Anyone had this experience with GoDaddy?
 

I had a domain name that I used to have a site on. Took the site down..forgot about the domain name, and it just recently expired. It is registered through Go Daddy.
(NO..this is NOT a rant thread about how bad godaddy is please).

Well, decided I'd like to put the website back online so called GoDaddy about how difficult it would be to get the domain back since it just recently expired (like 2 weeks ago or less).
I was told they could "recover" it for $80. wtf!? 80 bucks? I'm no cheapskate, but this domain is not THAT important to me, but at the same time, seems like an extremly high charge to recover a non renewed domain.

Was wondering if anyone had gone through this and MAYBE found a way around this big fee or found it just mattered WHO you got on the phone..I guess bottom line being..anyone found any wiggle room on this large a fee? (Other than backordering it which I know can be done for $19.99 but it won't be available that way for like 60 some days I was told).

Thanks!

If it's expired, it's expired. That's where they get the big money.

I had that same issue with Moniker once. It must be a ICANN thing? I just bought new domains instead.

Its just another in a long list of fees GoDaddy charges for services other registrars will do free. If its only been 2 weeks expired you could have reactivated it for just the reg fee at Namecheap. I'd just backorder it, or if you aren't in a hurry, let it expire and pick it up for the reg fee in two months assuming you don't think anyone else will get it.

I've had domains with Blue Gravity Communications, and I think they're restoration fee for an expired domain was $100. Now, I've restored some that had been expired for a month or so for the normal renewal rate. Then I had one expired for a few days and they wanted a $100 to get it back. So I backordered it through GoDaddy for $19.99. :winkwink:

I have had domains expire with both Namecheap and Directnic and as long as I have reactivated them within 30 days of them expiring they just charged me the basic registration fee.

Backordering is not a sure way to get it. Anyone will be able to bid on it at their TDNAM auction site (it might be up for auction already), and any sales there take precedence over their backordering service.

Yes, thats one of the few things you should be aware on GoDaddy.
I had the same thing too a time ago. Forgot about auto renewal (now I check every domain on GoDaddy twice!) and the domain was sold by them to some one else.

Godaddy is all about upselling and extortion, you haven't figured that out yet?

That's how they make extra money, it's a total scam. But people will still do business with them despite how they constantly scam people for some fake redemption period and kick people off for overloads that are nothing for most hosts. They locked up one of my domains 6 years ago because of a mistake when I was on vacation, they said it was questionable content and they needed a $200 administration fee to unlock it. Total bullshit! They do not care about their customers and they scam people. You should be ashamed of doing business with them.

I'm glad this thread didn't turn into a slam godaddy thread as requested...lol

Honestly, this is the FIRST problem I've had with them since the late 90's. I admit they are doing this to make money and are on the greedy side for doing so.

Maybe I was just hoping someone on here knew someone on godaddy that was a bit higher up than the usual customer service person ya get on random calls.

I think it is pretty standard. If you have a lot of domains with them it would not hurt to call and see what can be done. But they did send you 6 or 7 notices.

i don't understand why godaddy turns this on you so fast, seems like you have just about forever to "reactivate" your expired domains on namecheap. i am pretty bad for not paying attention and letting domains hit expiry date and namecheap has saved my ass numerous times. speaking of which, does anybody know the actual timeframe namecheap gives you to reactivate? because i've pulled some out of that reactivate bin after a change of heart, after a good time having been expired already, where that domain would have been long gone and out of reach at godaddy.

Lmfao. True dat. I think I counted 5 screens of shite before I could register a domain the other day.

Do you want fries with this domain? How about private nameservers? What about a blog? How about buying the .biz too? How about a shake?

You get at least 3 or 4 emails if a domain is about to expire, treat it as a lesson learnt and be more attentive in future.

Sorry, :Oh crap I am just really pissed that they ruined my Cabo trip with some BS on how I must pay a administration fee of $150 for a domain because it had questionable content. And of course while where working it out the domain forwarded to their spam page of ads.

What's weird is with godaddy, I have to consciously turn off domains I want to expire so they don't automatically renew and I can let them go. Are you on some different program. They send about 1001 notices to let you know it's coming due and even telling you if it's going to renew automatically or not depending on how you did things.

I had an issue with 1&1 once where I tried to cancel and they wanted to make me jump through hoops while they kept banging my credit card, so I cancelled the card and then they tried to hold my domain names hostage till I paid some ridiculous fees for not cancelling and them being unable to bang my card.

So I just wated them out and in a few months they had lost interest and I registered my shit again through bluehost.

nm brainfart

Have had the same thing with namecheap, except I think the fee was $120 so I just let the domain go - shame as it was purring along with zero input for a couple of years too

I just leave my domains on autopilot, they renew automatically
Been with them so long, they called me once and told me I've been with them since the beginning

Trust me..I have made calls. Keep getting the standard $80 fee, even when I ask to speak to one of the "supervisors."

It's called redemption period and $80 is a fair charge to get it out of it.

In the Domain Manager area, mouseover Domains and click Recover Expired Domains. Does it say Renewable or Recoverable?

If it's a .com and it really did expire when you think it did, it will still be renewable at the regular renewal price. If it's not a .com, the registry may have a different expiring domain policy.

Or your card can expire or just decline, there is always risks with auto renew. I renew my domains every month manually to make sure they are all fine.

godaddy = pile of shit

just move to NameCheap.com

In that case, (if your card has expired/outdated), your renewal is automatically extended and you are notified. That gives you almost two months renewal notice.

Sorry, if you don't care enough about a domain name and/or it's earnings then what is the big deal? Keep your whois info up to date and actually check your stated Registrar/Registrant account email.

I love the anti-GoDaddy threads. It always brings out the dumb asses, spammers, scammers, idiots, and other low life.

If you don't think it's worth $80 to get it back, then maybe it's not that good of a domain