The best way to maintain domain name ownership (and thus keep others from snapping your name up upon expiration) is this:
If you're intent on keeping a domain name, be sure to renew it well-before the expiration date.
I suggest renewal a month or two in advance of the expiration date. This will give you time to attend to anything unexpected.
Around renewal time I find that I often end up transferring my domain names to better, lower-priced registrars, which adds a little time. See domains.zaz.com for the lowest prices I've been able to find.
Domain Ownership
Once you've successfully registered a domain name you own it. But your ownership only lasts as long as it's registered in your name. That is, once it expires you no longer "own it". Read on to understand exactly what happens when and if your domain does expire.
The Expiration Date
As indicated above, renewal of your domain name should be done a month or two before the expiration date. If you find you're in a crunch, and the expiration date is only 7 to 10 days or so away it is still possible to renew your name, you'll just want to be sure everything goes smoothly.
If the expiration date is still approaching the first order of business is to make payment to your existing registrar. Get payment to them on or prior to the expiration date. If you'd like to transfer your domain to a better or less expensive registrar and there's time, it is possible, though somewhat risky (the closer you are to the expiration date). If you have the assistance of someone who's done it before successful transfer and renewal can be consummated if initiated around 7 to 10 days prior to expiration.
It Expired, But I Want to Keep It!
If the domain you'd registered has already expired and it's still 30 to 35 days from the expiry date you're within the Grace Period. During this time the status of your domain will likely be set to "Registrar-Hold". Try renewing the domain with your existing registrar. Do so immediately, as it get's rather expensive to re-acquire the name if you let it slip into the "Redemption Period" (see details on this below).
Costly Redemption Period
If the expiration date was more than 30 or so days ago, but it's still been less than two-and-a-half months or so (approximately 65-70 days), your domain has likely slipped into the Redemption Period.
At this point you no longer own the domain name, but you can still get it back, for a price. It'll likely cost you somewhere between $80 to $350 to get the name back during the Redemption Period. If the name represents significant value to you it is advisable to go ahead and re-acquire the name during this period. Once the redemption period is over your name will be available for registration by anyone.
Back-Ordering
If the name in question has little value, or the domain name was last owned by someone else there are two other viable options:
- Back-order the name. (See details on how to do this below.)
- Chance it and register the name later once the domain is out of the redemption period. NOTE: This option is not advisable since it is quite possible that someone else has back-ordered the domain, especially if it appears to have some value.
There are numerous services that allow you to backorder domain names. What they do is monitor the domain name until it becomes available. When it becomes available the name is registered on your behalf. There is no guarantee that you'll get the name, since others may also be backordering the same name. If someone else had been the owner there's also a chance that they'll actually pay to retain ownership.
I've seen costs in the range of $35 to $60 and up for this service. The best price I could find for back-ordering can be found here: backorder.zaz.com (Back-ordering here costs less than $20, and if you don't get the domain name you can plug another name into the system. Do so within 2 weeks after the previous name became unavailable to keep the backorder credit. The credit to the back-order system is valid for 1 year.)
If you have other questions, or need help with your domain name(s), feel free to call Kevin JT Binder toll-free at 1-877-3-BINDER (1-877-324-6337), or visit netcoach.us
".com" image source: ABC News
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