"I paid for a website, so why do I have nothing in my hands?"
Many owners only find out years later, when trying to switch providers, that they're stuck. "The domain belongs to us, so we can't hand it over." "The source code is our company asset." You pay every month, yet the website isn't really yours. To avoid this kind of vendor lock-in, you need to confirm ownership from day one.
Three things that must be under your name
- Domain (e.g. mystore.com.au): The most important one. It must be registered under an account in your own name. Lose the domain and you lose your email addresses, search rankings, and business cards all at once.
- Hosting account: You should know the server access and the billing account.
- Website data and content: Photos, text, and customer info should be downloadable anytime.
Ask these before you sign
- "Will the domain be registered in my name?" — Not "we'll manage it for you," but whose name it's actually under.
- "What do I receive if I end the contract?" — Domain, data, and ideally the source code.
- "Can I have the admin login details?" — Access equals ownership.
- "Is there a separate migration fee?" — Check for clauses that trap you when leaving.
If your site already exists
Run a WHOIS lookup to check who the domain is registered to, get your admin login details, and store them somewhere safe. Taking regular content backups gives you peace of mind no matter who you work with.
Clear ownership keeps the foundation of your business steady. At PICKTECH, we build websites and transparently hand over the domain, data, and admin access to you, the owner. If you're unsure who really owns your current site, feel free to get in touch.