Net work Gods... Please shed some light for me.

[Steve Wargo]

I've recently been considering changing my Website Name. I've done a little hunting, and was greatly suprised to see that a very excellent woodworking related one was available. I was sitting at my computer last night, late, adn was just about ready to pull the trigger, when I realized my wallet was downstairs. So I decided to wait til morning. I was using the site Go daddy dot com. I have my current site registered though Register dot com. When I go up this morning to follow through with the transaction, low and behold, the wesite was no longer available, and is now online and listed for sale. How Does This Happen? Is this Go daddy's way of making extra money on the cheap sale of urls? or do I have a trojan of sorts that may be spying on my machine? Thanks for any input, I know there are a ton of you techno guys out there.

[Mark Singer]

Steve,
I know that years ago when the internet was getting started, some guy were reserving the most popular names. So that when the companies decided they wanted a website they paid big bucks for the url. It is probably still going on... I don't think its likley the are spying on your computor....

[Mike Null]

My thought is that there is software in GoDaddy that hunts out such things.

A few years ago when I started my engraving business I went to register my domain and found that it had been taken by one of these speculators. The only place they could have gotten it at that time was from the Sec. of State's offfice when i registered my business. It's public record so it's legal even if the ethics are suspect.

[Jack Howser]

I've recently been considering changing my Website Name. I've done a little hunting, and was greatly suprised to see that a very excellent woodworking related one was available. I was sitting at my computer last night, late, adn was just about ready to pull the trigger, when I realized my wallet was downstairs. So I decided to wait til morning. I was using the site Go daddy dot com. I have my current site registered though Register dot com. When I go up this morning to follow through with the transaction, low and behold, the wesite was no longer available, and is now online and listed for sale. How Does This Happen? Is this Go daddy's way of making extra money on the cheap sale of urls? or do I have a trojan of sorts that may be spying on my machine? Thanks for any input, I know there are a ton of you techno guys out there.

I remember a few years ago rumors that godaddy and registrar would monitor what domains people were searching for, and in some cases if the domain was not registered right away it would be gone in a couple hours.

I have searched for a domain related to one hobby I have, and of the 10 or so domains I have searched for, 2 are real websites like this one, the other 8 are all "parked" websites where someone is selling it. Some people figure if they can register a website for $6 per year, they will sit on it for 10 years until someone buys it. I think it is a horrible practice that reduces the quality of the internet. Most of these "parked" websites want over $1,000 and in some cases over $10,000.

I never buy a parked domain. If a person can sell even just 1 parked domain, then they made enough money to register 100's more and sit on them. I don't want to help the cycle continue.

My advice is to register a domain and start your website. Don't worry about the name right now. If your idea takes off then you can always buy a better domain name in a year and transfer it all over.

[Steve Wargo]

Thanks Guys... I already have a website, but I was thinking of adding one. FWIW... I was amazed that furniture-maker.com was still available. I will not purchase a parked domain, I was just curious how the site got snatched up so quickly. Thanks

[Jim Becker]

Steve, I've also heard from time to time about inquiries turing into "parked" names when one hesitates...and that really bites.

[Pete Simmons]

Yes I suspect many registrars have software or a tainted employee who grab searched for domains. There is a 4 or 5 day window where they can unregister them and not be charged. They register them to see if they get any type in traffic. If they do not get enough traffic they let them go. So check back each day for the next week. It might become available.
If you find an available domain name that you like, be ready to register it THEN or it might not be there tomorrow. If the registrars or their employees are doing this than it is WRONG as they have inside info.
Why are people so hot that some people register domains and hold them with intent to sell at a profit?This goes on with land, houses, gold, pork bellies, WOOD and many many items.
Yes I would like the the nice beach front lot in my area that someone bought (registered) 50 years ago for $800. What a low life as he now wants $1.6 million.
Supply and demand / free enterprise is what makes America great. Yes I have some parked domains that I hope to sell at a profit. Don't most people who sell things hope to sell at a profit? There are forums and companies that specialize in the resale of domains. Me I just dabble in it as another hobby type thing.

[Aaron Koehl]

FWIW, this practice of parking domains is known as "Cybersquatting".

[Pete Simmons]

CyberInvesting!

[Derek Rose]

Almost the same thing happened to my sister. She didn't want to pay the $20 to have her domain switched to another registrar, so she let the domain expire. On the morning of the expiration, GoDaddy had picked up her domain and said they would release it if she paid a $75 fee.

Not much, but when you are talking about a simple hobby site...

I do know that there are scripts programs out there that can scan for what domains have been searched. My guess is that someone saw your domain almost make it to purchase and decided to pick it up for themselves. Have you tried to whois.net the domain to see who got it?

[Pete Simmons]

FYI - the status path of a domain name. Maybe some errors but this is the general path of events of a domain name that is not renewed.


Active - 1 - 10 years
------------------

Expired - 1 - 45 days Registrar may/will charge you extra to reactivate

---------------------

RGP - Redemption Grace period 30 days
Registrar may/will charge you even more to reactivate
--------------------

Deletion -- 5 day hold

---------------

Available - Again avaible to general public but registrar or drop search software may pick it up quickly.

Again FYI but I believe some 10's of thousands of domain names drop every day.

[Dave Fifield]

This problem has existed from the very beginning of the internet. It's not likely to stop anytime soon IMO. Just be ready to buy any good domain name you find free RIGHT THERE AND THEN.

I just snapped up woodust.com the other day...why, I don't really know, just because it was free I suppose. It only costs me $9.95 a year per domain....I have lots......I guess I collect them! I need help!!! :eek: ;) :D

[Steve Wargo]

Thanks guys!!!! I just checked back on the domain name, and sure enough after a week... it was available. Coming soon, I'll ber converting madhunkyworkshop.com to furniture-maker.com. Thanks again.