Auction Lock!

[Jilo]

My most hated phrase in domaining: Currently In Auction Lock.

I've recently backordered 4 names at NameJet, all have been pushed to my account at eNom. Three of these names are in auction lock. For those who don't know, auction lock means that the domain has to stay in your account at ENom for 40 days after winning the auction/back ordering the name. It can't be transferred to another eNom account or even another registrar. It's so that former registrants can file complaints to get their name back.

Why is eNom still carrying on with this practise? No other registrar that I know of does this. Surely in 99% of cases the original registrant has had ample time (and countless email reminders) to make sure they renew the name.

It means that I, and I'm sure many others can't go about flipping their domains to end users in a matter of days/weeks, which to me is frustrating.

Anyone from eNom care to reply with a good explanation as to why you're doing this??

[Theo]

GoDaddy does the same - a week on hold after an auction is paid. Previous owners can reclaim the domain during that period of time.

[Biggie]

enom has deal with namejet, which used to be clubdrop

now if they didn't have this partnership, you may not have been able to acquire these domains...in order to flip to an end-user



so be patient, since they have provided a means

[katherine]

The reason must be that the auctioning of 'prerelease' domains circumvents the redemption process, that is supposed to protect the registrants against unwanted loss of their domains.
They cover their a$$ by giving the previous owners more time to redeem their domains.

[Biggie]

The reason must be that the auctioning of 'prerelease' domains circumvents the redemption process, that is supposed to protect the registrants against unwanted loss of their domains.
They cover their a$$ by giving the previous owners more time to redeem their domains.

yeah, i'd sure be mad if they sold one of my names that was still in redemption period and you couldn't get it back



at least enom still honors that provision

[Jilo]

Yes, I suppose you do all have a good point, I was just frustrated with the concept of Auction Lock that day (among other things...).

[Biggie]

Yes, I suppose you do all have a good point, I was just frustrated with the concept of Auction Lock that day (among other things...).

that's an area of "domainer stress" that we need to recognize.

as we don't want it to affect our heart, thus our love for the game

[internext]

yeah, i'd sure be mad if they sold one of my names that was still in redemption period and you couldn't get it back



at least enom still honors that provision

They do??? How???? Enom is refusing to admit there is any such hold and Auction Lock. The name I lost has a current whois Status: clientTransferProhibited

Enom admits they gave me NO redemption period for domain A, which I want back.

From Ben Y, Enom Technical Support on 5/15/2012: "Since the domain was not renewed during our 29 day grace period, it was sold in an auction as the domain was backordered through our partner auction site NameJet, and when this occurs no redemption periods are offered on the domain through our system."

In fact I still have a domain B in redemption which expired approximately 45 days prior to domain A. I can still get domain B back from enom for $250. Probably because domain B lists zero namejet backorders. Domain A had 24 namejet backorders. So they gave me no redemption, auctioned it, and has been denying to me that there is any way in which I can get it back. So enom obviously cherry picks.

How can I get enom to take me seriously and give me my name back? It is in the hands of a new registrant as of approximately 11 days ago, on May 15, 2012. This is when I first saw the whois change from enom's privacy protected whois to a whois listing the new registrant.

How do I make the complaint? I have requested an escalation to management for an official reply, and all I get are replies like this:

Hello Eric,

This matter was already escalated for review prior to sending my previous response and the information that I provided to you in my previous message is correct.

Unfortunately we cannot assist you with recovering this domain name as it was purchased by another individual through an auction following the expiration grace period.

If you would like more information on our expiration policies, please refer to Article 10 of our Registration Agreement in our Terms of Service: http://www.enom.com/terms/agreement.aspx.

We are sorry that we cannot do more to assist you with this matter and hopefully you'll be able to work things out with the new registrant to re-acquire the domain name.

Best Regards,

Cameron M.
Technical Support

Time is ticking. It took a week between my last replies. How do i make the complaint to get my name back?

Any help is truly appreciated.

Thanks
Eric

PS - I think this demonstrates enom is not a safe place for important names. If they will cherry pick your redemption rights to namejet that is a severe conflict of interest. In my book at least.

Current whois data:

Name A: (24 namejet back orders. Sold at Namejet to new registrant. No redemption offered)
Status: clientTransferProhibited
Updated Date: 15-may-2012
Creation Date: 31-mar-2003
Expiration Date: 31-mar-2013

Name B: (0 namejet back orders. Still in my account in redemption status. $250 to recover)
Status: clientTransferProhibited
Updated Date: 14-feb-2012
Creation Date: 13-feb-2006
Expiration Date: 13-feb-2013

[internext]

I am beginning to hate enom.......

Since i posted the above, this is the best I can get out of enom's official support:

Customer Eric Verona 05/26/2012 11:33 PM
Hello Clarence,

Do you deny that --------.com is currently in a state of "Auction Lock"?

Thank you for a direct reply. If you claim it is not currently in this state then please tell me the dates in which this 40-day lock occurred?

Eric

Response Clarence 05/26/2012 11:44 PM
Hello,

Unfortunately we cannot help you with information regarding this domain name.

Please refer to our domain registration terms of service for further information. http://www.enom.com/terms/agreement.aspx.

Regards

Cameron M.
Technical Support
__________________________________
My Support Hours: 3:00pm - 11:30pm, Saturday thru Wednesday (Pacific Time)
Out of the office Thursday and Friday


Customer Eric Verona 05/26/2012 11:59 PM
Clarence, if you give me that link again I am going to scream. I am a top level ETP. I have a long history with enom and this this is the FIRST AND ONLY time i have come to enom with a request such as this. Something important to me. Dont talk to me like a robot. Talk to me like a man.

I made a VALID request and you it can be answered. Maybe not by you, but it can be by management.

My question cannot be answered by that link.

I ask again:

Do you deny that --------.com is currently in a state of "Auction Lock"?

Thank you for a direct reply. If you claim it is not currently in this state then please tell me the dates in which this 40-day lock occurred?

IF YOU CANT ANSWER. AND THAT LINK CANT ANSWER. THEN I WANT AN ANSWER. GIVE ME SOMEONE WHO CAN ANSWER ME!

DO NOT GIVE ME THAT LINK AGAIN!

Eric

Response Clarence 05/27/2012 12:02 AM
Hello Eric,

All of our expiration policies are defined within Article 10 of the Registration Agreement found in in our Terms of Service: http://www.enom.com/terms/agreement.aspx. We only offer a guaranteed reactivation period for expired domains which lasts approximately 30 days as stated in Article 10 (a) of our Terms of Service.

If a domain is not renewed by the end of the reactivation period, what can happen to the domain is outlined in Article 10 (b), sections: i, ii, iii.. We are unable to provide specific details pertaining to why following the reactivation period our system places a domain into a specific lifecycle outlined in sections i, ii, iii, as this information is proprietary and confidential.

If you have any further concerns regarding this matter, feel free to update this ticket, but unfortunately we are not going to be able to help you recover this domain name. We suggest contacting the new registrant and explain to them why you were not able to renew the domain in time, and hopefully they will be willing to sell the domain name back to you.

Best Regards,
Cameron M.
Technical Support
__________________________________
My Support Hours: 3:00pm - 11:30pm, Saturday thru Wednesday (Pacific Time)
Out of the office Thursday and Friday

--------

Can someone please help me?

Thanks
Eric

[internext]

So who do I complain to and how in order to make the "Auction Lock" a viable tool to recover my name in which enom advised me in writing that they deprived me of my redemption period? Enom, as you see above, is completely unwilling to help me. I have been trying since May 6 to deal with this matter with enom.

Thanks
Eric