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Frequently asked questions

  • I am looking for a domain name registrant. Where can I look it up?

    The Whois is an easy-to-use tool for checking the availability of a .nl domain name. If the domain name is already taken, you can see who has registered it.

    On the page looking up a domain name you will find more information about what a domain name is, how the Whois works and how the privacy of personal data is protected. Alternatively, you can go straight to look for a domain name via the Whois.

  • I would like to transfer my domain name to another registrar. What is the procedure?

    To get your domain name transferred, you need the token (unique ID number) for your domain name. Your existing registrar has the token and is obliged to give it to you within five days, if you ask for it. The procedure for changing your registrar is described on the page transferring your domain name.

  • The details registered about me/my company are incorrect or out of date. How can I get them updated?

    To update the contact details associated with your domain name, you need to contact your registrar. Read more about updating contact details.

  • Why is my domain name in quarantine?

    When a domain name is cancelled, we aren't told the reason, so we can't tell you. You'll need to ask your registrar. The advantage of quarantine is that, if a name's cancelled by mistake, you can always get it back.

    One common reason is that the contract between you and your registrar says you've got to renew the registration every year. If you haven't set up automatic renewal and you don't renew manually, the registration will expire.

  • Ik heb een klacht over mijn provider/registrar. Kan ik daarvoor bij SIDN terecht?

    Wanneer je een klacht hebt over of een geschil met je registrar dan zijn er verschillende mogelijkheden om tot een oplossing te komen. Hierover lees je meer op pagina klacht over registrar. SIDN heeft geen formele klachtenprocedure voor het behandelen van een klacht over jouw registrar.

  • What conditions do I have to meet as a registrar?

    Would you like to be able to register domain names for customers or for your own organisation by dealing directly with SIDN? If so, you can become a .nl registrar. Read more about the conditions and how to apply for registrar status on the page becoming a registrar.

More frequently asked questions

Good design and a suitable domain name promote trust in webshops

Results of the latest SIDN Panel survey

Web designer design sketch in design studio
  • Wednesday 22 September 2021

What makes you trust a website? Is it the domain name, the extension (.nl, .com, etc.) or the use of accreditation logos on the site? Or do you put more faith in reviews when deciding whether to buy? Last month, we put those questions to the SIDN Panel. And what we learned was that site design is one of the key factors influencing panel members' opinion of a webshop. The use of an appropriate domain name also makes a difference.

Delivery times, reviews and design carry most weight

Most SIDN Panel members are seasoned internet users who do a lot of things online. When deciding whether to buy from a webshop, the first things they look at are consumer reviews and delivery times. And they're choosy about which shops they use: 70 per cent said they'd pulled out of a purchase in the last month because they didn't trust the webshop.

Reviews are crucial to purchase decisions

However, those figures don't tell the full story about why people decide not to use a webshop. Panel members said that reviews played a crucial role:

"Maybe the webshop was legitimate, but I couldn't find any reviews. The product was more expensive on a well-known site, but I bought it there anyway."

SIDN Panel member

Design and information very important

When judging reliability, they also attach particular importance to site design. That backs up a previous survey of SMEs, which found that design was one of the most worthwhile things for a start-up to invest in. However, design isn't just about appearance; the information visible on the site also counts for a lot. In practice, the iDEAL logo is almost indispensable, acting much like an accreditation logo.

Things whose visibility helps to build trust:

  1. iDEAL deal logo and the option of paying with iDEAL (67%)

  2. A Dutch address and phone number (64%)

  3. A TLS certificate (https) (61%)

  4. Accreditation logos, e.g. Thuiswinkelwaarborg, Stichting Garantiefonds Reisgelden (36%)

"If the only contact details are a mobile phone number and a first name, that's a real turn-off for me."

SIDN Panel member

Trust brings revenue

The more reliable-looking and familiar a webshop is, the more people are willing to spend there. On average, people are willing to pay €160 for a €150 basket of shopping if they trust the webshop more. Bol.com does particularly well on that measure, while competitors such as Amazon and Zalando are associated with a lower willingness to spend.

Domain name: .nl is the most trusted

Naturally, we were also interested in how a site's domain name influenced purchasing behaviour. We therefore asked people which sites they would prefer to buy from. SIDN Panel members had a strong preference for .nl, but some interesting differences emerged. When buying goods or booking local outings, 89 per cent said .nl was their first choice. But when booking travel, 23 per cent would opt for .com, while 20 per cent rated .org the preferable extension for a charity.

What is the SIDN Panel?

The SIDN Panel is a group of about 160 domain registrants and other stakeholders, who once a month answer questions and respond to statements about domain names, the internet and related topics. Panel members are rewarded for their input by being entered into a monthly prize draw. The SIDN Panel continues to grow, week by week. Would you like to be involved in research like this? Join the SIDN Panel!