Snagging a good domain name

[Bradley]

I made a post in a forum, but I **think** the forum has been deleted. (I searched on my name, and I could not find my post)

At any rate, I am tracking a domain name that contains the following information:

Record last updated on 07-Jul-2000.
Record expires on 27-May-2000.
Record created on 24-May-1996.
Database last updated on 9-Jul-2000 20:34:35 EDT.

Well, I was wondering why the domain name was not available for purchase. I decided to call Network Solutions and they told me that the owner of the domain has a 60 day grace period. So, on July 27, 2000, I'll hopefully be checking the Who-Is database to see if this domain name become available for purchase.

Brett, I know you have experience with this - did you contstantly check the Who-Is database on the 60th day to see if the domain name became available. How many times/day were you checking?

Just thought I would share what I learned.

[Brett_Tabke]

Search is a work-in-progress. It only searches for authors on the main post, not replies. Some of the earlier posts are not in the search database yet. (I'm not quite finished with it yet). I'm sure it is still here Bradly somewhere - we don't delete or edit posts around here very often (3 replies since the move). It has to be a pretty serious infraction of our common sense rules before that would happen. Either that, or a system error I am not aware of. We'd also appreciate your comments on the 'Url Dropping' [webmasterworld.com] thread in Post and testing board - which is basically a discussion on when it is appropriate to edit/delete a post.

Ok, back to the topic. Yes, I checked the domain daily for 60 days until I found it wasn't listed. Often you will find the domain is released much earlier than 60days if the owner replies to the renewal request with a negative.

Also, study the times that the database is updated. If you think it is going to be sought after domain name, just try registering it - often it will go through. If it doesn't, you are sometimes put on a waiting list.

Also, thanks to NetworkSol for the free "Search Engine World.Com" t-shirt. They had a promo last month that I got in on.

[Bradley]

You say to just go ahead and try to register it..... When I type in the domain name to try and register it, they say "Sorry, [website] is not available." How am I then put on a waiting list?

[Brett_Tabke]

If it has expired, some times they will come back and ask for information. Try to register it again in a couple of weeks, and at 30, 45, and 60 days after the expiration date.

[Brett_Tabke]

I think here [webmasterworld.com] was the post you were looking for Bradley.

[Bradley]

Yup! :)

[Bradley]

Brett:

A crucial time period is coming up for me to snag this domain name (hopefully). In Network Solutions, it says that the "Record expires on 27-May-2000."

When I called Network Solutions, they say they put a 60 day hold on the domain name to see if the owner will pay the registration fee. Well, it is already July and the day is coming. My question is this Brett:

I have noticed that the update the database around 10:00 p.m. Eastern time - Do you notice this trend?

Secondly Do I search on this domain name on July 26th at 10:00 p.m. or July 27th at 10. I unsure as to when the 60 days expires and will be updated in their WHOIS database! :)

This is nerve racking and fun at the same time! I look forward to your reply.

[Brett_Tabke]

Update time always seemed to be random to me, but that is the way to go about it.

Must be a killer domain name?

[yomebe]

I have watched the 60 days come and go on a domain I want . But you can allways hope for a change.

[Bradley]

Yom: The 60 days passed you by? Did you try calling Network Solutions to see why you can't get the domain name? I would do that. Brett, do you know why this has occured?

This domain name is pretty decent. It is in an industry that I would like to get involved with. We'll see what happens.

[Brett_Tabke]

Have heard NS will save back some returned domain names and charge higher for them...Sorry, I forgot where I read that at.

[yomebe]

Has anybody ever got one by calling NS?

[oilman]

Here [news.com] may be some of the answers we seek regarding expired domains. Doesn't look good folks :(

[Brett_Tabke]

That's the story I was looking for. Thanks for that link.

There is your answer in that story Bradley.

[pete]

Whilst we are on the subject.

We had to fork out $7500.00 to a cyberpirate for one of our domains - I suppose not much for U.S standards but it certanily hurt.

I was later approached by a client to negotiate on their behalf for aquiring a domain from another squatter. Whilst on the phone with this guy, did a quick whois search and found that the fool had not renewed the domain and that the record had lapsed. As we "negotiated" and he speedily increased the asking price, I kept him interested on the phone long enough to register the domain.

One of the funnier moments in the short time that I have been involved in web marketing. I didnt charge the client apart from the registration fee.

Good luck Bradley - hope you get it!

[yomebe]

here is an example of how long they are holding on to expired domains:

Record last updated on 11-Jul-2000.
Record expires on 10-Jan-1999.
Record created on 10-Jan-1996.
Database last updated on 5-Aug-2000 07:50:41 EDT

[JD]

Database last updated on 8-Aug-2000 19:41:10 EDT.

Does this mean last inqury?

[Brett_Tabke]

Hi JD, welcome aboard.

Usually it just means that was the last time they collated the live database with updates (deletions, additions, corrections). There are two db's, the static one on disk, and the live one that contains all the updates. At some point during the day they have to collate those two db's.

[JD]

So someone snags a domain that has expired and was a operational web site,
What recourse does the prior owner have?

[rcjordan]

JD, move or buy it back.

[rcjordan]

here you go kiddies, in b&w. but if you've been a regular here you already knew it...
Are the best Web domains being hoarded? [usatoday.com]
Network Solutions under attack for keeping the best Web names

[pburris]

I'm also wanting to register an expired domain name. Here is the info for the one I'm looking at:

Record last updated on 14-Aug-2000.
Record expires on 26-Jun-2000.
Record created on 25-Jun-1996.
Database last updated on 5-Sep-2000 14:29:55 EDT.

I called Network Solutions today in frustration and was told that "there was no telling" when the domain would be released for sale. He explained that NS waits for a certain number of expired domains to build up and then releases them in bulk. He would not tell me what that magic number is, or how soon this bulk release could happen. He then asked where I had gotten the phone number! (It was the tech/billing support # listed on their website: 1-888-642-9675)

I'm wondering if anyone else has heard this explanation or a different one...

Peggy

[Air]

peggy welcome to the WmW board.

I wouldn't hold you breath waiting for that magic number of domains to accumulate, unless network solutions is forced into releasing those domains (IMHO) they won't until they are ready to auction them off.

[pburris]

Here is the email I received from NS regarding expired domains:

Thank you for contacting Network Solutions.

NSI periodically deletes domain names that are up for deletion in bulk since
bulk deletion better enables us to insure that only those domain names that
are actually up for deletion are properly deleted (as compared to a running
deletion process). The dates on which these bulk deletions occur are
arbitrarily selected by our engineering department based upon system
loading and other technical factors. In order to protect against an
overload of our systems, we do not disclose these deletion dates.

You may, therefore, either continue to check our site for the availability
of the domain name and attempt to obtain it through the public registration
process or, in the alternative, contact the listed registrant directly
and discuss the possibility of executing a registrant name change agreement,
which would legally transfer the domain name registration directly from the
registrant to you, provided, of course, the registrant has already paid or
is still able to pay the registration renewal fee in accordance with the
NSI renewal notice he or she has received. We now offer a priority
registrant
name change service which would implement the transfer in 2 business days
for an additional fee.

Best regards,
Marsha D
Network Solutions Registrar
[networksolutions.com...]

[EX_S]

Aaah, I'm in the same boat. A good domain name I have an eye on is about to expire. It is currently only used as an "under contruction" domain, so theoretically, the current owners will not bother to renew it.

So given the above advice, I should keep applying for it periodically for the next 60 days right?

Here's the problem - NSI are the current owners. Given the press they've been having for hording names, it makes me nervous.

Any thoughts? (I _really_ want to get this domain.)

James

[pburris]

Good luck EX_S

The domain I'm watching expired June 26 and is still in NS's database (sigh). I'm really getting sick of checking on it a couple of times a day...But what else can I do? I even wrote to ICANN, but they told me that it was perfectly OK for NS to have a 'grace period' in which customers can re-register their domain. That's fine, but 3 months? Wish I had that kind of grace period on my mortgage, car payment, etc...

Peggy

[WordSmith]

I spent 3 months earlier this year trying to snag an extremely valuable name that expired in 1998. Just went and checked, seems someone more persistant got it last week. I could not get sense out of NS as to why they would not release it after 2 years expired, I suspect they sold it for a lot more than 35 bucks tho, :-)

[pburris]

Do you think that NS released it into the bank of available names and someone snagged it that way? Did the newest owners use NS as their registar? If the domain is still with NS, I would imagine that it was just transferred to the new owners without ever being released to the general public... You may not have had a chance.

When I contacted NS about the domain name I've been watching since June, they suggested that I contact the owner directly to see if he would be open to transferring it to my name. But that would require me to use NS as my registrar. (Gee, I wonder why they suggested that?)

So cynical for a Friday!

Peggy

[WordSmith]

Actually its a bit screwy, or I just dont understand, NS says its registered by Tucows with invalid IP, I go to to opensrs and they say NSI for the registrar. Used to be registered to someone in Hawiai<sp> now its in Salt Lake City. Redirects to another URL. Wanna know the name?

[yomebe]

This is from the same record I posted before. Notice the changes? it is still reg to the same people. huh

Record last updated on 20-Sep-2000.
Record expires on 12-May-2000.
Record created on 11-May-1995.
Database last updated on 8-Oct-2000 10:50:53 EDT.