What is a Domain Registrar?
A domain registrar is a party which sells domain names and is responsible for handling everything about domain names. It plays an important role when it comes to any domain names transactions, namely registration, renewal and transfer. A domain registrar is responsible for submitting a domain name registration to a domain registry, and to ensure the successful domain name registration by an individual or a company.
Every website comes with a domain name. Therefore, starting a new website requires registering a domain name, and a domain registrar facilitates this essential process. Read more about what is a domain name and how it works here.
What Does a Domain Registrar Do?
As mentioned above, a domain registrar helps to update the domain name record managed by a domain registry. Every domain name has its corresponding registration data to keep track of who the owner is, and this data is stored in a database. A domain registry maintains the infrastructure for the database, and a domain registrar is charged with the task of updating the registry’s database on all domain name registrations, renewals and transfers.
When a user registers for a domain name, the domain registrar has to handle the process of creating or updating the info in the database of a domain registry. As part of the process, it is also required to provide all the tools for a user to perform any domain name related actions, such as searching for a domain name, availability of the domain name, renewal or transfer and also the financial transaction with the user, as well as to help users to maintain their domain name subscription over time.
A domain registrar usually allows users to do annual renewal of domain names and encourages them to register multi-year subscription for the domain names. A domain registrar also offers back end dashboard for users to perform management actions for their domain names. They can get an update on the status of their domain names, perform renewals, check billing and make configurations such as email reminders in the dashboard.
In summary, a domain registrar plays a vital role in the process of registering, renewing or transferring domain names. The experience of dealing with a reputable one and a lousy one can vary a lot and it is recommended to always choose a reputable domain registrar. Be sure to look out for the qualities below for a reliable and trustworthy domain registrar.
The Qualities of a Reliable and Trustworthy Domain Registrar
ICANN Accredited
An important factor to consider when you are registering a domain name is to make sure the domain registrar is ICANN accredited. ICANN stands for the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers, and it is the organisation in charge of regulating the domain name industry. Having this qualification is equivalent to being certified by ICANN to perform everything related to domain names transactions. An ICANN accredited domain registrar has to abide by ICANN’s prescribed rules and regulations to protect domain name buyers’ best interests. ICANN accredited is a sign of a trustworthy domain registrar.
Transparent Pricing Structure
Another factor to look out for is the pricing of the domain registrar. A quality and trustworthy domain registrar is transparent about the registration price, the transfer price and the annual renewal fee upfront. Most domain registrars will advertise a cheap first year registration price for their domain names, however users should check to be sure that they are also transparent about the transfer fee and annual renewal fee as well. A reliable and trustworthy domain registrar does not charge any hidden fees that is deliberately made unknown to users. It made sure that users are well-informed about the pricing structure before registering a domain name with them.
Full Domain Control
The next factor to look out for in a reliable and trusted domain registrar is that it allows users full control of their domains. As mentioned above in what does a domain registrar do, it usually provides users with a control panel that can let them perform management of their domains. They can easily and freely execute transactions for their domains such as renewal, transfer, forwarding, billing or any technical functions through the control panel. A good sign of a reliable and trustworthy domain registrar is it offers this benefit to its customers, giving them full domain control.
Quick and Reliable Customer Support
In addition, another factor to look out for in a reliable and trustworthy domain registrar is that it provides a strong customer support service. It ensures that support is easily available, quick and reliable. It also makes sure support can be reached through many different channels, such as live chat, email or social media, allowing customers to enjoy an easy and pleasant customer support experience anywhere online. A reliable and friendly support team is in place to help solve any issues that might arise from their domain names. One way to distinguish a reliable and trustworthy domain registrar is to go through its customer support experience to confirm it meets all the requirements above.
Extra Value-added Services
Last but not least, another factor to be considered as a reliable and trustworthy domain registrar is to look at the extra value-added services it offers. Most of the reputable ones will usually offer these services to enhance their customers’ satisfaction. Some services that they offer include domain name privacy, security monitoring, expiry reminders, auto-renewals, email addresses, multi-year purchase option and more. A reliable and trustworthy domain registrar is serious in serving their customers and will almost always offer extra value-added services for free or at a minimal cost.
Conclusion
A domain registrar plays a crucial role in the process of registering, transferring or renewing domain names. Therefore, it is important to choose a reliable, reputable and trustworthy domain registrar. The customer experience can vary hugely, depending on their reputation and experience in the industry. To enjoy a great customer experience, make sure to select only a domain registrar that is ICANN accredited, has a transparent pricing structure, offers full domain control, has a quick and reliable customer support and offers extra value-added services.
In case you don’t know, WebNIC is a trusted domain registrar with more than 20 years of experience in the domain wholesale and reseller service. We are confident that we meet these qualities and we are also regarded as a reliable and trustworthy domain registrar in the industry. We offer a wide range of domains and are looking for more partners to join us as a domain reseller. Are you interested in joining us? Let us assist you in growing your domain business!
About WebNIC
WebNIC is an accredited registrar for ICANN, and various countries including Asia, Europe, America, Australasia, and Africa. With offices in Singapore, Malaysia, Korea, Indonesia and Taiwan, we serve 4,500+ active resellers over 70 countries. To join us and become a reseller, live chat with us or email us at [email protected].