January 9th 2001
Hello and Welcome to old friends and new acquaintances.
You may know that I started this site because I did well with the THISisIT.com Domain, and that following that experience I decided to learn as much as I could about Domain Name Registration. I have put this page up to help you register domain names. This is neither the quickest processing site, nor the cheapest, however I am not in business exclusively to register domain names, but rather I do this as a service to friends, since I also need to register names for myself. Eventually I may automate the process at this site, whereby it may compete down to the microsecond for the quickfinger registration awards, but until then be advised that if you need a name instantaneously, or for the lowest possible cent, you should find out what else is out there. If those are not your requirements, then I may be able to assist you, and you may find that my advice could save you considerable money, time, and energy.
On this page I outline the process you will need to go through either here or anywhere to register a name. Many name registration sites make it sound like you can register names in an instant, as long as you have a valid credit card. That is not the case. All registrars and registration service providers must inform you of certain policies, and obtain your acceptance to them in addition to their own agreement. I have found the "fine print" with many registrars to be unacceptable: giving them numerous rights and me none, protecting them from any kind of responsibility to me, and making me incredibly vulnerable to them in the event of any kind of dispute. Since we live in such a litigious society I do not want to sign away any rights I have just to process my request easier or faster. Therefore I have become my own registration service provider, I am very forthright about what I can or cannot do for you, and I have selected what I perceive to be the best registrar with the fairest contract to do service through.
The steps to registering a name are
2) make sure that domain has not already been registered.
3) contract a site to either host or "park" the domain. Click here to see my webhosting rates and services
4) read and accept the UDRP from ICANN
5) read and accept the registration agreement of the registrar
6) read and accept the registration agreement of the registration service provider
7) submit the registration forms
8) pay the fees
If you are in a big hurry, many of the large sites will "park" the domain for you, in which case you do not need to contract a site to host the domain. Often there is a substantial fee (as much, if not more than the registration fee) for parking the domain, or that service is built into a higher registration fee. Some of the sites charge a substantial fee to transfer the domain if you decide to host the site elsewhere, when you are ready to put up your website. Many sites lock you into a high annual renewal fee. There are a host of hidden charges that can be added up, and consequently many sites pretend to offer very low rates, when indeed their rates are actually high. My rates are neither the lowest, nor the highest. My posted advice is free. Keep in mind I am not a lawyer, so if you need legal advice, seek someone qualified to provide it.
From my reality, the most important part of the process is selecting the right domain name. Unless there has been a sudden shift in the E-conomy or E-news, it is not so likely that the moment you decide to register a domain, someone else will be deciding to register the same domain, although it is possible. Because the cost is not insignificant it may warrant your lining up all the pieces prior to instantly registering a domain. Conversely, if you believe that because of breaking news or some other recent event, the domain you have selected will quickly (within minutes to hours to days) be a hot item, then you may wish to register it with an "instantaneous" site. In either case good luck. If you wish further information regarding Domain Names you can go to Hu'z Domain Name advice.
If you decide to proceed with domain name registration here, the standard fees charged are as follows:
Annual Domain Name Registration Fees:
1-5 Names: $35 each
6-10 Names: $33 each
11-20 Names $30 each
21-30 Names $27 each
31-40 Names $25 each
41-50 Names $22 each
Call for the rate for more than 50 names. There is a significant discount if you contract hosting of your website through me. I provide webhosting for $20/month with unlimited domain pointing service. See details here
If you have already selected your domain, checked it's availability, have a website to park or host it at or wish to contract your site through me, you can proceed directly to the UDRP