I mention this because I ran across a strange ecommerce issue not once, but twice in the past week.

Basically, I was not really able to get a price for what I ordered/wanted to see price for.

1: Network Solutions

I had a domain that needed renewal (it has been at Network Solutions for its entire lifetime, pre-2000).

I extended the registration via my NS account and it was $40/year for five years. Yikes! But whatever. I paid and am now good until 2026.

But I wondered what kind of discount – if any – I got for extending five years instead of one or three.

So, I went to Network Solutions to check it out.

There’s no pricing information, anywhere.

Finally, I “searched” for a domain (adfadfdafdfadfa.com or whatever); it was available. But no pricing. I needed to set up an account (or log into an existing account) to, I’d guess, see the pricing options.

So, before I even decide to buy, I have to create an account, surrender an email etc.

That’s bullshit.

I still don’t know the cost for a dot-com for one year.

Shady.

2: Checks Unlimited (dot com)

Remember checks? Those paper thingees that you sorta use as money??

I ordered my last set of checks from Checks Unlimited decades ago and am currently down to a book of checks. One more reorder, probably my last check order ever (I write very few checks, 1-3 per month).

The site had prices, but no volume. Sure, one box $18.99, two boxes for $29.99 (discount!), but how many checks in a box? Ten? 100? Not specified.

I had to google it, and each box of checks is 100 checks.

So I ordered, but that’s kind of lame.

And I ordered a register book, because they promoted it, so it seemed like the checks didn’t come with a register book. Odd…but it is what it is.

Checks came, and one “box” is 100 checks: two 50-check pads. And no box. And the “box” of checks did come with a (flimsy) register book.

I put these new checks in an old box I had from my years-ago Checks Unlimited order, and the “two boxes” of checks (4 pads x 50 checks) fit into one box of years ago.

Now I realize the price of things – domains, checks – are going to keep going up, but the frustrating part is really not knowing what you’re getting until 1) You have to pony up for it (domain name) or 2) It arrives in the mail (checks).

I hope this is just a blip and I hit two outliers in one week, but it’s concerning.

I shop online a lot, and usually the experience is much clearer and cleaner than this.