My website has been www.redovencreations.com since I started my business back in 1990.  I was so excited to have my link to the world wide web and the endless possibilities that having a website offered me.  With my not having alot of money and Microsoft was offering free websites while they tested out the their new website program.  I happily made changes whenever I could, was esctatic when I was able to add pictures of the delicious desserts I made, I figured out how to add an order form and finally when Iwas able to add a shopping cart.  It ws turning into something awesome and people were finally going to the website to order and make selections. 

So last year I get a notice from Microsoft stating that August 2010 I would need to start paying for the domain for the nominal fee of $15/year.  This was a great deal…$15/year you can’t beat that with a stick.  When the time came to renew, I got the renewal reminder emails and two weeks before the expiration date I tried to renew but the site would always lock up (I guess I wasn’t the only one trying to renew).  So after numerous unsuccessful attempts, I thought I should try to renew at a later date.  Well folks…I forgot to renew and remembered TWO days after the renewal date.  What’s the harm in waiting two days?  The harm is there are companies out there waiting for you not to renew so that they can buy your website domain name and then charge you an arm and a leg so that you can get it back!  Yes…some company out of Australia snagged MY domain name and had the audacity to charge me $100 to get it back.  So here’s the deal…the fee was $54/year but you weren’t allowed to get if for a year only, you had to pay for TWO years, hence the $100.  So I’m supposed to go from paying nothing, to having the possibility to pay $15 to paying $100 for a domain that I had had for the past ten years.  I don’t think so.  I spent three days trying to find a way around paying that money and checking Microsofts website to see if the name became available again.  I was pissed!  I was pissed, but there was nothing that I could do about it. 

After a couple of days not being able to look up my website and not seeing it, then not being able to renew my website through Microsoft…I gave up.  I had to figure out how to make the best of a really bad situation.  When laying in my bed at around 3am (have I mentioned that I am the biggest insomniac?) the idea came that I can use the basic domain name but try to switch it up in a really small way.  Hence… www.redovenscreation.com.  Yes…I moved the “s” from the end of the name to the end of “oven”.  The site transferred over nicely and now I’m going through the process of informing all my old clients and contacts of the slight change in domain name.  It’s all part of growth and I’m doing pretty good with it.

I will end with this message…when you get the message to do renew…RENEW!

Have a great day everyone.