OnlineDomain.com Domain Name News & Opinions
I started writing this post thinking of one thing and realized that something else was more important. Look at the conclusion at the end of this post. This blew my mind.
I am sure a lot of people already know this first bit but I thought that I should give a heads up to those that don’t. Some may have seen it happen to their EAP pre-registration orders with Go Daddy. The point is that Go Daddy will NOT refund the EAP fee if your EAP pre-registration fails. But the main problem is different…
You can register a Donuts domain name using the Donuts (Early Access Progam) EAP that is available in registrars that sell Donuts gTLDs. EAP prices start at about $12,500 and are lowered within the course of the week until they reach the regular registration cost after the 7 day period. The EAP wholesale registrar prices are:
$10,000 (day1)
$2,500 (day2)
$950 (day3)
$500 (day4)
$100 (days 5-7)
Go Daddy’s early access prices are at about $12,539.99 for day one, $3,164.99 for day two, $1,239.99 for day three, $689.99 for day four and $189.99 for days five to seven. After day seven the regular registration cost applies. These prices apply to the most of the regular registration fee domains and not the premium ones that are higher.
When you make an EAP pre-registration order with Go Daddy for days 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 you pay the EAP fee that applies to that particular day plus the regular registration fee. For example if you make the cheapest EAP order for day 5 and pay $189.99 that is $150 for the EAP fee and $39,99 for the regular registration fee. If a different registrar gets this domain and not Go Daddy then Go Daddy will only refund to you the registration fee that is $39,99. So you can kiss the $150 goodbye.
This gets worse the earlier you order so with a day 1 pre-order you risk loosing $12,500.
If you don’t want to risk loosing the EAP fee you can make a different risk and make the EAP registration by hand.
Go Daddy is big enough and doesn’t care if they loose a few customers because of that. If you make the regular registration fee for day 8 this situation here does not apply.
Finally the other option you have is pre-order your domain name to other registrars. But that will only result in increasing your chances of losing the Go Daddy EAP fee!
Hmmm… I just realized that Go Daddy is actually inclined to NOT register your EAP domain name. If they fail they make more money! They get to keep the EAP fee and pay nothing to Donuts. That is not right…
If they miss a day 1 EAP pre-registration they make $12,500.
How do you know that they really tried to get the domain name you wanted if they don’t get it? And what happens if one day their system doesn’t work? Will they make the refunds or just claim that they tried and failed?
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Godaddy says it’s focused on small business……lol…..What a joke…..I get better service dealing with a government agency like the IRS….
Kosta, from GoDaddy regarding the Donuts EAP applications:
“What if I don’t get the domain name I applied for?
If you are unable to secure the domain name, we’ll refund BOTH the registration fee and the early access fee.”
This is from http://support.godaddy.com/help/article/8959/donuts-gtld-prereg-refunds-and-auctions
This is not correct. I don’t get refunds.
I’ve gotten refund from a .directory domain that I did not get on Day 5. Call them up if you didn’t get a refund.
Their FAQ says you don’t get a refund.
I spoke to my account rep prior to placing pre-reg on gtlds and he said if I don’t get the domain I get 100% of my money back. This was very clear. If they changed this policy it would be a bait and switch and would not be very good for them.
I just checked my credit card statement, I had another one on 2/24 for $350.17 charged and received the full amount back on 3/11 after I failed to get the domain. This was for a Day 5 .company domain. On my receipt it says that the $150 is “non-refundable” but I got that back (as well as the $200.17). So even though that wording is there they have been refunding me 100% as they stated they would.
It seems to be a problem with multiple domains on a single order.
I have gotten very few EAP fees back. Go Daddy owes me $2850.
I think I will have some news tomorrow.
I am hoping this is a mistake because if their policy is to not provide a full refund it would be ridiculous.
Brad
You are right their FAQ says no, I came across this when placing a day 4 bid, and I got it, but I think you do get a refund, otherwise people would be talking about it endlessly. I can’t imagine a $12,500 non refundable backorder. Essentially this is what it is, a priority backorder.
I have lost about $3k so far.
Essentially the contract you are agreeing to states you do not get a refund, so at the end of the day, really comes down to their own goodwill, good on you for bringing this up. I know if I called support I would probably get 3 different answers.
That is like getting 5 premium extensions, unreal, they have no right to take your money for non performance. Godaddy I would love for you to comment on this. I spent $6xx on 1 backorder for a business related domain for brand protection, and I did read thru what you stated, and I brushed it off as a joke, as no way this could be happening, but if it is, it is not acceptable.
Go daddy does not make comments and this is no joke.
i dont use godaddy anymore, never liked them. to expensiv in early and for sure if u order a keyword it will ends in an auction and the other guys will spend money like in casino (example ballerina.shoes sold for 220$, there was only me and 2 other guys. they bet around 3 hours)
It was only two hours 😉
That was 2am to 4am for me so I gave up and went back to sleep…
@acroplex, from the link you posted, you have it as:
“What if I don’t get the domain name I applied for?
If you are unable to secure the domain name, we’ll refund BOTH the registration fee and the early access fee.”
but the page actually says:
“What if I don’t get the domain name I applied for?
If you are unable to secure the domain name, we’ll refund the registration fee ONLY.”
Big difference. From BOTH to ONLY. Not sure if they changed it between postings.
I think one condition is for sunrise and the other is for early access.
@Jonathan, the one you’re referencing is for Trademark holders and Sunrise, not the EAP for Donuts. Scroll down to the “Priority Registration (early Access)” section, it states exactly what I copied/pasted earlier.
They changed this last week.
I wonder what happens to my 3k? Let’s see.
You must have a VIP rep, contact them, they should be able to give you a one time exemption at least…. you can get a really crappy 3l.com for $3.5K
I had one but now I don’t.
I have to contact the “advanced” support! 🙂
And here is what my orders at Go Daddy say:
.PHOTOS Day 5 Early Registration Fee (non-refundable) $150
my question to you is, why are you paying higher EAP prices, extensions are bound to fail, and why not acquire domains on the aftermarket.
I am only reging gtlds on 30 a piece on the regular first come and first serve:)
I am paying EAP prices to get better domains.
And this is the solution from Go Daddy:
Go Daddy Refunds EAP Pre-Registration Fees to Affected Customers