Yahoo's Online Services Continue to Deteriorate

It’s a small point but it’s one in a large pattern for Yahoo (YHOO).

We still used them for domain registration which is a fairly innocuous administrative function. We knew we were overpaying a little at $9.95/year per domain but even with 100 domains it’s small change. But when they increased the renewal price 30% to $12.95/year we decided to take a look around. It turns out that there are services that are much more robust than Yahoo and the best news is that they charge less than half the new Yahoo price.

So we get vastly improved administration and control at half the cost of Yahoo (again). Now it’s true we will be paying some students to move everything over but it’s a wash the first year and we save money after that. More importantly, the functionality is improved and every new domain we register is only a third of the Yahoo price.

We know Yahoo can turn their existing traffic into more money using Google (GOOG), which is perhaps the best indicator of their failure. They are lucky to be getting what they are being offered for their deteriorating online assets.

Basically their investment and innovation in building their online services has been far below the market. So their offerings have deteriorated relative to other firms.

Comments

[User 169665]

Thats not all that is deteriorating at Yahoo, even their 'highly-skilled' staff are basically morons that are being paid to do a job and they are failing miserably. I guess if you want good help, you need to look elsewhere, like maybe over at Yahoo's Buddy, Microsoft. Don't see any of their employees keylogging peoples computers, don't see any of their employees jumping ship and haven't heard anything bad at all about Microsoft.

Yahoo, on the other hand tends to create many problems for themselves, including working with the Chinese Secret Police in turning over the disants to them, then lying to the committee about it and getting caught in the lie, stealing an inventors idea and product, using it then paying the inventor only after they get sued for theft, making up fake ads from women on the Yahoo Personals, it keeps going on and on.

Its too bad the US Government does seize control of Yahoo and send Yang back to Taiwan where he belongs, in fact, have him take along most of his corrupt employes with him, they will do real well under Chinese leadership over there.

I also know that the Yahoo employees control this website, if they don't like what you post regarding their screwed up company, they block it from being posted. I think that most of the Yahoo employees are communists, without a country.

[Hoxsie454]

Congratulations! This is runner up to the most foolish article I have ever read on the internet! Fact is that Yahoo has been one of the most innovative, creative and user friendly services and that is why they grew into a multi billion dollar enterprize in a decade. I use Yahoo Finance daily for the best, up to date business and financial information. I use Yahoo! eMail and Yahoo! groups and Yahoo! chats and I just YAHOO! everything!!!
I just hope that Microsoft doesn't get Yahoo! because Microsoft only wants Yahoo's advertising hits, which Microsoft has been trying for years to grow, and has frankly failed in the attempt. Yahoo 's advertising is triple the size of Microsoft's screwed up attempt. I predict that if Microsoft gets Yahoo! in a few years all the rest of Yahoo! will be ruined and discarded because frankly Microsoft excels in software, and they stumble thru everything else.

[tillman]

What an idiot? He is crying for $3/year more he is paying to yahoo. Why don't you take a hike? You could have written about more than $3.5 /gallon people are paying because of Oil speculators and lowering value of the dollar.
The same goes for the first commentator. Sir, you are nothing but a racist bigot. I am amazed by the number of idiots who bash Yahoo! for cooperating against Communist China but don't even open their own closet to see that more than 95% of electronics/toys etc are made in china. If you can't stop buying chinese stuff you don't get a leverage to say anything to the Chinese govt. Because, you are not only buying from China but also borrowing from them to Fund your shopping spree. It is that simple. No wonder the Chinese are the largest lenders to the US. So, I'd say go introspect your houses first before bashing one company. Bash US arms/ammunition manufacturers who are stampeding to sell their killing machines to chinese. But, you can't/wont - because the moment you start bashing them - the media will come down on you and start branding you as unpatriotic. No wonder bunch of bozos run this country now.

[buyforeclosures]

Why do they give links to this? I thought it was some professional publication not some Garage internet hack

[waters96]

This is really a ridiculous bandwagon, pile-on of Yahoo. Totally mislabeled. I love all the services I use at Yahoo. It has been and will continue to be my homepage, e-mail address, etc.

[microboo]

First to Kris. Wow.. don't do your homework do you? If you're complaining about the price increase, blame verisign, as THEY are the ones raising prices on domain names. Seeing as they have raised prices every year the maximum they are allowed, since they have received the contract for domains from icann.

To User 169665, wow, you're an idiot. How exactly would Yahoo! employees be keylogging customers, especially small business advocates? They don't have direct access to their computers to even install such a thing. A bit paranoid are we? As for your Chinese statement, your just ignorant. First Yahoo! has a MINORITY stake in china Yahoo! and part of their actions wasn't totally up to Yahoo! USA, and Yahoo! never lied about it. The rest of your statement is just racist, which shows your intelligence level.

[mycousinearl]

Wow you Yahoo! shareholders are getting really defensive about your company as of late aren't you? Could it be because you know your share prices are gonna go into the toilet in short order when Microsoft announces that they're gonna abandon their ridiculously generous bid?

[Nigel N]

It's surprising to read the type of language Yahoo supporters use when typing up an opinion. Instead of attacking the opinion, attack the person who wrote it. Way to go people.

[SA comment]

Very poorly researched article ... it takes almost $7 in costs to Verisign, ICANN, etc to provide domain service. Everybody discounts the first year on a promotion and raises prices a little on the renewal, so on average you recoup the money ... after all it is not a charity, the company has at least to get its costs back. So before you go complaining about $3 per year, realize that you will spend it w/ other guys anyway. And you will spend way more than that moving your domains over ...

What's annoying about this article is that it is another "I-dont-need-to-d... comment ... if you expect to be a serious journalist, don't be a hack.

[Fru]

Is this a serious article? Honestly, this is the most ridiculous article I've read, save Valleywag, in the past year.

[Boatmik]

I think the article is reasonable. It is fair enough to look at what different companies offer and look for the best deal that suits you.

If the lads and lasses above are happy in their completely Yahoo world ... that is OK. If someone looks around and finds a better deal ... that's OK.

The point that Yahoo isn't competing successfully is obvious because of the huge reduction in market share it has seen over the past decade. It doesn't necessarily mean that what it does is bad by any means - it just means that someone else is doing it better.

It isn't a stupid article as it points out a users real experience and real thought patterns. Good on him (I say).

Corrupt commies in Taiwan ?!? I think a little bit of study is needed in the area User 169665 - or are you just really good at kicking off discussions!

[pavers]

Something must really be afoot. I just received an email message saying that the Yahoo! domain renewal price will be jumping to 34.95 on July 1, 2008. That's beyond sustainable for me even with 16 domains. I'll be looking for another registrar.

[Domainers]

They sent email to inform about the new price over $30/yr. It will be applied in July 2008. Many person will cry with the bill from Yahoo. They send email but the price in the domain account “still old price”. If you do not read email and just visit your account. You will know nothing.
I transfer my domain names out of yahoo just for $6.95 (www.luckyregister.com/ it is Godaddy family)