Beware Of Geeks Bearing Gifts

Let's face it the internet is a wild and woolly place. Not a day goes by when I don't receive an offer to 'Get rich quick' (If I was rich I would be sipping Pina Coladas on an island resort, not sending out annoying e-mails), 'Free Porn' (yeah, we just need your credit card number to verify your age, honest!), or one of those silly cameras you can use to spy on your housemate who's busy sending spam e-mails, giving your credit card number to porn sites and ordering useless surveilance items.

But it doesn't end online. I have had a flood of queries recently from customers about invoices for domain registration or renewal received from quite official sounding companies warning them to renew their domain name before it expires and is spirited away by your competitor. Now I don't know about you, but I have never before heard of a marketing strategy that involves cold calling with an invoice. Ten out of ten for chutzpah, minus several million for business ethics.

Internet Names Australia, Internet Name Group, Internet Registrations Australia (who haven't even registered IRA.COM.AU. I wonder why not?). They all sound the same don't they. I wonder why they don't come up with something more original. I hear the name 'Buzzle' is going cheap. :)

And then there's the prices. I've seen some ask for $220 for two years. That's just information superhighway robbery. The cost of renewing a '.com.au' registration for two years is $125 + GST ($137.50). If you are an authorised reseller you get a small cut ($25 I believe).

And you'll get a free '.biz' domain! Or '.info'. Seriously, how many '.biz' or '.info' domains come to mind? Ok, so it's new, but how many '.au.com' domains come to mind either and they've been floggin them for years? Or '.tv', remember them? Mind you, people talked this way about the internet only a few years ago. To quote Homer Simpson: "The internet! Is that thing still around?".

Don't fall victim to the cyber charlatans. Be assured, if you registered your domain with Byte Services we will notify you in a timely fashion when your domain is up for renewal and, with your permission, renew your registration for cost price (currently $137.50).

On second thoughts I think I might register the high level domain '.CON'. At least that is more honest. Expect a registration form soon :).

Wayne Irvine