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WhoisGuard Privacy Protection is now free

namecheap.com

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Re: WhoisGuard Privacy Protection is now free

#121

Post by alphaoide »

tcd wrote: post #20
tradesmanhelix wrote: post #17

I just renewed a domain with Namecheap and, based on the price they're now charging, pretty sure the cost of this “free” whois privacy protection is now just built into the cost of their products. Not impressed. Edit: spelling

Jan 23rd 2018: $10.87 for .com and $0.99 for whoisguard ($11.86 total) 29th May 2018: $10.98 (+0.11) for .com and 0.18 ICANN'T fee ($11.16 total). So it's $0.71 cheaper without whoisguard. So that margin (increase in .com) probably covers the actual whoisguard cost, the $1 fee was pretty much pure profit.

Are those new registrations or renewals?

For my same .com:

2017 New registration $10.69

2018 Renewal $12.98

Re: WhoisGuard Privacy Protection is now free

#122

Post by hartator »

weinzierl wrote: post #120
hartator wrote: post #117

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's also worth noting .de don't allow foreigners to own their domains, in opposition of most other nation tdls. I won't considered them as an example.

That‘s interesting, I didn‘t know that. Fully agree that they are not a good example. My last paragraph was to explain how pointless this privacy theater is anyway, considering that every website owner is required to give out much more info in the imprint.

Yes, you need to submit German driver license, German utility bills, and things in the like. We were working on localizing one French website to a German version, and just ended using .eu as the German site.

Re: WhoisGuard Privacy Protection is now free

#123

Post by joering2 »

ted0 wrote: post #41
joering2 wrote: post #36

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Their table to see how they stand up against competitors is hilarious! So many free privacy providers since ever like Dreamhost, Namesilo, BrandShelter, Marcaria (some TLDs), but yet you look at that table and you think "wow they are the only one". I take it as a deceiving advertising.

GoDaddy still charges more than 2X what we used to charge for WhoisGuard. We have always given away WhoisGuard for the first year of registration and have always been transparent about the renewal charge. However, now it is 100% free. No deception here. Teddy from Namecheap

Teddy if you want to be transparent AND fair at the same time, add Dreamhost and Namesilo to your comparison table.

I will be checking and awaiting for update on your website, but I won't hold my breath honestly.

Re: WhoisGuard Privacy Protection is now free

#124

Post by joering2 »

pwned1 wrote: post #85
ted0 wrote: post #41

Earlier quoted context omitted.

GoDaddy still charges more than 2X what we used to charge for WhoisGuard. We have always given away WhoisGuard for the first year of registration and have always been transparent about the renewal charge. However, now it is 100% free. No deception here. Teddy from Namecheap

I moved everything to namecheap after they supported the EFF during the SOPA days. Then namecheap decided to get in the censorship business along with cloudflare. All my domains came off namecheap.

+1

Re: WhoisGuard Privacy Protection is now free

#125

Post by tombrossman »

zimbatm wrote: post #23

Notice how they don't compare against Gandi which provided the same service for free for a long time already. https://wiki.gandi.net/en/domains/private-registration

They don't mention Gandi because that would be a marketing disaster. Gandi do no advertising, no affiliate/referral links, or anything else shady.

You might pay slightly more, but I believe Gandi operate a significantly better service, catering to shrewd users (I don't work there or have any financial interest in the matter, just a happy customer).

In fairness, Namecheap seem like a pretty decent second-choice, and most of my ire is reserved for all the 'baby's first domain name' bottom feeders out there.

Re: WhoisGuard Privacy Protection is now free

#126

Post by joering2 »

NamecheapCEO wrote: post #67
joering2 wrote: post #36

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Their table to see how they stand up against competitors is hilarious! So many free privacy providers since ever like Dreamhost, Namesilo, BrandShelter, Marcaria (some TLDs), but yet you look at that table and you think "wow they are the only one". I take it as a deceiving advertising.

So you get to choose who we perceive as our competitors now? We have a different view of them that doesn't match with yours. That's ok.

> So you get to choose who we perceive as our competitors now?

No, I don't as I am not Namecheap employee. I don't work or approve off companies that serve US-based clientele, but constantly outsource their customer support to Eastern-block countries and hire people that barely speak English. I think its anti-american frankly speaking, but I don't think you are American citizen anyways so this doesn't apply.

But I do chose who competes for my dollars, so its unfair to show me competitors that you know don't have certain features, while you purposely avoiding those who do have those features. Unless you so out of touch with supposedly your market (anyone can create HN account with "CEO" in it) that you are not aware Dreamhost and Namesilo are offering these services for FREE for many years by now.

And if you really happen to be a Namecheap CEO (highly doubt and scary to think a CEO has time to post on HN) then I'm glad you posted this, as you are only reassuring me in my decision to move out all my domains long time ago.

Re: WhoisGuard Privacy Protection is now free

#127

Post by joering2 »

lloyddobbler wrote: post #87
NamecheapCEO wrote: post #67

Earlier quoted context omitted.

So you get to choose who we perceive as our competitors now? We have a different view of them that doesn't match with yours. That's ok.

I'm finding myself upvoting a lot of your comments on this thread. (Perhaps that's why I'm a customer - moved most of my domains from name.com over the past year). That and your attention to social media marketing/community management = you're my kind of company.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stockholm_syndrome

Re: WhoisGuard Privacy Protection is now free

#129

Post by lloyddobbler »

joering2 wrote: post #127
lloyddobbler wrote: post #87

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm finding myself upvoting a lot of your comments on this thread. (Perhaps that's why I'm a customer - moved most of my domains from name.com over the past year). That and your attention to social media marketing/community management = you're my kind of company.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stockholm_syndrome

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/rediscovering-love/2...

Re: WhoisGuard Privacy Protection is now free

#130

Post by weinzierl »

hartator wrote: post #122
weinzierl wrote: post #120

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That‘s interesting, I didn‘t know that. Fully agree that they are not a good example. My last paragraph was to explain how pointless this privacy theater is anyway, considering that every website owner is required to give out much more info in the imprint.

Yes, you need to submit German driver license, German utility bills, and things in the like. We were working on localizing one French website to a German version, and just ended using .eu as the German site.

This makes me sad. I don‘t think I had ever had to do this but I always used a German postal address and German bank account. Also my last .de domain registration is a few years ago, so maybe they handle this stricter now.

Anyway, if you have any questions regarding domain registration in Germany or which registrars worked well for me, feel free to contact me, my details are in my profile.

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