Domain Trouble

[jb115]

I decided to take on the project of re-designing a church website for missionary friends of mine. Well, it has steadily been going down hill after the initial design phase. I recently graduated with a web design diploma and unfortunately, I didn't learn some of the basics of this business. This church already had a domain, but they were paying $20/month.

I told them I knew of a much better deal and they agreed; all was fine until I went to transfer the site and was told by their hosting company that they received the request within the 10 expiration period so they couldn't transfer it. They said to wait for it to expire and then register it. So we all waited patiently for 3 months and when it still wasn't available (I was checking every day), I did a little research and discovered that a place called Domibot.com registered it using an automated system.

I contacted them and asked what they do with the sites (their homepage says the automatically register expiring and previously registered domains and if you feel a domain they have registered affects you, contact them), I asked if they sell them or what. I received an email back asking what domain.

I replied and asked why that should matter and I just wanted to know a price and what they do with them. I'm now very concerned that we won't be able to get the name back. Does anyone have any ideas or know what would be the best next step?? This whole thing has pretty much turned into a nightmare and I'm not sure what to do next.

Any and all suggestions would be GREATLY appreciated!! :confused:

[Faithhb_lutheran]

The whole domain business is overseen by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (http://icann.com/) (ICANN (http://www.icann.org/)). They have a site for explaining these types of situations and a forum to ask for help. IF this company you are trying to deal with is accredidated by ICANN you can fill out a greivence and have them cited. If not you can fill out a report and ICANN will look into the company. Unfortunately neither of these options garuntees that you are going to be able to your domain back. I might come up with an alternative name or look for that name on different TLD. Hope things work out.

Kyle

[David Gillaspey]

Hi JB,

Thanks for posting.

This church already had a domain, but they were paying $20/month. For just the domain, or for hosting? Sounds like the church was paying $20/month for hosting, which might very well have included domain name services. That is usually a ripoff, in my opinion. ($20 a month is a little high for hosting, regardless.)

... all was fine until I went to transfer the site and was told by their hosting company that they received the request within the 10 expiration period so they couldn't transfer it. They said to wait for it to expire and then register it. That was very unprofessional advice on the part of the hosting company. Never let a domain expire ? you may never get it back. I can't say I would ever recommend using a hosting company that would offer such advice ? but it's a little late now, I guess.

I asked if they sell them or what. I received an email back asking what domain.Perfectly legitimate question. Some domains are worth more than others. They need to know which one you have an interest in. If you want them to deal honestly with you, then you need to deal honestly with them.

Are you not able to just register a different domain name, at a registrar such as GoDaddy (www.godaddy.com)? Then have GoDaddy host the site, if you wish, or choose a different hosting company.

I realize I'm being tough on you, but I feel that "moving on" (obtaining another domain name) might be the best option for you. Keep in mind that you have provided little detail in your original post. My advice might be different if I had more information.

Sincerely,

David Gillaspey
President
Great Church Websites

[chrisb_ebc]

I realize I'm being tough on you, but I feel that "moving on" (obtaining another domain name) might be the best option for you. Keep in mind that you have provided little detail in your original post. My advice might be different if I had more information.



Perhaps if you followed through with this route...keep a eye on the previous domain for purchase. You can always point it to whatever hosting company. And then if need be transition back to the old one in your advertising. But continue to have both domains point at the same site. Just a thought.

[jb115]

Thank you all for the advice! The hosting company that said to wait (actually they said they wouldn't do anything more for us, we had to wait for the domain to expire), they were the old hosting company. I was trying to get them transferred to where I host (Startlogic), they have pretty good prices and I haven't had any problems with them.

The reason I didn't give the domain name to this place that now owns it, is because I was a little leary of the company. The hompage only has one statement on it and doesn't give you any other information. How do I know they are trustworthy and won't want a ridiculous amount of money once they know the name? Also once they have the name and know it is wanted they may just keep it.

David,
You aren't being hard on me, I realize I made a huge mistake. I didn't know enough about transferring domains before I proceeded with this and I will admit to that and I accept full responsibility for this whole mess. I just needed advice as to what is the best direction to move now. Do these companies that register these domains give them up after a certain amount of time?

[David Gillaspey]

The homepage only has one statement on it and doesn't give you any other information. How do I know they are trustworthy and won't want a ridiculous amount of money once they know the name? Also once they have the name and know it is wanted they may just keep it.Hi JB,

You haven't actually given us the domain name in question, so I can't be sure, but judging from the original post, the answer is, Domibot.com already owns the domain.

In the early days of the World Wide Web, such people were known as domain squatters. I don't know if the term still applies, but you can be sure it's big business now, just like the buying and selling of homes, land, antiques ? you name it.

Companies such as these are, in one sense, merely entrepreneurs. In another sense, they may also be considered the scum of the earth. Consider, for example, this domain name:

www.worshipsolutions.com

which I am pretty sure is the domain name once owned by a company called Worship Solutions (launched by the CEO of Maranatha! Music), an Orange County, Calif., company for which I once worked, albeit briefly. The company developed and sold MIDI data files (remember those?) of worship songs. If I'm right, the company must have let the domain expire and now some domain squatter owns it. Instead of the name being used to serve the Kingdom, it sits unused, owned by someone or some company that just wants to make a buck from it.

Do I sound bitter? Actually, I'm a domain squatter. I own a number of domains myself, including worshipsolutions.net and worshipsolutions.org. Generally I buy domains (including the .com, .org., .net and sometimes .biz, .us., and .info versions) because they are somehow related to current or potential future needs of Great Church Websites (which hosts this forum) or the church I am starting later this year, The Networked Church (http://www.networkedchurch.com). But sometimes I buy domains just to keep them out of the hands of domain squatters (you know, the evil kind). That was one of the reasons I purchased worshipsolutions.net and worshipsolutions.org, after discovering that worshipsolutions.com was being squatted. (Yeah, that's a made up word.) Actually, I have big plans for The Networked Church, so I had good reasons to purchase the names.

Well, the point of all this is that the buying and selling of domain names is just a fact of life in the internet world.

As for Domibot.com, well, let's go and find out who's behind this company. Open your browser and go here:

http://www.whois.net

then type "Domibot.com" in the WHOIS Lookup field, and hit enter. You'll learn that the domain is owned by a company in Caracas, Venezuela. (This illustrates that the buying and selling of domain names is an international phenomenon.) From this website:

http://www.internic.net/whois.html

I get slightly different data. I am unsure how to interpret the difference.

Now do the same thing (back at http://www.whois.net), only with the domain name that was lost. That will tell you for sure who owns it. (Well, usually. Sometimes you draw a blank.)


Do these companies that register these domains give them up after a certain amount of time?Nope. Not anymore than a real estate company (or real estate speculator) would give up land.

(You are right about the homepage of Domibot.com not providing much info, which I guess makes them guilty of not being up front. So I stand somewhat corrected in regard to my earlier comments to you.)

Sincerely,

David Gillaspey
President
Great Church Websites

[jb115]

David,

Thanks for the information and all the research you did. Sorry I guess I forgot to mention that I did go to WHOIS and looked up the site in question (sorry but given all that's happened I'm still a little leary of giving out the name until it's mine) and that's how I got the name of Domibot.

In a strange turn of events, while I was doing a little research regarding this whole thing I came across this site that buys and sells domains and I typed in the domain I'm trying to get and up pops this list of ones available and the name I want is on it! So I immediately went to Startlogic and typed it in there and it says it's available! After daily checks for the last 3 1/2 months and it always being taken, I was shocked to say the least.
I registered it on the spot and I'll see what happens, but it should go through.

I'm somewhat confused by this whole mess, but at this point I'm not asking any questions; just saying one big thank you prayer tonight!

Thank you for all the information and the lessons!:)

[David Gillaspey]

Hi JB,

Glad to hear you got the domain you wanted. (That domain name, presumably, is a replacement for the one lost.)

Despite all I said before, what's remarkable is that one can still usually buy the domain name he or she desires.

Praise God for every domain name purchased that is ultimately used to advance His Kingdom.

Sincerely,

David Gillaspey
President
Great Church Websites

[Faithhb_lutheran]

JB,

good to hear. Sounds like this domibot might of let the domain expire, sometimes these "domain squatters" will buy up domains that were very active the day they expire hoping that the company that runs the domain will want it back and they can make a profit, if the domain sits for two long they leave it to expire and move on. Hope everything works out.