I'd like to get a list together of rock-solid domain registrars. It's taken me ages, but I think I finally found a rock-solid dedicated server provider at a reasonable price (steadfast.net). So, I'd like to find the 'steadfast.net' of domain registrars - hoping there is one! There seems to be a problem with just about every registrar I've come across. Here's a brief list of ones I've tried so far, and my comments:
Buydomains - user interface has been made worse, is broken, customer service is awful. Godaddy - user interface is awful, customer service is slow. Namecheap - least bad registrar that I’ve found, but customer service hasn't responded to my last couple of emails and seems to be getting worse (network on these forums no longer accepts PMs!) Registerfly - I've read lots of bad stuff about them on these forums. eNom - $30/year for a domain? No way. Only good for resellers.
Please, nobody suggest any of the above registrars. Currently my domains are with Namecheap, but as I said above I am getting increasingly concerned with their increasingly pathetic (or non-existent) support... just recently I've paid them $50 to transfer a .TV domain and in a month it still hasn't been transferred (despite them promising it would be). It makes me worried that the company is about to die or something when I get this silence from them. Extremely unprofessional.
I'd like a reliable registrar (that won't go bankrupt on me), whose prices are in the same ballpark as Namecheap, whose interface is WELL-designed (I think Godaddy's is awful, personally - far too cluttered) and whose support responds reliably, in a timely manner. Surely there are a few registrars that fulfill these criteria?? I've been searching these forums for ones that do, but frankly I've seen one or more of these issues complained about for just about every registrar around. Surely the market is getting mature enough now that we can find some professional, reliable registrars that give a damn about customer service?
I'd like to have some comments about your remarks... - This is the first time I've read about BuyDomains being a registrar. Of course I've hear of them, but never in the context as a registrar. - GoDaddy support it excellent. Have you tried their new control panel? It's much better than the previous one. - NameCheap are an excellent cheap registrar. If you need support, they are a bit lacking, but like all registrars, you have to use their ticket system (or call them). - Registerfly should be avoided at all costs. - eNom have way the best control panel. You can get a free $8.95 sub-reseller account (but not resell anything) from reputable ETP's like MrZippy. It seems you clearly value support highly. You seem to be well versed in registrars, so it's a little surprising you need so much support. What kind of support issues do you typically encounter. The best support from any registrar will be phone support or next best thing is using their ticketing system. Forget about email support it's almost universally non-existent. Two registrar's you might have a look at.. I hear good things about Moniker in the support department. DomainSite has a reasonably good control panel and the one support question I asked was dealt with professionally. There is no best registrar, only the best registrar for you.
I’ve been with GoDaddy for about 2 weeks and find their support feedback to be under 1 hours - usually QUICKER . I’ve asked Godaddy numerous 2 or 3 part questions and they respond very well and are UNDERSTANDABLE. Have been with other registrars over the past 8 years who are no where near as fast, reliable or 'switched on'.