Be sure to use caution when backordering domain names. I often go to NameJet.com and SnapNames.com and backorder domains just to simply watch if there are 3 or more people with the domain name backordered.
I often do this with Bulk lists, as it’s time saving and before I felt safe because 3 people had a backorder in place before I did, which would make the earliest bid the winner if nobody else bid during the auction.
Many times at NameJet.com, I will do it with simply One person already backordering. Not every time I backorder a domain that I would purchase even at minimum bid, but I still like to "watch".
Well, today I got burned for $79 at SnapNames.com . How did I get burned? At least 3 people had backordered the domain name Omaholics.com Before I did, but when it came time for the domain to hit auction, those 3 people ahead of me must of removed their backorders!
When I logged into my SnapNames.com account on Friday, I was the high bidder for $79 when the auction started and nobody bid during the live auction, so this made me the winner today when the auction ended.
Now if I happened to like the domain, Great, but in this case I am not a big fan of the domain and feel a little cheated since at least 3 other’s had a BO before I did and no system is in place to let one know if "others" remove a backorder that was placed before you, or I never would of backordered it and or removed my backorder.
Oh well, lesson learned for me and now I can pass the warning onto you. Only backorder domains you would pay the minimum bid for and Do Not depend on if you backorder a domain just because other’s have done so before you, that they might not cancel their bids before the auction starts!
Acro
Sorry to hear that you fell for the “carrot & stick” scheme. Our buddy “halvarez” has transformed this practice into a science at Snapnames.
At NameJet, NEVER bid more than $69 at the pre-release auctions. If you had bid, for example $666 just to be cheeky, in an pre-release auction with a high bidder at $700 and he pulled out, you’d be looking at a nice, albeit “satanic” charge on your card.
Tony
In defense of “Halvarez”, he doesn’t back out of domain bids.
Acro
Halvarez always joins in as Mr. #2
There have been times when Halvarez was tricked into becoming #1 (after the high bidder pulled out *after* halvarez joined) and he had to contact Snapnames to be removed from the auction. It’s a nasty feature that Snapnames refuses to take care of.
Ms Domainer
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I did this one time (about 18 months ago), with a long-tail gambling domain, which is about useless on Google US, given no adsense allowed. I didn’t really want it; I just wanted to watch. A $69.00 lesson.
Dang! Every time I saw this in my account, I just wanted to scream.
Now I hear that online gambling might be legalized in the US. Hmmm! Some fat keywords in that domain. Maybe not so bad, after all.
Anyway, now I NEVER jump in unless I’d be totally happy with the domain should I win it.
Halvarez is legend; he has appeared in many of my auctions, tucked safely in the middle of the bidding list.
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Dluzional
Funny how the various companies, conduct their backordering…
Some will allow multiple backorders, which then goes to an auction, which as above can have negative ramifications.
There are others, that will only allow one backorder on a domain, GD does this..if there’s a backorder on it already, you can’t backorder it…they state it’s in the icann rules.
Curious though does one registrar have any advantage over others when a name drops? or is it truly the luck of the draw?…and if so..why…
Is it advantageous at times (dependant on the domain name you actually want) to backorder it in multiple places? Most don’t charge you if you aren’t successful…
Just curious…
Jamie Zoch
@ #5 check out http://BuyExpiringDomains.com which is a site of mine that I explain expired and expiring domains more.
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A lot of the expired domains currently go to “partnered” auction services like SnapNames and NameJet. If a domain name is PendingDelete, it is always best to backorder it at several auction services like Pool.com, SnapNames and NameJet. Godaddy has very little power in catching “good” PendingDelete domains.
Shahram
this has happened to me as well on namejet. I simply found out the domain was a TM and told them that i shouldnt be billed for it due to that fact.
It’s too bad Omaholics isn’t a TM but it is a good name for a Omaha Poker site.
Michael Savage
“halvarez”, alias ex-SnapNames VP Nelson Brady, did this quite frequently just to get the money from you in this manner! He was caught, and is under investigation. Google Nelson Brady and SnapNames, and read the story.
mikeyjake
I reported this halvarez to snapnames in 2005. I said specifically… “Is this an employee of yours who is using customer data to place bids?”
Their response…
“”halvarez” is a very large customer who is in hundreds of auctions. You are not being singled out as no one can know which domains you are ordering prior to an auction starting. This customer is not an employee of our company and no employee is allowed to be involved in any auction that we offer. This customer is not a shill bidder and purchases large numbers of domains from us on a regular basis.”