Although I’m (currently) a customer of Network Solutions for a few of my Internet domain registrations, I’ve never been a big fan. Too much cockiness and too much money for registering domain names. Well, they’ve finally stepped over the line and are apparently doing something that I’ve often wondered was taking place with domain name registrations.
According to this NewsFactor article, Network Solutions is monitoring domain names that people are searching for, registering the names to itself, and “squatting” the domain names for four days afterwards so the original person looking to register the domain name(s) now has to register with Network Solutions. Unbelievable. Sadly it doesn’t surprise me.
Once the domains become available the odds of them getting snatched up by other cybersquatters looking to capitalize on how the registration marketplace works goes up…The person with the original idea loses out. Call it Capitalism at its finest or at its worst, it’s ridiculous.
No more Network Solutions for me! GoDaddy: I hope you have some room for transfers because you’re about to get a few more.