Multiple backorders will be accepted on domain names.
GoDaddy has informed Domain Name Wire that it is changing the way it handles backorders for domains not registered at one of The Go Daddy Group’s domain name registrars.
As early as next week GoDaddy will begin accepting more than one backorder on domain names. (Currently only one is accepted). If GoDaddy successfully captures the domain name and more than one backorder was placed, there will be an auction on TDNAM for the domain. Only the people that backordered the domain can participate in the auction.
The new system will be somewhat similar to a non-exclusive backorder on SnapNames. However, GoDaddy will still charge an upfront $18.95 fee for your backorder. If GoDaddy doesn’t capture the expiring domain name or you don’t win the auction, you can transfer your backorder to a different domain name.
A GoDaddy representative says the company is making this change based on customer feedback. Existing backorders will not be affected by this change. Note that the new policy does not apply to domains expiring from a GoDaddy registrar, which will continue to be auctioned at TDNAM.
now they need to stop charging before they get the name…wonder how much cash they’re holding that was unused.
Keep up the good work Andrew…
Tim – I wouldn’t be surprised if GoDaddy dropped the charge in the future. It’s not big deal if you backorder a domain every once in a while, but if you want to backorder 100 of them in a short period of time then you have to pay $1,895. I’m really not sure how many domains GoDaddy catches in drops that aren’t theirs, so I don’t know if people are interested in backordering 100 domains. We’ll see.
Andrew,
I’m not 100% sure but I believe you can place a backorder for domains regged at GoDaddy.
It’s true Expired domains will go through the
TDNAM auction process but if no bids are placed, I believe any backorder placed will kick in.
The expired domain will go to the Backorder and not go to the $5 Firesale.
At least that’s how it seemed to work before.
Some domains never went to the Firesale.
If they did not go to a backorder, maybe those were domains being taken by GoDaddy’s Standard Tactics division.
Patrick, if you place a backorder on a domain registered at GoDaddy, it will still go to TDNAM and they will automatically place a $10 bid for you. You can read more about how that works here.
“However, GoDaddy will still charge an upfront $18.95 fee for your backorder.”
Andrew,
Apparently not many people know that GoDaddy has a division called BlueRazor.
It’s supposedly a “discount club” with prices lower than at GoDaddy proper.
Membership is $9.95 a year.
However when you use GoDaddy coupons, the GoDaddy direct prices are generally better.
There is one big exception.
Backorders at BlueRazor are just $12.95 each
The $12.95 includes the cost of registering the domain name and ICANN fee if the domain is captured.
The $9.95 membership quickly more than pays for itself with just two backorders.
Just like at GoDaddy, a backorder can be applied to a different domain at any time.
Of course, if GD eventually eliminates the upfront fee then a BlueRazor membership will be unnecessary.
I’m not so sure they will eliminate it though.
GoDaddy seems to like the upfront fees like they collect for Parking your domains, etc.
http://account.bluerazor.com/default.aspx
Its just another way for Godaddy to make more money. It has nothing to do with their customers, lol.
Thanks Andrew.
So I wonder what happened to all those domains that had no bids yet never went to the $5 Firesale.
Standard Tactics LLC ?
It was a good run! Our clients have captured 1000’s of names with Godaddy, without an auction. Fortunately, it is possible to hand register more deleted names today than ever before.
When GoDaddy starts catching ANY domains then maybe this announcement will matter.
Right now (outside of TDNAM) they cannot even catch their own dropping domains.
Godaddy sucks at domain drop catches and parking because Bob Parson’s isn’t a domainer so he really doesn’t understand domains.
He understands marketing and domain registrations and services but as far as understanding auctions and parking… nope.
“Right now (outside of TDNAM) they cannot even catch their own dropping domains.”
So true.
But there was one benefit of having a backorder there.
Often times a domain they couldn’t grab at first would be subsequently dropped by the Taster who did grab it
Sometimes GoDaddy would then get the domain (not any really good ones though) for you if you kept the backorder alive.
With the (almost) demise of Domain Tasting,
that “second chance” is gone too.
Patrick,
Absolutely true.
First you need to stop bad mouthing Godaddy.
Next stop deleting posts on your website that you don’t like. Putting false news stories up is not good journalism.
Steven, are you referring to my story about GoDaddy changing its backorder system? It doesn’t bad mouth GoDaddy.
Second, I don’t know what false new story you’re talking about.
Yes, about them changing the backorder system.
Who was your source? I called Godaddy, the executive department non the less. They hadn’t heard anything on backorder changes. Adding they would notify us months in advance of any changes.
So who in Godaddy gave you the news on the backorder change? Very curious to how so much different information is coming from one source.
Steven – GoDaddy’s PR department let me know. The change will go into affect as early as next week but “within a month”. I’m not surprised that the executive representatives wouldn’t know about this as it’s still being implemented and a relatively small part of their business. I don’t think they’re going to make a big announcement about this, since it only affects a small portion of their customer base.
With this pay-upfront situation, I’d only backorder names that are reg’d at godaddy, unless it was a name I just had to have. I’d definity want to limit my floating backorder credit at GoDaddy.
JP – domain regged at GoDaddy will still go to TDNAM regardless of if you backorder them or not. If you backorder a GoDaddy domain it will go to TDNAM and they’ll place a $10 bid for you. I don’t see much reason to backorder a GoDaddy domain in light of this.
Interesting….
Funny, I’ve successfully backordered over half a dozen domains through GD. Also as previously stated, …I didn’t get one, but found that after a week, I guess it didn’t fit in with whomever’s plans, and was able to snag it.
I agree with the changes of 1 backorder though, I’ve tried to BO a couple but had to go elsewhere because of their idiotic rule.
I’d much rather pay 18.95 or 12.95 than 69.00
@Dluzional – good point, since their starting bids are lower. If you just keep 10 domains backordered at a time, you can rotate them to new domains if they don’t catch one.
I think in the long run they’ll make more money without an upfront fee. More people will backorder the domains, resulting in a higher auction price.
If they do this change and pull the rug out from us, then I can guarantee it will cause backlash. They have agreements and contracts and they just change the rules??
They would force people to move on to snapnames since that is a guaranteed buy instead of bidding it up if godaddy wins..
The price would end up at $50 ish anyways.
I think godaddy would maybe make money, but I would move on. I would then start shopping for lowest renewel rates to move domains over to.
I would hope they wouldn’t try to copy the auction sites. Somehow they think they can take them on, but I think its a mistake if they try.
Steven, what sort of long term contract do they have on backorders? If you already placed a backorder on a domain then nothing will happen…they will honor existing backorders. It’s only for domains that don’t have a backorder yet.
GoDaddy used to be good for the catching the newer tld’s .us .biz and whatever else there was they made a lot of people rich on the down low… also names regged at godaddy got quietly transferred to those who had exclusive backorders on them.. this was all a few years back though… yes there was even 3 letter .com’s and massive traffic names too, it was more of a lucky thing though
This latest change, whenever it goes into effect is all about their bottom line.. and not based on any “customer feedback”
Auctions => more money.
Good job parsons and dicker!
Yeah, they were great for getting non .com domain names.
Say what you want about Godaddy/Wild West Domains… they have the best user interface of ALL registrars and they are the ONLY registrar that allows you to approve away a transfer.
Sure, they have their quirks and hassles but I have 90%+ of my domains there, hands down not even a close second choice.
@Rob – I always considered you a good domain consultant, but your love of GD has kept me from really releasing the doves about your advice. GD, the best registrar? Oh dear God. The “user interface” you describe as being the best was partially designed by Eric Rice and myself at Bulkregister in 2005. It was copied by GD 18 months later. Unfortunately, the best parts of the interface Eric and I created were not incorporated by Enom when they bought BR in 2006.
Rob, doesn’t it bother you that millions of dollars are spent by GD advertising in a sleazy way the domain industry? Is Danica a great racecar driver, or a chick we want to see naked in the shower? come on dude, join the domain industry. When was the last time you saw Bob Parsons even “commenting” about this industry and it’s issues? If you have a link where it shows Bob supporting the domains that made him rich, please share it. All I know is his amazing upsell cheap taco sales tactics directed at NOOBIES has really made him rich.
@Steven F. – “Yes, about them changing the backorder system. Who was your source? I called Godaddy, the executive department non the less. They hadn’t heard anything on backorder changes. Adding they would notify us months in advance of any changes.”
Bro, if you believe what you hear from the “executive dept” of GD, you’re drinking the Koolaid.
Did you know I have an account with Wildwestdomains and I stopped paying the yearly fee on it two years ago, but the website on my domain still exists? Why do you think this is? lol
If anything, support the companies that support YOUR business, both in the news, in the trenches, and among domainers. GD isn’t one of these registrars.
Something along these lines exists in Canada and it’s despicable.
For instance, generic domain names are re-sold for tens of thousands of dollars after they’ve been dropped and TBRed (registered by someone else through CIRA’s “to be renewed” service).
Applying this logic to more gTLDs and ccTLDs, wether it’s limited or not to GoDaddy is just wrong.
The bidding for names should happen at the owner level, not the registrar level.
Funny so if me and me place a back order for a one word generic i will get it for $10 as its a private auction and there is just me and me in it LOL
So funny.but we all wish !
Here is the real story
I’m told that this change has been implemented. If you’ve placed a backorder in the past few days, let me know what it is so I can check.