Quick Tip: Buying a Domain the Right Way
If you’re buying a domain for your business, there’s one rule that matters more than anything else:
The registrant (owner) must always be you or your company name. No exceptions.
It’s very common to inherit domains that have been set up incorrectly — often by a previous supplier, developer, or even a well-meaning friend. This causes unnecessary delays, extra paperwork, and sometimes disputes when you need to make changes.
What to check when buying a domain
• Registrant (Owner):
This should be your personal name or your business name. This is the legal owner of the domain.
• Admin & Technical Contacts:
These can be your designer, developer, or provider. That’s what these roles are for — management, not ownership.
• Access to your domain panel:
You can request login access at any time when you are the registrant (owner), even if someone else manages it for you.
Why this matters
If the registrant is not in your name:
• You will need to complete transfer paperwork to take control
• You can run into delays setting up your website or email
• It can prevent or delay email setup or setting up a new website
• In the worst cases, ownership disputes can arise
• If you were to sell your business, this would be a problem if the new owner wants to maintain the same domain name
It is the legally correct thing to do, and it avoids unnecessary complications.
There are all sorts of reasons domain access is needed over time as your business grows, including setting up TXT records in your domain panel for things like Google Search Console verification.
Domain ownership becomes important when selling your business, as the domain is part of your business assets.
Setting it up correctly from the start avoids all of this.
Choosing the right provider
Not all domain providers are equal. Many have:
• Clunky interfaces
• Higher ongoing costs
• Limited access to DNS or key settings
Total Creative resells domains through 1stDomains — a reliable NZ-based provider with straightforward management and fair pricing. It’s our preferred supplier for a reason.
Management vs ownership
Total Creative makes it easy and can manage everything for you under TC’s account. But you are always the registrant.
Often, busy business owners are unaware that the person who set up their domain has not listed them as the registrant. This is an error. (Or in some cases deliberate - and you can avoid it, if you are aware). Management is a separate role, and it is never required for a third party to own your domain name.
