Domain stuffing: when free domain promos cross the line

Customers should have to opt in to free domains, not have them automatically added to their orders.

For years, domain name registrars have offered free or heavily discounted domain bundles.

These started fairly benignly. For example, even 20 years ago, some registrars offered .info domains free for a year.

Others offer domain variants as a cross-sell. Registries strike deals with the registrar, saying something like, “If the customer has example.com in their account, we’ll provide a discount on example.TLD in our top level domain.”

For example, here’s a current promotion on GoDaddy:

And here’s one on Unstoppable Domains, where you get the option of adding two free matching domains to your order:

Importantly, customers have to choose to add the domains to their account. GoDaddy discloses that the customer will have to pay significantly more in the second year. Unstoppable doesn’t auto-enable auto-renewal, so customers must take definitive action to renew the domains.

Overall, I think this is fine. Customers are presented with a cross-sell or freebie and can choose to add it to their account.

Where this crosses the line is when customers are automatically opted in to registering the domain.

The most extreme case was when Network Solutions added a .xyz to customers’ accounts when they weren’t in the process of registering a domain. In 2014, the registrar sent an email with a misleading subject line to customers informing them that they now had a .xyz in their account. At least it wasn’t set to autorenew.

A current promotion I take issue with is from Hover.

When you register a domain, you get a pop-up stating that the matching .site domain has been added to your cart:

Hover is adding the domain to your cart without asking you. It’s just telling you and turning auto-renew on. Customers have to take affirmative action to remove the domain from their cart, which crosses a line. If a customer doesn’t remove the domain, they’ll end up paying double for the .site domain than for the .com domain when the domains renew!

It’s surprising, since Hover has long been known for its simple, no-BS domain registrations.

I have no problem with domain registrars teaming up with registries to offer discounted or free registrations at the time of registration. But they should follow two rules:

1. Domains shouldn’t automatically be added to the cart. Customers should have to opt in to receive the domains.

2. For free domains, they shouldn’t be set to autorenew unless the customer affirmatively agrees.