Finding Network Solutions’ pricing takes a lot of commitment.
Web.com customers who use Network Solutions or Register.com are not very price sensitive (or price knowledgeable).
That’s how the companies are able to charge roughly $35 for a one year registration instead of the $10-$15 that most registrars charge.
But I noticed something the other day about its pricing strategy/order flow that is rather interesting.
I was trying to figure out how much Network Solutions is charging these days, so I went to their website.
There’s no pricing listed. I did a site search and looked for links on the home page to pricing information. I couldn’t find anything.
In order to see the annual registration price, you have to not only add a domain to your cart, but you also have to sign in or create an account.
That’s pretty amazing to me. Making someone add a product to their cart to see the price is a lot to ask in and of itself, but I’ve never seen a company force customers to create an account in order to see the price.
I suspect the company has studied its purchase path and found that once a customer goes through this much effort they’re less likely to abandon.
This also gives the company a way to follow up on abandoned carts. Two days after abandoning my cart, I got a message offering the domains at a discounted price of $24.99:
Jack says
Huh? What are you talking about? There is a big fat link that says “View Pricing Chart” right on their domain name search page. From the home page just click “Domain Names” and pricing chart link is right there….
http://www.networksolutions.com/domain-name-registration/index.jsp
Andrew Allemann says
If you enter a domain on the home page and it’s available, you probably won’t see that link on the page where you add it to the cart. It’s way down below.
There are also no links to pricing on the home page.
Jack says
Pricng chart: http://www.networksolutions.com/domain-name-registration/pricing-chart.jsp
keriah says
This link no longer works — it doesn’t go to the pricing chart (tho’ it used to!!) I guess they discovered that and nuked the link. It now goes to the generic search that’s being discussed here. Do you perhaps have a new way to get to the pricing chart??
Daniel C. Adams says
Hi Jack, I tried viewing NetworkSolutions pricing using the link you posted to no avail. Do you happen to have the updated link? Thanks!
Ian says
It’s an interesting pricing strategy. Many who don’t know better just end up paying the prices they ask… Imagine registering a domain (or many) for 100 years and then you decide to transfer it without having read the fine print:
“The service for 20 or 100 year domains will terminate if you transfer to another registrar the domain name for which you purchased the service. This service is non-refundable upon termination.”
Claude says
In the last year companies like that they have became almost like scammers with they tricks…
They offer first registration for $1 but when you want to go they find excuses or will ask you to make a phone or other tricks.
Malpratices from companies that deserve the bankruptcy
Onlinenic, register, networksolutions…stay away from those tricky companies
todd says
They suck. Last year I had a name go 1 day past the expiration date. Only one fucking day and they charged me an extra $25 to renew. Ridiculous!! Godaddy gives me 25 days to renew.
Rob says
I’ve seen this “hidden” or “hard to find” pricing strategy for many years now, and from many different registrars.
I usually stay right away from companies that do that. But sometimes I decide to write them a polite email and let them know that at least one unhappy customer has walked away because of it. Unless we give them negative feedback then they will likely do nothing to change it. Then again, they probably don’t care about customers like me… they just want to hit the unwary ones.
Ruth says
I see they’re taking advantage of the lack of pricing knowledge by overcharging clients
Steve says
I’ve had experiences with Network Solutions that border on criminal. I have noticed in my bill, on numerous occasions, that they were charging me for things that I never even ordered. $3.99 here, $4.99 there (for multiple months) and even $15.99 twice. When I called them on it each time, they would credit back to my account. However, I think about all of those people that do not scrutinize their bill like I do and just pay their Visa or Master Card without even thinking about it. We finally moved our account to a different Hosting company because of these unscrupulous billing practices (or rather, charging practices).
Our Hosting plan was not due to renew until February. However, they charged us three months in advance of the renew date. Beware of their Auto-Renew policy.
We are also aware that Network Solutions does not list their Domain registration or renewal prices anywhere on their website. We have learned from other sources that they are around $35 for the same thing you can get for $13 with other registrars. It’s no wonder they don’t want anyone to know.
Network Solutions is in it for the short gain. And they are gaining a heck of a lot from unsuspecting people. They have no intention of keeping customers, just getting as much as they can from the short-term customers they have.
Network solution user says
They have a new trick, domain near expiration will now charge 39.99 instead of 37.99.
SFTech says
I’ve had a domain name with Network Solutions (NS) for 10+ years at $40/yr. Last year I missed the auto renewal due to an expired credit card. They charged me $69. So this year I vowed to leave them for NameCheap.
When I went to transfer, I had log into NS to turn off transfer lock:
-They then offered to renew at $11.99 for 1 year. I thought much better no.
-The transfer un-lock has to be approved and takes up to 3 days before they email you the code.
Keep in mind it takes 5-7 days for the transfer + 3 days for the code so 10 business days.
ABU says
Called to just get domain pricing for 5 and 10 years and the rep jerked me around for 20 minutes trying to first Up sell me on every thing else. Finally cut him off and then got an excessive price. Had used in past but probably not in the future.
anonypolitics says
That is what we found out today as well. They are so stuck on upselling they cannot do a simple domain sell or renewal. We want strictly domain renewals – no other services.
Their pricing is horrid for new domains and renewals. The only thing that falls in their favor is they do not increasing pricing according to extension (eg: .net, .org are priced the same as .com where as some registrars charge more for .net / .org) AND they offer discounts when you renew for more than one year.
Rian says
networksolutions is dirty business, I can’t believe it there’s a company like this, over a decade, I only saw poor company like this.
Another domain hosting company only charge $9-$15 for .com domain. On networksolutions website I can’t find any link that explain their price, that’s a sign there’s something wrong!
But I just bought a premium domain, and his registrar is Networksolutions, so it’s fine for 1 year.
What make me mad is, there’s a big words said “Transfer your Domain to Network Solutions® Today for Only $9.99* And Get A Free One Year Extension”
* $9.99 service fee is non-refundable and applies to each domain name requested to transfer. Network Solutions does not guarantee the transfer through this service. $9.99/Year Domains with 1-Year Term applies to domain extensions supported for online transfer only. For transfers successfully completed within 90 days of the purchase date, 1 year will be added to the domain name term at no additional cost. Discounts on additional renewal years added at the time of the transfer request are available for 1, 2, 3, 5, 20, and 100 year terms. Special discounted per year pricing is reflected in shopping cart total. Upon expiration, all domains will be renewed at the then current price.
That $9.99 is dirty marketing strategy, so people can miss understood, especially non native speaker, they will thought it was the domain price for a year.
The real price for .com domain is $37.99 per year in Network Solutions.
This is fraud !
If I live in the USA, I’ll ask my lawyer to sue them!
For domain, only choose namecheap or godaddy, stay away from Network Solutions! Especially for people who have dozens domains.
petri71Petri says
I bought a name there almost 10 years ago… and this year i get the 39$ price…what can I do but pay… change name ? this is taking people as hostage.. I wanted to buy 5 names for a client, the bill was 190$, I went somewhere else and got the same names for 60$… So no more Network Solutions for me and my clients… Worse is most of the time it’s professional people buying names. And they quickly know when someone is being incorrect… so whoever decided of this strategy at Network Solutions is very very stupid…
do-not-reply.me says
If you have the primary account , you may try to look at transfer lock and turn it off. then it will offer a lower retention price.