How to Buy an Expired Domain Name

If you’re considering changing your domain name or you’re building a website for a new brand, you might be curious about how entrepreneurs secure high-demand domains. 

One way to claim a highly unique domain name is to purchase it when it expires. Whether you’re an established entrepreneur or you’re entering the market for the first time, buying an expired domain could help you get a leg up on building your digital identity. 

If you’re looking to learn how to buy an expired domain or an expiring domain, this is the guide for you. Read on to learn more about expired domains, some of their advantages, considerations to make before purchasing an expired domain name, and a step-by-step breakdown of the purchase process.

Understanding expired domains 

Understanding various elements of domains and the domain market is key to learning how to buy expired domains. Take a look at the following breakdown of expired and aftermarket domains to get a clearer picture of the purchase process. 

What are expired domains? 

While brands often talk about “buying” a domain name, this term is a bit misleading. Instead, claiming a domain is more like renting an apartment:

• A brand purchases a domain for a set period of time (and term lengths vary)

• When the term is up, a brand can renew the domain name or forfeit it

• If a brand chooses to forfeit the domain name, it expires—and goes back on the market

Domain name expiration and letting a domain expire is like choosing not to renew your lease at the end of your rental term. If you choose to move, someone else can rent the property. 

The lifecycle of a domain name 

So, what happens when a brand lets its domain expire? Here’s a typical timeline for expired domains:

1. Before expiration – Typically, the platform a brand used to purchase the domain will remind the owner that it’s time to renew before expiration. ICANN requires registrars to give two notifications — One month and one week before your domain expires.

2. The grace period – If the owner of a domain fails to renew their domain, they enter a grace period. During this 30-day window, the owner can renew their domain at any time. But, in the meantime, their site may be taken offline until the renewal is complete. 

3. The auction – After the 30-day grace period ends, a domain goes to auction. At a domain auction, an expired domain may be purchased and reactivated by an entirely separate brand—or its original owner. Domains are typically auctioned for ten days.

4. The redemption period – After the auction process is complete, the original owner can still pay to have their domain reinstated if they haven’t renewed it yet. But, they’ll likely have to pay hefty fees to do so. 

5. The pending delete period – Expired domains that aren’t reinstated during the redemption period and that have no auction bidders are returned to the marketplace, where they can be purchased as normal (without an auction). 

Dropped vs. expired vs. deleted domains 

As you explore buying an expired domain, you might hear similar terms like “dropped domain” or “deleted domain.” 

In practice, all three of these terms describe the same product: a domain name that used to be active but wasn’t renewed by its last owner.

Why consider buying an expired domain? 

While many brands purchase expired domains to get their hands on their ideal product, there are other reasons why an entrepreneur might choose to purchase one. 

Potential for immediate traffic 

In some cases, expired domains formerly belonged to websites with flourishing customer bases. Securing this type of premium domain can offer a number of advantages for a domain’s new owners:

• Visits from an existing audience – Once a domain becomes available after expiration, it might receive immediate visits from its previous customer base.

• Ad sales potential – Brands that sell ad space on their websites may be able to leverage a new domain’s existing audience during price negotiations, which could depend on factors like the domain age. 

• Reaching untapped markets – For eCommerce brands and other online storefronts, purchasing a domain with an existing customer base may offer a unique opportunity to reach a new demographic or segment.

SEO advantages 

For brands investing in search engine optimization (SEO), purchasing an expired domain might have a positive impact on page rank. 

Platforms at expired domains may already feature key SEO-optimized features like:

• Medium- to high-domain authority or page authority
• Backlinks (i.e., links to high-domain authority sources or other site pillar pages)

Unique domain names

In their search for an impactful domain name, brands often look for domains that are:

• Eye-catching
• Memorable
• Easily recognizable

So, it’s no surprise that domains with these qualities are in high demand—especially if they have a popular domain extension like .com or .net. 

Expanding your search to include expired domains can give you access to a domain that’s easy for your customers to remember and recognize. This is perhaps the most common reason why brands purchase expired domains: to secure a unique, memorable domain that’s in high demand while it’s available. 

How to find the right expired domain 

With the above advantages in mind, you might consider purchasing an expired domain for your brand. Here are a few methods you can use to explore expired domain options or purchase one.

Utilizing domain auction platforms 

If you can’t find your ideal domain name in a domain name search, it may be in use already—or perhaps it’s up for auction.

Domain auction platforms are relatively simple to use. However, to make the most of your auction experience, consider:

1. Making a list of potential domain names (or ideas) before you begin searching
2. Setting a budget ahead of time
3. Drafting an implementation timeline that can accommodate the auction period

Tackling these tasks ahead of time will help you focus your search, prevent overspending, and remain patient while you wait to claim any domains you win at auction.

Monitoring domain expiry lists 

You might be wondering how to find out when a domain expires. Enter the domain expiry list. 

Domain expiry lists, sometimes called domain drop lists, are registries of domain names that will expire soon. If you’re on the hunt for a highly specific or eye-catching domain, these lists will become key tools in your search. 

Domain expiry lists typically include information like:

• The domain name set to expire
• The expiration date
• The date the domain was created
• The price

These registries of expiring domain names are updated constantly, so check them regularly, especially if you’re waiting on a specific domain name.

Using backorder services 

Some domain drop lists offer backorder services: the option to pre-order domains that are soon to expire. 

If you’re considering backordering a domain, there are two important aspects to know:

1. The current owner could renew the domain – If the current owner decides to renew their domain before the auction or pending delete periods begin, you could still lose the domain. While they have to pay for reinstatement, domain owners still have the first right of refusal for expiring domains. 

2. You could claim the domain the moment it expires – If the owner doesn’t renew their domain, backordering is an excellent way to expedite the process. As soon as the pending delete period ends, you’ll own the domain, which you can implement right away.

Direct negotiation with domain owners 

Perhaps you have a specific domain in mind. You’ve waited patiently for the domain to appear on expiry lists, but it doesn’t look like the current owner is going to let the domain expire. If you’re married to this domain, you still have one option left: approaching the owner and asking to buy it.

This isn’t an ideal route, but it can work. If you’re looking to purchase a domain that’s already in use, be prepared to:

• Pay – The current owner of the domain can set their own price. Depending on the success of their current site, their original investment, and other factors, that price could be high. 

• Negotiate – Some domain owners may be willing to negotiate prices and sale dates. 

• Consider other options – Some domain owners simply may not be willing to sell. Keep a few other ideas in mind for your brand’s domain if this is the case. 

Risks and considerations

Buying an expired domain certainly has benefits, but there are some disadvantages and risks to consider before you purchase one. 

Domain reputation 

Before you purchase an expired domain, you’ll need to do some sleuthing. You should try to answer a few questions, like:

• Did this domain have a good reputation before it expired?
• Was the domain ever used for spam or malicious activities?
• Does the public have any negative perceptions about this domain?

If the answer to any of the above is “yes,” you might want to consider other options. Even if you don’t plan to use the domain for anything malicious, customers might still have reservations about visiting your site.

Cost vs. value 

Before you purchase an expired domain, consider your potential return on investment (ROI). 

Why are some domains so expensive? In many cases, it’s because they’re in high demand. But it’s important to remember that:

• Bidding wars are common in domain name auctions – You might end up spending more than you would on a new domain if you purchase one at auction—especially if you’re committed to winning a bidding war.

• Current domain owners can set their own prices – If you choose to approach the owner of a domain that hasn’t yet expired, you’ll likely pay more than you would if you purchased a new domain or waited for a domain to expire. 

With these price considerations in mind, think carefully about the value of the domain you’re interested in. Consider setting a budget to prevent overspending on a domain. 

Renewal fees and hidden costs 

One of the reasons why expired domains can be more expensive than new domains is because buyers must pay renewal fees to reactivate expired domains. 

While these fees aren’t necessarily astronomical, they will incur additional costs on top of your current digital spending. Make sure to read the fine print before purchasing an expired domain and confirm that all fees are within your budget.

Choose name.com for your expired domain needs

Learning how to buy an expired domain is relatively simple: all you need to do is browse auction platforms, keep an eye on expiry lists, or even approach the current owner of a domain to get one. 

When you need to find the perfect domain for your brand (whether it’s expired or new), you need a trusted partner. Fortunately, Name.com makes it easy for today’s entrepreneurs to find the right domain and use it to build a one-of-a-kind brand. 

Explore name.com’s selection of domains today to get started.

Sources: 

Forbes. What Happens When Your Domain Expires?. https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesbusinesscouncil/2020/07/07/what-happens-when-your-domain-expires/?sh=5fbf8bc66446 
Search Engine Journal. The 11 Most Important Parts of SEO You Need to Get Right.https://www.searchenginejournal.com/most-important-parts-of-seo/254225/