Domain Backorder Services Explained: Securing Expiring Domains Before Anyone Else

Domain backorders can help you acquire an expiring domain before anyone else, but there’s more to them than that. While it doesn’t guarantee successful domain acquisitions, there are numerous benefits to a domain backorder service, including efficiency, tons of resources, and faster registration attempts. 

Read on to learn more about domain backorders.

What are Domain Backorder Services?

Domain backorder is a service that helps you claim an expiring domain name once it becomes available again for registration. If the current domain owner doesn’t renew their lease, you get to jump in line before anyone else.

When you sign up for a domain backorder service, you receive updates regarding the status monitoring of your preferred domain name. You’ll also be notified if it enters an auction when multiple people place a backorder on that domain. 

If you successfully get it, you will receive at least one year of its registration after settling the fees.

Key Features of Domain Backorder Services

Automated Monitoring

Using various algorithms, domain backorder services rely on WHOIS databases to track the registration details and expiration dates of your preferred domains. These lookups happen on a frequent basis to ensure that every change gets recorded.

AI-powered domain backorder services like Bishopi also offer timely alerts and notifications on domain changes. Advanced features even allow you to see the domains registered by your competitors.

Prioritization and Attempted Registration

Domain backorder services employ specialized queueing systems that typically run on a first-come, first-served approach. If more than one person is interested in a domain name, an auction is held, allowing the highest bidders to claim it.

As soon as the domain is tagged as available, backorder services use high-speed software to register it for you instantly. This involves connecting directly to registrars' API systems to bypass public queues and maximize the chances of success.

Backorder services often have multiple servers distributed to multiple locations to minimize downtime and ensure swift responses even under high demand. 

Additional Services Offered

Some service providers might offer to monitor domain auctions on your behalf. All you have to do is set a maximum budget for a particular domain name, and they will gradually increase the bid for you until it reaches the limit. This is particularly useful for highly competitive domains, where every second matters to acquire them.

For valuable or desired domains already taken, you can also attempt to use domain brokerage services for a private deal with the current owner. Your provider will negotiate with the domain owner for purchase.

Benefits of Using Domain Backorder Services

Increased Chances of Acquiring Desired Domains

Domain backorder services monitor the status of expiring domains. Your provider gets notified when they’re finally up for grabs, allowing them to register a domain on your behalf instantly. This puts you way ahead of manual attempts. 

Service providers usually attempt registration using automation, helping you avoid the stress of manual refreshes and potential website crashes.

Time-Saving and Convenience

By getting domain backorder services from a good provider, you can save time and effort doing these tasks:

• Number of registered tlds the domain has. The more the better! 
• Checking the age of a domain you’re interested in
• Searching for WHOIS information about that domain, such as its current owner and expiration date
• Keeping tabs on a domain’s availability
• Investigating SEO analytics and backlinks of the domain you want to take

If you’re planning to do domain investing, where you purchase lots of domains to sell or auction later, a backorder service can definitely ease up the process.

Expertise and Resources

Domain backorder services often offer a curated list of pending delete domains which are about to be dropped. Besides these resources, they also have the tools necessary to automate the backorder process—from monitoring to acquisition. If you don’t wish to backorder, you can always opt for domains with SEO juice

Some services also have established relationships with registrars. This can potentially give you an edge in competitive registrations since they’re already familiar with the specific protocols.

Limitations and Challenges

No Guarantee of Success

Even with immediate notification, it's possible for multiple people to backorder your desired domain, which would result in an auction where the highest bidder would prevail. Unfortunately, if you can’t outbid your competitors, you can’t claim your preferred domain.

In some cases, ownership disputes might even arise after a domain becomes available. Trademark complications are a good example of this, which can potentially delay or hinder your acquisition.

Technical glitches or registry delays can also lead to unexpected domain renewals. While providers check for these details frequently, such issues can randomly occur. This can leave you empty-handed, despite a backorder.

Cost Considerations

The costs you need to bear for domain backordering can fluctuate based on several reasons, including the following:

• Subscription costs. To access all the necessary tools for a domain backorder, you typically need to subscribe to your service provider. Prices are often laid out flatly, but they can go anywhere from $20 to $200 per month. Meanwhile, on Bishopi, you only pay the fees when the domain has been caught for you.
• Backorder fees. Depending on the popularity and perceived value of a domain, backorder fees can either be high or low. The more competition it has, the higher the price.
• Auction participation costs. If your desired domain goes to auction, winning bids can significantly increase the overall cost, potentially exceeding your budget.
• Renewal fees. Once you finally acquire the domain, you'll be responsible for annual renewal fees to maintain ownership.

Market Competition

Backorders can be complex because multiple parties are often interested in popular domains. Many of them have attractive keywords, making the competition strong enough to register them as soon as they become available. SEO ranking and brand popularity are two other reasons why a domain becomes sought-after.

In some cases, a backorder service provider might have less extensive monitoring capabilities or slower registration speeds than others. This can put them at a disadvantage against larger or more specialized providers—in speed, strategy, and technology.

Choosing a Domain Backorder Service

Factors to Consider

Check for these aspects when choosing a backorder service:

• Reliability and track record. Check their history of successful domain acquisitions. They should have transparent statistics on their success rates and client testimonials.
• Cost structure. See if their backorder fees, auction participation fees, and any other subscription models offered suit your budget.
• Monitoring and speed. Evaluate the service's domain monitoring capabilities and registration speed. Particularly, check their tools and technology for capturing domain drops.
• Customer support. Choose one that’s responsive and offers helpful support channels.

Comparing Different Services

To accurately compare different services and find one that suits your needs, consider these tips: 

• Create a shortlist. Look for online reviews and industry recognition about various domain backorder services.
• Compare their features. Analyze each service's offerings, such as the tools, databases, and other resources they have. Also, pay close attention to cost structures, success rates, and customer support quality.
• Check their prices or ask for a quote. Backorder services usually display the costs upfront for their list of available domains. If you find none, send them a quote request.
• Get recommendations. Ask on forums or check independent testimonials about the service. Be sure to gauge the reliability of the recommendations.

User Reviews and Reputation

Paper descriptions are entirely different from authentic user reviews and stories. To know how a certain service provider handles its work, consider checking forums like Reddit and reading about the experiences of other users.

Conclusion

Domain backorders increase your chances by a huge margin when it comes to acquiring popular domains that are soon expiring and going back to the market. This is made possible with automated tools and monitoring systems, which you can leverage for a small price.

No domain backorder service can guarantee success, but it’s indispensable when it comes to grabbing popular domains. Among the many providers out there, you can trust Bishopi. With its AI-powered tools, it sure can deliver excellent services and resources necessary to acquire your desired domains.

FAQ

What is the best domain backorder service?

Bishopi is a great choice when it comes to domain SEO analysis, monitoring, fresh drops, and other domain backorder services—at a fair price point. Other popular options include GoDaddy, DropCatch, and NameJet. But ultimately, the best domain backorder service that you can get is the one that can help you get the domain name that you want.

How much does domain backordering cost?

Domain backorders don’t have a fixed price. Instead, your total costs will depend on the following factors: 

• Individual backorder fees for each domain name upon successful acquisition
• Bidding costs when multiple people backorder the same domain name
• Miscellaneous transaction fees

What should I look for in a domain backorder service provider?

A good domain backorder service provider should have good success rates, fair pricing, and advanced technology. One example of this is Bishopi, which offers automated drop catching tools and AI-powered monitoring services at affordable costs. Find a provider with responsive customer support. User reviews often provide authentic answers about these aspects.

What happens if multiple people backorder the same domain?

When multiple people backorder the same domain name, an auction begins. Whoever places the highest bid throughout the auction gets the domain. Domain auctions usually last three to 10 days, depending on the service provider.

Is there a guarantee I will get the domain I backorder?

No, placing a backorder for a domain does not guarantee that you will acquire it. Some domain backorder service providers might have high success rates, but they also cannot say for sure if they will catch the domain for you. For example, the current domain owner might renew their lease. If a domain enters an auction, you can make it yours by placing the highest bid.