Improvements for creating a new site with an existing registered domain

[jp-imagines]

Quick summary

If a domain is already registered on a WordPress.com site you own, you can move it to a newly created site during the site creation process. If you opt for the Free plan on the new site, the standard explanation for the free domain credit is shown and the domain isn't actually transferred to the new site.

Note: This is separate from but somewhat related to https://github.com/Automattic/wp-calypso/issues/93722, which concerns connected domains (which are not permitted in this flow).

Steps to reproduce

1. Start on a WordPress.com account with an existing domain registration.
2. From /sites, click the Add new site button.
3. In the search field provided, enter your existing domain name and click Select.
4. On the plans screen, click the "start with free" option at the top of the page.
5. See the message that selecting a paid plan gives you one free year on this domain. Again choose the free plan.
6. Finish onboarding (or skip to dashboard).
7. See that the domain transfer is still in your cart and the domain is still attached to the original site.

What you expected to happen

The free domain credit should not be valid for existing domain registrations. In this flow, I'd expect that offer wouldn't be mentioned in reference to my existing domain.

I'd also expect that the domain should be moved to the new site after choosing my plan (even the Free plan). Notably, if you do select a paid plan, you're brought to checkout for the paid plan and the free transfer of the domain to the new site; when selecting Free, you are not sent to checkout.

What actually happened

The free domain offer is presented, referencing the existing domain:

After onboarding/skipping to dashboard, the domain hasn't been transferred:

Impact

Some (< 50%)

Available workarounds?

Yes, easy to implement

If the above answer is "Yes...", outline the workaround.

The free domain offer is confusing from a user's perspective.

Finishing the domain transfer to the new site is simple – just open your cart and finish checkout – but feels like extra steps the user shouldn't need to take themselves.

Platform (Simple and/or Atomic)

Simple, Atomic

Logs or notes

No response

[github-actions[bot]]

OpenAI suggested the following labels for this issue:

• [Feature Group] Emails & Domains: The issue is related to domain management, specifically concerning the transfer and handling of existing registered domains.
• [Feature] Domain Management: This directly pertains to the features involved in managing domains on WordPress.com, particularly moving domains to new sites.
• [Feature] Checkout: The issue discusses the checkout process in relation to selecting plans during site creation and domain transfer.
• [Feature] Plans & Upgrades: It also touches on the aspect of selecting a pricing plan when creating a new site and its implications on domain transfers.