I registered a domain name in March 2004 for one year. I did not renew it in March 2005, but it became locked, and the expiration date was extended to March 2006. Last month I checked the status again, and now it's set to expire March 2007. Why does enom keep adding a year each time it's about to expire?

Is whois still showing you as the owner?

No, it's Whois Privacy Protection Service, Inc.

No, it's Whois Privacy Protection Service, Inc.

Then I can safely presume somebody has purchased your domain after (or even BEFORE) the drop in March 2005.

I have another name that expired March of this year, but whois is showing me as the owner. The expiry date is shown as March 2007.

I have another name that expired March of this year, but whois is showing me as the owner. The expiry date is shown as March 2007.

During the grace period, registrar usually adds one year to the expiration date, which is removed later on, when domain enters redemption period.

During the grace period, registrar usually adds one year to the expiration date, which is removed later on, when domain enters redemption period.

Slight correction, Stan: it's the Registry who autorenews the domain name and will
bill the sponsoring registrar accordingly for it. ;)

To the OP: what I stated above applies to the gTLDs (com/net/org), others may
have a similar policy. But the registrar can ask the Registry to delete the expired
domain name anytime and be refunded for it.

Enom's deletion policy will also help further answer your questions. It's quite long,
though. :D

Expired domains may be deleted at 29 days - reminder
Just as a reminder, we may delete any name as soon as it expires. eNom pays to renew the domain name on the day is expires to allow a grace period; however, until eNom is paid for the renewal, it will remain in an expired state.

While there is no guaranteed grace period, eNom will typically allow renewals up to 29 days after expiration, after which time the original registrant has abandoned all rights to the domain name, per the registration agreement. It may go into a redemption period, be auctioned, or deleted at any time.

We encourage you and your resellers to renew domains well in advance of expiration to avoid unintentional expirations and client disappointment.

Currently Redemption fees are $160 and are not discountable. Prices and policies may change at any time without notice. For complete terms, please see our registration agreement: http://www.enom.com/terms/agreement.asp


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usually either auctioned via http://www.enom.com/auctions/ or just parked to benefit from the traffic

u can always contact them and get ur domain back by paying 160 + the regular renewal fee

Enom's deletion policy will also help further answer your questions. It's quite long,
though.

You beat me to it!

What would be the best way to hold onto a domain after the grace period has expired?

What would be the best way to hold onto a domain after the grace period has expired?

To pay redemption fee, if domain was yours.

To backorder it, if it wasn't yours.

To pay redemption fee, if domain was yours.

To backorder it, if it wasn't yours.

How would I go about paying the redemption fee? Should I contact enom? Like I said, the domain name expired in March but enom added another year. If I backorder it, when would it be in my possesion again asuming that no one else tries to get it?

How would I go about paying the redemption fee? Should I contact enom? Like I said, the domain name expired in March but enom added another year.

To contact them ASAP!!!

If I backorder it, when would it be in my possesion again asuming that no one else tries to get it?

Basically, yes. *HOWEVER*, nowadays there's no such thing as 'no one else tries to get it'. There are quite few domaining sharks after each and every drop, so your chances are almost 0.00, unless you backorder the name with SEVERAL backordering services and are prepared to enter an auction after the drop.

Besides, bear in mind that redemption's gonna cost you almost 10 times the renewal charges...

Besides, bear in mind that redemption's gonna cost you almost 10 times the renewal charges...

Not almost, but in eNom's case MUCH MORE than 10 times.

However, the risk to lose domain could cost you even more than that, if you'll let it expire and then wouldn't be able to win the post-drop auction.

Is there an email address or a phone number I should call?

Is there an email address or a phone number I should call?

http://www.enom.com/aboutus.asp

Ok, thanks I just renewed it. I feel like an idiot for paying $160 for what I could have had for $16, but this name was extremely important to me (my first name .com) and I had to have it. It wasn't in use currently and I totally forgot about the expiry date.

witt >> me in your place, if the domain is really so important, would shell out another pack of $$$ and renew the name for remaining maximum of 9 years. (for example, all my personal important domains are expiring either in 2015 or 2016).

Good luck!

What would help is if you had all domains under one account and maybe keep your email updated so you get the expired notifications i got some good domains from people like you :-)

Its a pity how often people fail to renew their *IMPORTANT* domain names...

Don't all registrars have a reminder set for their Customers' domain names expiring in the near future?

Or don't the Resellers at least remind their customers? I've received several reminders for renewal from the few registrars I've ever dealt with...

I get bombarded with these reminders, starting from 90 days out in most cases. I can't see how they could fail to miss those reminders. You get them in the email, you get them in the Control Panel.

Enom is sometime renewing domain names even if the owner doesnt want to renew/pay for it
They are then parking expired domain name and start making money

Which they are entitled to do. You don't renew, you lose. How do you expect any registrar to read your mind, except that if you don't renew, you must not want your domain anymore.

No i meant the ones which you have stated to not renew,they are renewing them on their on expenses and then making money

If you state not to renew the domain name, you obviously don't want it any more, right? They might as well do it then.

Stu is spot on...they're perfectly entitled to do so.

maybe it's a mistake or registar lock something,did you have a auto renew on this domain?

No i meant the ones which you have stated to not renew,they are renewing them on their on expenses and then making money

It is because Enom (and other accredited registrars) will get refund if they cancel the domain within 30 days of renewal. So, they will renew every domains when they expired. But, they will cancel it after 29 days to get the money back...

That way, they can make money from remaining traffic of expired domains without paying a cent.

What do you care happens to your domain if you've decided not to renew it, NameSniper?

It is because Enom (and other accredited registrars) will get refund if they cancel the domain within 30 days of renewal.

45 days, actually.

Stu 2 dont you think that the registrar shouldnt use a customer's domain name even if the customer has decided not to renew it ?
Think of it like if you close your bank account but bank keep getting wires sent to your account in error

Your comparison is off....

Domain names are more like vanity phone numbers (i.e. 1-800-flowers) then a bank account.

What would be wrong if the company who previously owned the vanity phone number stopped paying for it and the phone company gave the vanity phone number to someone else or used it themselves?

"number to someone else or used it themselves"

If enom was imply saying that "this domain name has expired" or forward it to their website thats one scenario but when they are showing PPC targeted results its something different

Imagine you are renting a house,making there an office,then leaving ,your old customers coming to that house and asking "may we still buy electronics here?"

"Sure we are selling electronics"

We can use as many analogies as we possibly can. But just remember that's what
analogies can only do: they provide similarities up to a certain point. ;)

The fact remains that once a domain name expires and you don't renew it during
its grace period (if any), you're considered to give up all rights to it. And given that
registrars pay costs to maintain these expired names, they definitely have rights
to do anything with them as they see fit.

They gotta make money to stay afloat, after all. And their legal fine prints dictate
their stand.

I have no problem with them using the domain after it's expired NameSniper. Afterall, we let them expire. We don't want them anymore. Why should we care? We agreed to it in their ToS already anyway. It should come as no surprise.

So, it's possible to make a case that they should just be dropped from the registrar. The problem is there are big bad dropcatchers out there that can outgun us. So it makes no difference to us either way. Actually, I'm happy the registrars auction them off. We can buy the domains cheaper than if they went on the open market and also have a higher percentage chance of capturing the domain we like.