Domain name backorder lost, then gained.

What Happened?

[Storyman]

Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining. Just would like to understand how a backorder is unsuccessful, then later gained.

About six weeks ago the domain name was backordered through GoDaddy. Ten days ago an email from GD arrives telling me that unfortunately my quest for the domain didn't work out.

A few days later another email arrives telling me that WhoIs has been updated with the new owner's stats. Another email a few days after that tells me that the domain is being transferred to another domain service.

At this point I was about to change my backorder request to another domain name request. Boy, am I glad I procrastinated.

Yesterday a final email arrives. The domain name has been successfully captured by GD. I phoned GD to confirm the transfer to my account. They assured me that I wasn't in danger of losing the domain name like the other guy. They had no explanation as to why the domain failed transfer for the other guy, but said that it does happen--though rarely.

Does anyone have an explanation as to what could have happened? Am I just lucky or what?

[Webwork]

It might be a case of a "domain taste and drop" - after a 5 day period of sampling the domain for traffic. The domain tasters have been cycling through millions of domains, sampling each for traffic, and if "the machine" doesn't get a direct-navigation hit during the tasting period the domain is dropped before the taster has to pay for it.

[Rx Recruiters]

That has happened very often for me, as well. The "tasters" will usually get it first, and if the traffic doesn't measure up, they will drop it within 7 days. GoDaddy seems to be very good at getting the second drop.

[Storyman]

Good to know about 'domain tasters.'

Do 'domain tasters' have any impact on backorder services like snapnames and pool? After all it is their bread and butter.

There was an attempt to transfer the domain to yet another domain service just a few days after it was snapped up. I'm wondering if that somehow violated the ICANN rules and the domain was bounced back into the available pool.

[stu2]

GoDaddy are excellent at picking up the drops from tasters. I'd say it's one of their few (but odd) fortes. I have a feeling their system of monitoring domains on a regular basis isn't done by the big dropcatchers. Who only appear to monitor the annual drop.