Many people have kept their domain names with the same old provider that they first registered with. We also had a couple of clients who kept their domain names working at the old domain name provider by renewing it every year. They finally realized that they were literally paying for nothing, when they wanted to develop a website and decided to get a hosting space. At that point they realized that their domain name had not been renewed for a couple of years and the domain registrar did not notice either. This and similar stories should prompt you to sit back and realize what you might be missing, if you have a domain name. This article explains some of the red flags that should indicate that it is time to switch domain name providers.
Price
When you buy the domain name, many providers charge a lower price for the first year and then charge a higher price for renewals. Many people ignore the higher price and continue to renew the domain name or set up an automatic debit on their credit card. Sometimes this can mean paying up to 300% more than what an average domain name provider would give you. While the difference may not seem like much, if you’ve taken the domain name long-term, then you could get the most for your money. Switching to a different provider can bring you monetary benefits along with all the cooler features.
Characteristics
Domain name providers often provide free services alongside the domain name. This can include free DNS, free domain name forwarding, and free email forwarding. If you need these services or have been paying more for these services, then it is time for you to switch to a provider that provides you with all of these services for free. Many domain registrars provide free premium DNS with all of their products and services. This could save you a lot of money every year, if you want to have premium DNS for your website. If you were planning to register the domain name without having a website, the email forwarding or website forwarding options might also be useful for you.
Without control panel
All domain registrars provide you with a control panel with which you can manage your domain name. If you are not in control of your domain name or do not even know how to log into your control panel, then you should be concerned. Wherever you have purchased your Domain Names, you should have received the details from your Domain Control Panel. Your reseller or web designer or even the software developer from whom you bought the domain name should be able to help you.
Lack of support
Each domain name is backed by the endorsement of the registrar who has registered the name for you. But before you approach the registrar or the registrar fulfills your request, you will need to go to the reseller or person from whom you actually bought the domain name. If this person does not support you or refuses to provide support, you can file a complaint with ICANN and have the Registrar provide you with domain name control. Once you gain control of your domain name, you can move it from that registrar to another registrar. The lack of assistance from the registrar is a sure sign that you should move your domain to another place where, at the very least, you care about answering about your problem.
