URGENT WARNING: Please read and pass on to web site owners by Ian Begg

URGENT WARNING: Please read and pass on to web site owners

by Ian Begg Marketer, Engineer

I received this email today from Bram and would be interested in comments..

Hi All,

I just wanted to give you a SERIOUS heads up on some pretty shady
up-sell tactics that are being used by GoDaddy to take you from your
original intention of buying a SINGLE domain for about $10 to a
purchase that will end up costing you hundreds of bucks.

Please pass this on...

I don't know if greed just got the best of Bob Parsons, or if he
hired some jackass that is insuring that any customer who figures
out the fast one that is being pulled on them will not continue
to be a repeat customer for long.

Maybe using Joan Rivers as a GoDaddy girl in their Superbowl ad
didn't pay off quite as big as they thought it would.

I just went to GoDaddy intending to buy two domains (a .com and
the .net equivalent of it) to use for my new web site for the
sales site I'm creating for my radio advertising book, and I was
DISGUSTED by the "automatic upsell" tactics they are employing.

I actually recognized them immediately, seeing that when I chose
to register a very specific domain, about 2 dozen other domains
that were similar in nature got added to my order, and I had to
choose to uncheck each of them manually in order for them to NOT
get added to my order automatically.

Nasty bait and switch, and shame on Bob!

And, it wasn't as simple as it seemed. Even realizing what they
were up to, when I got to the checkout process -- I was about a
millisecond away from hitting the order button when I realized
that my total order was for $431.62

What I REALLY intended to order totaled about $23.

I've always thought about GoDaddy as my primary source for domain
names, but that's about to change.

My suggestion to you is that if you go register a domain name at
GoDaddy, you be VERY CAREFUL about that last step of clicking the
order button.

The total charge wasn't even very visible on the page where I very
nearly agreed to pay over $400 for domains and extras I didn't want.

A VERY nasty and tactic in my opinion, bordering on a scam!

I just lost a lot of respect for a company that I really enjoyed
giving thousands of dollars per year of my business to in the past.

Just a heads up to be aware. Sorry GoDaddy, my hard-earned money
means a lot more to me than you having hot women as your GoDaddy
girls... there are plenty of other places to get domain names from
that aren't going to try to take me for a $400 ride.

Buyer beware...

Have a great night,

Bram Smith

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About Ian Begg Marketer, Engineer

302 connections, 3 recommendations, 737 honor points.
Joined APSense since, March 13th, 2010, From Sydney, Australia.

Created on Mar 15th 2011 02:05. Viewed 560 times.

Comments

Simon Harris

this is good information thanks, But sad to say GoDaddy are not alone with such tactics. It is always BUYER BEWARE!
Mar 15th 2011 03:37

Anette Hultman

Anette AdBiz
Thanks for this warning I will be more careful....
Mar 15th 2011 03:45

Konstanze-Marie Ahlers

Advertising Consultant
This must be very new! We should all complain to Go Daddy.
This is disgusting.
Mar 15th 2011 04:24

Cheryl Baumgartner

Independent Associate with LegalShield
If the American Congress can use this tactic in passing legislation that the American public would not accept, why do you think businesses wouldn't try it too?

That's why you must read carefully anything that you are going to agree to BEFORE you agree to it.
Mar 15th 2011 08:27

Fred Mugone

Health, Wellness, e-Business
This is disgusting. A very nasty tactic bordering on a scam. It is such kinds of behavior that make a company lose a lot of respect and business that it may have had - that's thousands or even millions of dollars.
Mar 15th 2011 08:47

Muriel & Graham Legg

Perfume and Makeup Consultants
I never used Go Daddy because I have never liked their tactics.
Mar 15th 2011 09:25

David Maas

Business Administrator
Thanks for the heads up...
Mar 15th 2011 09:25

Monique Ivory

Thanks for making us aware of that. It is a good thing that you were able to notice the change in price before submitting your payment. I've seen too many other sites where options are preselected and I have to take them off to proceed.
Mar 15th 2011 15:27

Lemont Wells

Web Desinger & Affiliate Marketer
Actually I am not surprised at all so many people go running to Godaddy becuase they ofer that domain names for $.99 scam when in reality you got t buy more. I dont trust go daddy at all
Mar 15th 2011 18:59

Stacey Whitney

Internet Marketer
I have been using GoDaddy for the last few years but this is making me take a second look for sure. Very sad.
Mar 15th 2011 20:35

Barbara Erickson

Better Web Builder independent affiliate
This is why GVO gives you more for your money. More quality, more hosting, more training. Quality counts and this is the best quality for your money!
Maybe GoDaddy is getting scared-Joel did talk to them awhile back.
Mar 16th 2011 03:47