I have a web design service and I am starting a special where each new client gets a free .com domain. I provide basic web hosting and the domain is only to make things easier for my clients. My question is, how and where should I register these domains? Should I go to a place like resell.biz, etc. and sign up for a reseller account (I’d rather not do this) or should I just go to enom and sign up for them? I guess what I am asking is what do other web designers do? I think offering a free domain is a great idea, but due to time and service issues, I’d rather not be a domain registrar right now.
If you intend to set things up for the client then leave them to their own devices, set them up with their own account under their own name and let them know that they are responsible for the domain renewal. If you intend to manage everything for the client, then a reseller account would be best.
I would sign them all up with namecheap. They were the cheapest registrar I could find. Different passwords for each and just keep track of all the accounts information.
I offer to take care of the domain for some client as a convenience the way you do. However, I own the domain as long as they are a paying client. Figuring out the renewal after year 1 and creating a separate account is not worth the hassle and the $10 to the client in my view. So I just buy and manage the domains in my own registrar account. I’ve found that many clients already have their domain name when going to look for a website. I
I think the better way to handle the client’s domain name is by setting up their own account under their own BUSINESS NAME, its also a way to promote the website and the business itself.
I signed up with Enom, purchased WHMCS and handled everything through there to start off with.
I however had a reseller account at that time though with Hostgator.
We now own our own servers and have 1 guy managing it and every website we do goes on them. I would advise you think this through and decide which is most profitable but also easy for you to manage.
Just register all of the domains at the cheapest place you can find. Just keep one account and register all of the domains on that account so you can keep everything in one place.
