Registrar WHOIS Server: whois.wildwestdomains.com Registrar URL: http://www.wildwestdomains.com Registrant Email: [email protected]
Domains by Proxy (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Domains_by_Proxy) is owned by Bob Parsons (GoDaddy).
There are two things I feel leave a bad taste in my mouth.
1) People are allowed to squat on a domain indefinitely, creating no value for the domain (or society) and inhibiting others from creating value with it. By allowing private domain registration, in encourages this squatting and to me it hurts the market with an opposite effect from "free market" where instead it becomes "closed market".
2) GoDaddy seems to have a conflict of interest and charges $70 (+ commission) for their domain buy back service. In my case, all they did after I paid it was email me to tell me the seller is not interested in selling and that it is a non-refundable fee. I have called the to complain and get my $70 back as I feel like they didn't do anything that is worth $70 (and ive spent well over $1,000 in the past decade with them), but so far they won't refund me.
It seems almost fraudulent that GoDaddy can both hide a registrant's true identity and then charge money to be a middle man with them and in probably most cases they just tell you that the seller isn't interested.
What are your thoughts HN community? Does GoDaddy have a conflict of interest or a shady business practice here? Should there be a change in laws around this? What can I do?