Is SnapNames keeping dropped names now?

[Meridian66]

Do SnapNames hold onto dropped names that have no bidders? I remember seeing a domain name I was mildly interested in a while ago up for auction for a few hundred $$$s, but no bidders emerged (and I wasn't really interested enough to bid on it).

Later on, I decide to check to see if anyone purchased it. No one had, but the name seemed to stay with SnapNames. The whois lists the following info:

Registrant:
EuropeanConnectionOnline.com LLC ( redemption@snapnames.com )
14781 Memorial Dr. Suite
# 792 Houston Texas,
77079 US
US
Tel. +1-650-331-0716
Fax. (503) 274-9749

Creation Date : nn-xxx-2008
Expiration Date : nn-xxx-2009

So I decide I might as well back-order it, which I do at SnapNames.

Sometime later I check my back order, and amazingly, the back-order has been dropped from my SnapNames account!

WTF? I am mystified with the SnapNames shennanigans sometimes. I hope I never need to aquire a name I really want via SnapNames.

[katherine]

Sometimes, they keep domains that receive no bids. They must be satisfied with the traffic. I guess your backorder was placed too late.

[Meridian66]

Sometimes, they keep domains that receive no bids. They must be satisfied with the traffic.

But then how can they justify their special relationships with registrars (especially with Moniker) since that would represent an obvious conflict of interest on the registrars behalf?

[draggar]

They're in the business to make money and that is exactly what they are doing. :(

If all was fair, none of the dropped domains would go to auction, they'd go to the first person who back ordered them but we all know that doesn't happen.