Maintaining Auto-Renew Settings For Your Domain - 2013

Recently, Google Apps redesigned their desktop GUI. Now, it's easier to maintain auto-renew settings for your custom domain.

Of course, "easier" may not be the same as "more initially obvious".

Along with the GUI redesign of Google Apps, Google changed payment procedures for domain registrations.

Google recently removed Google Wallet from custom domain registration.

Google Apps (now,"Google Admin") handles domain registration payment, along with domain registration renewal. When you access Google Admin, and the new GUI, you will be invited to verify payment information, and replace your Google Wallet registration.

Start by accessing the Google Apps desktop, for your domain. If you use GMail for your email, or other Google products, try to use a different browser for Google Apps. Alternately, use an "Incognito" window, in Chrome - or a "Private" window, in Firefox. Or, clear cache, cookies, and sessions - then restart the browser, when possible.

For this domain, "nitecruzr.net", I would access the desktop as

http://google.com/a/cpanel/nitecruzr.net/ServiceLogin

or possibly

http://google.com/a/nitecruzr.net/ServiceLogin

You simply change "nitecruzr.net", to your domain URL, to access the desktop for your domain.

If Google Admin sends you to Google Apps for Business, see Google Apps: Cancel Google Apps for Business 30-day free trial, for instructions on removing Apps For Business from your domain.

"Google Admin" provides the "Admin console". Relevant to domain registration, you'll find two key dashboard links.

• Billing. How you pay for domain registration.
• Domains. How you maintain domain registration.

When your domain is currently setup to use Google Wallet for registration payment, and you click on "Billing", you will be invited to "Verify billing information".

The billing information verification process is reasonably straight forward, involving basic identification of your payment account - and uses data already entered in Google Wallet. When complete, you'll have Google Apps verified billing information.

Having verified billing information, you return to the dashboard, and click on "Domains". Right there, you'll have the usual option to "Automatically renew my domain registration".

No mess, no fuss.

• If you want to automatically renew, you leave the option checked.
• If you decide to manually renew, you un check the option.

And, you're done.

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Confusion Over Custom Domain Expiration Dates, Caused By Google Apps Email

We're seeing some panic today, in Blogger Help Forum: Something Is Broken, from a few blog owners who have received email, which implies that their custom domain registrations are approaching expiration - and can't be renewed.

I registered my domain several months ago, through Google. I have the receipt for the payment in my email, my Google Wallet account, and my credit card statement.

Why am I getting this email now, some months after registering my domain - but well before my registration should be expiring?

Our records indicate that the payment for registering your domain mydomain.com was unsuccessful.

Payment failures happen for a variety of reasons (such as insufficient funds or an expired card). You can update your payment information to resolve the issue.

Please log in to your account and update your payment information. If you take no action, your domain will not be renewed on .

This confusion is especially unfortunate, given the recent discontinuation of the very popular Google Domain Registration option, which drives the Blogger "Buy a domain" wizard. It is reminiscent of a similar episode, almost a year ago.

When this confusion is reported in Blogger Help Forum: Something Is Broken, it's not difficult to dispel the panic. Several helpful websites provide registration look up services for the domains in question - and allow us to easily verify that there is no sudden flood of registration problems.

• DomainTools.com
• Name.com
• Network-Tools.com

Overview for mydomain.com
Registrar Info
Name  ENOM, INC.
Whois Server  whois.enom.com
Referral URL  http://www.enom.com
Status  clientTransferProhibited

Important Dates
Expires On  December 01, 2013
Registered On  December 01, 2012
Updated On  December 01, 2012

We have identified a popular topic in Google Apps Forum: General Discussion, where this issue is being discussed, and which has been forwarded to Google Apps Support.

Please watch the Google Apps discussion, or this blog post, for updates. And get back to work, on your blog.

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Custom Domains Purchase - "Buy a domain" Lacks The "Check Availability" Option

We're seeing a few reports from confused blog owners, in Blogger Help Forum: Something Is Broken, who want a non BlogSpot URL for their blog.

I have tried to follow the guide, but my page does not say the same as the guide.

Several blog owners, in trying to use "Add a custom domain" to buy a domain, are observing that there is no "Check Availability" sequence.

Right now, the "Add a custom domain" link in the Publishing wizard simply goes straight to the "Advanced settings" option. This conflicts with Blogger supplied instructions.

In Blogger, locate the Publishing area under the Settings tab. Settings to Publishing.

Then, click the link to add a custom domain name, enter the domain name you'd like, and click Check Availability.

Clicking on "Add a custom domain", we are immediately presented with "Advanced settings".

Right now, we're getting very terse advice from Blogger Support.

Blogger still supports custom domain hosting, though no longer offer an option to purchase domains within the product. To purchase a custom domain, please visit a third party registrar such as GoDaddy or eNom.

Until we hear more, I'll suggest use of eNom or GoDaddy, as advised. If you choose GoDaddy, you may be able to use the Blogger / GoDaddy DNS Setup wizard, to approximate the convenience of "Buy a domain". If you can't use the GoDaddy wizard, please note that the normal rules remain in full effect.

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Renewing Your Custom Domain Registration

Some Blogger blog owners, having experienced the anxiety of custom domain setup, intend to carefully maintain their domain registration.

We see a few queries, in Blogger Help Forum: How Do I?, about domain registration renewal.

How do I make sure my registration gets renewed?

or

How do I renew registration before it expires?

or, possibly

My blog now displays a search page! Have I been hacked?

Some registration issues will depend upon how the domain registration was originally purchased.

Domains purchased directly from a registrar - whether using eNom, GoDaddy, or a third party registrar, will have to be renewed directly from the registrar. It's not possible to migrate a direct purchase to Blogger / Google registration for payment, any more than to use the Blogger / Google automatic DNS setup. Once you purchase domain registration from a registrar, you are on your own.

If you used Blogger "Buy a domain", Google Apps, or Google Wallet, to purchase the domain registration, you should get email reminders when registration is expiring. However, this will depend upon whether your Blogger / Google account, under which you purchased the registration, uses an active and accessible email address.

If you choose to anonymise yourself by using a bogus or inactive email address for your Blogger or Google activities, don't expect to get email reminding you, or allowing you to renew domain registration.

The most reliable way to assure the domain remains registered is to use domain auto renewal. You can check your auto renewal settings using the Google Apps administrator account, for the domain (now called the "Admin Console").

For domains purchased before December 2012, you'll use email from Google Apps, or an entry in your Google Wallet log, to retrieve the token to setup your Google Apps account. For domains purchased after November 2012, you will have only a limited access Google Apps account, which you should reset the password, to access.

If you intend to use domain auto renewal, make sure that the bank account (credit, or debit) is active, and currently paid. If your bank rejects the payment, you should get a notice - but again, this will come reliably when the email account associated with the domain is active and accessible by you.

If you do not renew registration on time, depending upon the registrar, the domain may be changed to point to a domain parking server, where the registrar will serve ads. Some registrars will serve ads which you, or your readers, won't appreciate.

If the domain registration has expired, and the domain was purchased from Blogger / Google, you may be able to submit late payment, and renew now.

If your original charge fails and you’re unable to resolve the form of payment issue within 7 days, you may still be within the grace period for renewals. If you’re still within 19 days of the renewal date, you can try again using any Google Wallet account by visiting http://www.google.com/a/cpanel/domain/renew-domain/primary-domain-name, where primary-domain-name is the domain name you are trying to renew.

In some cases, once late payment has been processed, your registration may resume, with no long lasting ill effects. In other cases, you may end up having to setup the DNS addresses.

The best renewal experiences, of course, start with advance planning.

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URL Availability Competition, During "Buy a Domain", Is Similar To "Create a Blog"

Some Blogger blog owners, trying to setup a new blog, discover the hard way that other people are trying to do the same thing.

When I try to use "Create a blog", I keep seeing

This name is not available.

or

Blogger is saying it's available - but as I begin to register, it says that it has already received a request for this name.

Other blog owners discover that the competition between Blogger blog owners, when using "Create a blog", also applies to "Buy a domain". And worse yet, "Buy a domain" involves competition with would be website owners outside Blogger / Google.

Besides the competition with other buyers, there's a problem that the domain purchase process takes time - and during the purchase process, someone else can be purchasing the same domain also.

The longer the purchase process takes you, the greater the possibility that someone else may "steal" the domain from you. You, and the unseen other person, may start the purchase at the same time - but the person who gets the money to their registrar first gets the domain.

Let's use "Create a blog" as a simple example of an address selection process.

1. You type the blog name, of your choice.
2. With every character you type, Blogger checks for availability.
3. Initially, with not enough characters typed, you see bad news.

   Sorry, this blog address is not available.

4. When you have typed enough characters so you are now requesting a unique name, you see good news.

   This blog address is available.

5. Since you have, hopefully, already entered a Title and selected a Template, you now hit the "Create blog!" button.
6. Hoping that you were fast enough, the address which was available half a second previously is available as you hit the button - and the blog name of your preference becomes your new blog name.
7. If you were not fast enough, someone else might have snuck in front of you. Instead of seeing your new blog, you now see the bad news.

   Sorry, this blog address is not available.

The "Create a blog" wizard is simple.

1. You see good news.
2. You hit "Create blog!".
3. You are done.

Even with a "Create a blog" selection period of 1 second - and if your reflexes are not that good, it could take you longer - you could lose out. What if the selection process was longer - instead of 1 second, say 5 minutes? The "Buy a domain" process is a bit more complicated, than "Create a blog".

1. You enter an available domain URL.
2. You hopefully see the good news.
3. Now, you pay for the purchase.
4. You enter all of the details, about your bank account.
5. Google charges your bank a token amount, to verify that you actually entered a valid bank account number.
6. You hopefully see more good news.
7. Now, Google passes the purchase to the registrar.
8. The registrar sends the actual purchase to your bank.
9. Your bank credits the account of the registrar.
10. The registrar then registers the domain, in your name.
11. Google can then setup the addresses in the domain.
12. Blogger can then publish the blog, to the domain.
13. And hopefully, the blog is now live (and In Transition) with the domain URL.

The "Buy a domain" wizard is not simple.

1. You enter an available domain URL.
2. ...
3. The registrar registers the domain, in your behalf.
4. You are done.

Unfortunately, during the amount of time that it takes your bank to pay your registrar, somebody else could be buying the same domain, from another registrar. The longer that it takes your registrar to get paid, the greater the chance that someone else may register the domain, which you have supposedly paid for, before your purchase is complete.

Unfair? Certainly. But, based on the worldwide Internet based domain registry system, it can happen. What's worse, the symptoms of an unsuccessful domain purchase are similar to an attempted purchase restart.

And that leaves you with the uncertainty, when you post in Blogger Help Forum: Something Is Broken.

Blogger is saying it's available - but as I begin to register, it says that it has already received a request for this name.

And sometimes, after you wait the legendary 2 to 3 days, you find that someone else bought the domain, while you were waiting.

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Using "Buy a domain", From Outside The USA

As custom domain publishing becomes more popular with Blogger blog owners, it's inevitable that people outside the USA would start using it, routinely.

Questions about payment options are seen regularly, in Blogger Help Forum: How Do I?.

How much does a domain cost?

This used to have a simple answer.

$10 US, charged against a major bank issued credit card.

With the internationalisation of Blogger, the answer becomes significantly more complex.

Using Google Wallet, one may purchase a domain in over 230 countries.

The Google billing system accepts payments in over 230 countries with an international credit card.

We now see mention of specific payment methods which are not accepted - though they appear to be important enough to be documented by Google.

• Health Savings Account (HSA) cards.
• Transit cards.
• Western Union/Money Gram.
• Any escrow type of payment.

From what I have observed, using a bank issued credit card involves pretty complex "peer to peer" type transactions, between at least 3 parties.

1. Google.
2. The bank providing the credit account for the blog owner.
3. The bank providing the payment account for the registrar.

Item #2 provides intriguing options.

• American Express (USD Only).
• Discover (USD Only).
• MasterCard.
• Visa.
• Visa Electron (Outside of US Only).

I have no idea what #3 may involve, internationally. I know that accepting payments, even within the USA, is not as simple as making purchases.

If these options do not satisfy you, personally, you are entitled to purchase a domain from almost any registrar which provides an acceptable payment method. However, you will need to accept some responsibility for the technical details involved, in setting up the domain.

The complexities of International Banking will make "simple" purchases such as non BlogSpot URLs, for Blogger blogs, interesting to watch.

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The Free Domain Registration Service "co.cc" Appears To Be Down

Some Blogger blog owners, trying to save a few dollars while publishing their blogs to a non BlogSpot URL, have used the free service "co.cc" for registering their domains.

As "co.cc" increased its base of "customers", their reputation for providing free registration grew - and they became popular with scammers and spammers.

Last year, Google, weary of the overall poor search engine reputation of co.cc customers, de indexed all websites registered by co.cc. This week, co.cc apparently stopped serving DNS information for its "customer domains".

Strictly speaking, "co.cc" was not a registrar - and the blogs and websites published by its customers were not using registered domains.

The "Top Level domain co.cc" - which by its name implied an Internet service operating from the Cocos (Keeling) Islands - was in fact the domain "co", operating out of Korea, and registered in the Cocos (Keeling) Islands. All "domains" given out by "co.cc" were in fact sub domains to the domain co.cc - and this is where the problem started.

All blogs and websites, published to a "co.cc" subdomain, were aggregated by the search engines as the "co.cc" domain. As the number of co.cc registered scammy and spammy websites increased, their search engine reputation dropped. Non spammy blogs and websites either went out of business, or were transferred to legally registered domains, because of the low reputation and lower search engine originated traffic.

Finally, the owners of co.cc - supposedly "JONG SUNG, KIM" of "GOYANG,GYEOUNGGI" - realised that their run was over, and that they could no longer hide their scams and spams behind legitimate blogs and websites. Apparently, they have now shut their doors.

The old adage comes to mind.

You don't get something for nothing.

If you registered your custom domain using co.cc - and your blog is now offline - you're going to have to publish the blog back to BlogSpot, to get it online again. If you want to use a domain URL, you have to repeat the custom domain setup process - starting with a new, properly paid for, domain URL.

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Custom Domain Purchase - Getting By Without "Buy a domain"

Now that custom domain publishing is once again available, though without the option to buy a domain through Blogger, too many anxious Blogger blog owners are asking the obvious question

How do I buy a domain?

Not a lot of blog owners want to be told

Contact the registrar of your choice.

The backup to "Buy a domain" would be to buy a domain directly from a registrar - however, this presents too many challenges to the casual blog owner.

---

(Update 2012/10/09): "Buy a domain for your blog" is once again part of the Publishing wizard.

---

Fortunately, there is a substitute to "Buy a domain", available through Google. Google Apps - which is the support organisation for "Buy a domain" itself - provides the option to buy a domain, along with the Google Apps Dashboard. Google Apps does not use easy to remember URLs, unfortunately.

To use the Google Apps equivalent of "Buy a domain", you start from the "Home Page" for Google Apps.

http://google.com/a/domain

This currently redirects to

https://www.google.com/a/cpanel/standard/new3

which is titled

Get started with Google Apps for free

From here, you find the all important advice

Don't have a domain yet?
No Problem. You can register a new domain starting from $8 a year.

accompanied by the button "Find domain".

Hitting the "Find domain" button, you get a display that's similar in functionality to "Buy a domain" - except the pulldown list of available Top Level Domains is currently a bit different from the selections offered by "Buy a domain".

To get a better selection of Top Level Domains, you'll have to go to

https://www.google.com/a/signup/?hl=en&source=gafb-globalnav-en

Here you will have to fill out the "You and your business" form, and hit "Next". The next display will start with "Check Availability" - and will provide a much longer TLD selection list.

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You Do Have To Add A Second "CNAME"

We're seeing evidence of confusion, in Blogger Help Forums, from blog owners who read the out of date instructions, about using "Buy a domain".

We see considerable confusion, where people using that feature insist that they don't have to add a "CNAME". In other cases, people using the Blogger / GoDaddy DNS Configuration wizard will think that the second "CNAME" is being added for them.

Right now, everybody has to add their own domain ownership verification token - aka the second "CNAME". We're hoping that the (currently offline) "Buy a domain" wizard will automatically add the domain ownership verification - just as it adds the other DNS addresses - but we'll see that, when we see it. The Blogger / GoDaddy wizard should, likewise, take care of this, on your behalf - but right now, it doesn't. The bottom line? If you go to the Publishing wizard, and see

Error 12

or a variant, after typing the domain URL into "Advanced settings", better get busy.

What not all blog owners realise is that the new "CNAME" must be just that. Blogger is not being arbitrary, or pedantic, in requiring precision.

• It must be a "CNAME". A "TXT" will not work.
• The "Name" value must be specified precisely as supplied (Plus or minus the trailing period!).
• The "Destination" value must be specified precisely as supplied (Plus or minus the trailing period!).

You cannot fly by the seat of your pants, and try what seems like it might work, as a "substitute". Webmaster Tools provides a blog ownership verification process - which may, or may not help.

If the registrar for your domain does not allow the addition of this "CNAME", you will need to setup a third party DNS host for your domain. You do have to add this second "CNAME" - even if this may conflict with older Blogger Help instructions.

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Custom Domain Setup Now Lacks The "Buy a Domain" Wizard

As we sift through the wreckage of the blogs damaged by the recent Blogger custom domain security issue, we note a significant omission. The "Buy a Domain For Your Blog" wizard is conspicuous in its absence.

When I click on the Settings - Publishing options, I don't even have the option to check availability or purchase a domain name. Where is the "Buy a domain" display?

Right now, it appears that "Buy a domain" was sacrificed, so that the general custom domain publishing feature could be restored more promptly (though not promptly enough, for many blog owners). There are several tasks that must be completed by "Buy a domain", which are complex - and the necessary coding simply could not be completed by Tuesday of this week. I saw one message of hope.

We will be restoring the ability to purchase a custom domain from Blogger soon.

We'll simply have to have faith, that they are working on this feature as we lament its current absence - and that its absence is brief..

In the mean time, some wanta be domain owners have found a domain purchase wizard provided by Google Apps - though that's not "Buy a domain". Google Apps has two different wizards providing domain purchase options, each with a widely different address and Top Level Domain menus.

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(Update 2012/10/09): "Buy a domain for your blog" is once again part of the Publishing wizard.

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Custom Domain Publishing Is Back - And With A New Detail

After a very stressful week, Blogger Engineering has restored the custom domain publishing option.

Last week we encountered an issue that could affect Blogger users in the process of configuring a custom domain, during the verification of ownership of domains between the provider and Blogger. Blogs with previously configured custom domains were not affected.

With the reason for disabling custom domain publishing being security, Blogger Engineering has added a step in the publishing process, to add a random token as a "CNAME", and verify your right to publish to your domain, from Blogger. You get the random token from the "settings instructions" document, "How do I use a custom domain name for my blog?".

See the URL of this (hypothetical) settings instructions document?

http://www.blogger.com/custom-domain-instructions.g?cnameVerificationToken=VPTRE6SUB6JM+gv-G47P6DIR6KFENZUFIFYWSQJJPDYFZK4SQMUUIUFLYLCQD4OIGDFA.domainverify.googlehosted.com.&domain=www.hotspotshield.com

This is an example. If you're registering a domain other than "www.hotspotshield.com", you're going to have a different token - which should be a function of the BlogSpot and domain URLs. You'll also note another case sensitivity issue - "www.hotspotshield.com" and "www.HotSpotShield.com" will produce completely different tokens.
Now, it's an out of date example.

http://www.blogger.com/custom-domain-instructions.g?cnameVerificationToken=GKBPLXBRMT5M+gv-H5FFOYEKYNXE46EE4A3PLAK6HCDIELS27KQUR5OBKHFKXRKMCTDA.domainverify.googlehosted.com.&domain=www.hotspotshield.com

That's what you get, for "www.hotspotshield.com", today. We'll check again, tomorrow. Also, we need to know when "today" ends.

If you buy a domain using "Buy a domain" after today, Google Apps should setup the domain for you - including the second "CNAME". If you bought the domain directly from a registrar, you're going to have to click on "settings instructions", and get the token for your domain. Note that a "CNAME" is required - a "TXT" won't provide the same verification. Also note the various registrar entry conventions, which will affect your use of their domain manager forms.

We are learning a lot of details about the domain verification process, some of which were known in custom domain setup in general - and which are absolutely critical to the process. You will want to read the [FAQ] Why is my domain still in "12" / "404" State?, to get all of the details. The FAQ has been updated several times, so re read it often..

This will, hopefully, provide a solution for the Abandoned Domains problem, and allow everybody to publish to their domain, regardless of whether the domain was previously used for Blogger / Google custom domain publishing by another blog.

On the other hand, if you purchased your domain using "Buy a domain", and you ever need to recycle the publishing settings, you're probably going to have to add this new "CNAME" to your domain, before you can re publish. This will possibly include everybody who purchased their domain, before the Publishing option was disabled - if the domain is not operational right now - and possibly, blog owners who need to un delete a domain published blog.

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You Cannot Buy A Domain From Blogger

One of the odder examples of naivete, seen occasionally in Blogger Help Forum: How Do I?, involves the custom domain purchase.

How do I buy a domain from Blogger?

or alternately

How do I have Google host my domain?

The immediate answer, properly stated, is simple.

You cannot buy a domain from Blogger. Neither Blogger, nor Google, is a registrar.

The full answer, however, is a bit more complex.

Blogger / Google provides the "Buy a domain for your blog" wizard, which simplifies the purchase and setup of non BlogSpot URLs, for our Blogger blogs - when we are able to make certain concessions in the purchase process. The "Buy a domain" wizard is simple, with some subtle restrictions.

• The "Buy a domain" wizard should not be interrupted, as it cannot be restarted.
• A major bank issued credit card, in working order, is required.
• Only specific generic Top Level domains are offered.
  • .biz
  • .com
  • .info
  • .net
  • .org
  No country Top Level domains are offered.
• The "Buy a domain" wizard uses partner registrars eNom and GoDaddy, selectable at purchase.
• If you already have an account with eNom or GoDaddy, you will end up with a second account. There is no opportunity to purchase using an existing account.
• "Buy a domain", when used, produces one and only one of the three standard domain models.

If you are able to live with the restrictions - and you are the one asking the original question

How do I buy a domain from Blogger?

chances are that you, Blogger / Google, and your readers will all be better off with you using "Buy a domain". Just please, plan the blog migration, before starting.

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When Using "Buy a domain", Prevent Interruptions

One of the saddest problems reports, seen in Blogger Help Forum: Something Is Broken, and mentioning the custom domain purchase process, starts with

I had a problem with my credit card, and had to get my bank to allow my purchase. But now, I see

We found an existing order for this domain. Please contact support.

or maybe

I had to answer the phone after I started my purchase, and now the domain that I wanted isn't available. How do I get the domain that should be mine?

These problem reports are from people who did not understand how simple the domain purchase process is.

1. Select an available domain.
2. Provide registration and payment information.

That simplicity is based on a monolithic restriction.

The purchase process does not allow for interruption.

It is to your advantage, when purchasing your domain, to complete the purchase, quickly.

The domain purchase process is similar to the blog setup process, as you choose an available blog name. When you identify an available and useful URL (or domain name), you need to select (or pay for) that URL (domain name) immediately. As you purchase the domain name of your dreams, remember that there are, at any time, up to 3 groups of people looking for a domain.

1. You.
2. Other Blogger blog owners, looking to buy a domain for their Blogger blog.
3. People outside Blogger / Google, looking to setup a website.

Unfortunately, only one of you can have the domain name of your dreams.

Look again, how simple "Buy a domain" is.

1. Select an available domain.
2. Provide payment information.
3. Done. Get to work, planning the migration process.

The longer you take, between starting Step #1 and completing Step #2, the greater the chance that you may see

Sorry, this domain is not available.

as you complete Step #2.

In some cases, and when you specifically see

We found an existing order for this domain. Please contact support.

we can offer you an alternative.

1. Clear cache, cookies, and sessions (all 3!), restart the browser, and try again.
2. Wait 48 to 72 hours, and try again.

This alternative allows you to "try again". It does not guarantee that the domain that you chose will still be waiting for you, when you try again. A popular domain name, based on some major cultural news event, may be gone in a matter of minutes. Wait 48 to 72 hours - and your guess is as good as mine.

Maybe, we should rewrite the purchase process.

1. Prepare.
   • Call your bank, and get your credit card cleared for the purchase.
   • Get a cup of coffee.
   • Unplug the phone.
   • Close the door of your office.
2. Select an available domain.
3. Provide payment information.
4. Done. Plug the phone back in, and rinse out the coffee cup.

Take 15 minutes out of your busy schedule, and get the purchase done. Then, return to normal life.

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Research Custom Domain Problems From The Beginning Of The Purchase

Sometimes, researching a problem, with a custom domain published blog, involves a Who Is lookup, to determine key domain details - like DNS server namess, purchase date, registrar name, and others. Starting with the properly spelled domain name is essential, to getting a useful Who Is lookup. In cases where the blog / domain owner can't spell the domain name consistently, you can start even more basically.

To determine the details about a domain purchase, when you have any doubt, ask for a copy of the invoice or receipt. If the transaction was conducted electronically, copy and paste of the key information is most useful. If the transaction involved a paper trail, have the receipt scanned, and a picture posted somewhere that you can view.

The invoice or receipt, for any domain purchase, will help identify - and confirm or deny - key details.

• Correct domain name - spelling.
• Purchase date.
• Name of registrar.

All of these details are useful, in researching a problem with a custom domain published blog.

Starting with the domain name, verified from the invoice or receipt, you can use any of several similar Who Is lookup tools.

• DomainTools.
• MXToolbox.
• Name ("who.is").
• Network-Tools.

Having multiple complementary tools can be useful, many times - both as backup (in case one is offline, for some reason) - and to confirm or deny unexpected results.

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Buying A Custom Domain Requires A Working Bank Issued Credit Card

As Blogger in general, and custom domain publishing in particular, becomes more popular in Asia and Africa, we are seeing more problems with the Blogger / Google domain purchase process. The basic problem, in Blogger Help Forum: Something Is Broken, will be expressed so simply.

My blog is showing an off-site redirect.

You're about to be redirected.

The blog that used to be here is now at http://www.mydomain.com.
Do you wish to be redirected?

What do I do now?

Some time ago, this report would have been diagnosed as spurious DNS addresses - and we would point out the necessities of proper custom domain DNS addressing, when setting up the domain yourself. Nowadays, an increasingly common diagnosis, for this problem, is an unsuccessfully purchased domain, using the Blogger / Google "Buy a domain" or Google Apps purchase process.

Some blog owners, preparing to purchase their domain, confuse the required bank issued credit card with an alternative - the bank issued debit card. When purchasing products in stores, a "debit card" looks and works the same as a "credit card". Apparently, not every "debit card" may work the same, with the Blogger / Google Apps "Buy a domain" process. It appears that in some countries, notably in Africa and Asia, debit cards are becoming a popular alternative to credit cards.

In some cases, the blog owner will check with his bank, and will find a token charge of $1 (or the local currency equivalent minimum purchase amount) posted to the account - but the $10 (or local currency equivalent) charge will not be found. Possibly, Google Checkout will show the notation

Payment declined : No reason provided

The "Buy a domain" process will appear to work, and the Blogger blog "mybloggerblog.blogspot.com" will be re published - in Transition - as "www.mydomain.com". The blog owner will find out later - after Transition expires and the republishing is completed - that the BlogSpot URL now shows an "off site redirect", because the domain was never registered.

The blog owner may receive email mentioning a problem.

Your service might be suspended.

Please pay your amount due, $10.00.
You have no valid forms of payment available for automatic charging.
Your bank or credit institution has declined an automatic payment with your Visa ...XXXX and provided the following reason: No reason provided. This form of payment can't be used. Please contact your bank for more information, then click the "Re-enable form of payment" link.

Apparently, bank issued credit cards work differently from debit cards, in the "Buy a domain" process. The bottom line is that, with the "Buy a domain" process mentioning "credit card", you will need to provide just that - and a "debit card" may not provide a reliable alternative. The reference Google Checkout: Troubleshooting Payments may provide insight here.

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