What are domain auctions?

When people no longer renewed their domain name, it used to be kept by the Registry for a period of time before being released back or 'dropped' into the public pool. There it could be bought again. However the competition to register domain names when they have been released has become increasingly fierce. Specialist companies dominate this area and if the domain has value, the task has become almost impossible, or very expensive.

This was one of the reasons the major domain resellers, such as Tucows, decided to set up their own auction systems. In the period before the domain is released into the public pool they have the power to resell it direct. Using their systems you can bid and win domain names directly at reasonable prices.

How much do auctioned domains cost?

The auction fee is visible on our domain auction site. The starting bid for any domain is $60 (USD) but this is an auction, so others may increase the bid price before the end of the auction in an attempt to win the domain. The price you pay at auction includes the first year renewal fee for the domain.

After this first year you are welcome to renew your domain(s) with us at the prices below. If you are a bulk buyer then please contact us to arrange a discount.

Currently our Domain Auction System only supports the .com/.net/.org/.info extensions.

When do I get control of the domains I have won?

The domain name becomes your property 100 days after the expiry date or 60 days after the auction end date. At this point, provided your renewal fee is paid, you can change the name servers and access it through our control panel as usual.

What if the original registrant renews their domain during this waiting period?

Unfortunately this means you loose your domain, even if you have paid the auction or renewal fee. The original registrant has up to 80 days to reclaim their domain name. However, if this does happen your auction and renewal fee are returned to you in full.

Why domain auctions?

Old domains are valued and trusted by the search engines and often have a large number of quality links coming into them. Domain auctions are also a unique opportunity to pick up a rare one or two word domain name which is perfect for your company.

For further explaination read Keeping em old with domain auctions

How can I tell which domains are valuable?

If the domain has an attractive phrase in it that fits your company and branding then that is value in itself. However we would advise you to look for the following attributes:

• Age - How old is the domain name, when was it first registered?
• Links - How many incoming links does the domain name have and are these from high quality, well themed sources?
• Keywords - Is the domain name short and containing a key phrase that is central to your business?

To help you in your search we have created an online tool which will let you sort through the 4000 or so domains that are released each day by Tucows.

How do I get started?

We would recommend you have a spin with our Domain Auction System to start. Then move onto our main Domain Auction System, register and start bidding! Good Luck!