Even I fell victim to GoDaddy renewal trick

[Anthony Ng]

Just got an email from GoDaddy early this morning, saying that my credit card was already charged for another year of their auction membership. Luckily, it's just $4.99, which I would take as giving it to some panhandlers (beggars).

Thinking back, it was when I bought an expiring domain from their "aftermarket" (tdnam.com) that they trickily included that membership when I checked out. Yes, it's my bad to be not alertive enough, knowing that I am dealing with GoDaddy. Should have deleted my credit card record there and changed my renewal setting instead of leaving it to its default.

Sent them a support ticket, but no, I'm not even asking for a refund, because it's clearly a trick that I fell for, and they have some fine prints to cover their ... back. What I asked was to delete my credit card info from their record and never to bill be again EVER; and last but not least, to delete all my accounts with them.

By the way, I HAD to send them a ticket, because I was not even able to delete my payment method after logging in (saying it was being linked to whatever something).

Now tell me, how on earth could I recommend a registrar like this?

[jvanceaz]

"because it's clearly a trick that I fell for"

You're totally right. These silly companies are scamming us with this auto-renew function!!!!! I've NEVER seen this before from ANY company.

[Anthony Ng]

"because it's clearly a trick that I fell for"

You're totally right. These silly companies are scamming us with this auto-renew function!!!!! I've NEVER seen this before from ANY company.

If I have not made it clearer, I DID NOT even "buy" their auction membership in the first place. It was automatically forced into my account when I bought an expiring domains last year.

As a veteran domain "investor", I always turn off any default auto renewal setting for domain registration. But like I said, I was not even aware there was an auction membership in my account. Yes, it's still my fault: I should have been on a way much higher alert whenever dealing with GoDaddy.

To add some weight to that, I was once asked by their President's office (no, not Bob Parsons himself) to be one of their "poster" customers and be interviewed by a local (Arizona) newspaper. That's how on good terms I was with them back then, so you could save your cheerleading.

---------- Post added at 09:40 AM ---------- Previous post was at 09:36 AM ----------

[UPDATE] Okay, I had to first cancel that auction membership which was just renewed earlier this morning before deleting my credit card info there. And GoDaddy is not even helping except sending me some cookie cut template answers.

Again, it's just US$4.99; but it serves as a very good reminder that I should avoid GoDaddy at all cost.

For years, I have been transferring domains I acquired from the aftermarket away from GoDaddy immediately after 60 days. From now on, I am not going to even buy those names which are registered at GoDaddy in the first place.

[Adam Dicker]

It is bizarre for Go Daddy to ask customers to pay $4.95 for the right to bid on names that a company is selling.

-=DCG=-

[Anthony Ng]

Okay, here's an UPDATE. GoDaddy has refunded that renewal charge (of their "tricky" auction membership) back to my credit card WITHOUT MY ASKING.

I do agree (with them) that for such a large scale operation, the level of customer service may not be "perfect" at all times, but at least they do have a channel to funnel disappointment (like that of mine) to their office of the president.

As a matter of fact, I do have some good rapport with staff at that office, from Brad Kline (a.k.a. "bok" over at WebHostingTalk), to Tyler Wirtjes (for whom I helped set up GoDaddy's user account here at DNForum) and later Nick Fuller. I just hope they could extend this customer-oriented culture beyond a select few.

To be honest, it's difficult to avoid GoDaddy, when they are the largest registrar on earth with a huge margin, and I acquire domains from the aftermarket on a regular basis. If anything, it's a constructive incident after all, that those working directly for GoDaddy's president (though not Warren Adelman himeself) are alerted; and hopefully, imperfections like this would be phased out, in the foreseeable future.

[Adam Dicker]

Tip: All complaints that come through Bob's blog are cc'ed to Warren Adelman and he does read them and he makes sure they are all addressed.

-=DCG=-

[Onward]

Yes, I have been getting this bogus charge for years...I spend xx,xxx+ on their platform each year...it is petty and cheap and leaves a very bad taste in my mouth....and I just hit with the charge last week.

[Anthony Ng]

Tip: All complaints that come through Bob's blog are cc'ed to Warren Adelman and he does read them and he makes sure they are all addressed.

-=DCG=-

Good to know that.

[gdtechindia]

Tip: All complaints that come through Bob's blog are cc'ed to Warren Adelman and he does read them and he makes sure they are all addressed.

-=DCG=-

Seems like nothing happens even then.