Cheap Domain Name Registration

Domains are essentially your address on the internet, much like an address for your house or business, except it would be like www.domainsatretail.com -- also known as an IP address. It lets you reach the exact spot of a website, without having to remember the numeric address. IP addresses look like 22.226.141.25.

The components include a top-level and a second-level. A top-level domain (TLD) is the part located to the right of the dot -- like "com". The most common TLDs are .com, .net, and .org. A second-level domain (SLD) is the section located immediately to the left of the dot and tld. So in our site, the SLD in domainsatretail.com is domainsatretail.

The browser does background work to make the domain you enter find the IP address associated to it. By doing this, it will then locate your website and load it for your visitor. A common database exists, that stores what web address points to what IP address - and this keeps everything organized and accessible on the Net.

Domains are much easier to remember, because it's a name and not a group of numbers. Think how easy it is to forget a phone number someone tells you if you haven't written it down, but you will remember there name to find them on Facebook!

Think of a nameserver as the online version of a phone book -- it keeps a directory of what domain names match what IP addresses. All nameservers broadcast their info and it all gets gathered into a central registry of all domain lookup values.

Nameservers are essentially the technical backend link to allow you to remember names, not numbers when trying to access a website.

No, if you have registered with a different registrar, you will not be able to register nameservers for it with us. It must be done through your current registrar. If you want it done by us, you will need to register with us or transfer your existing name over.

Registration's without privacy enabled will list the registrant along with their other contact information on the Whois database exactly as it has been set in your account. This is standard amongst all registrars and is regulated by ICANN (Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers). You can change the contact information whenever you want.

The only way to not have your personal information show up is to purchase domain name privacy. For more information visit our Private Registration page.

If you would like to transfer to us, please visit our Domain Transfer page, or visit the Help Center section specifically discussing transfers here.

Unfortunately, after the registration is complete, we are unable to change or edit the spelling -- we provide cheap domain name registration that registers exactly as you have entered it. Upon completion of payment, the registration completes and the process can not be reversed.

One option is to cancel the one you just purchased, and it will no longer be registered to you. Remember that cancellation does not guarantee a refund of any portion of your registration fee, and it is a permanent action. At that point you may try and register the correct spelling.

Upon expiry, a domain is not normally immediately available for re-registration. Most registrars provide a grace period for existing owners to renew. This can be from a few weeks to as long as a year, depending on the TLD extension. So a .com compared to a .ca can have a different grace period at the same registrar (other registrars can have a completely different schedule). During the grace period you will pay just the renewal fee.

If the grace period has completed, normally a redemption period exists where you can still renew before it is released to the public -- however a redemption fee will be charged in addition to the normal renewal fee. This can last from weeks to 30 days normally. Once both the grace and redemption timeframes pass by, the registrar may choose to auction off the domain name in a public auction. In this case any one is free to bid and purchase the name, including the existing owner.

Once it goes through all these steps, and it still does not get picked up by a buyer, then it is released back to its registry. The registry will then determine when its free to be registered again, and once it's released for anyone to grab, you can come to our site and register the cheap domain name.

Of course. You can purchase your domain and hosting at the same time, or whenever you are ready to have your site running. This allows you to secure your cheap domain name registration, which will be ready for you when you find a hosting provider to go with. At Domains at Retail, we automatically park your domains so people who type in the address will see a temporary page. This will display to visitors that you have reserved the site and it's not available for anyone to register.

Thinking of grabbing more than one name is proactive thinking, and the right idea. With picking up multiple cheap domains, you are protecting your brand name, creating a dynamic online identity that is great for building your business. Multiple registrations mean you can:

• Prevent someone else, including competition, from getting a similar domain that may attract customers to their business instead of yours
• Have the ability to promote different products and services -- possibly with a microsite
• Create distinct advertising strategies for each name to target different markets
• Customers can have more ways to find you
• Capture common misspellings, to prevent domain squatters from profiting from your visitors who type your name incorrectly

There are numerous varieties of domain name extensions available, including:

• .com: The most well-known and extensively used extension, appropriate for all kinds of enterprise, small business and personal websites.
• .net: This extension was originally created for networking groups, but technology-related firms now frequently use it..
• .org: This extension is frequently used by nonprofit organizations, but is also common amongst personal blogs and websites.
• .info: A good fit for informational websites like news sites or directories.
• .biz: This extension is less well-known than .com and is meant for companies, but it can still be a decent option if the .com you want is already taken..
• .me: This extension is frequently used for personal websites and blogs, and it's particularly well-liked amongst creative individuals.
• .co: This extension is frequently used as a substitute when the .com is unavailable, and is appropriate for all types of businesses.

Think about the kind of website you're building and the target market when selecting an affordable domain name extension. The .com extension is typically the most reputable and well-known and is a wise choice for the majority of businesses.