Godaddy.com = Warmongers

[aztc]

I have recently learned a couple things that concern me about godaddy.com, a domain name registrar I have been doing business with for over 2 years.

Seeking to expand my business, I signed up for a reseller plan offered for $99 with a 30 day money back satisfaction guarantee. Within a few days it was clear I would not be happy and I cancelled the account and asked for a refund.

While godaddy promptly charged my card for the $99, and promptly shut off the service when I cancelled it, they have been exceedingly reluctant to honor their money back guarantee. I have made 3 long distance phone calls and sent numerous support requests, and the most recent response indicates they may decide not to refund after all, and if they do it will be at least a week, probably longer, until I see my money again, if I see it.

Secondly, I have learned the godaddy founder, Bob Parsons, is a warmonger still defending the lies that led up to and subsequent illegal invasion and occupation of Iraq.

I have begun transferring the over 2 dozen domains I have registered through godaddy to my new reseller plan (http://awebizdomains.com), filed a complaint with the Phoenix BBB, and now will embark on a publicity campaign to share this info with everyone I can.

If you have domains registered at godaddy.com, you can transfer them today to another registrar and you will not lose any of the registration period you have already paid for. There are plenty of other discount registrars that will match godaddy's price, so the issue becomes service and ideology. I choose to spend my money with companies that provide good service and that are not aligned with or owned by war lovers. Good-bye go daddy.

Tim Castleman
Sacramento, CA

[bryant69]

1. How did you learn that this Parson's guy was a war-monger?

What evidence that you uncover? Cause a really suspicious bastard (like me) might suppose that you have some sort of grudge against Godaddy or possibly have some sort of finanical incentive to get people away from him.

So please, share your knowledge.

Bryant
Check it out --> http://politicalcomment.blogspot.com

[ck4829]

2. He condoned treatment at Guatanamo Bay

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Parsons

[bryant69]

7. He retracted his statement apparently

[aztc]

9. Marines Birthday & Guantanamo & more

First it was a month or so of 'Happy Birthday Marine Corps' ads on their site, but then I had this problem so I googled 'go daddy complaints' and this came up:
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2005/6/20/73018/8947

Then I read some of Bob Parson's posts on his blog and that settled it for me.

[bryant69]

10. What was the problem with the Happy Birthday Marine Corps?

My brother is an ex-Marine. Certainly I think our current President should use them better (and more sparingly), but I don't know what's wrong with wishing them a happy birthday.

At any rate, I appreciate the additional information; I won't do business with this guy (likely wouldn't have anyway) I do believe, however, that this sort of info should have been in the initial post.

[aztc]

12. At first there was no problem

1) The 'troops' don't (and shouldn't) set foreign policy.
2) There was nothing wrong with wishing them happy birthday, but it was rather odd, IMHO - I mean who else had changed their website for this birthday? It just seemed a little over the top to me - marines selling domain names?
3) Thanks for the feedback, it would have been good to include the link to dailykos from the start, I agree.

[Debau2005]

3. Thanks

I have a Non-profit domain registered through them. And unfortunately the site is hosted by them. We just paid for another year, however, I will make a note to have this site moved when the year is up.

I don't use them for my other sites, this site was set up before I became involved. I admit I did not like Godaddy, from a web hosting stand point it is hard to navigate, and technically difficult even for advanced website administrators. I prefer ipowerweb.com.

[Nimrod2005]

5. I just used Cheap Domains.com, loved the service!

[formercia]

4. Be cautious of discount domain registrars.

Find out what your renewal price will be. You may find it a lot more than what you initially paid and be sure you can easily transfer your site if you decide to move. A lot of providers supply you with proprietary scripts that are not portable. It's a racket.

Caveat Emptor.

[KharmaTrain]

6. If It's Too Good To Be True...It Isn't

Rule One here...anyone who advertises on television, especially financial or computer services...is always full of bullshit. Chances are the deal you saw or the service they promise was never there in the first place, all they wanted to do was hook ya and see if they can reel in something from your wallet. Sadly, it looks like you've been served up.

I used to work with companies like these in the early internet days and I can site horror stories galore...many of these companies got too greedy and collapsed under their own hubris...but it took a lot of good people's money with them. There's still many others out there...who can gloss over their agendas and lack of product/service with a good ad campaign and an aggressive sales force. Customer service? Good luck. Even better luck trying to either sue or get any sort of refund.

It's bad enough out there that I haven't found a reliable ISP or Webhost in years of looking. I used to work with locals who built their system from the bolts up...then were bought out by a corporation that destroyed their business. As long as greed dictates the corporate world...and not product or service...and people not only accept this, but expect it now...we'll see even poorer products and services in the years ahead. Fortunately, the web can make you a smarter consumer...just takes a bit of doing homework and not letting anyone bullshit ya.

BTW...the ads I can't stand are those E-Harmony dating ones...run by some Dobson accolyte.

Good luck in getting some type of restitution or satisfaction here. Hopefully it's money that you could afford to lose (if there's such a thing) and consider it a lesson in "Business 101".

[aztc]

15. Business 101

It is amazing what folks tolerate to save a few bux! But there is a snapping point and I reached it this AM. Thanks for the good feedback. I can afford to lose the $99, but I won't, and it will cost them a lot more than that in the end!

[KharmaTrain]

16. Beaten Down Consumers...

It's a shame so many people take the bullshit corporations and their "customer service" people throw out there. They know they can get away with it since the abilities to redress corporations are all but prohibitive for all but the rich.

The axiom of "the customer is always right" has long vanished in the corporate world as many of these conglomerates got to their huge sizes through manipulation and screwing others around.

My hopes are with you that what goes around, comes around. As a small businessperson, I was successful on providing special service and working for full customer satisfaction. It always made me feel good when clients not only did well, but felt they made a good choice in picking my company. Call it integrity. I don't see much of that anymore. For shame.

[BlueEyedSon]

8. "Registrations start at ONLY $19.95 per year."

I think that's high
www.affordabledots.com is $12.95, seems to be ok.
IIRC they are Canadian now (recently acquired).

[aztc]

11. Glad you mentioned it

As I said, there are lots of discount registrars for do-it-yourselfers that compete pricewise. I am not competing with godaddy - I work directly with my clients and the name registration is a very small part of the service I provide. By charging $19.95 I make a few bucks for my trouble. I was NOT posting to solicit business, if I was I had better show up with a price a lot lower than $19.95 since the going rate is nearer to $8.95!

[BlueEyedSon]

13. Sorry, I read your post quickly, didnt realize you were the "reseller"

or whatever....

[aztc]

14. In hindsight,

I probably should not have included the link to my reseller site, it was a mistake and I apologize.

[mikeysnot]

17. Thanks for this

I have been sending good clients to them, and have a couple of my domain names registered with them. Time to move on...

[aztc]

18. Update, $99 refunded 7 business days

Cancelled the account on 11/22 - finally saw the refund posted to my bank on 12/1. Do not let the bastards get you down! Never give up!