Power Sellers Unite

beckysthisnthat · Joined: 02 Mar 2005 Posts: 1577 Location: Texas

I just in the last couple of weeks set up an online store with GoDaddy to see how easy it is to use. It is simple! It's an WYSIWYG program. One major flaw. I hvae to put my name, address and phone number on the front page or it won't go any further. Now I don't mind my customers knowing how to contact me, but I want to be in control of it.

I have a deluge of calls from people wanting me to enlist their services to develop my store. I know they can go through Whois to get that info, but am pretty sure they probably just got it right there in their face on the front page.

How did they know I even set it up? What are the chances they correctly typed in my web address at random? Is there some kind of list that is published when someone buys a domain name? Can you tell I'm ticked off?

I called GoDaddy and they were no help at all. They said that it is the law that my address and phone number is right there. Is that true?

mojavelyn · Posted: Wed Apr 05, 2006 1:53 pm Post subject:

Becky, I'm not an expert, but look at all the websites out there and see how many have contact info exposed like that?

You contact info in a linked page, yes, but on the front? no.

beckysthisnthat · Joined: 02 Mar 2005 Posts: 1577 Location: Texas

That's what I thought, too. This is a store, though, so didn't know. I have a website that isn't set up for a store. I am really angry at GoDaddy's lack of concern and misinformation. I have always liked GD, but this time they dropped the ball. The phone number is a cell phone, so that's why I'm so upset about this. All I can do at this point is wait until the month runs out.

I thought about making up a fake phone number, but then some poor soul would be receiving a bunch of calls, so can't do that.

LeeLeeBlue · Joined: 30 Nov 2005 Posts: 775

If you want to make up a fake number, just look through your phone book to find the exchanges for your area code (usually in the first few pages) then use one that's not there with your area code. It'll just ring through as a "We're sorry, your call cannot be completed as dialed."

beckysthisnthat · Joined: 02 Mar 2005 Posts: 1577 Location: Texas

Thanks. My phone number is now 111-111-1111 and my address is 1000 Noplace in Noplace, Ca. 11111 :twisted: At least the software isn't too smart! It will not, however, allow me to leave it all blank. I am very disappointed.

knappschiles · Joined: 25 May 2005 Posts: 4035 Location: Wi

You are lucky the softwate isn't too smart.

I've tried putting in numbers off the top of my head on some sites and it will match the state and know the zip isn't right.

I don't think that GD is telling the truth about the contact info either as I've had a site for years (tho I just bought a domain name for it recently). I have a contact email and if they look hard enough they can find my phone and address in a list of things on my site. But I don't have that contact info "out there" in the open on the front page. Of course I'm hosting with Netfirms which is out of Canada rather than the US. But I don't think that would make a diff.

Carol

howrude · Joined: 27 Mar 2006 Posts: 90

Alas, GD frustrates me to no end. Their Site Builder is out of whack. The domains are cheap but it's a waste of time when you have to pay extra to get some good templates. I'm seriously considering abandoning them and going to Yahoo for hosting....