| > | | | | At this point, the domain has entered a 30 day |
| (Note to editor: Thanks for taking the time to review | | | | period called the Redemption Period. The |
| this!) | | | | redemption period is a grace period that allows you |
| Begin Article | | | | to re-register your domain name in the event that |
| = | | | | you simply overlooked the expiration date, |
| This article may be freely distributed provided the | | | | didn’t receive the expiration notice, etc. |
| author bio is included in its entirety. | | | | You may contact your registrar during this period to |
| = | | | | renew your domain, but will nearly always have to |
| Did you forget your own name? | | | | pay an additional fee in order to retrieve your domain |
| Now before you go reaching for your identification to | | | | name from redemption. |
| check who you are, let me reassure you
| | | | The amount of the redemption fee could be an |
| I’m talking about your domain name. | | | | additional $50 - $90 (US), but each registrar sets their |
| Forgetting to renew a domain name can result in | | | | own fees for this service, some higher, some lower. |
| HUGE headaches, including paying additional fees or | | | | Whatever the amount, it is in addition to your |
| even having a competitor or domain name reseller | | | | renewal fees. |
| grab your prized domain name. | | | | After the 30 day redemption period, the domain |
| Depending on their goals, they may use your old | | | | enters a phase called Pending Deletion, which |
| domain name for their site, they may agree to sell it | | | | is approximately 5 days in length. During this phase, |
| back to you at an exorbitant price, or they may | | | | the domain is essentially frozen. It can not be |
| even completely refuse to sell the name back to | | | | retrieved by the original registrant and it can not be |
| you, essentially holding it hostage. | | | | registered by another party. |
| Sure, there may be legal action you can take if you | | | | At the end of this phase (which in practice may not |
| have trademarks in place, but that takes time- and | | | | be a full 5 days) the domain is once again available to |
| during all this time, your site and your e-mail are | | | | the first applicant that requests to register it. |
| down! | | | | ============================== |
| So, how do we avoid all of this in the first place? Roll | | | | #3. Don’t count on it |
| up your sleeves and let’s get started, shall | | | | ============================== |
| we? | | | | If your domain name expires, don’t assume |
| =============================== | | | | that you can simply re-register the name again once |
| #1. First, let’s check! | | | | it becomes available, thereby saving the redemption |
| =============================== | | | | fees. |
| Crank up your favorite web browser and visit the | | | | Even if it is a little known name, there are literally |
| web site of the registrar for your domain name, or | | | | thousands of companies and individuals that may grab |
| just choose one from the list below. These are just a | | | | your expired domain the second it’s available, |
| few of the registrars I could think of, not an inclusive | | | | preventing you from re-registering it. |
| list, and are simply in alphabetical order. | | | | Companies that offer to send targeted visitor traffic |
| Dotster: | | | | to your web site often do so by purchasing other |
| GoDaddy: | | | | expired domain names. |
| Network Solutions: | | | | Companies that resell domain names may snag your |
| Once there, follow the prompts to perform a whois | | | | expired domain in hopes of selling it back to you at a |
| search for your domain name. | | | | premium or selling it to another party. |
| Verify the expiration date for your domain name, and | | | | Someone else may have just really wanted the |
| put a reminder on your calendar (RIGHT NOW) to | | | | domain name you had and placed a back-order for it |
| renew it at least 30 days prior to the date given for | | | | (a request to purchase if the name becomes |
| the current expiration. | | | | available). |
| If you are already within that 30 day window, renew | | | | Most organizations and individuals that purchase |
| your domain name while you are thinking of it. Go | | | | expired domains do so using automated software, |
| ahead, I’ll wait. | | | | and therefore have a much higher likelihood of |
| =================================== | | | | obtaining the name than an individual attempting to |
| #2. The expiration process | | | | monitor availability by hand. |
| =================================== | | | | ================== |
| All is not lost if your domain name has expired. There | | | | #4. Summary |
| is a period of time after its expiration that you can | | | | ================== |
| still reclaim your prized possession. | | | | Each registrar has their own policies regarding expired |
| Here’s how it works. | | | | domains; therefore, the time you have to rescue |
| On the date that a domain expires, the registrar | | | | your domain from the hands of others may differ |
| removes it from the root servers (the list of domains | | | | from the schedule above. Check your domain name |
| currently registered globally); therefore, any web | | | | now, and keep a reminder to renew it. That way, |
| sites or e-mail associated with the domain name will | | | | you can avoid the potential issues and additional |
| begin to stop working. | | | | costs of an expired domain all together. |