I still have a couple of my oldest Internet domains — including one that turned thirty years old this year and was among the first 40 dot-com domains ever issued — with Network Solutions (NSI) for historical reasons, and I continue to be impressed with the firm’s ability to closely emulate the practices of the worst kind of Internet crooks.
NSI sends out important notifications missing key information, worded like spam or phishing attacks, transmitted from unfamiliar domains, and as HTML-only email messages. All the hallmarks of illicit contacts, or at least of rank amateurs in action.
Their “off the shelf” domain renewal prices are abysmal of course, but even worse are their outrageous attempts at upselling during the domain renewal process.
They by default select (pre-check) expensive options like “private” domain registration (as far as I’m concerned, anyone doing business over the Internet should not be permitted to have a private registration, absent some relatively rare special situations — but that’s a discussion for another time).
Their form sequences attempt to trick you into switching your domains to their DNS servers, to sign up for hosting services you don’t want or need, and they employ all of the lowlife tricks — confusing interfaces, low contrast decline buttons — you know the drill.
Network Solutions has been pulling these kinds of stunts for years, but it seems like they’re continually striving to reach even new lows.
These clowns don’t deserve our business. Hell, they don’t deserve to be in business. They’re a stain on the Internet.
If you haven’t already done so, shun them as soon as you can.
–Lauren–
I have consulted to Google, but I am not currently doing so — my opinions expressed here are mine alone.
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The correct term is “Internet” NOT “internet” — please don’t fall into the trap of using the latter. It’s just plain wrong!