Why I don’t like to do business with GoDaddy
by November 17th, 2008 Heather GreerOk–this post will probably be controversial, but so be it. Some of you are probably aware that I do not like dealing with GoDaddy. In fact, if you have a web site hosted on their service and want me to do any work on it–it has to be moved off to another hosting provider. The only thing that I handle at all through them is domain registration–but only on a case-by-case basis to serve my clients.
You might be thinking–”what has she got against GoDaddy?”
Here are the chief reasons I have for my opinion about their services:
- Inappropriate Advertising – You’ve seen it–they’ve made commercials that get a lot of attention, but are inappropriate in their content. Too much sex, not enough security.
- Poor Customer Service – It’s probably not true in every case, but I’ve heard that those who do have hosting with GoDaddy are often not pleased with the level of customer service they receive. You see, the company is so big, it’s really hard to get the information you need when a problem arises.
- Busy, Busy Pages – For the few domains that I do happen to have over there, the pages that I have to look at in order to adminster those domains are so busy it makes your head spin. Look here, look there, look everywhere at once! Give me a simple, clean, easy-to-read page anytime and I’ll gladly go there instead.
There you have it–why I don’t like to do business with GoDaddy.
What are your thoughts? Do you have an account there? What has been your experience?
November 18th, 2008 at 9:46 am
I’ve used nothing but NameSecure.com as a registrar for that past 10 years. I use ASmallOrange.com as my host.
November 23rd, 2008 at 12:58 pm
I feel the very same way about GoDaddy – and have a few clients who rely on it. I much prefer Dreamhost at this point
December 2nd, 2008 at 6:58 pm
WHAT!? Making me do math to post a comment? I thought I left that back at school! LOL….jokes aside, just found your blog through your site through your Twitter page when you followed me – good to connect with fellow Greenvillian web designers!
1) Agreed. However, I only do business with them through my own reseller’s account which has none of their advertising whatsoever, so it eliminates that problem entirely.
2) I’ve called them probably close to 20 times since I began using them, and every problem I had with only 2 exceptions were handled quickly and effectively. Also my experience was that their reps were very friendly and accommodating. As with all customer service departments, though, everyone is going to have their own experiences…
3) Yes, bugs me, too. Again, however, if you’re a reseller you can eliminate certain offers and services so it cuts down on the upsells a fair amount.
December 30th, 2008 at 4:41 pm
So I know you wrote this like a month ago but I had to chime in and agree! I’m moving my domains away from Godaddy because I can’t stand their interface. I’ve never touched their hosting and wouldn’t with a 10 foot pole! I will say that I have had to call tech support and they weren’t half bad.
December 30th, 2008 at 7:00 pm
I have even more reasons why I don’t like to use GoDaddy.
1. The advertising is so inappropriate enough that I have had clients apologize to me for having to go to the site to administer their domain name.
2. Poor customer service – this one I have not run into yet.
3. Busy, busy pages – it gives me a headache to try to navigate through their pages to be able to do something. It takes me 3 times longer than it should.
4. Spawning windows – I do not see the reasoning behind all the windows that open when I click to manage a domain, then another one to manage the DNS, look at what e-mail accounts that may have been set up, etc. I then logout, logout, logout and still am not logged out.
5. Sometimes I have to enter the user ID/password several times before it takes, and the login is in a different place on different windows.
6. The menus change everytime you navigate from one page to the next.
7. Clients don’t understand when I charge them more than $8.99 per year for their domain name because my time to navigate the Godaddy monster is added onto the cost.
8. They try to force you into using their form processor on their hosting.
I only have to deal with GoDaddy when a client has already purchased a domain or hosting with them. I prefer my regular registrar and usually end up transferring the domain out of Godaddy.
December 30th, 2008 at 7:09 pm
I, for one, Do like GoDaddy, as a matter of fact just renewed one of the 7 domains I have with them, for the 6th time.
I also use namebargain for my other 4 domains and have had nothing but good service from either in the almost ten years I have used either or both of these registrars.
It might just be luck on my part but these are the two I recommend when someone asks who to register a domain with.
I am sorry, however, that you and others have had bad experiences with GoDaddy and wish you all the best of success with whichever registrar you are happy with and success to all of us in 2009, Happy New Year!
I follow you on twitter, this is where I saw the post about your web page.
jantallent on twitter