123 Reg price hike

[Admin]

Just saw this in the news..

https://www.theregister.co.uk/2017/08/16/123reg_price_hike/

 

[wonder_lander]

It's bonkers isn't it! All the more reason to leave them!

 

[martin-s]

I blame Nominet as much as 123Reg. They're both just as greedy.

 

[Skinner]

123-Reg / HEG as the largest real estate holder is no different than prime land owners.

I think its more a godaddy move though

 

[martin-s]

1) We only manage domains for customers of other services - a couple of hundred names as an incidental service
2) We actively manage them, including managed DNS and email
3) Our processes are entirely manual
4) We haven't put our prices up in 10 years

 

[Edwin]

Maybe if you spent less time on here, and more time automating things you could improve the processes and cut your prices.

Perhaps you should decrease them and offer your customers refunds and then I wouldn't be thinking how hypocritical you appear.

Maybe if you spent less time on here, and more time protecting Nominet Members and customers from the excesses of Nominet, they would cut prices.

Perhaps they should decrease them, and offer their customers refunds, and then I wouldn't be thinking how hypocritical you appear.

 

[ian]

If anyone was going to defend 123-reg's practises...........

 

[aZooZa]

@invincible Why is it that you CONTINUE to post here in such a rude, condescending and aggressive manner? Your criticism of Martin is totally unwarranted, and makes you look like a lunatic on a permanent tirade of criticism of all and sundry.

 

[martin-s]

If you understood our business model (and bless you, it might be beyond you), you'd realise we are selling something rather different - and most probably at a loss - than a bog standard domain registrar.

 

[ian]

Ultimately a .uk domain name registration and renewal is a fairly comparable service

Indeed, which is why the price hikes of 123-reg that YOU'VE defended make little sense when compared with their competition offering the same. Ultimately though, 123-reg target individual consumers rather than bulk owners who perhaps don't know, or care, that prices are a few £ more than others. It wouldn't surprise me given the link between 123-reg and Nominet, that Nominet price increases are on the way and 123 are just staying ahead.

 

[martin-s]

If you didn't actually charge £16 + VAT for a .uk domain name then I don't believe you would publish that you do. If you're making a loss overall, which I presume you can't be, shut the business down today because you'll be better off.

Love the bit about shying away from meeting people. Classic I certainly shy away from Nominet meetings - I waste enough time on domains already, as you have quite rightly pointed out

But going back to the business bit, I've already explained that domains are incidental to the business - purely how we supply a product, rather than the product itself. It doesn't matter a damn to the business if £16 is profitable or not.

 

[Admin]

Truly...I am stunned, we are in great need of a 'tool' rating.

@Admin just because you deleted what you posted doesn't mean it wasn't noticed.

I'm glad it was. If I was Martin you'd have had both barrels by now.

 

[martin-s]

Your previously stated reasons for not turning up to the member event in London, which isn't much of a journey for you, given the amount of effort you put into commenting about Nominet on this and the member forum, were reasons that I felt appeared rather lame.

For the record, the reasons I don't travel to Nominet events are:

1. Nominet shows little evidence of valuing member input, in my opinion. The member engagement project isn't making any obvious progress for instance - and my impression is that Nominet doesn't really want to be a member-led organisation.
2. My personal interest in Nominet's direction is not a priority for my business. London isn't far, but a day wasted is still a day wasted.
3. While I can justify a few minutes here or there to give feedback on Nominet's attitude to members and direction of travel with regard to the .uk namespace, there are other things I would rather do with my time than travelling for a face-to-face. I have young children and when I'm not working, I would prefer to spend my time with them.

In summary, as things are currently, I can be as effective or more so by contributing online.

The fact that you didn't turn up has me wondering whether you're possibly someone who in person doesn't come across anywhere near as well as he does online and, if so, you may believe people (e.g. me/Nominet/other members) realising that would limit your future impact online. I also wonder if you might be someone who few actually want to work with rather than someone who just doesn't want to work with other people.

I love that you even ponder this - and am grateful for the compliment, thank you Historically, I'd definitely agree that some people would find my style abrasive. I am a trier and a leader - and I won't deny that I find working with drifters challenging. I imagine most people would tell you that I am fair, albeit not faultless.

I would argue that I don't have any impact so far as Nominet goes though.

They're possibly incidental but they are still priced higher than those you criticise. Why not charge what you think would be reasonable or are you already doing that?

You are comparing apples with oranges, sorry.

 

[RobM]

Godaddy and 123reg are trash registrars with awful spam and control panels. However they are well advertised. A quick search shows quite a few places offering uk domains at less but, as they lack advertising, are always going to lose out to these two. That's the nature of the industry. However there is a difference between the cost you choose to pay for a service you can get elsewhere (public facing) and a cost you *have* to pay (nominet). I personally have no problem with tagholders charging what they want as it's a choice I make to use them. I unignored David to read his comments - then realised why he was on ignore in the first place. It just simply isn't relevant to the original discussion and, of course, arrogant and rude. Anyway upshot from me - they can charge what they like people don't have to use them (same can't be said for nominet).

 

[ian]

@ian-d you can't possibly be suggesting that you weren't aware that prices might eventually rise one day when you chose to get involved with domain names as a business and become a Nominet member, can you?

I never suggested that, I suggested that 123-reg's decision may be as a result of information gleaned from Nominet on an imminent price rise, to get ahead of the curve, but that is entirely speculation. No doubt Nominet fees will increase in the future, I was talking short-term but you know that!

 

[RobM]

Unfortunately speculation is all we have. We all know how easy it would be for nominet to be corrupt and make themselves personally lots of money with inside information and chairs on their own customers boards but they don't do that because they are fine upstanding people who wouldn't dream of gaining from price hikes and an unwanted extension being introduced.

 

[martin-s]

I don't see much point in responding to most of your points, but I did want to reply to your comment about us "trousering" registrations and renewals.

Since the start of 2013 (as far as I can go back in our Xero accounts), we've earned £6,723.67 in domain registration/renewal income, across all extensions. Minus £2,542.90 in costs equals a grand total "trousered" of £4,180.77, or about £75 a month.

Exciting stuff.

 

[martin-s]

You're not great at taking on board the detail of my responses when they contradict your views, so rather than fold I am attempting to avoid what feels like troll feeding. Take it all however you choose - I'm really not too worried what you think of me.

Being a Nominet registrar makes domain management less of a hassle. Domains owned by customers are a necessary evil for the service we provide, but having a tag does have its benefits.

It's funny, I somehow prefer you in Simon Cowell mode. When I saw your Nominet photo, it just wasn't the same.

 

[ian]

-> What is the link you were referring to? You've still not said. <-

If you want to concoct a reason for their price rise that's entirely up to you but don't ignore the more plausible reason suggested. It might make you seem not credible.

I was speculating, just the same as you, no link (where is yours!), nothing confirmed, just adding to the discussion. As for not being credible. To who? You? I couldn't give two hoots, and I doubt anyone else does either (again, no link).

 

[ian]

I thought you might be aware of something that nobody else was aware of given you said : "It wouldn't surprise me given the link between 123-reg and Nominet" within your post here. However now you've said "no link" (above) I realise you appear to have just been inventing words perhaps to pad out your desire to post something. I don't know why but that's what it looks like.

Credible to anyone who reads you write "given the link" first and then "no link" later. I understand you couldn't give two hoots and I've also got better things to do than make you look foolish for contradicting yourself on this forum.

David David David, you knew by link I meant I have no link (evidence) on the speculation that Nominet may be rising their prices soon; I just suggested it might perhaps be another reason for 123 to increase their pricing at this time. If you've got better things to do, please go ahead, don't let me stop you (though I suspect you'll carry on regardless). We are all entitled to our opinions, myself, you, Martin, others; just that some are more predictable than others!