Domain Name FAQ

Why is my site no longer showing live? My account is up-to-date.

ICANN regulations stipulate that all WHOIS domain name records must contain the domain name owner's valid and up-to-date contact information. (ICANN is the official governing body in charge of the registration of .com, .org, .net, .biz and .info domain names.)

In order to proactively ensure compliance, ICANN sent you a registration verification email. However, because your registrant email contact information is no longer valid, you didn't receive that email.

Failure to respond has resulted in the suspension of the domain name.

Don't worry. You can easily get your domain name verified and "live" on the Web again.

Note: The process requires information from the "SBI! Mail" email that was sent to you after you registered your domain name. (Your domain name management login is not the same login as your SBI! account.)

IMPORTANT NOTE: If your domain was registered before August 30, 2015, your password needs to be reset. The password in your SBI! MAIL email will no longer work. You can reset your password here...

https://manage.opensrs.net/index.cgi?action=reset_password_request

If you deleted or misplaced the "SBI! Mail" email, please contact the Support Team (include your domain name) at...

https://support.sitesell.com/contact-support.html

Ready to begin? Please follow these steps carefully and all will go smoothly...

1. Go to...

   https://build.sitesell.com/manage.html

   Log into the domain name management screen with your domain name. Do not add "www." before the domain name itself.

2. Enter the username and password from the email with the subject "SBI! Mail." (Please review its "P.S." to ensure that you use the correct format.)

3. Click on the Organization link.

4. Make the necessary adjustments to your contact information.

   IMPORTANT NOTE: Do not use your domain name's Webmail address, as the mail will not be received while the domain name is suspended.

5. Scroll to the bottom of the page if you also wish to update...

   • Admin Contact

   • Billing Contact

   If you wish to apply the same changes to the Admin and/or Billing Contact, check the corresponding checkboxes.

   Important Note:

   Do not alter the Technical Contact information. SiteSell is your Technical Contact so nothing needs to be changed.

6. Click the Save Configuration button at the bottom of the screen.

That's it! Your information is updated.

Any changes in the contact information will prompt a verification email to be sent. Please watch for the email and follow the instructions to verify your email is a valid contact. Once verified, your domain name will be unsuspended right away and you can get back to building your business!

Important Note:

Always keep your correct contact information in the WHOIS database to prevent any future suspensions.

We will periodically send you a reminder from support@sitesell.com. The subject line will be "WHOIS Data Confirmation for YOURDOMAINNAME."

What are Registrant Rights and Responsibilities?

To help you understand your rights and responsibilities when it comes to your domain name(s), click here to read the outline provided by ICANN (Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers).

Why does my Name Park It! (NPI!) domain name redirect to the SiteSell.com home page?

The default destination for all new Name Park It! (NPI!) domain names is to redirect to your main SBI! site. However, if you either purchased your NPI! before you registered a domain name, or you are not an SBI! member, then it will be redirected to the SiteSell.com home page.

Your affiliate link (RR URL) is automatically added to the URL, so that if any visitor purchases a product from SiteSell after visiting your NPI! redirect, you will be credited with the purchase.

The process for changing the redirect destination of your NPI! domain name is easy...

Part 1

If you are an SBIer, you have two options for this part of the process...

Option #1) Log into Site Central and click the link to the SiteSell Affiliate Club in the upper right corner. Scroll down to the bottom of your SiteSell Affiliate Home Page and click the link to "Domain Parking" in the gray box. The screen titled Manage Domain Names will open.

Option #2) Scroll down to the SBI! BusinessCenter in Site Central and click the Name Park It! button. This will bring you to the same screen as above.

If you are not an SBIer...

Log into your Affiliate Club and scroll down to the bottom of your SiteSell Affiliate Home Page and click the link to "Domain Parking" in the gray box. This will bring you to a screen titled Manage Domain Names.

Part 2

The section is the same for both SBIers and non-SBIers...

Step 1 -- After you reach the Name Park It! management screen, you will see another drop-down menu listing all of your parked domain names.

Step 2 -- Select the domain name for which you wish to change the redirect.

Step 3 -- Click on Manage Parked Domain.

Step 4 -- Under the heading Redirect Domain Name, you will see a text box where you can change the destination for your NPI! domain name. Enter the URL of the destination that you want it to go to and then click on the Redirect button to save the changes.

I received an email from SiteSell asking me to update my WHOIS data. Do I have to do anything?

It is important that you keep your contact information, especially your email address, current and correct in the WHOIS database. Not only are you legally obliged to do so, this type of monitoring will protect you should you ever misplace your login information.

We will, therefore, periodically send you an email to remind you to update your contact information in the WHOIS database. The email is sent from support@sitesell.com and has the subject, "WHOIS Data Confirmation for YOURDOMAINNAME."

Please take a moment to verify the information. If any changes are required, you can make these changes either on the website of our registration service provider...

https://manage.opensrs.net

The password reset email will be sent to the current email address contact on record for your domain. If that address is no longer valid, you will not receive the reset email.

Please contact support for assistance...

https://support.sitesell.com/contact-support.html

Or use the streamlined interface on our site...

https://build.sitesell.com/manage.html

For assistance with updating your contact information, please consult the following FAQ...

https://support.sitesell.com/faq/domain_name.html#03278937

I mistakenly changed the technical contact information for my domain name and need to change it back. What is the correct information to use?

Mistakes can happen. Reversing the change is the correct thing to do as you must have a valid technical contact listed for your domain name. While the Admin and Billing Contact should be you, the technical contact should always be SiteSell.

Please change your technical contact information to the following:

First Name: SiteSell
Last Name: Support
Organization Name: SiteSell Inc.
Street Address: 1000 Saint-Jean Boulevard
Address 2: Suite 702
City: Pointe-Claire
State: QC
Country Code: Canada
Postal Code: H9R 5P1
Phone Number: +1-514-849-0828
Fax Number: +1-514-620-7713
email: support@sitesell.com

How do I update my WHOIS/registrant contact information?

Updating your registrant contact information is easy to do. You will, however, need information from the "SBI! Mail" email that was sent to you after you registered your domain name.

Please follow these steps carefully and all will go smoothly...

1. Go to...

   https://build.sitesell.com/manage.html

   Log into the domain name management screen with your domain name. Do not add "www." before the domain name itself.

2. Enter the username and password from the email with the subject "SBI! Mail." (Please review its "P.S." to ensure that you use the correct format.)

   IMPORTANT NOTE: If your domain was registered before August 30, 2015, your password needs to be reset. The password in your SBI! Mail email will no longer work. Please reset your password here...

   https://manage.opensrs.net/index.cgi?action=reset_password_request

(The password reset email will be sent to the current email address contact on record for your domain. If that address is no longer valid, you will not receive the reset email. Please contact support for assistance... https://support.sitesell.com/contact-support.html)

3. Click on the Organization link.

4. Make the necessary adjustments to your contact information.

5. Scroll to the bottom of the page if you also wish to update...

   • Admin Contact

   • Billing Contact

   If you wish to apply the same changes to the Admin and/or Billing Contact, check the corresponding checkboxes.

   Important Note...

   Please do not alter the Technical Contact information. SiteSell is your Technical Contact so nothing needs to be changed.

6. Click the Save Configuration button at the bottom of the screen.

That's it! Your information is updated and you can now get back to building your business.

If you deleted or misplaced the "SBI! Mail" email, Customer Support will be happy to re-send it. Please contact the Support Team at...

https://support.sitesell.com/contact-support.html

In the contact form, please include your domain name and your order number. Thank you in advance for adding that helpful information.

Please note...

This information will be sent to the email address that we have on file for you in our database.

If your current address is different, please update your account information before contacting Support. It's quick and easy to do.

Log into Site Central as per usual...

https://login.sitesell.com

In the upper right hand corner, click on the My Account link. On the Account Information page, simply make the change in the email address field. And then hit the Complete Modifications button. You're done!

What is my login information to manage my domain name?

The login information to manage your domain name is different from the username and password you use for Brainstorm It!, Site Central, etc.

This unique username and password was sent to you in an email titled SBI! Mail when you first registered your domain name. Please review the P.S. to ensure that you use the correct format.

If you no longer have a copy of that email, please contact the Support team at...

https://support.sitesell.com/contact-support.html

In the contact form, please include your domain name. Thank you in advance for adding that helpful information. A staff member will then resend the SBI! Mail email.

Please note...

This information will be sent to the email address that you were using at the time of your domain name registration.

If your current address is different, please update your account information before contacting Support. It's quick and easy to do.

Log into Site Central as per usual...

https://login.sitesell.com

In the upper right hand corner, click on the My Account link. On the Account Information page, simply make the change in the email address field. And then hit the Complete Modifications button. You're done!

When I try to register my domain name, it says my phone number has an improper format

When you register your domain name, the phone number field is filled out with the phone number we have on file for you. Our database accepts your phone number in a variety of formats, but the registration form has very strict formatting rules. These rules are out of our control.

The phone number has to follow this format:

+1.123456789

Note:

1. There must be a + sign at the beginning.

2. The plus sign is followed by the country code, e.g., 1 for USA and Canada, 44 for the UK, 49 for Germany, etc.

3. The country code is followed by a period.

4. There must not be any other special characters (dashes, spaces, periods, etc.) in the rest of the phone number.

If you still cannot register your domain name, please contact Support at...

https://support.sitesell.com/contact-support.html

Where do I find Forum FAQs related to this category?

Please visit the following locations...

The Right Niche for You
https://forums.sitesell.com/viewforum.php?f=1

Name Park It!
https://forums.sitesell.com/viewtopic.php?t=12074

My transfer seems to be stalled or it has failed. What do I do?

You are anxious and excited to get started with your business so a transfer delay or failure is understandably frustrating.

Your most important first step is to contact your current registrar. Please confirm that...

1. The domain name is not in a locked status.

2. The email address on file at the registrar is correct and operational (i.e., you can receive email). (When the transfer process begins, an email is sent to the email address connected to the domain name registration. If you no longer check that email address, you will not get these special instructions and your transfer will fail.)

3. Your registrar is able to transfer your domain name. (If the domain name is less than 60 days old, it cannot be transferred until the 61st day. Or if you changed the contact details within the past 60 days, the domain name cannot be transferred until the 61st day.)

Next step? Contact Support through the form available at...

https://support.sitesell.com/contact-support.html

Please provide the answers to the above questions plus this information...

Original order #:
Original domain (no longer wanted):
First Name:
Last Name:
Address:
State/Province:
Country:
Zip/Postal Code:
Phone Number (with area code):
email:

A domain name transfer is solely the responsibility of the owner of the domain name. SiteSell can only initiate the request to your current host.

However, we will try our best to help you get past any hurdles along the way so that you can get back to building your business.

What extension should I use in my domain name?

SBI! supports domain names with these extensions...

.com
.org
.net
.info
.co.uk
.org.uk
.ca

We highly recommend a .com domain name (followed closely by .net, and .org if your business is an organization or institution). This is the best choice if your business is mostly global in nature (i.e., Internet-based). 'Dot com' still remains the most recognizable and desirable domain name extension, no matter where you are in the world!

Should I use hyphens in my domain name?

Generally, you should not use dashes in your domain name. Keeping it short is important. Your greater attention should be on length and number of words in the domain name. If you minimize these two elements, you will not need any dashes.

The "ideal" domain name...

• Contains your Site Concept Keyword (2 words max).

• Contains a marketing word with pizazz.

• Has zero dashes.

• Is short (10 characters, excluding the "www." and ".com," is a good target, but is hard to achieve).

To review recommended guidelines, see this article...

https://sbitips.sitesell.com/domain-name-guidelines.html

Keep in mind that if you promote your business heavily offline, hyphens can also be problematic (i.e., you need to tell people how to spell it, people forget to use the dash(es) after reading your print ad, etc.).

Additional Note: You may want to park the dashed version of your domain name. It's a good idea to own both versions (with and without the hyphen), just to make sure that a competitor does not take names that could be confused with yours. For more information about parking domain names through Name Park It!, see...

https://help.sitesell.com/central/parking-help.html

Domain names are also a frequent discussion topic at the SBI! Forums...

https://forums.sitesell.com

Log in and scroll down to Choosing Your Perfect Domain Name (DAY 5) and see what other SBIers are suggesting.

Who can help me select the right domain name?

The selection of a domain name is a big decision. Most SBIers feel the same sense of challenge/apprehension in DAY 5 of the process. Everyone wants to pinpoint the best possible domain name -- one that pleases both human visitors and search engine algorithms.

Support cannot help you with your choice of a domain name. We have not done the necessary keyword research and we don't know your theme/site concept as well as you do. Any opinion we might have on the matter would be pure speculation at best. We do not want to lead you down the wrong road on the matter.

SBI! does offer some great resources to help you out...

If you have not already done so, please check out the SBI! Forums. The forums are a free help-and-be-helped resource where SBIers meet to learn and share new ideas, and provide advice. Please log in using your regular username and password...

https://forums.sitesell.com

You'll find a specific forum there that meets your needs. Perhaps there's one that's already discussing issues like this one. Review the posts to see if you can find such an ongoing thread.

If not, post your query under the appropriate category -- some friendly, helpful and experienced SBIer will likely chip in shortly. You will find many knowledgeable and savvy users in the forums who are willing to help. If you have a good idea, suggestion, or comment, please return the favor to the forums... help someone else out.

You can also check out SiteSell Professionals...

SiteSell Professionals is where you get personalized one-to-one help in using SBI! to its fullest potential ... it's all about Do-It-Yourself but not "do it alone." Pros provide the guidance and instruction you need to get up and running as quickly as possible. SiteSell Professionals know SBI!, use SBI! every day. They can cut your learning time dramatically.

The SiteSell Professionals Program provides one-to-one help with consulting-type questions that are outside the scope of the internal SiteSell Support team.

https://pros.sitesell.com

Forums... Pros. There's a level of consultation for your business-related question.

How do I renew my domain name?

Automatic domain name renewal is included as part of your SBI! subscription. Always ignore official-looking renewal notices (arriving via email or regular mail), from Netsol/Verisign, Domain Registry of Canada/America, and any others that you may receive.

An SBI! subscription renewal fee is USD$379 per year or USD$39 per month. The renewal process is summarized at...

https://sbitips.sitesell.com/early-renewal.html

Not sure when your SBI! subscription expires? Refresh your memory at Site Central. Log in as usual...

https://login.sitesell.com

In the upper right-hand corner of Site Central, click on the My Account/SBI! Renewal link. All your account information, including your SBI! expiry date, is at your fingertips!

Ken provides additional information about the renewal process in this post at the SBI! Forums...

https://forums.sitesell.com/viewtopic.php?p=7847#7847

(Log into the Forums with your regular SBI! username and password.)

Why am I receiving a domain name renewal notice from another company?

Please do not respond to renewal notices from other companies. Even though the letters "look" legitimate, please consider these sales letters as postal spam. Ken includes a heads-up warning in every issue of SBIX and we also have an article about this in the Tips and Techniques HQ...

https://sbitips.sitesell.com/dont-be-scammed.html

If you mistakenly responded to this scam, notify your bank and cancel the check immediately.

Is domain name parking available?

"Parking a domain name" means purchasing a domain name without the immediate intention to use it to build a site. SiteSell provides this service through Name Park It!.

Please review this important help page for all you need to know about Name Park It!...

https://help.sitesell.com/central/parking-help.html

When you're ready to order and register, log in to SBI! as usual...

https://login.sitesell.com

... and then scroll down to the Affiliate Program Home > Promo Tools list in the gray box at the bottom of the page and click the link to "Domain Parking."

Or, if you have access to Site Central, go to the BusinessCenter and click on the Name Park It! button.

Why can't I register my domain name?

Let's rule out potential speed bumps in the registration process...

1. The registration page will tell you if the domain name is available.

2. Ensure that your order number is correct by double-checking your order confirmation email (Subject line=Get Ready For SBI!).

3. Make sure that there are no extra spaces preceding or following the order number entry.

4. When you enter your domain name where requested, do not include www -- just the extension such as .com or .net or .org (e.g., paintingsolutions.com).

Now, please try again by following these steps...

Step 1) Go to...

https://sbiapps.sitesell.com/domains/register

Step 2) Enter your domain name in the browser window and click on the Set Me Up button.

Step 3) Agree to the hosting agreement and then click on Register My Domain Name.

Step 4) After SBI! confirms your registration, the system will send you two automated emails -- the Subject lines are "SBI! Is Ready for You!" and "SBI! Mail."

If your registration still fails, please contact Support at...

https://support.sitesell.com/contact-support.html

Send the exact domain name you wish to register and indicate whether this is a new domain name or a transfer of an existing domain name. Also include your order number.

We'll get you back to building your business as quickly as possible.

Can I transfer a domain name that I already own to Solo Build It! (SBI!)?

Yes, you can transfer an existing domain name. However, we highly recommend that you carefully consider Ken's sound advice before you make your final decision. A domain name transfer is not recommended for most people because...

1. When you brainstorm, you may very well find a more profitable domain name. We know. We see it happen all the time. If you choose the wrong domain name and want to change, there is a charge to do this.

2. Your existing domain name may not be the perfect one for your new site. If you already know the theme of your site, ask yourself if your domain name reflects that theme well. And does it contain your most important keyword? If your answer is no to either of these questions, you'll be better off registering a new domain name.

3. Transfers often entail tons of practical problems, all of them beyond our control, which cause a great deal of frustration and delays for you. For example...

   1. your registrar -- some are easier to deal with than others

   2. the security system -- you wouldn't want someone else to be able to transfer your domain name to them, would you? Security protocols can put all kinds of steps into the process that make it tricky and difficult. So it could take up to 5 days to transfer a domain name if everything is in order, and much longer if things are not.

If you are still sure that you would like to transfer in your domain name, please do some important verifications for your domain name to make sure that your transfer will proceed without a hitch...

1. Go to the WHOIS Look-up Tool of our registrar partner...

   https://tucowsdomains.com/whois-search/

   Enter your domain name (without www.) and click Lookup. Then enter the graphic challenge on the next page.

2. Scroll down on the page with your WHOIS Information to find the domain name status. The status should be either "ok" or "active." If the status is "locked," "clientTransferProhibited," "clientUpdateProhibited," "clientHold," or a combination of those, your domain name is locked with your current registrar. Contact your current registrar to have your domain name unlocked.

   It is important that the WHOIS tool at our registrars shows that the domain name is unlocked. A status change will take 24-48 to be propagated to all WHOIS servers. It is not sufficient that your current registrar confirms that the domain name is unlocked.

3. Find the Administrative Contact in your WHOIS record. Pay special attention to the email address. Is it your own email address? Is it still valid? Is your information hidden because you are using Domain Name Privacy?

   The email address of the Administrative Contact is where our registrar will send a confirmation email. You must be able to receive email at that address, or the transfer will fail. Domain name privacy must also be disabled. If the Administrative email address is incorrect or domain name privacy is enabled, you need to contact your current registrar to update the information.

   As with the domain name status, any changes you make with your old registrar must be shown through a WHOIS Lookup at our registrar before the transfer can be started.

   Very Important Note: If the email address is not correct, and you have to change it, you cannot transfer the domain name for 60 days from the day you change it. This is an ICANN rule and cannot be overridden. It means you will not be able to use this domain name with your SBI! site for at least 60 days.

4. When did you register your domain name with your current registrar? Has it been at least 60 days? ICANN, the official governing body for domain name registrations, stipulates that domain names cannot be transferred to a new registrar for at least 60 days. It's not a rule of individual registrars. It cannot be overridden.

   Once you confirm that the domain name is unlocked, your Administrative address is correct (and you didn't just change it), and the domain name has been registered for at least 60 days with the current registrar, you can start the transfer of your domain name here...

   https://sbiapps.sitesell.com/domains/register

   You'll need your order number from your original order confirmation.

If you need any help with the process, contact our Support Team here...

https://support.sitesell.com/contact-support.html

Keep in mind, however, that many of the steps in the transfer process are simply out of our control. If any updates need to be made to your domain name before it's transferred, you will need to contact the customer support department of your current registrar.

Can I change my domain name?

Yes, you can change your domain name. Did you want to keep your existing content? If so, you can use Move It! to move your content to a new domain name.

Important Note: Move It! works only with a domain name that has been parked with Name Park It!. If you currently have a domain name with another registrar, contact Support to help move the domain name to Name Park It!.

If you want to start over completely with a new domain name and fresh content (you do not want to use your existing content), please contact support and we'll get you started...

https://support.sitesell.com/contact-support.html

Ready to move to your new domain name? Here's how to do that...

• Log into Site Central

• Scroll down to BusinessCenter and click to go to Name Park It!.

• Purchase a Name Park It! subscription and register your new domain name.

• It will take 20-30 minutes for your newly registered domain name to be available in Move It!. After that time...

• Return to Site Central and scroll down to the BusinessCenter and select Move It!.

• Review the Warning that presents and click to read about the tasks that you must do, and the ones that Move It! does for you. Once you've done that, return and click the link to start your move.

Follow these steps to complete the move to your new domain name...

Step 1: Choose Your Site's New Domain Name
A menu will appear, listing every domain name that you have parked in Name Park It!. Select the domain name you want to move your site to.

Step 2: Choose Move Type
Select the 301 option. The 301 option lets you keep the link juice from inbound links to the old domain name. Links to each page of your site are permanently redirected to the same page of your "new" site.

Step 3: Move It!
Review the information. Carefully check that both the parked domain name and the "old" name are the ones you want to use.

Once you're ready, click on the Move It! button. This will open an overlay window. Before you can complete the move, read all of the text in the overlay (this is your final chance to find any mistakes). Read the text in red.

Add a check to the box next to the red text. Adding the check activates the Complete Move button.

Click on the Complete Move button.

You'll see a success message. Congratulations! Your site is moved!

If you see an error message, it's likely that you used the parked domain name before as the name for an SBI! site. If you see that message, contact Support and let them know you want to use the parked domain name in Move It!. They'll get things working for you...

https://support.sitesell.com/contact-support.html

How many domain names can I register with my SBI!?

Each SBI! subscription includes one domain name and everything needed to plan, build, and manage your SBI! website... and your subscription includes web hosting, too!

Each additional site requires a separate order. The annual subscription starts on the date of purchase so each of your orders would have a unique renewal date.

When you are ready to register your second domain name (after having completed your keyword research at Brainstorm It!), follow the domain name registration instructions in DAY 5.

This will automatically add your newest domain name to SBI!'s domain name drop-down menu. The next time you log into SBI!, you will be asked which domain name you wish to work on during this session. Fast and easy access to both!

Can I use my SBI! domain name on another server?

The domain name that you registered belongs to you so you can move the domain name to any server. However, if you choose to do that, you can no longer use the SBI! system (and its traffic-building tools) for that domain name.

If SBI! could possibly do what it does so well and let you host your domain name at another Web host, it would be our greatest pleasure. However, there are 80+ sub-modules in SBI! that make it as integrated and effective as it is. SBI! simply cannot work with domain names registered at other companies.

If you still wish to transfer your domain name, please follow these steps...

1. Know your SBI! Mail username and password. Not sure if you remember correctly? This information is in the email you received after you registered your domain name (Subject= SBI! Mail).

2. Go to...

   https://build.sitesell.com/manage.html

   ... and follow the instructions outlined there to transfer your domain name.

   If you didn't save your SBI! Mail email, no problem. Ask Support to resend it...

   https://support.sitesell.com/contact-support.html

   With your request, please include your order number and domain name.

Thank you in advance for this helpful information.

What happens to my renewal if I transfer an existing domain name to Solo Build It! (SBI!)?

When you transfer an existing domain name to SBI!, that domain name is automatically renewed for 1 year. For example...

If someone had 9 months left on their domain name before transferring it to SBI!, she or he would have an additional 12 months added to it once the transfer is completed.

This ensures that the domain name will never expire before your SBI! annual subscription is up.