Contacting GoDaddy about a domain that is taken?

[Alternadiv]

I used to own a domain that is a direct reference to my brand name and serves no other purpose in the real world; it's too specific to be used in any other way. I accidentally let it expire and it ended up being purchased by someone that obviously knows the domain is valuable to me. I am willing to purchase it back from them but I haven't been able to contact them.

The registration is private so the only info I have is that it is registered through GoDaddy. Does anyone have experience dealing with something like this? Could I call GoDaddy and ask them if they could forward a message or email to the owner?

 

[djbaxter]

Yes.

Try to purchase the domain again as a new domain.

GoDaddy will tell you it's taken and you can go on a list to purchase if it's available for sale.

But my recommendation: the guy who has it now will probably be asking a ridiculously high price. I assume it's not an active domain anywhere? If that's true, just wait it out.

I did that several years ago. The guy wanted $1000 or $2000 or something silly for it. I said no thanks but stayed on the Amazon list. A year or two later, Amazon messaged me to tell me the domain was now available - the previous owner let it lapse - and I got if for about $20-30.

 

[Alternadiv]

Yes.

Try to purchase the domain again as a new domain.

GoDaddy will tell you it's taken and you can go on a list to purchase if it's available for sale.

But my recommendation: the guy who has it now will probably be asking a ridiculously high price. I assume it's not an active domain anywhere? If that's true, just wait it out.

I did that several years ago. The guy wanted $1000 or $2000 or something silly for it. I said no thanks but stayed on the Amazon list. A year or two later, Amazon messaged me to tell me the domain was now available - the previous owner let it lapse - and I got if for about $20-30.

I don't register domains with GoDaddy () but if this is the case, I'll try it. If I do this, will he see an alert that I tried to purchase it and put myself on the waitlist?

I know he is likely to want to rip me off but I might be willing to pay for it. It is really unfortunate I let it expire. I could understand swiping the domain if it had value to anyone besides me. But the domain is so niche that it literally means nothing unless you're me, lol.

 

[webbouk]

More likely than not GoDaddy will have purchased it to re-sell knowing that it was lapsed and maybe required again.

 

[Alternadiv]

More likely than not GoDaddy will have purchased it to re-sell knowing that it was lapsed and maybe required again.

Dang.

 

[beerForo]

Wait a year from when it was snagged. It will likely drop and you can register it.

 

[Alternadiv]

Wait a year from when it was snagged. It will likely drop and you can register it.

I'll probably just do that. It expires in December and I don't actually need it before that anyway.

 

[beerForo]

More likely than not GoDaddy will have purchased it to re-sell knowing that it was lapsed and maybe required again.

This is what the registrars do. I had one I was thinking about renewing and I waiting till the last day of the grace period. I decided not to, the next day I was like, okay I will. I put it in the cart and it was gone literally when I was purchasing because I was able to put it in the cart. I contacted the registrar and they said they grabbed it up as a premium domain for auction. It's just a dead page right now and it's not on any auction.

 

[beerForo]

Registrars have a grace period (+/-30 days to renew at same price), a redemption period (expensive to redeem), and then it drops. The redemption period is at their discretion. They can grab it themselves after the grace period, which is what may have happened. Look at the dates.

 

[Alternadiv]

This is what the registrars do. I had one I was thinking about renewing and I waiting till the last day of the grace period. I decided not to, the next day I was like, okay I will. I put it in the cart and it was gone literally when I was purchasing because I was able to put it in the cart. I contacted the registrar and they said they grabbed it up as a premium domain for auction. It's just a dead page right now and it's not on any auction.

I feel like they shouldn't be allowed to register domains since they're not "customers". But hey, money before anything.

 

[Wildcat Media]

I've read that you can get lawyers involved, since they have no claim for the branding but you do. (I'm too tired to go into the details.) But that's just more expense.

I have old domains of mine that hardly had any traffic and even after a dozen years of letting them go, squatters still own them...

 

[Alternadiv]

Does anyone know if I should actually pay to do this or is this just some ridiculous scam from GoDaddy? I'm pretty sure they're the owners of the domain so imagine they would sell it to me, but for how much over the $120 charge that it takes just to start the process? The domain itself is worth nothing. Is there a different way to go about this?

 

[Wildcat Media]

If it's tied to your brand, and the brand was in existence before the domain, I'd take the legal route instead. You have a genuine business claim to your brand name and, by definition, your domain. (I don't recall, but I think ICANN is the one who set the rules on brand/domain ownership and the legal claims associated with it.) A strongly-worded letter from an attorney that hints at litigation, and clearly points out the ICANN (?) policies, might be all that is needed to settle your claim.

I don't trust GoDaddy at all--I moved my domains from their greedy clutches years ago. That fee is just a crap shoot that the greedy domain squatter would ever give it up. It's no guarantee. The legal route could cost the same, but you'd have a far better chance of getting your domain back.

 

[djbaxter]

I've been with GoDaddy for years and I have no complaints. I have always found them to be helpful.

Their domain services are legit but be prepared for the current owners to ask an exorbitant and ridiculous price. I tried that about 15 year ago and just said no thanks. Then I listed the domain name with GoDaddy for a small fee (nothing like $120) and about 2 years later the owners dropped the domain and I was able to pick it up for about $20.

Yes, if it's a brand name domain you might have a legal case but the expenses involved in going after them are probably not worth it for individuals or small businesses. And if the current owner is in another country, forget it.