What is domain backorder and monitoring?

A domain backorder is a service that helps you try and buy the domain name that you want when it becomes available for registration. One way of thinking about how this works is that a domain backorder is almost like putting yourself on a waiting list for a domain that you want – almost like a reservation. The benefit of doing this is that once the domain name you want expires, you are among the first to be given a chance to register the domain name before anyone else does.

When you purchase a domain backorder, you also receive Domain Monitoring included along with one year of domain name registration as part of the package.

Unfortunately, no. Purchasing a domain backorder does not necessarily guarantee registration of the domain name that you want. However, when purchasing a domain backorder, we make attempts to obtain the domain name for you when it does become available for registration again.

In the event that the domain name you want goes to auction, instructions are then provided on how to participate in the auction if you so choose. Domain names can go into auction if there are multiple people who have placed a domain backorder on the same domain name.

If a domain name that has been backordered becomes available for registration, but attempts to acquire it are unsuccessful, or someone else wins the domain name auction, you are able to reassign your domain backorder credit to a different domain name of your choice. If our domain backorder service cannot successfully register your desired domain name for you, you will be notified via email.

Yes, multiple people are able to place a backorder on the same domain name. Though, this wasn’t always the case. Only since about 2009 have multiple backorders been able to be placed on a single domain.

So, even if a domain backorder has already been placed on a domain name that you want, you are still able to place your own backorder on that same domain name. What happens though with domains that have multiple backorders placed on it is that the domain will go into auction when it becomes available again for registration. The auction will be among all of the people who had previously placed a backorder on the domain name.

Domain monitoring is a service that tracks significant domain settings of any particular domain it has been assigned to track. Being able to track changes in certain domain settings is important because specific changes may be indicative of when the domain name you are trying to buy is going to become available again for registration and purchase.

Domain monitoring comes included when placing a domain backorder and notifies you via email any time there is a significant change to the settings of the domain you are trying to acquire. In addition to receiving notifications yourself of domain setting changes to the domain you want, you are also able to select up to two other email contacts to whom email notifications should also be sent.

Monitoring is set up for one-year periods at a time. In order to continue using domain monitoring, it must be renewed in order to continue use. Fortunately, you are able to set domain monitoring to continually renew automatically so you do not have to manually renew the service or remember to do so. The auto-renew setting can be turned on or off at any time. Domain monitoring is able to track setting changes to domain names with the following extensions: .com, .org, .net, .biz, .info, .co, .us, .me, and .mobi.

When monitoring a particular domain name, you will be notified any time there is a change to any of the following domain settings:

1 – The Domain Name Registrar: When there is a change to the registrar of a domain name, this may be due to a domain name transfer.

2 – Nameservers / Domain Name System (DNS): Changes to a domain’s nameservers means that DNS management has changed. This does not necessarily mean someone else is managing the domain, only that the nameservers the domain points to have changed – but still good to know.

3 – The Status of a Domain Name: When a domain becomes locked or unlocked, this changes the status of the domain name. When a domain status changes to “unlocked,” this may mean that the domain is getting ready to be released, sold, or become available for purchase again soon.

4 – The Domain Expiration Date: Domain names have an expiration date based on the amount of time that they have been registered for. If a domain is renewed, this will extend the expiration date, consequently making it become longer before the domain is available again for purchase. Alternatively, a canceled domain could potentially expire soon, making the domain name you want become available sooner rather than later.

There are certain instances where a particular domain name may not be eligible or available to be backordered. Here are the most common reasons for a domain being unable to be backordered:

1 – The domain extension is not supported: At this time, we are only able to process backorders for domains with the following domain extensions: .com, .org, .net, .biz, .info, .co, .us, .me, and .mobi. A domain with a different extension type than these would not be available for backorder.

2 – A domain falls within the Single backorder policy: March 2009 was the first time that multiple backorders could be placed on a single domain. Before this date, only one domain backorder per domain was allowed at the time. So hypothetically, if you were trying to place a backorder on a domain that had a backorder effective prior to March 2009, you would not be able to do so because it would still be effective under the Single backorder policy.

3 – The domain is a Premium domain: If a domain name is considered to be a Premium domain name, it is not eligible for backorder at this time. Premium domain names are essentially short, catchy, memorable names that are already registered to another person, entity or organization. Premium domain names are often more expensive, with the demand for these names usually being significantly higher.

4 – The domain is blocked: There are a number of given reasons why a particular domain name might be blocked. But if is blocked, it is also ineligible for backorder.

After backordering a domain name, the recommended first step is to set up domain monitoring to help ensure that you start staying up-to-date on any changes to the domain right away, as well as become informed of its current status. Learning of the domain’s current status will help to determine the best next steps to take in effort to acquiring the domain name you want.

After backordering the domain name of your choice, you will then learn more about where it is currently registered, as well as if it is able to be obtained by the backorder service.

To learn even more about the process and what to expect, check out: What happens after I backorder a domain name?

Unfortunately, not every domain backorder is going to be successful on the first try. There are many reasons as to why this is the case. But not to worry. Fortunately, if your domain backorder is unsuccessful, you do have a couple of different options to consider.

The first option is if the attempt to obtain the domain is unsuccessful the first time, you can simply re-apply your backorder to the same domain again for another attempt, at no additional charge. That is because when purchasing a domain backorder, it remains valid until it succeeds with a domain name.

The second option is that you can simply change your domain backorder to a different domain name of your choice. If you have your heart set on a particular domain name and no other, then by all means, keep trying with name you want. But, if you are okay with a second or third choice domain, then this may be a good option to consider trying as an alternative.