This was just brought to my attention at another forum I moderate...

"In a developing story, registrar Network Solutions has been caught front-running domain names. Any domain names searched via NSI's whois are being immediately purchased by the registrar, thereby preventing a registrant from purchasing the domain at any other registrar. There are multiple reports of this practice over at DomainState.com."

NSI has issued a response to the accusations of front running.

...taken from Slashdot.

I was reading up on this today and it's getting quite interesting. There excuse for there practice is that it will give customers the opportunity to take a deeper look and register names they want without having to worry about loosing out. Seems like there just taking heavy advantage of free tasting methods!

To me it looks like a clever yet inproper way of gaining business.

Originally Posted by dave9713

There excuse for there practice is that it will give customers the opportunity to take a deeper look and register names they want without having to worry about loosing out.

They say they're protecting their customers from others front-running. But, here's the problem...
Anyone can buy that domain if they go thru NetSol. So it's not protecting the customer at all.

thats effed up!
and i believe its true its happened to me b4 with a domain registrar!

so what do they do with the domain if you dont buy it!
we should just search a bunch of junk 500 charter domains so they get stuck with the domains and fees!

Originally Posted by eFingerz

so what do they do with the domain if you dont buy it!
we should just search a bunch of junk 500 charter domains so they get stuck with the domains and fees!

Unfortunately, they are taking advantage of the registration grace period.
They get a refund when they drop the name before the grace period expires.

This is just not a good business practice, eventually driving more people away from them.

I sincerely want to know what type of person pays $35 for a domain in the first place.
There are countless numbers of registrars that sell them for $10 or less.

I can understand there's the occasional first-timer that buys a domain and doesn't realize
that there are other choices in registrars, but how can they stay alive selling $35 domains?

I've also wondered this in the past! My only guess was that the people have the money to burn and can register at there most liked place.

I think this might lead to rule changes in the way domain tasting is controlled. Its become a system which is being abused and i personally think is unfair.

Originally Posted by eFingerz

thats effed up!
and i believe its true its happened to me b4 with a domain registrar!

so what do they do with the domain if you dont buy it!
we should just search a bunch of junk 500 charter domains so they get stuck with the domains and fees!

It gets dropped after four days - network solutions don't pay anything apart from .

thanks alot.

In the past I've noticed practices like this from netsol. There were several times I was research names and had ultimately come up with something that I'd like to purchase (usually within 24hrs.) but just as soon as I go back to purchase it someone else has just now registered the domain. Once or twice I can pass off as coincidence but it's happened more times then I'm comfortable with to use their site for searches.

Originally Posted by Moxxnixx

This was just brought to my attention at another forum I moderate...

...taken from Slashdot.

Go to www.classactionagainstns.com and register there if you have been dooped by network solutions domain grabbing

I'm not the least bit surprised by this, and it's a darn good thing I have never used them to do a domain search ! They shouldn't be allowed to do this.

Interesting, considering I always use network solutions to lookup domain information and availible domains, I'll have to find a better method to do so now.

you know - I always wondered about that. There have been many occassions that I've gone on a bit of a domain "shopping spree" - see the $$$ add up in my online cart and decide to sleep on it . . . usually if it's a domain I'd be bummed if someone else took, I break down and buy it - exactly because I wonder if my searching might trigger someone else's interest. (actually happened with my first name - which is sitting parked somewhere by someone who wants $800 for it! It's just a first name - no real fiscal value!)

I'm not really surprised, but this is ridiculous. They should not be allowed to do that.

And to think I actually thought about going with them for a domain before. You just can't trust anysite without doing a review on them first nowadays.

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