Network Solutions Renegs on FREE TRANSFER/YEAR Offer. Is this legal?

[JuniperPark]

Network Solutions is running ads on their website for free transfer+free year. I read everything (I think) carefully, and saw nothing limiting the quantity or type of business. I called on 2 separate occasions, spoke to staff who verified they would handle the transfer of 4,000 domain names, and in fact gave me special instruction for doing so. The .INFO's had to be faxed, and I received a followup email asking for an emailed list also so that they could more easily handle the order.

Today I call to see what the status is, since no .INFOs had been transferred. I am transferred to the "Partner Program" guy, who tells me 3200 of my transfers have been cancelled because they have decided NOT TO DEAL WITH RESELLERS unless they sign up for the partner program and PAY FOR THE TRANSFERS!

Today I notice that this is now at the bottom of their home page, NOT near the "free transfer" ad:

Network Solutions reserves the right to, in its sole discretion, deny a transfer request for any reason and to cancel or change this offer at any time. This offer is not available to domain name speculators or resellers as determined by Network Solutions in its sole discretion.

I demanded a written statement, and got this:

--------

We have received your order to transfer domains to Network Solutions on 12/11/2003 1:50:00 PM At this time the ?Free Transfer? promotion is not available for domain resellers. Your request to transfer your domain name registrations for free to Network Solutions has been cancelled.

We do offer a special transfer rate for customers enrolled in our wholesale program. If you are interested in becoming a wholesale customer, click here for more information:
http://www.networksolutions.com/en_U...le/index.jhtml

Sincerely,

Network Solutions Customer Support

---------

SO... is this legal? Can they exclude my company AFTER I submit my order (and have 20% of it processed) and spent several hours preparing all of this? I'm certainly not going to be a "partner" with a company that has just reneged on the first attempt to do business with them....

[Duke]

I'm shocked! Poor service and shady dealings from Verisign/Network Solutions?! What's this world coming to! :-D

[jberryhill]

" Can they exclude my company AFTER I submit my order:

In the absence of the terms of the offer which you tried to accept, who knows. You mention something about having "noticed" some terms today, but that doesn't say anything about when the terms were, or were not, originally there.

Now, yes, their home page says "Free Domain Transfer. Includes Free Additional Year", but that is not reasonably an offer containing all of the relevant terms.

This page certainly says something about resellers:

http://www.networksolutions.com/en_U...transfer.jhtml

[DaddyHalbucks]

If you sleep with dogs.. you get fleas.

Shop for price.. get cockroaches.

I don't touch FREE offers. They are too expensive in the long run. I like paying for stuff because it means I get quality, recourse, and support.

[JuniperPark]

Originally posted by Duke
I'm shocked! Poor service and shady dealings from Verisign/Network Solutions?! What's this world coming to! :-D

FUNNY


I guess my real question is based on my watching Judge Judy and The People's Court, where time after time there is a case where there is a dispute as to whether money was "loaned" or "given". In cases where the person makes a couple of payments, THEN claims it was a gift, they always lose, since you wouldn't make a payment on a gift.

Here, Network Solutions discussed the deal with me, accepted the offer, and actually PROCESSED a significant portion of the deal. It seems a bit late for them to decide that they don't like the deal we made.

[Fearless]

Consider yourself lucky.

[Steen]

Ever since they started offering it there has been a note saying "no resellers".


It's not new.

[Rocket2Uranus]

Originally posted by Steen
Ever since they started offering it there has been a note saying "no resellers".


It's not new.

yeah - I saw that too. this has been in effect from the start.

and why are you even considering doing business with NS? haven't you been paying any attention to this industry?

[Domagon]

Be glad Network Solutions (NSI) canceled your transfers instead of losing the domains...yes, that's really happened! Do a google on the domain RACES.COM - it's an eye opener for many folks who read about it.

And also consider, especially as a reseller, it's very difficult to move/update domains registered with Network Solutions. You'd really do better with a bulk domain account at a registrar that specializes in serving resellers and others that hold many numerous domains.

Ron

[Duke]

Originally posted by MovieDomains
why are you even considering doing business with NS? haven't you been paying any attention to this industry?

I have to admit that thought crossed my mind as well. :-D

[actnow]

Last month, I initiated a transfer to Network Solutions of 6 domains.

4 went thru.

About 10 days ago, I initiated a transfer of 12 more domains.

As of today, none have gone thru.

In that same time, I initiated a number of transfer to Enom. And, most
of them have been transferred.

18 domains represents less than 1% of my names. I was just experimenting.

However, my major concern with transferring domains to Network Sol.,
is the difficulty I may encounter transferring the domains out of Network Sol.

Since, it is free to transfer to them. I am sure they will "get" me on
the way out.

As of today, Enom is still the best place to put my domains to protect
my investments.

[jberryhill]

I, too, can't imagine why anyone with an ounce of sense would transfer domain names to Network Solutions, but, be that as it may...

"It seems a bit late for them to decide that they don't like the deal we made."

What deal did you make? They would take the names and you would do... what? Certainly not pay them, since you wanted to take advantage of a "free" offer. Network Solutions *likes* making free offers, and they have in the past avoided liability on certain aspects of registration contracts that related to the days when domain registration was free.

Consider carefully Hal's comment, which is bang on the mark:

"I like paying for stuff because it means I get quality, recourse, and support."

Bingo. You might or might not have a contract arising out of a "free offer", but you sure as shootin' have a contract if you paid for them to do something.

Also, as noted by our dancing feathered friend, the restriction against resellers and speculators was there from the beginning.

[trader]

Originally posted by actnow Last month, I initiated a transfer to Network Solutions of 6 domains.4 went thru.
About 10 days ago, I initiated a transfer of 12 more domains.
As of today, none have gone thru. In that same time, I initiated a number of transfer to Enom. And, most of them have been transferred. 18 domains represents less than 1% of my names. I was just experimenting. However, my major concern with transferring domains to Network Sol., is the difficulty I may encounter transferring the domains out of Network Sol. Since, it is free to transfer to them. I am sure they will "get" me on the way out. As of today, Enom is still the best place to put my domains to protect my investments.

Sorry, must disagree abut Enon, just try transferring AWAY some org's from Enom, next to impossible! I have now pretty much thrown in the towel and lost the $200 I prepaid to get the names away from Enom.

Plus Enom's support sucks big time. NetSol no doubt are clueless idiots but at least they are responsive whereas Enom simply ignores all support phone messages and emails, never responding to any of them.

Unless they improve big time, I will never buy another name from anyone at the forums which needs a push at Enom from anyone here! I can't tell you how much I dislike them.

It is actually easier to transfer away from NetSol. Amazingly transferring IN to NetSol is much harder than away except for com and net where transfers in or away of coms and nets are relatively easy and fast!

[Domagon]

Originally posted by RealNames
Sorry, must disagree abut Enon, just try transferring AWAY some org's from Enom, next to impossible! I have now pretty much thrown in the towel and lost the $200 I prepaid to get the names away from Enom...

.ORG registry operates very differently from the .COM/.NET. registry. You supplied the new receiving registrar with the .ORG domain authorization codes, right? If not, that could be the problem.

I've not completed any .ORG transfers recently (though I currently have 6 pending at the moment) so I don't know how critical the authorization code is for .ORG ... but for some other TLDs that use registry codes, no code = no go.

What you should do is obtain the authorization codes (you may have to contact Enom for them) and then contact the new registrar and provide them the codes. However, like I said above, I'm not sure how critical the codes are for .ORG, but it's certainly something to be aware of; in any event, you should have the authorization codes for all your domains, in the TLDs that use codes, for your records since you'll likely need them eventually anyways.

Ron

[trader]

Originally posted by valuenames .ORG registry operates very differently from the .COM/.NET. registry. You supplied the new receiving registrar with the .ORG domain authorization codes, right? If not, that could be the problem. I've not completed any .ORG transfers recently (though I currently have 6 pending at the moment) so I don't know how critical the authorization code is for .ORG ... but for some other TLDs that use registry codes, no code = no go. What you should do is obtain the authorization codes (you may have to contact Enom for them) and then contact the new registrar and provide them the codes. However, like I said above, I'm not sure how critical the codes are for .ORG, but it's certainly something to be aware of; in any event, you should have the authorization codes for all your domains, in the TLDs that use codes, for your records since you'll likely need them eventually anyways. Ron

As discussed in other threads here and other forums, many of us have been there done that with Enom.

First, Enom claims the names are locked (even though we never locked them in the first place). Next, they make it almost impossible to unlock them. Next the transfers are rejected due to alleged bad authorization codes (which codes are required), even though the codes are correct as prnted on enom's page and copied and pasted into the transfer forms.

P.S. As far as contacting enom goes you make it sound easy Usually put on hold for hrs., if messages are left they never call back, if emails are sent they are ignored or non-relevant reply. Enom sucks. Perhaps they were good in the past but now now. Maybe Register.com or NetSol has purchased them

[mole]

To be fair, Netsol has improved in service standards considerably compared to my first encounters with them years ago. A recent .COM transfer out I made from Netsol took only 2 days to complete. And they do respond to your email and your calls - I believe most of the support work has been outsourced to the Philippines.

I believe they do put much more thought and expertise into protecting corporate security than most other registrars, despite the ID theft instances via fax that have been noted. But they do expect you to pay.

I agree that it will be silly for Netsol to give free 1 year registrant top-ups to resellers who move from registrar to registrar like nomads in the parched desert looking for water. I'm sure they know that those reseller names won't be buying any other services like enhanced DNS, web-hosting or email services - but just squat there like silent vultures waiting to move to the next opportunistic carcass.

[trader]

Originally posted by mole
To be fair, Netsol has improved in service standards considerably....

Yes, the new NetSol is surprisingly good involving Com and Net, the transfer process is very smooth and fast and support response has been excellent. Even toll free numbers and followup emails to make sure you are happy with the process and support!

But don't even think of transferring IN an Org or anything else except com and net, they are totally clueless on other extensions!

[Domagon]

Originally posted by RealNames
...First, Enom claims the names are locked (even though we never locked them in the first place). Next, they make it almost impossible to unlock them. Next the transfers are rejected due to alleged bad authorization codes (which codes are required), even though the codes are correct as prnted on enom's page and copied and pasted into the transfer forms...

Have you done a Whois at PIR.ORG for the domains lately? If the domains are locked, the authorization codes aren't going to work.

In addition, it's possible the authorization codes may change from time to time for various reasons...though I'm not sure how, or even if, that can occur with .ORG domains.

Key is to be sure the domains are unlocked and then afterwards retreive the authorization codes. In addition, if copying and pasting, be sure you are *not* accidently copying preceeding and/or trailing blanks.

Another thing to consider is the registrar you are transferring them into...perhaps that's part of the problem...many registrars seem to avoid .ORG and other TLDs that require codes; others have problems due to not upgrading their automated transfer systems to properly handle authorization codes - possibly, you are providing the correct codes, but they're not being passed properly to the .ORG registry.

Doesn't make sense for Enom to hassle people over transfers, since that costs them more in time and hassle than the renewal fee they charge, but perhaps I'm wrong...be nice, as well as smart business, for Enom to comment here about the .ORG transfer difficulties some of their customers are experiencing - Enom may go the way of Network Solutions...I personally am avoiding doing any further business with Enom, based in large part to what I've read here.

Ron

[Domagon]

Originally posted by RealNames
...Yes, the new NetSol is surprisingly good involving Com and Net, the transfer process is very smooth and fast and support response has been excellent. Even toll free numbers and followup emails to make sure you are happy with the process and support!...

Definitely noticed a huge improvement in their service - still flaky at times, but overall it's much better. And they are very aware of the competition and willing to deal on price on the phone, even for just a few domains. All one has to do is ask

Ron