Backorders are only effective on domains not registered at GoDaddy.
Before GoDaddy launched its domain name aftermarket TDNAM, I used to backorder a number of domains from the registrar. They were fairly good at grabbing expired domains, especially non-.coms. But then the company started sending its own expired domains to auction at TNDAM, which seems to conflict with placing a backorder.
I placed a backorder a couple months ago for a domain at GoDaddy that was expiring. After the grace period I received an e-mail stating that the domain was going to auction at TDNAM and that a $10 bid had been made on my behalf. A backorder costs $18.95, and if no one else bid on the domain then I would get it for that price ($10 plus $8.95).
So why would you place a backorder if the domain will be sent to auction anyway? By automatically placing a bid for you, GoDaddy draws attention to the domain.
I asked Elizabeth Driscoll of GoDaddy to clarify the backorder and expired domain process at GoDaddy. This is a great explanation to help you get expired GoDaddy domains:
A backorder at Godaddy.com is $18.95. Once purchased our system monitors the status to see if the domain has become available. If it is registered elsewhere we attempt to capture it when it becomes eligible.
Domains at Godaddy.com do go into the expiring domain auction on TDNAM on the 26th day beyond expiration therefore the backorder holder is provided the initial opening ten-dollar bid as well as an opportunity to place a proxy bid for the maximum amount they would be willing to bid. The proxy bid allows us to bid on their behalf, in five-dollar per day increments, should another party bid on the name.
On the 43rd day past expiration the domain would go first to the auction bidder (which may be the backorder holder if they participate) or should no auction winner exist, the name would then be awarded to the backorder holder.
Should neither exist the current owner would have approximately 30 additional days during which they could redeem and renew the name before it enters the pending delete status with the registry.
One caveat: If an expiring GoDaddy-owned domain is cancelled by the owner before it gets the TDNAM auction, a GoDaddy backorder picks up the domain. Happened to me on a domain I was monitoring and planning to bid on at TDNAM. I called GD and that was their explanation. Interesting isn’t it?
@ Spike – that is interesting, although I doubt it happens often.
Someone needs to do a updated report on namedropping. There are so many conflicting web resources, I’m afraid to even do whois searches.
I want a GoDaddy registered .com name. Expiring on 3/12/08, 64 days, it’s in redemption period.
This is a guaranteeed TDNam Auction? If so how should I precede?
GoDaddy can’t catch crap when the domain is expected to drop HOWEVER they are good at catching domains when other drop catchers aren’t looking.
If you have a back order on a name and a domain is caught by a private party, tasted then dropped again, the GD backorder will probably get it.
Good article.
@ ettu – there must be something else going on with the domain you’re referring to if it hasn’t gone to TDNAM.
Yeah, what’s the normal status for a domain, 64 days after expiry?
I haven’t tried TDNAM or GoDaddy backorder. And I don’t know if I should do that now AND enlist all the namedropping services too.
Thanks you. And I don’t mean to hijack the comments with my personal nigglings.
I have a couple pending GoDaddy backorder credits from names that they could not catch for about 2 years now.
Rich
Godaddy is good at catching names that drop after they are tasted.
So, if snap or namejet doesn’t get it because there are no backorders but a taster picks it up then drops it, GD is good for picking up those drops.
@ Rob – but I suppose if it’s dropped after a taste you shouldn’t count on it having money traffic.
This is completely outrageous. They charge you for a backorder, but when they get control of the domain, they advertise it then auction it off to the highest bidder rather than sell it to you?
I recently purchased a GoDaddy backorder based largely on the following text from their website:
“If you are the only person to backorder the domain, you will receive the domain at no additional cost, which also includes the first year’s registration fee.”
I sure wish I hadn’t bought the backorder now that I know this is a false claim. (The same page has conflicting text saying that the expired domain goes to auction no matter what … my fault for not reading carefully enough) They really need to fix their copy.
But here’s my bigger concern: The whole point of an auction is to have an impartial broker who facilitates a transaction between a seller and potential buyers. But it appears that GoDaddy isn’t even trying to be impartial. In fact, they appear to be actively abusing their position as “broker” by selling a service that is actually harmful to consumers.
So here’s the $64k question: If a domain expires and the resulting backorder-triggered auction produces a $64,000 winning bid … who gets the $64,000? Is it GoDaddy? I sure hope not, because they did nothing but broker the deal. In fact they didn’t even find the valuable domain … I did. And then I PAID THEM $20 to inform them of this opportunity for them to make money.
Yikes.
I certainly hope this isn’t what’s happening, because a broker CANNOT be impartial if they are the one who collects the winnings from an auction. If this is the case, GoDaddy has clearly stepped over the line into anti-consumer behavior and they deserve a healthy dose of regulation.
(Not to mention that you can set a maximum proxy bid so they can automatically bid up for you … would you trust an impartial broker with this information?)
Please someone tell me if I’m wrong about this. If so, I will no longer give GoDaddy more of my money on future transactions, in spite of being an otherwise happy customer of >10 years.
If I backorder a domain that is pending delete (and is with GoDaddy) will I automatically get the domain or will it go to auction even if no-one else has backordered it with GoDaddy?
If it’s pending delete, GoDaddy has to compete with all of the other drop catching services to get it.
From what I’ve gathered, if it is with other backorder services, it will not go to auction. If there are multiple backorders, it will go to a private auction only between these people. If you win the backorder via Godaddy. EG they win the backorder request, they will publicly auction it off to see if they can get more £££ from someone else before giving it you for the backorder that you paid for.
In other words, don’t use Godaddy.
The previous comment by Mike should be all you need to read.