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How does Domain Name DropCatching work?
Domain Name DropCatching or otherwise known as ‘domain sniping’, is basically when a domain name expires it’s up for grabs. A Domain Name Catcher simply snatches up and buys that expired domain as soon as it ‘drops’, (i.e. when the registration lapses), then registers and holds on to it. This often happens immediately after a domain name expires.
In other words, they ‘catch’ the domain name once the domain name owner lets it drop by not renewing it.
A Domain Name DropCatching service will either re-register the expired domain name for themselves to hold on to, market and sell at a later date to someone looking for that particular domain name. Or the Domain Name Catcher will offer to ‘reserve’ a domain name and when it ‘drops’, re-registers it for their client that has reserved it for a predetermined price.
How do I get an expiring domain?
The best way to get an expiring domain is to order from a domain backorder company like Dynadot, DropCatch or NameJet.
These companies not only have the software that can immediately spot when a domain name has dropped and is available, but they can also place In order for you once your desired domain name gets dropped from the ICANN registry.
They could also put you at the head of the line. That is, unless of course, no one else is interested in that domain name. More on this below.
You see companies like Dynadot, DropCatch and NameJet know all the ins and outs of the domain name business.
For example, the most popular and sought after domain extension is a (.com). Well the (.com) extension itself is owned by a registry called a Verisign, “.COM REGISTRY AGREEMENT BETWEEN VERISIGN AND ICANN.”
When a register wants to sell a (.com) they must go through Verisign and abide by their terms including limits for purchasing domains.
DropCatchers like Dynadot, DropCatch and NameJet are powerful forces in the DropCatching business because they’ve set up thousands of registrars with Verisign.
However, they do keep these registrars private so they can use up all the limits and terms that Verisign gives them for each registrar they have registered.
This basically gives them unlimited abilities to purchase as many “dot .com’s” from Verisign as they wish.
In addition to this, they also have software that will automatically alert them when a domain name becomes available or is dropped within seconds.
However, one thing you should know is that many, if not most sought after domain names are not only sought after by you, but by others as well.
So many times once a domain name is dropped and caught by a company like Dynadot, NameJet or DropCatch, they will put it up for bidding.
Depending on the value of the domain name and the age, this can be as little as $20 or $25 on up to thousands of dollars. DropCatching is a big business.
Should I backorder a domain?
If there’s a domain name you really want, but it’s taken and you find out that the expiration date is coming up, then you should definitely back order that domain.
There are other ways to get domain names that are already owned by someone else though.
You can actually approach the domain name owner yourself and let them know that you are interested in buying that domain name.
If you give them the right offer, they may be tempted to sell it to you. If the domain name owner is under Whois protection and you cannot access the domain name owner from their website or off the internet, then under the Whois information, you should have the name of the hosting company they host their website on and/or the domain name registrar.
What you can then do is contact the domain name registrar and ask them to pass on a message to the domain name owner stating your interest in the website.
If the owner is interested, they may get back to you.
How long after a domain expires can I buy it?
This depends on the domain name registrar. On average you can usually buy a domain within 30 days after it expires.
They usually hold it for the original domain name owner who had owned the domain name prior to expiration.
However, you should always check the domain name registrar first, since they are perfectly allowed to set their own time limits on when a domain name can be bought after the expiration date. How do you check or find out who the domain name registrar is?
Simple, just go to ICANN’s Domain Name Registration Data Lookup, or any number of website statistical data services and enter the domain name you’re interested in. Here’s one you can use, hypestat.com.
This should give you all the pertinent information you need. However, if a domain name is under Whois protection, you will not have access to the owner of that domain name.
You can easily reach out to the domain name owner though by contacting the domain registrar first and using them as a sort of intermediary, if you are interested in purchasing the domain name from the current owner.
In addition, many domain name registrars offer expired domains for sale on their websites or many domain name owners simply list some of their domains up for sale on the domain name registrar’s website as well.
You see, many webmasters and those who create and grow niche websites for a living may buy tens of domain names for potential projects and never use them.
So instead of letting them expire, they simply list them with the domain name registrar and put them up for sale.
But at least the Whois information will give you the domain name register.
Once you have that information, simply contact them and ask them the pertaining questions in regards to their domain name policies as well as possibilities for purchasing an expired domain name through them.
Some domain name registrars do have a back order service. However, not all do. In fact, I was quite surprised that some of the biggest and most popular domain name registrars that don’t offer this type of service, like NameCheap.
Does a domain name expire?
A domain name expires yearly. Yes, once you buy a domain name that doesn’t mean you own it forever.
The ICANN registry simply gives the buyer of a domain name yearly use of that domain name. The use of that domain name expires technically every year.
However, many domain name owners, if you can call them that, buy multiple year registrations. In other words, they pay in advance for the use of that domain name. Why?
They simply don’t want to let their domain name drop.
Having your domain name drop, believe it or not, is quite easy to do because most website owners are too busy creating content, optimizing their websites, managing affiliate programs, products and services that they may sell on that website and of course, customer service etc.
A simple thing like a $10 a year domain name renewal fee is one of the last things on their mind.
Therefore, many of them choose to just pay in advance for multi-year use of that domain name.
How does backordering a domain work?
Basically you contact a domain backordering service and enter the domain name you are interested in buying into the appropriate box.
They will then put you in their system and when that domain name drops or is not renewed for whatever reason, they will know within seconds and you could then put in a bid for that domain name.
They usually have thousands of domain names already on their lists that are about to expire or be dropped.
If your desired domain name is not on their lists, you will need to look up its Whois information to find out exactly when it is up for renewal.
If it’s not close to being dropped or renewed you will either need to keep track of the domain name as it comes closer to its renewal date or contact the domain name owner personally.
Every domain backordering service has their own procedures, but generally that’s how it works.
How long is a domain pending delete?
According to ICANN the length of a domain pending delete duration is currently 5 calendar days.
What does it mean to backorder a domain?
To backorder a domain simply means that when a domain name is dropped or becomes available because the owner has not renewed its yearly registration fee, a domain backordering service will normally snap it up if it’s on their list of domains.
For you personally to backorder a domain name, just follow the general instructions, I had given above. However, your best bet would be to contact a reputable domain backordering service like Dynadot, DropCatch or NameJet.
Can I renew my domain name with another provider?
Yes, you can actually renew your domain name with another provider. You just have to be very aware of when your domain name expires and then contact the domain name provider in which you want to buy your domain name from.
They will then talk you through the whole process and what you need to do in order to buy that domain name through them.
It’s actually quite easy and straightforward, especially when compared to backordering a domain name.
How do I permanently buy a domain name?
Unfortunately, you can never permanently buy a domain name. Domain names according to ICANN must be renewed on a yearly basis.
However, you can pay many years in advance for a particular domain name or names.
It kind of works like if you’re buying property in a foreign country and they do not allow foreigners to buy property, but they will allow foreigners a 99-year lease, for example.
You can basically pay many years in advance on a domain name in a similar fashion as well. But you can never truly permanently own a domain name.
Why are domain name renewals so expensive?
The cost of a domain name renewal depends on the registrar in which you wish to renew your domain name from.
However, I personally have never had to pay more than $10 or $15 for a domain name renewal.
Always check the domain name registrar for their renewal rates before committing to buying a domain name from them.
Also, many domain name registrars will offer special discounts if you pay for your domain name renewals a few years in events.
In addition, always be sure to check out domain name renewal discounts before agreeing to renew for more than one year in advance, so you can not only snap up a few deals but to give you some peace of mind as well.
Is domain squatting illegal?
Domain squatting otherwise known as cybersquatting, technically is illegal and has been for quite some time.
However, it is rarely enforced. Why? Because normally in order for domain squatting to be prosecuted there needs to be a claimant.
Someone has to file a lawsuit claiming domain squatting. This obviously can include legal fees which can be very costly to say the least as well as time consuming.
The best way to get around domain squatting is either to make an offer to the domain squatter or to simply find another domain name that is available.
Domain Name DropCatching, conclusions.
As you can see domain name drop catching and domain name squatting are quite different. Domain name drop catching is big business.
Many webmasters and those who create and develop websites as a full-time profession will at some point dabble in the sea of domain name DropCatching.
This is not only a lucrative industry for domain name drop catchers, but for those purchasing those dropped domain names as well. Why?
Because many of these dropped domain names are quite old, established and have what’s called DA or Domain Authority in the eyes of Google. They also may have many valuable links linking to that domain name as well.
Therefore, many webmasters find that even paying a few hundred or a few thousand dollars for a dropped domain name is well worth the cost.
However, you don’t have to spend thousands of dollars to catch a dropped domain name from a domain name drop catcher in order to benefit.
There are many hidden gems that can be bought for under $100. The value is in what someone is willing to pay for a domain name after all.
