Snapnames vs NameJet vs Pool vs Godaddy

Jamestown Rhode Island

My friend and I decided to start RIFoto.com, a website where we sell the photos we take around Rhode Island. Sounded great, until we realized that nobody was remembering it was Photo with an F. You see RIPhoto.com was currently being used.

So I did what any smart person who wants another domain would do. I back-ordered the domain with Godaddy and knew I’d own the domain once it expired. Oh, but wait, then I read somewhere about Snapnames, NameJet, and Pool! They all grabbed up domains faster than Godaddy!

After searching to find out who was the fastest, I soon realize it would be better to back order the domain on all the services. And that’s what I did, the day before the domain was to be released.

Then to increase my stress levels I realized that once I bid on the domain, NameJet published my bid in with the list of domains! It seemed like only an instant later 2 other people were bidding on the domain! I was already paying $60+ for the domain, I feared an expensive auction was coming!

The day the domain expired I stressfully kept refreshing the whois information, their websites, and my inbox. I was told deleted domains are released at 2PM EST.

A few hours later I saw the whois had updated by a name I never heard of before! Nooo! I did a search to find out who they were and to my surprise it was Snapnames! I waited in dread to get an update and see if it was going to auction. Then I received an email:

Congratulations, you have acquired riphoto.com

(5) Comments :: Website Development :: Permalink

5 Responses to “Snapnames vs NameJet vs Pool vs Godaddy”

  1. Jens P. Berget says:
    January 25, 2008 at 5:05 pm

    Congratulations.

    This was interesting. I have never actually bought expired domains before, and I didn’t know about snapnames, namejet and pool.

    Thanks for sharing.

  2. Ruth Sharp says:
    January 26, 2008 at 3:19 pm

    It sounds like you were bidding against yourself.
    It might have cost less if you never put it on the list at Snapnames.
    I guess the important thing is you got the name.

    Ruth

  3. Soroush says:
    January 27, 2008 at 9:01 pm

    Congrats,
    I usually do the same and bid on all of them but the only one I don’t like is Godaddy because they charge you upfront and the amount you pay expires after a year so you might never get the chance to use it if they don’t get the domain you back-ordered. Thanks God it’s cheaper than the rest :)

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    March 24, 2008 at 7:43 pm

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