Reselling Domain Names

As an EPhost Reseller you have several options for reselling domain names to your customers. This article explains how to setup your reseller account to process domain name registrations, renewals and transfers so your customer's can purchase them directly from their control panel account.

This article assumes that you have billing enabled AND that your customer's can pay for their domain with you. Otherwise, I would suggest NOT setting up a domain registrar and simply registering (etc) and paying for their domains under your own reseller account and billing them offline. At least you can manage the domains yourself on behalf of your customers.

First, you need to determine if you plan to setup and manage your own account directly with Enom (a well known and respected domain name registrar that is supported by our control panel system), pass-through domain name registrations for us (EPhost) to register on your behalf, or perform manual registrations with the registrar of your choice. In any case, your customer will not be made aware of this distinction (except transfers).

1. Setting up a domain name reseller account with Enom is simple, but does require some overall management. One deterrent to setting up directly with Enom is that you have to front-load your account balance to process domain transactions ($100.00 per reload automatically). However, a benefit is that you set the prices. This method is entirely automatic through the control panel. However, only .com, .net, .org, .co.uk and .biz registrations are supported currently.
2. Passing-through domain name registrations, transfers and renewals to EPhost (a Reseller of Enom as well) is a little easier in the sense that you do not need to setup a relationship directly with Enom. Passing-through registrations is paid-for on a per domain basis and currently costs $10.95 per transaction (registration, renewal or transfer). This method is entirely automatic through the control panel. However, only .com, .net, .org, and .biz registrations are supported.
3. A "manual" registration is an offline method of handling your customer's domain name registrations. This option should be used if you prefer to use a registrar other than Enom or need to process unsupported domain name extensions (see above). Transactions are not processed automatically but rather you will record and bill for the transactions via the control panel but actually register, renew or transfer them manually using the interface provided by your domain name registrar. You may use "manual" in conjunction with options A or B above, but you can't have two registrars for the same extension.

Second, once you have determined if you will pass-through or resell directlyat Enom you will need to setup the domain name registrar settings in yourReseller Control Panel. This process essentially sets the prices and optionsyour customers will see and the overall registrar settings if you are goingdirectly with Enom. The directions are the same for all three methods above.

1. Login to your Reseller Control Panel.
2. Click Account Settings >> Domain Name Registrars >> Add New
3. Select either "My Parent Account (Passing Through)" or "Enom" (We do NOT recommend Directi / MyOrderBox).
4. Complete the on-screen settings, if any.*
5. Check the "Availability" box to enable this domain name registrar.
6. Click "Save".

* If you using Enom directly, then you will need to specify the RegistrarProperties settings using your own Enom reseller username and password. Thebasic settings are listed below for your reference.

Once you have complete the initial settings, you will need to setup variousextensions and their prices.

1. Click on the name of the registrar.
2. Make sure the "availability" option is checked and saved first.
3. Click "add" under Available Extensions.
4. Enter an extension or use the drop-down box to select from available extensions (if using the pass-through method- click next.
5. If the extension is transferable check the "transferable" box. *
6. Enter the "transfer fee".
7. Leave the DATE filed as the default settings (recommended).
8. Make sure "Enabled" is checked so that that extension will be available for sale to your customers.
9. Click "Save".

1. On the next screen you will need to specify the extension's registration period(s), registration and renewal prices. *
2. Click "Save" after entering each registration period and price.
3. When you are ready to create a new extension click the on-screen "Back" button and click "Add" under Available Extensions.
4. Repeat these steps to for the available domain extensions you want to offer customers.

* Please note that depending on if you selected Manual, My Parent Account(Passing Through) or Enom certain actions, prices or extensions may not beavailable or work as intended. For instance, you select the pass-through methodyou can only add extensions that we have available. e.g. .com, .net, .org, and.biz. If you select "manual" and marked a domain as "transferable" then thiscould create a problem as the transfer will fail.

The final step in the setup process is to setup your "Action Notifications"for domain name status emails.

1. Click Account Settings >> Action Notifications
2. Click on an appropriate Domain Name Registration status email notification.
3. Click the name of the email again.
4. Complete the "internal notification" field with what you would like to say. This notice is inserted as a note in your customers control panel.
5. Complete the "email" tab with both a text and HTML version of the email notification.
6. Specify the display name, email sender and email subject.
7. Click "Save".
8. Repeat for each notice.

Once everything has been setup your customer's will now have the ability toregister, renew or transfer domain names via the control panel. Depending onthe method selected above they will be registered automatically or manually ifyou so choose.

A few things to keep in mind...

1. If you are using the pass-through method you will want to make sure that you have a credit card number on file with us and that it's set to "default". When your customer registers a domain, they will get an invoice and so will you for the pass-through. Once they pay for the domain name (with you), you will need to pay for the invoice from us. The faster you pay for the invoice the quicker their domain transaction will process. We highly recommend that you set your credit card to "default" so that at the end of the night the new invoice will be charged automatically to your card. At least this way if you don't notice the registration during the day it will process at night. We highly suggest that you keep a small credit balance on your account (see Make Payment Screen) to process domains quicker as invoices will be paid automatically (optional).
2. If you initiate a transfer (in) then you will need to make sure the domain is unlocked at the losing registrar so that it can be transferred. An authorization email will be sent to the administrative contact's email address for their approval-- so warn your customers that the message is coming. NOTE: it may be possible for your customer's to see the EPhost name during the transfer process.