When searching for the right Registrar to register your domain names, you’ll have several things to consider: value, security, service, convenience, and stability.
Value – There’s no reason to pay more for the same services, but at the same time, that doesn’t always mean you should go for the cheapest price. You can measure the value of the Registrar’s service by knowing what you get in exchange for your money. You could probably find an extremely cheap Registrar, but they may not offer the convenience of a good hosting package, excellent customer service, or the security that a more established Registrar could offer.
Security – Your Registrar should have password security to restrict access to your domain account. Your Registrar should have a reputation of diligently restricting access to your account based upon defined rules, including handling of phone calls from people you purport to be you. Your Registrar should have a screening system that is either systematic or involves human review of account transactions to catch unusual activity within your account. The bottom line is that your domain’s safekeeping relies on the Registrar’s ability to keep your information secure.
Service – The best way to gauge the quality of a Registrar’s customer service is to call them. Find out if anyone actually exists on the other side of that phone number and see how they handle your questions and concerns. A good Registrar will, at a minimum, answer their phones during normal office hours, if not 24/7.
Convenience – Find out how easy it will be for you to change information on your account (without compromising the security of your domain). Also see if the Registrar has a user control panel demo available that you could check out. Also, you may want to see what other services (such as web hosting, email, and/or website promotion services) the Registrar offers and how competitive their prices are. It’s almost always more convenient to bundle services from a single company.
Stability – Do your research on the Registrar before registering your name. Find out how long they’ve been in business and check out reviews from current customers online. If you don’t see the Registrar as a stable, secure company with a successful past and a future, you’re better off not doing business with them. Buying a domain name is a long-term commitment and you don’t want to lose your name because the Registrar went out of business.