Blogging Along

Ok looks like no rush to call me back so I called normal support and got a bit of script from them and did a bit of tweeting to prompt someone higher than first line support into calling me.

I called support back and requested the card be removed and that I had a refund for the 2 domains I didn’t want renewing. Put on hold came back and was told.

That is all done now for you Sir, card removed, and refund actioned!

What if I make another payment with a card? It will be entered in your account as the master card for any services due for renewal. hmmm not good and I know you can go in and cancel the auto renewal for domains but that removes the reminders to say your domain is soon due for renewal in 60 days / 45 days / 30 days and so on right down to a day which is GREAT!

Got a call from 123-REG not sure how high up this guy was but he listened and almost agreed with somethings.

I just told him to revert back to how it use to be. Not saving card details and maybe have a box that you have to tick as an agreement if you wish you card to be stored – don’t tick it it doesn’t store it.

Hopefully we  should see a PR and emails been sent out  saying it’s now back to how it was. Also I hope the developer team will add a tick box for YOUR choice to add card details and not to do it automatically when buying services from them.

Thanks for your call back and help today 123-REG, lets see if you can gain customers and customer convidence before Christmas and not loose it and really put you foot in it guys!

Do 123-reg send out client gifts at Christmas does anyone know? ;o)

Well, first of all 123-reg now have their own category on my blog. It’s not a good thing  but is to reflect how pissed off I am tonight!
About 10 days ago I noticed all my details filled out at checkout stage when I went to reg a domain at 123-reg+ (not because of my browser setting as I have that disabled) So I thought Strange carried on, paid for the domains and looked at my account payment details which should have been blank.

123-REG had only added my debit card details to my account from my last visit a few days earlier and then saved them to auto renew and pay for any domains/hosting/servers coming up for renewal.

NOT A HAPPY BUNNY PEOPLE

I called them up and asked why my card details had been copied and added to my account? I was told “You MUST have gone in added your details yourself and saved it.” That people is absolute nonsense, but hey ok I said “Remove them and this had better not be an on going thing or to be repeated if you don’t mind”

Tonight I gets an email invoice from 123-REG “Domain renewals and Please note that this invoice has been paid. Please do not post a cheque.”

Shot over to my account and AGAIN the prats had harvested my card details and added them to my account to auto renew any domains/hosting/servers coming up for renewal. Which their was and took money from my account without my consent.

THEFT that’s called I think, correct me if I’m wrong!

I will see what they have to say tomorrow when I hopefully get a call back.

To happen once is not on but twice in less than 2 weeks and to also take money using my card without my consent is boarderline me calling my solicitor.

Question to 123-reg if they do read this and one that I will ask tomorrow.

What if the card I used last when you copied the details wasn’t mine, maybe a friend wanted a domain and I offered to use my account to buy  it through?

Web development is a big chunk of our revenue and are finding that clients havn’t the time or getting round to finishing a site in the time scale set out. This all delays payments, clogs cash flow, and work scheduling that possibly limits more work capacity.

So when we have schuduled in a job to add content or finalise a site that doesn’t happen we’ve been buying up domains and creating mini/micro sites with affiliation links from places like Affiliate Window and Google Adsense. Generic items or services are great ones to develop as they don’t usually hold any trade mark issues.

A few of them so far that we’ve built, some very simple and some a little more effort:

• Anaerobic Digester
• European Camping
• Wormery
• Anti-gravity boots
• Black Dress
• Weather Station
• 3D LCD HDTV
• Yorkshire Beds

We actually own nearly 900 domains

All developed, in development or due to be developed.  They should in time provide the revenue stream to balance out our revenue income from been mostly from web development for clients.

As mentioned in another blog this is similar to the GEO Service/product mini sites where your homing in to a niche or focused area, rather than a full on shop or every type or gadget etc.

So the long of it is, we’re using any spare time to create mini niche websites to:

1. Create a website on a domain we own so it’s not just sat there gathering dust
2. Indexing the domain in Search engines adding value to the domain if resold
3. Growing the site, again so it’s indexed but could become a possible mini site for a company in that area
4. Gaining monthly revenue from adverts like Google Adsense and Affiliate Window which will increase as it climbs the ratings
5. Producing a mini site that could be sold to a company in that area or is wanting to do business in that area
6. Creating company assets

If your finding having a few mini sites or extra exposure interesting, give us a call and see if we can help you you never know we may already have a domain/minisite already setup.

01482 240023