I frequently place backorders on domain names that already have backorders on NameJet. I do this on names I am mildly interested in owning, knowing that I will have the option to participate in the auction after doing more research on the domain name. Backordering it basically allows me to have the option to bid without the obligation of winning if I am the only bidder.
For whatever reason, some NameJet auctions don’t happen when they are scheduled according to the newsletters that are sent daily. A name may appear in the Pending Delete Names currently available for backorder newsletter, but it may not necessarily go to auction the next day, although they usually do.
If you’ve placed a backorder for a domain name that has other bidders ahead of you, and the name doesn’t go to auction that day, other bidders may drop out or delete their backorder. If that happens, you might be in the leading bidder position when the name does go to auction. If nobody bids more than your bid, you will win the domain name. Had you not been sure about the name but simply placed the back order to follow along, you’re basically stuck with the domain name.
In the past few months, I haven’t gone through my backorder list to delete old backorders. I am now the leading bidder on a domain name I don’t really want to buy, but it’s my own fault for not keeping my backorder list updated. That’s now a priority for me, and it should be something you do as well.
I was the lucky winner of SpicyBlend.com on Snapnames once due to the same thing. I don’t even have a clue why I would have backordered it in the first place. For that one it appears I backordered it, lost and then it dropped again the next year and my backorder was still there.
It’s actually in the process of re-dropping now.
They also notify you about names you’ve previously backordered (that were Wish List, for whatever reason) that have entered auction. I have a long list of backorders placed and like referring to the list to go back and see what happened to the “ones that got away.” I should clean out the old ones, however, because it’s getting cluttered. And you raise a good point about possibiy ending up with a name you wouldn’t have fought for.
This is one of my domain pet peeves: people backordering names they don’t intend on getting.
Too many hangers-on and voyeurs.
@ Tony
Most of the time when I backorder, I don’t really mind but do want to do more research before committing. I’ve won a bunch of names that I’ve sold for very good returns by backordering and deciding how much later. Every so often, I end up with one I don’t want and don’t know why I got them.
The site is no horrible that i just gave up using it
Same thing happens to us sometimes. I always make it a point to go back and delete the backorders. Same thing with Snapnames. They are supposed to have a setting (one of them at least does, maybe both) where if you select it removes the backorder once the domain drops if you are not successful at getting it, but it necer seems to work 🙂 Maybe they removed this setting now idk.
I recently ended up with a domain I didn’t want through Pool as I hadn’t updated my b/o list. Thanks for the reminder – I’m going to update all my b/o lists right now!
@JP and Eliott – LOL, there should be a notification service to remind you of this. I know registrars are happy to sell domains, but if you get something you don’t want, you aren’t exactly a satisfied customer.
I don’t backorder that much (yet) so it still hasn’t happened to me. Maybe there’s a need for a service that could access the list of your backordered domains, so you know where you are standing. It could also notify you if the domain changed owners (and you didn’t win), and something similar. Anyone interested? 😀