Should I get that free domain?
- In: Domain Names
Domain names have been offered for free or for a hugely discounted prices by many companies. This is not a new thing. Most of the companies that are offering the free domain are hosting companies. It's their way of attracting more customers. So a person planning to get a website is looking for a website when he finds that the hosting company is giving out a domain for free, creating and instant attraction to the hosting company.
So are the domains really free?
Are they telling the truth?
Answer: YES and NO.
Yes, the domain is absolutely free the 1st year.
The 2nd year onward, you will pay the yearly fee for the domain.
What's the yearly fee for th domain?
It's around $10/year at the well known registrars.
However, the company that gave you the free domain will likely charge you a higher fee in the 2nd and the consequet years of renewals.
There is another issue with getting domains like this. A lot of times the domains are owned by the company that gave it to you for free.
So let's say you go to a hosting company ....XYZHosting.com They tell you that you will get a free domain if you purchase their hosting.
You purchase the hosting and you get a free domain. However, you might never check who actually legally owns the domains. Most likely it's the hosting company that owns the domain and is simply letting you use it.
If you still don't understand the problem with that, then please contact me and I will tell you a horror story of someone who knows of the pain of getting a free domain.
Here is a slightly different scenario.
A reputed domain registrar like Godaddy or Moniker or Register.com or Network Solutions advertises domains for $1 - ONLY this week.
Should you buy it?
If you need a domain yes you should buy it.
It's a good idea to read their terms or simply give them a quick call regarding the terms.
Also don't go out and buy a ton of domains simply because they are $1. You will probably pay a regular price the next year onward.
Now, having warned you about the issues around free or cheap domains, if you have not purchased a domain for your potential online venture, go and do it right now. Not tomorrow. Today. Right now. Domain names are snapped up very fast. Don't be surprised to know that there are probably a number of other "Mike's Auto" around the country and around the world.
If you are new to buying domains you might get lost the 1st time around. This is because most domain registrars will try to cross-sell you on various other products they offer. It can get very confusing to a first time domain buyer. Give me a call or shoot me an email and I will help you through the process. I don't charge for this help.
Here is my number - 646-234-6253. Ask for VJ.
Or just email me at
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
But before you contact me please read this article on selecting a domain name.
