I was wondering....

is this really the official process??

I was not notified that they would expire :(, that now would cost me $1000 for 8 domain names???

L.

Thank you for contacting SRSPlus. We are committed to creating the best customer experience possible. One of the first ways we can demonstrate our commitment to this goal is to respond to your recent request quickly and efficiently.



We have received your inquiry regarding domain names that are currently in Redemption Period at the Registry.



Redemption Period means that the domain names (which were deleted in the SRSplus database and returned to the Registry of origin) are on hold for approximately 30 days in order to provide you the opportunity to reclaim the domain names before they are made available for purchase by the public.



You may wait until the Redemption Period ends and attempt to re-register the domain name at your SRSplus Partner price. (However, you do risk losing the domain name to another party if they register it before you have the opportunity to do so.)



Or, you may request that we recover the name on your behalf or on your customer's behalf. The fee to recover the domain name is $150.00 each, which will be automatically deducted from your SRSplus Registration Account. The amount must be deposited into your partner account prior to the domain name being recovered.



If you would like to recover the domain name from its Redemption Period status, please e-mail the following paragraph and detailed information to Partners@srsplus.com:

L,

Most registrars have a redemption process. What you have posted is a pretty standard response, the difference is that each registrar charges a different amount to take domains out of redemption, but the fees charged to a registrar go way up. For example a regular domain costs $6.25 to a registrar (6.00 to registry, .25 to ICANN), but then when the domain goes into redemption the registrar must pay more (I don't know the amount) so they charge more to the customer to get it out of redemption. This usually includes a one year renewal of the domain, but as I said the fees go way up. You can probably find out more at ICANN or at the registry level for .com/.net it is verisign. Sorry I couldn't be of more assistance.

Yes it is, SOP. A lesson learnt to pay for your renewals before they expire, methinks.

If it's a domain I really like (but haven't gotten around to doing anything with yet), I'll simply use something like GoDaddy's backorder service ($18.95) to pick it up instead of paying out the $150.

If it's a domain I really like (but haven't gotten around to doing anything with yet), I'll simply use something like GoDaddy's backorder service ($18.95) to pick it up instead of paying out the $150.
Actually, if it's a domain you really like, $150 is a steal. I would only use GoDaddy (or any other better service) for those that I don't care too much.

Agree with you, nameslave. If it's a domain you really like, then $150 isn't too much to recover the domain. It might cost you more than that in any ensuing auction. I wouldn't use GD's backorder service at all. They are no competition against the other dropcatchers unless the domains are already regged there. Even then, I wouldn't use a GD backorder , but rather wait for the domain to appear on TDNAM auction.

The problem however, is most people don't have $150 to toss around on a domain name. Even those who do find it hard to justify the price. While those backorder systems are far from perfect, it's a better option then having it snapped up by some squatter.

I was not notified that they would expire

Unfortunately you're not alone. Registrars do try to email their customers when all
and any services are expiring, but:

a) Email isn't as reliable as it once was.

b) The domain names' contact details might not have been updated.

c) If the email was received, it might have gotten lost in the slew of emails' inbox.

And registrars aren't required to ensure their notifications do reach their recipients.

Even those who do find it hard to justify the price. While those backorder systems are far from perfect, it's a better option then having it snapped up by some squatter.
2 things here:

1. The higher price (actually a "restoring" fee approved by ICANN) is well justified and actually works to the benefit of the registrant (domain owner) because

a) without this RGP mechanism, the expired domain would have loooong been snapped up; and

b) almost all decent registrars render their own grace period (of about 30 days or so) before sending the expired domain to RGP; so you do have A LOT of time to renew at the normal, lower price AFTER expiry.

2. Even the best backordering service could NOT guarantee success; and you know what: professional domain speculators always use the best backordering services (please note the plural), so don't even think about beating them.

While those backorder systems are far from perfect, it's a better option then having it snapped up by some squatter

An $18.95 GoDaddy backorder is just like throwing money down the drain if the domain is not regged at GoDaddy. Even if it is, it still might be. $60 bid at SnapNames/Pool and $40 at NameWinner will only get you to the table. Expect to pay more if it's a desireble name/has PR/backlinks/in directories. So $150 to guarantee getting your domain back isn't looking so bad. So those who don't have $150 to throw around better keep track of your expiry dates and renew before they expire.

b) almost all decent registrars render their own grace period (of about 30 days or so) before sending the expired domain to RGP; so you do have A LOT of time to renew at the normal, lower price AFTER expiry

I've read a lot of ToS. It's extremely unclear with most registrars whether the registrars grace period is in fact the RGP, or is in addition to RGP. I've seen some that include it and some have it in addition to RGP. Even in practical day-to-day actions of the registrars are unclear. They don't always do what they say they will do, except when they say they can do whatever they like with your domain once it's expired ;)

I've read a lot of ToS. It's extremely unclear with most registrars whether the registrars grace period is in fact the RGP, or is in addition to RGP. I've seen some that include it and some have it in addition to RGP. Even in practical day-to-day actions of the registrars are unclear. They don't always do what they say they will do, except when they say they can do whatever they like with your domain once it's expired ;)

Let's put it this way, stu: for .com at least, as long as the line says "redemption
period" and/or "pending delete (restorable)" (since .com and .net now use the EPP
system while retaining the old Registrar-Registry Protocol or RRP), then the domain
name is officially in that phase. And if there's a registrar who doesn't seem to be
following the rules to the letter, then you know whom to notify. ;)

I have a question since I've yet to have a name that expired under enom's: if the
domain name is in their "extended grace period", does the status officially say it's
registrar-hold/registrar-lock or redemption period/pending delete (restorable)?

I can't really answer your question, dave. Since I haven't had an expired domain under eNom, either :)

more info @ http://www.icann.org/registrars/redemption-proposal-14feb02.htm