Domain Name Backorder

Investor’s Edge is a monthly subscription service that provides a list of more than 250,000 expiring domain names. This service gives you a jump on your peers by providing up-to-date information on domain name availability and lets you place an order immediately.

We update all the domain names on this power list daily. You can backorder a domain name from this list the moment you see it.

No. The Domain Name Backorder service does not guarantee you will acquire a domain name. When you place a backorder, we attempt to acquire the domain name for you when it becomes available for registration.

Each domain name backorder comes with Domain Monitoring, a useful service that lets you track the domain name. It keeps you in the loop on that domain name’s expiration date and any changes to its status.

If a backordered domain name becomes available, but our service fails to acquire it, you can reassign the backorder to another domain name. If we are not able to acquire your domain name, we notify you by email.

Domain Monitoring tracks changes to domain name settings. It also includes historical tracking for domain name changes and monitors domain names registered anywhere. When information for these settings changes, Domain Monitoring sends you an email notification.

You set up monitoring for a year at a time. To continue monitoring domain names, you must renew your subscription.

You can use our Domain Monitoring service to track any domain name with a .com, .us, .biz, .net, .org, .info, .me, .mobi, or .co extension, even ones that are not registered by you or with us.

Specifically, this service monitors:

• Registrar —Notifies you of any change to a monitored domain name’s registrar.
• Status — Tracks any changes to a domain name’s status. For example, if a monitored domain name registered with us changes its status to unlocked, Domain Monitoring notifies you. It also notifies you when a monitored domain name that is not registered with us goes into pendDelete or redemptionPeriod status; indicating that the domain name might soon become available.
• Expiration Date —
  Tracks any changes to the registration expiration date for any monitored domain name.
• Nameserver — Tracks nameserver changes.

No. At this time, we do not offer backordering for premium domain names.

If the domain name you want to register is unavailable, under most circumstances, you can purchase a backorder for it. Domain Backorders is a service that helps you attempt to acquire a domain name when it becomes available for registration.

However, backorders are unavailable for domain names under the following circumstances:

• Single Backorder Policy — We allow only one backorder per domain name. Therefore, if another customer placed already placed a backorder on a domain name, then you cannot place a backorder on the same domain name as long as the original backorder remains effective.
• TLD Not Supported — We only support backorders for the following top-level domain names (TLDs): .biz, .com, .info, .me, .mobi, .net, .org, and .us.
• Blocked — We block customers from backordering certain domain names, such as our company’s domain name.

Yes. More than one of our customers can purchase a backorder for the same domain name.

If more than one backorder is purchased for a particular domain name, the backorder placed first becomes the opening bid in a public auction, and other backorder holders are notified when the domain name goes to auction. Backorder holders and the general public have the opportunity to place a higher bid.

Note: The fee with a backorder will include the registration charge for 1 year, with any additional costs from Auction Up Pricing being added in.

If your backorder is not successful, you can reassign it to another domain name. Until your backorder captures a domain name, it does not expire.

In the Domain Manager, you can view a list of your backordered and monitored domain names. The list includes each domain name’s current status and important dates, such as creation and expiration dates.

To View Your Backordered and Monitored Domain Names

1. Log in to your account.
2. Next to Domain Backordering, click Manage.
3. The following information is available for each listed domain name:
   • Domain Name — The domain name you backordered or are monitoring.
   • Status — The backorder or monitoring status for the domain name.
   • Available Date — The scheduled availability date for the domain name. We calculate this date using the domain name’s expiration date, renewal grace period, and redemption period, if applicable.
   • Create Date — The original date that the domain name was registered. If the date is within the last five days, the registrant might be testing the domain name’s monetization potential and might cancel it within the five-day grace period. To ensure we have a chance to register the domain name if it’s released, keep your backorder in place.
   • Expiration Date — The date that the domain name expires.
   • Registrar — The domain name’s current registrar.

Prior to March 2009, we allowed only one backorder per domain name. This means that if another customer placed a backorder on a domain name prior to March 2009, you will not be able to backorder the same domain so long as the original backorder remains in effect. If a backorder was placed on a domain after March 2009, you can still place a backorder on the same domain.

If you added Domain Monitoring to a domain name, you can also place a backorder on the domain name to attempt to register it if it becomes available. Or, if it’s listed for auction, the backorder gives you instructions on how to participate in the auction.

If you want to capture a domain name that someone else currently has registered, you can place a backorder. Domain Backorders attempts to register the domain name if it becomes available. Or, if the domain name is listed for auction, Domain Backorders gives you instructions on how to participate.

If you no longer want to monitor or backorder a domain name, you can cancel your Domain Name Backorder and Monitoring service through the Domain Manager.

To Cancel Domain Name Backorder and Monitoring

1. Log in to your account.
2. In the My Products section, click Domains/Domain Manager.
3. From Buy/Sell, select Backorders and Monitoring.
4. Select the domain names you want to cancel.
5. Click Remove Selected.
6. Select Remove backorders and monitoring.
7. Click OK twice.

The process of backordering is fairly straightforward, but it involves several steps:

• Monitoring: Once you place a backorder request, the service monitors the domain. If the current owner lets the domain expire without renewing it, the domain enters a “grace period” or an auction, depending on the registrar’s policies.

• Drop Catching: After the grace period, the domain becomes available for re-registration. Backorder services attempt to “catch” the domain the moment it is dropped (released from the registry) and re-register it on your behalf.

• Auction Process: If multiple people backorder the same domain, most services will trigger an auction where the highest bidder wins the domain name.

Domain names typically follow a lifecycle:

1. Registration: The domain is registered by someone.
2. Expiration: If the domain owner doesn’t renew the domain before the expiry date, it enters the expired status.
3. Grace Period: After expiration, there is usually a 30-45 day grace period during which the current owner can renew it without penalties.
4. Redemption Period: If the grace period passes without renewal, the domain enters a redemption period of another 30 days, where the current owner can still renew but at a higher cost.
5. Pending Delete: Once the redemption period is over, the domain enters a pending delete status for about five days, after which it is finally released to the public for re-registration.

Backorder services typically focus on the domain during the pending delete phase to increase the likelihood of registering it immediately.

The success rate of a domain backorder depends on several factors, including:

• Competition: If multiple people are interested in the domain, and several backorders are placed, the likelihood of getting the domain decreases unless you’re willing to win an auction.
• Domain Value: Highly sought-after domains may have a low success rate because there are many parties interested, including large companies or domain investors.
• Backorder Service: Some backorder services have better “drop-catching” capabilities and technologies, which improve their success rate in acquiring the domain.

Success is not guaranteed, but a backorder increases your chances significantly.

When selecting a domain backorder service, here are some factors to consider:

• Success Rate: Some services have better success rates due to more advanced drop-catching systems.
• Domain Extensions Supported: Ensure the service supports the TLD (Top-Level Domain) of the domain you’re interested in.
• Pricing: Look at the total cost, including backorder fees and potential auction costs.
• Reputation: Research reviews and testimonials to see if the service has a good reputation.
• Customer Support: Make sure they offer responsive customer service in case you need help or have issues during the process.

Popular backorder services include GoDaddy, NameJet, DropCatch, and SnapNames.

The primary risk of domain backordering is that your desired domain might not become available. The current owner could renew the domain, or a competitor could outbid you in an auction. Additionally, backordering doesn’t guarantee success since it depends on the efficiency of the service you use and the competition for the domain.

There’s also the financial risk, as auctions can get expensive, especially for high-demand domains. Be sure to set a budget before participating in a domain auction.

Once you successfully backorder and acquire the domain, it’s yours to use as you wish. You can:

• Develop a website or online business.
• Redirect traffic to another domain.
• Hold it as part of a portfolio of domain names for potential future sales.

Just like any newly acquired domain, you’ll need to manage its renewal and ensure it stays under your ownership.