Understanding the process and options involved in registering an expiring domain can be a confusing task. How, where, when?
This article will explain the basic steps for researching an expiring domain name and the many different options (or should I say the steps necessary to ensure success).
- The normal domain expiration process for .com .net
(domain delete cycle):
Phase 1. Active domain
A domain is registered for a period of time from 1 to 10 years. During this time, the domain owner has unlimited use of the domain.
Phase 2. On hold
At the end of this time period, the registrant must pay a renewal fee to the registrar to continue using the domain. If the domain is renewed, go back to phase 1; otherwise, the domain is placed in a waiting state (on hold) for 1-45 days (each registrar determines how long this period lasts). During this time, the registrant (domain owner) can still pay the renewal fee and continue to use their domain name. During this waiting period, the domain is resolved on the registrar’s website or not resolved at all.
Phase 3. Redemption
After the retention period of 1 to 45 days, the domain enters a trade-in status (RGP – Trade-in Grace Period), which lasts for 30 days. During this time, the domain name registrant has the option to pay a redemption penalty (redemption fees generally cost between $ 100-200 depending on the registrar) and renew the domain. If the domain owner renews the domain, go back to phase 1. During this redemption period, the domain is resolved on the registrar’s website or not resolved at all.
Phase 4. Pending elimination
Once the domain completes the 30-day redemption period without being renewed, it enters a 5-day pending deletion period. During this time, the registrant no longer has the ability to renew the domain name. The domain will be released to the general public and will be available for registration on the sixth day at 2pm ET.
(This abandonment process is not valid for exclusive pending orders)
Domains are an ever-changing industry. During the last 2 years, a lot has changed, including many variations of the domain removal process. The aforementioned process is the norm, but every day more and more registrars start to have exclusive drops.
An example of exclusive drop: a domain is registered with Network Solutions. The registrant does not renew the domain within 60 days after the expiration date. The domain is then auctioned on snapnames.com (a domain
auction page).
Each logger has its own time frame for unique drops. Current registrars participating in exclusive launches are: network solutions, godaddy, wild west domains, blue razor, bulk register, dotster, and enom. The domains registered in the network solutions or in the bulk registry must have a backorder in the instant names. Godaddy registered domains, wild west domains, or blue razor must be backordered at godaddy or a wild west reseller such as domainut.com. Domains registered in
dotster must be on hold at namewinner Domains registered with enom must be on hold at club drop (if at least one order is placed on hold in the above services, the domain will remain with the original registrar, if no order is placed in wait, the domain will follow the normal drop process) A backorder is the process of registering with a drop capture service and making a request to be the next owner of a domain. The prices of each drop catch service vary. Pool.com – Backorders start at $ 60. Pool uses a pay-for-performance business model. If the group doesn’t capture the domain when it expires, you won’t be charged. If you are the only person who has backordered a domain and the group captures it, you are awarded the domain for $ 60. If the expired domain was backordered by more than one person, the domain will be up for private auction. People who backordered the domain before Pool captured it can only bid on the auction. The auction lasts for 3 days. SnapNames.com – Backorders start at $ 60. Snapnames uses a pay-for-performance business model. If Snapnames doesn’t capture the domain when it expires, you won’t be charged. If you are the only person who placed a backorder for a domain and snapnames capture it, you are awarded the domain for $ 60. If the expired domain was backordered by more than one person, the domain will be up for private auction. People who backordered the domain before the instant names captured it can only bid at the auction. The auction lasts for 3 days. Enom Club Drop – Starting price for backorders is optional $ 10 or $ 30. Enom uses a pay-for-performance business model. If enom doesn’t capture the domain when it expires, you won’t be charged. If you are the only person to backorder a domain for $ 10, the domain then goes to a public auction, but if you did it for $ 30 or more and enom catches it, you are awarded the domain. If the expired domain was backordered for $ 30 or more by more than one person, then the domain is privately auctioned. The auction lasts for 3 days. Namewinner.com – Backorders start at $ 30. Namewinner uses a pay-for-performance business model. If namewinner doesn’t capture the domain when it expires, you won’t be charged. If you are the only person who placed a backorder for a domain and the winner of the name captures it, you are awarded the domain for $ 30. If the expired domain was backordered by more than one person, the domain will be up for auction. private. People who backordered the domain before the name winner captured it can only bid at the auction. The auction lasts for 3 days. Godaddy.com or any Wild West domain reseller – $ 18.95 per first come, first served (only one person can backorder on any expiring domain, if the domain expires and godaddy captures it, the backorder receives the domain ). It is always best to fully research an expiring domain name. There is no sure way to know if a domain will receive traffic or how much a domain is worth. But when checking how many sites link to a domain (linkpop), how many people searched for the domain in the previous month (opening with extension), how many people searched for the terms that make up the domain in the previous month (opening without extension), what is Google pr (Google page rank) and what the domain was used for in the past (return file), you can get a rough idea of how much traffic you should expect.
Once you’ve fully researched a domain, you need to decide if the domain is worth ordering from the group or snapname for $ 60, from enom or namewinner for $ 30, from godaddy or a wild west reseller for $ 18.95, or enom for $ 10. Remember to cover all your bases if an expiring domain is worth at least $ 60 to you, then place a backorder on all of the above services. If it’s only worth $ 30, then backorder on any service that is $ 30 or cheaper (but remember that someone else can backorder on the $ 60 service, and then you have no chance of getting the expired domain , if you don’t). have a pending order placed on that service).