Seems like the folks over at GoDaddy are charging their email marketing customers if they get spam complaints. Deliverability.com broke the news when they got an email with this information sent to them from a GoDaddy customer. GoDaddy will now charge customers $200 to "manage" their complaints. Even worse is that if the customer wants to then leave them and transfer their domains to another registrar they can't do it until they pay GoDaddy $75!
To cover all of their bases, it appears that if one of their customers uses an Email Service Provider outside of GoDaddy to advertise their GoDaddy-hosted site and they get complaints from one of their customer's recipients, they could be hit with a fine or other action.
Wow. Serious Email Service Providers (ESPs) like VerticalResponse usually do this as a service to customers and won't allow spammers to use their services. But let's face it, everyone gets a complaint now and then, even customers with best intentions. The difference is that serious ESPs want to help their customers learn best practices about email marketing and not turn complaints into a new revenue stream.
If you use GoDaddy to host your website be careful. And any time you're looking for a serious ESP, make sure you ask if they have a deliverability and abuse department - most serious ESPs do, looks like GoDaddy might not.
IMO, GoDaddy should stick to what they're good at, being a registrar. Leave the email marketing heavy-lifting to those who "want" to do it and help businesses grow.
Wow, I cannot believe GoDaddy is doing this! I have more than 20 domains with them and had no clue about this fee. That is an unfair business practice! Thanks to the people who shared this info!!!
Posted by: Karen | July 30, 2008 at 09:26 PM
I have used godaddy for a few email campigns and this is not the case...
Godaddy is trying to keep deliverability high for a few thousand small,small clients and they have to keep everyone honest by using this tactic. They only on rare occasion follow thru with charging the fee, and this is only for their high rate offenders of the policy.
Posted by: Rich | July 28, 2008 at 04:04 PM
Wow, this is pretty crappy. I use GoDaddy as a domain registrar, but I point it to a non-GoDaddy web hosting provider. I was getting ready to start some email marketing campaigns, but I'm not sure if my website falls under what you described in this post since I only use them as a registrar.
Posted by: Matt Huggins | July 27, 2008 at 09:28 AM
This reminds me of the ad fraud where people are paid to click on ads or bots do it. A sinister person could make false complaints against every GoDaddy client and get them charged that fee.
Posted by: RC Rhodes | July 15, 2008 at 10:32 PM
I am glad I don't use GoDaddy.com I have been with 1and1.com for YEARS and never anything like this. VR is great too! Love their service.
Posted by: Alan Dodson | July 15, 2008 at 08:18 PM
This actually doesn't surprise me any, I have always felt that godaddy.com was a little to much over charmed by themselve's.
Maybe this is all a "cover" for the real reason, Danica Patrick and the other "models" are raising their costs to godaddy?
You know the airlines might of gave them some ideas about how to raise cash.
Interesting, very interesting.
Posted by: Roy Randolph | July 15, 2008 at 02:24 PM
More reason why I have been moving my domains away from GoDaddy and onto other registrars. I fully agree with you - since when did we charge extra to handle a natural part of business. I'm just getting into the email marketing game, but I KNOW I won't be leaving my customers in Godaddy's "capable" hands. (gag).
Posted by: Isabella "Niche Lady" Murphy | July 15, 2008 at 02:06 PM
OUCH! is right. This is a real problem. I've been with Go Daddy for years now, but it may be time to start looking at other options.
This kind of thing can get out of control quickly. The worst part is, it's not widely known information.
You're doing everyone a great service for sharing this information. Thank you.
Posted by: Bill Gluth | July 15, 2008 at 01:37 PM