netsol to find domains then use GoDaddy to register them. Apparently GoDaddy’s domain search tool sucks because nobody wants to use a captcha on every search.
I think GoDaddy’s piss-poor search function forced people to go elsewhere to find domains, which is just very poor service.
GoDaddy needs to end this problem by fixing their domain search and removing the captcha. Then maybe a lot of people wouldn’t have resorted to NetSol and lost domains.
I really like the fact that their registrations fees are so competitive!
Thanks for the info! Yet another reason to avoid Network Solutions!
No offense intended, but I gotta say… Well DUH! They are the *original* slimy Internet operation. Before PayPay, before X10.com, before phishers, scammers, spammers and adware, there was InterNIC.
This happened to us as well. We too had no idea about waiting for 5 days. I wish the goverment was competent in these (or any) manners. Network Solutions should have their right to register pulled. Anyone know a lawyer willing to take up the cause?
And for GoDaddy - they have thier own horror stories of just cutting off a site tht someone complains about. I would stay clear of them as well.
I’ve seen companies like Network Solutions ( questionable business ethics ) respond in this manner several times over the years. Invariably, the blog owner (usually me) is smarter than they are. The most recent one I saw was ameriprise financial. It really makes a company look bad doing things like this.
http://topstartup.com/2007/11/09/how-should-companies-respond-to-criticism/
Use nameboy.com they are great for searching domain names- they also give a realistic list of alternate names.
A thought just occurs to me. Anyone with zombies could do a Dynamic Denial of Domain Registration (DDoR) attack. That would pretty quickly make ICANN change their minds on the policy if nobody was ever able to register a domain as Network Solutions was holding all of them for 5 days a piece.
I readabout before getting my domain a couple of years ago.
I searched through dreamhost.com and registered it as well.
Saved me a bunch of problems.
Search and cheap host all in one easy to use place.
I agree - never use them. Or GoDaddy for that matter…
I started using NameCheap a while ago & have been really happy with them.
Mike
I got ’stuck’ by NetSol exactly once and my relationship with GoDaddy wasn’t exactly all smooth sailing, either.
Now I use another ISP (for less money, to boot) and things go smoothly.
Lesson learned.
Get ICANN in on this. They are really insulated but I dug deep and found some e-mails. They are hiding under a rock but they are supposed to be a governing body here. I have spent a year trying to just get a clients information to just switch their DNS! NWS refuses. The only time I got a response was when I contacted ICANN. Did it work? I received no response from ICANN but somehow a nazi from NWS did call me. Still refuses to allow access after numerous faxes of drivers licenses, water bills, even their NWS bill. This company needs to be stopped!
I never knew that they did that. I work for a major webhosting company. I kept coming across this when people tried to register their domains with us. I would then do a whois on the domain they are trying to purchase and low an behold it is network solutions. Talk about all the pissed off customers we get about this. I will for surely never do a whois on network solutions or even try to register a domain name with them as they are dieing out lots of people are leaving them and I would never register a domain name with them as if you register a domain with network solutions the only site you can do a whois on for that is network solution. Granted I can do a whois in command prompt but still I should not have to do that.
You can call the prices “over-inflated,” but what it really boils down to is that you didn’t want the domain name enough to pay for it. Buyer’s remorse happens, I understand, but most of us can manage to get by without whining to the entire world about it.
Suck it up.
Hi,
I have registrered a domain at Network Solutions. How do I change to other company? Is it possible?
brg Tor Hansen
Your being trolled would be humorous if you weren’t such a drama whore.
I say you post his email address so people can send him a few emails.
I’d certainly like to complain.
@jeff,
Why would I pay your stupid $34.99 / yr for a domain name, when I can just get it (cheapest, yet) at godaddy for $9.99. No thank you. I think it’s time we go complain to ICANN and get your registering service disabled!
RIDICULOUS. I called them up, “wait 4 days or register it through us.” To the people who keep saying “suck it up, just pay the $35″ - it’s not about not having the money, it’s about a matter of principle. You pay these idiots, and it only justifies their position more.
I’m a different Jeff, I swear! I was trapped by NetSol as well. A truly despicable practice. Keep the bad press flowing, they need to be put out of business before more unwitting souls get screwed!
Oh man I wish I had seen this BEFORE I went to Network Solutions to check the name availability. For the dorks who are asking WHY you would go to Network Solutions to do a name look up, it’s simply habit. People who have been doing work on the web since the early 90s have just been using internic for that long - NEVER before now, has nasty stuff like this happened to me and I’ve registered at least a hundred domains. All the domains I wanted were available - until an hour after I looked for me. I got the heads up from my web hosting chick (who is a real person NOT a company like Go Daddy that actually gives you zero control over your site or SQL databases) that this was a new problem with Network Solutions, and I should just wait seven days and hold my breath. At first, Network Solutions said I could register those domains for $9 each. I was getting 10 domains, but I was going to suck and up and pay it. By the time they were in my cart, they were $40 each. For the person who says to suck it up and pay the inflated price, do the math - that’s $400 dollars.
I was too busy to call Network Solutions at this point, but considering some of the “alternative” domains that were listed at the bottom of my search were topping out at $1000 dollars a piece, I have a sinking feeling I’m screwed. I’ve heard there’s a class action lawsuit in the works to combat this kind of disgusting behavior (which is basically copyright infringement, because that domain name was my idea and their process stole my idea and are asking ME to pay to actually use it) and I’m definitely going to look into it.
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