Network Solutions steals your domain name ideas!
 

This is outrageous... My brother (Thomas) pointed this out to me. He found out about it from here... http://blog.domaintools.com/2008/01/...eas-confirmed/

The "low down" is that if you search for a domain name using Network Solutions - you'll find it's available. Then, if you search for it on another site, you'll find it's taken!

Then, if you check back on Network Solution for who owns it ("Whois"), you'll find Network Solutions has registered it! You can still buy it - but only if you register it with them! They hold your domain name idea "hostage"!

I did my own test to check it out.

I did a search on Network Solutions for a dumb domain name I came up with, that I'd never use - cablecowpiano.com .

A search on Network Solutions showed it was available...



Then, I searched for it on 000domains - to find it was taken!



Then, searching Whois information for it on Network Solutions, showed that THEY registered it!



You can still register it through them - but not through anyone else!

So... DON'T seach for domain names using Network Solutions, since they'll "steal" your ideas!

- Dien

Re: Network Solutions steals your domain name ideas!
 

I had a similar experience with Network Solutions years ago when I tried to register eTide.com. It came up available on N.S. and, as I tried to register it right then and there, everything came to a screeching halt for several minutes. When I could finally get a response, it was 'taken'.

Another thing about Network Solutions is that they'll try to make it impossible for you to transfer a domain you own away from them by making you jump through endless hoops and loops until you give up in frustration.

Here's the work around for their 'no transfer away baloney'...just go to the registrar (in my case 000 domains) and have your new registrar do the transfer. Save yourself the aggravation. You see, doing it that way they have just a few days to comply or be in violation of their agreements to be able to function as a registrar. After 3 weeks of stalling and frustration, I had my domain name transferred in 3 days when I turned it over to my new registrar to handle the transfer.

Sandi Bowman

Re: Network Solutions steals your domain name ideas!
 

I understand that Network Solutions is, and has been under investigation for some time now by ICANN. The wheels of justice grind along slowly.:(

Here's a TRUSTED source to check out your domain names (new)
http://instantdomainsearch.com

As far as registration, I use 3: GoDaddy, NameCheap and Name.com

Most anytime you want to change registrars, the registrar you want to move TO will handle this for you. Nice thing about that is, you usually get the service for a fairly low price, and it includes a year's registration.

Pete

They've been doing this for ages but I didn't realize...
 

Dien,

Thanks for the info.

THAT explains it. A while back I searched for an equally obscure domain name using Network Solutions. It was Free, of course. But a couple of days later when I went elsewhere to Register it, it was taken.

At first, I thought someone somewhere was Scanning the Domain Name Checking and obtaining them in the hopes of selling them to the original searcher later. Little did I know the people doing that were those who I'd done the search with.

Now here's an additional thought... what if Network Solutions, after taking the name off the market, then markets the name to those they feel might be able to use such a name? Maybe based on Keywords within the name.

For example.... sending a notice to people with the word Piano in their domain name and offering them cablecowpiano for a fee. It would make a quirky Different Name that might Grab Attention. And at the least such a name could have a Redirect on it, or the usual "search box and keyword related links" that unused domain names seem to have on them.

Also, as it is an Odd name... maybe they offer such names to upcoming Bands too. Be interesting to see if you double check that name in Google a month or two down the track and discover there is a band called Cable Cow Piano or the site redirects to a cable company or piano company.

Michael Ross

Re: Network Solutions steals your domain name ideas!
 

Well, the 'person' who got my eTide name DID offer it to me...for over $500.00 a few weeks later. Then they put up a 'nothing' site and put it up for sale and listed it with a large listing outfit and put a sign on their 'site' that it was for sale.

I owned other versions of eTide that tied in with my series of sites and was going to use them but decided not to. Since he had the .com, I'd be essentially working to make 'his' domain more valuable. Phooey on that! I gave them away on the Warrior Forum and they've never appeared, that I know of, anywhere. I haven't bothered checking again.

What Network Solutions did should be illegal. I never left the site, in fact, as soon as I saw it was available, I tried to register it but N.S. would not acknowledge my registration. After about 10-15 minutes or so, up comes the not available B.S. Angry? You bet!

Sandi Bowman

Re: Network Solutions steals your domain name ideas!
 

If you Google around you'll find that Network Solutions has other Scam & Fraud issues against them... Maybe even a few others...

Just be very Careful on Whois “Whois” you Use... :)

Many don't Trust Search features/boxes on web sites for a variety of reasons...

If you Happen to be one of those Paranoid people... ;)

Only buy your Domain names from Highly recommended and Well researched resources that you're sure you can Trust...

Do all your Homework first... The Less you Whois the better!

Use Google's Keyword Tool to Research and Dig out the best Niche Keyword Domain names...

Study through the Billions of niche Keyword possibilities in Google and Focus... Especially on those colored bars & ? marks...

There's an Unbelievable amount of Great domain names Available, even though Many Tell us that all the Good one's are Gone...

If Adwords is a Foreign object... Spend some time Learning the whole Adwords system...
http://adwords.google.com/support/

https://adwords.google.com/select/KeywordToolExternal
https://adwords.google.com/support/b...64886&hl=en_US

Phil

New Domain Name Practice Criticized
 

Here's a story on it: New Domain Name Practice Criticized

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5g...8s_bAD8U3AH4O0

You all have missed the lesson
 

Network Solutions is thinking logically and is an example of a "Toll Position".

Harvey Brody also expresses that he has virtually eliminated his competition by thinking logically.

TALLOC

No Toll Position Here!
 

A "Toll Position" is one thing. Stealing from your customers is another. There's no "toll position" involved with their tactics.




Pete

Re: No Toll Position Here!
 

funny....or ironic ...
I was discussing this with a fellow the other day , and he thought it was a hell of an idea...

way he put it ...
the potential customer gives you all the information HE wants ...
customer has option to buy
declines
then the network(?) search engine stores the names. and
offer s them for REsale ?

I have always been skeptical of those search engines, but seems like ...as PHIL has pointed out....getting a unique domain is not too difficult

I have thought....

why not have a XYZ.com...and use the directory as a complete NEW domain name server....some of your geeks will have to tell me why that wouldnt work...

have a good one

Re: No Toll Position Here!
 

The problem here is, Bob..

People ARE selecting their own domain name ideas, putting into NS's search box to see if it's available.

Network Solutions is then skimming this info, locking up the domain under their own banner, then charging you $35 (3+ times original fees) to let you have something that was your idea anyway!

So, in the long run IMHO, they're just stealing your idea before you can even file on it.

That's why I've gone to using other methods that are not tracked.

Pete

Re: No Toll Position Here! is Network Solutions Evil?
 

One more well covered story...

They'll be some Good business Lessons to Learn from all of this in the Not to distant Future...

Like with any Hot Topic... It'll keep you in the Media in today's internet world...

It will be interesting to see if all of this Fracas causes wonders or blunders for Network Solutions... :)

Any business and CEO... in Today's world can go Down and Has... ;)

The Question is... Do You Want this kind of Publicity for your Business?
http://webworkerdaily.com/2008/01/14...olutions-evil/

Phil

Re: No Toll Position Here!
 

thanks pete and phil

was not agreeing particularily with NS' approach ....just wondering outload ...

maybe a membership site with a 'secret' search engine would be the answer ...only YOU would know the search questions you have entered...

thanks

Re: No Toll Position Here!
 

Bob,

As a matter of fact, there's a FREE source where you can check domains all day long, and they aren't logged. :)

http://instantdomainsearch.com/

Pete

Do they steal it even if you do this?...
 

If you're on Net Sol and you search via their whois (in the first place), *instead of* searching using the search as if you wanted to BUY the name -- do they steal it then? Or will they steal it either way? Did you try that experiment?

Re: Do they steal it even if you do this?...
 

TW,

They are getting them any way you do it. Doesn't matter how.

The bottom line is DO NOT USE Network Solutions. Period.

Pete

Why do they charge way more than others do??? Re: Network Solutions
 

They are still acting like they have the monopoly, like they did years ago!

Why?

It's like Kinkos -- They want to be the KING of their industry ***AND*** charge MORE than anyone else! That does not compute.

-- TW

Re: Why do they charge way more than others do??? Re: Network Solutions
 

But one thing you must keep in mind.. They are holding the domain name you want HOSTAGE! You can't get it any place else for the time being. So, if you really, really want that domain name, you pay through the nose.

Remember, there are a lot of other companies out there that will "snag" that domain for you if/when it becomes available, but you'll probably spend as much to have that done.

Pete

What I was getting at was...
 

Why do they charge more for domain names than anyone else? -- normally. Their normal fee is way too high. They act like they still have a monopoly -- like the 'old days.'

Re: Why do they charge way more than others do??? Re: Network Solutions
 

It's called Price Gouging just like the following story...

It's a Great idea if you can pull it off and Convince Consumers that your Products are Better than others even if they're Not... :)

Monoprice is a Great Example... Top Quality cables at Amazing prices...

Can you “twist” a business out of it? You sure Can... Become a Monoprice Reseller and Re-Brand your own Profit Monster... ;)

If you Do your Homework... You'll Find all kinds of Network Solutions/Monster type Re-Workable business ideas...

HDMI Cable: Price Gouging?
http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/deals/hdm...ing-180281.php
http://www.monoprice.com/

How to Get Top Dollar for Your Goods and Services
http://www.newyorklife.com/cda/0,3254,13988,00.html

Phil

So Which Domain Registrar To Use?
 

Here is a recommendation for a domain registrar for people fed up with Network Solutions:

Moniker.com

I have almost all of my domain names with them. Good support. Good prices. And a lot of power domainers (people who own 500 and 1000+ domain names) chose Moniker over Network Solutions / GoDaddy and other registrars.