GoDaddy is still one of the largest domain registrars. When you search google there are forums, blogs and magazines recommending GoDaddy. Yesterday I did some research and found GoDaddy is no longer on the very top of such listings, which is a good sign. If you compare their services inside out you will believe such listings should not recommend GoDaddy at all.
Blogs on best domain registrar and top domain companies of 2017 are so many on the internet. Reason is understandable. These are top keywords many people search online. So, the bloggers write on these topics to get traffic to their site. Trying to earn income from internet is not problem. But, the problem for me, starts when you give false information on your blog.
You may be affiliated to GoDaddy and every sale may give you commission, so you recommend them. This is wrong. Wrong big time. You are cheating a fellow human being. One day when someone else cheats on you don’t blame him or her. You have no right as long as you cheap others.
I am sorry for getting off topic, but it is so frustrating when you see websites recommending domain registrars that you really know are bad. This kind of practice do not improve our world for everyone. If you only spread truth the domain companies will be forced to improve or go bankrupt. GoDaddy is clearly living far too long than they deserve. I don’t have a person grudge on the company. But, I have had many problems with them, most of these problems may not be noticed to average internet user or webmaster. So, I am writing this post to share my firsthand experience with GoDaddy. These are the reasons to leave GoDaddy immediately and run as far as you never, without ever looking back.
1. GoDaddy is racist
I am from Maldives which is not a high income country. When I log in to my GoDaddy account (I am still with them partially) I don’t see the “LIVE CHAT” button. I asked some of my friends living in Europe, when they open the site they see LIVE CHAT feature right there. I am an Asian. So, GoDaddy is racist and racism is not good. This is the first sign that shows they are not honest.
2. Information on help section is largely outdated
Yesterday I was trying to transfer a domain to my Godaddy account. I made the purchase and managed to open the domain administration page. There was no place to enter authentication code. I opened help section and there it asks to open the very same page I was on and enter the authentication code. This was not the only time I found GoDaddy Help was not matching what was displayed on the page. They are updating the site several times throughout the year, but update does not happen on Help Section.
3. GoDaddy website has lot of bugs
Since I could not get my domain transfer done. I made a long distant international call to GoDaddy that eventually costed me around $15. The teller asked my Customer Number and PIN. Customer Number was ok, the PIN was incorrect according to him. I was talking on the phone while looking at my PIN on GoDaddy. I ask him if he wanted to a screenshot but teller was not interested, as if he was used to all crap happening in their system. It was not a big deal but it was my first experience with a big company that failed at credential verification.
4. GoDaddy is not cheap. There are cheaper and better companies.
First time when you register a domain they give you cheaper. When you renew months before expiry the price is higher that the initial purchase price, but still lower than many other domain companies. If you wait too close to expiry date the renewal price becomes very high. I have seen it as high as $15 per domain. Also they charge $8.99 a year to protect privacy. In many companies this is free. I have been with Domainmonster for several years, they give free domain privacy and charge less than $11 per domain. Domainmonster no longer exits.
5. GoDaddy is not customer oriented.
When you go contact page you find their telephone number. There is no email to contact customer service. If you really dig in there may be their email address but they have worked way too much to bury it. Their live chat is not only racist it is also very limited. Mainly it is available when you are about to buy something. But, I found two way to live chat GoDaddy at any time. Once I wanted to talk about domain auction and the teller refused to help, I yelled, begged and cursed her to the level she broke down her business mindset and finally looked into my issue. You see, I had to become a beggar.
6.Misleading customers
I added a domain to my cart, not because I wanted to buy it but to reach the online chat. Once I reached Live Chat I removed the domain in the kart and opened homepage. In the corner “Checkout Now” appeared, usually in other websites you have a link there to open the kart before checkout. Who wants to click this button without having one last round of check on items in the kart and the total sum? Actually my kart should be empty because I removed the domain I put in earlier. Still, I was terrified to click this even to find out what happens. I found this misleading. It may not be a scam, but it is highly misleading. Many people are used to online shopping sites and there in the corner you usually see the link to open kart. This is the first time I am seeing straight checkout button right on the top and asking to checkout blindly not knowing how much to pay.
Conclusion
In domain registry market there are many companies who are charging low at initial registration and covering up that discount at renewal. But, GoDaddy seems to have gone too far with lack of customer service and other problems too. I used to keep my domains with Domainmonster. After they moved all domains to a new party for whatever profit or reason I am looking for a good registrar. I still have some domains with GoDaddy. Yesterday’s transfer in to GoDaddy is because it is an urgent matter. I needed this domain up asap and I need time to research for a better registrar. I am absolutely certain that I will not stay with GoDaddy but I will move out domains one by one as they get closer to expiry. Otherwise I would lose.
There are few registrars I am looking into, but I didn’t want to put any name here as people would think this post is another link bait to earn referral money. I believe all problems with GoDaddy started when they became racist, once you are in dirty side of business you cant concentrate on good customer service and long term success. GoDaddy is now a sinking ship. Be in it or swim for safety while you can. Even if its gives excellent customer service with cheap prices I will not be staying with a racist company.