For Sale A Warning on a Namewinner Policy

[strongvis]

Just a bit of warning for everyone using Namewinner.

They just pulled a name from me that was registered on December 20th. It was an "internal drop" or in other words a domain registered at namewinner that they auctioned prior to it expiring. Every day they auction these names . . they have the "gold star" next to them in their listings. They have, according to their TOS, 80 days to take back ANY name at their discretion. I find 80 days a bit absurd.

I've been screwed and you've been warned.

 

[dvdrip]

Was this just before the 80th day?
Is the domain restored to it's previous owner?
Did you get your money back?

 

[strongvis]

December 20th was the day I got the name. So just barely before 80 days. Yes new owner now has it and it's even back online. All happened today. Don't know if I've gotten the money back or not but supposedly I am getting it back. Regardless, the policy is LAME at best

 

[NameYourself]

What was their reason for taking it away from you? Did you already have it online and in your name?

 

[strongvis]

yes I had the name in my account. . . It still shows me as the owner today but was not in my account anymore and now resolves to the former owners site ( I assume the former owner). . . No reason has been given other than pointing that they can "at their sole discretion take back a name". . . It's in their terms and stated in the following :

> > Section 7.4 - . . .NOTE: Your rights to the domain name are
> > non-transferable to any person nor Registrar for the first eighty
> > (80) days of registration from the date the domain expired, prior to
> > purchase, without notice, at Dotster, Inc.'s, discretion. In
> > addition, it is your responsibility to verify if any domain is
> > infringing anyone else's rights, prior to registration. If the
> > domain name you have registered is found to be INFRINGING on another
> > person's rights, BASED solely on Dotster, Inc. discretion, Dotster,
> > Inc. has the right to cancel your registration immediately. If your
> > rights are terminated, your sole remedy will be limited to a
> > prorated refund of the price paid to us for the domain name. If its
> > is a willful violation of our agreement, you will not be entitled to
> > any refund.

 

[Theo]

They are covered legally - but that's another reason not to use Namewinner.

 

[strongvis]

exactly the policy is covered in the legal docs but that doesn't make it a good policy.

 

[hostele]

I did use namewinner but one time a made a backorder for a domain name. According to there rules, a domain name would go into auction only if more than one person backorder it. Anyway, They did grab the domain name and I know that I was the only one who backordered it but it did go to auction and the highest bidder won it and it wasn't me.
Since then I never use namewinner services or even visit its site.

 

[austinandrew]

I believe the 80 day policy is in place in the case of a trademark dispute. But I gather if someone gives Dotster heat for losing a domain because they forgot to register it, Dotster might give in.

I did use namewinner but one time a made a backorder for a domain name. According to there rules, a domain name would go into auction only if more than one person backorder it. Anyway, They did grab the domain name and I know that I was the only one who backordered it but it did go to auction and the highest bidder won it and it wasn't me.
Since then I never use namewinner services or even visit its site.

 

[owen]

That sucks. But so many people are litigation happy these days, especially in this industry, I don't blame them for having their asses covered.

 

[Jack Gordon]

The moral of the story: Transfer domains out to enom at the 60 day mark.

 

[dvdrip]

They do not allow registrar or registrant change before the end of the 80 day period.

 

[dvdrip]

I made a $30 bid on one of these expired dotster domains.
I was the only bidder.
Today I get an email that the domain entered the extended auction!!!
And then I was outbid by someone.
Anyone had this before?

 

[Theo]

LOL let's see, after Fool.com we have NameLoser.com

Pathetic....

 

[clemzonguy]

Let's clarify that when we say Namewinner we mean Dotster so people know. They are encouraging people to transfer domains there as we speak.... $6 transfers. Overall not a bad registrar but I guess if you let a name go 80 days you have no intention of renewing anyways.

 

[dvdrip]

It has been 24 hours and still no reply from namewinner.

 

[strongvis]

Movienames you CANT transfer the name , they won't allow it until after that 80day period. Read the terms. The moral to the story is always expect that at any time your name to be taken back.
Also clemzon this is regarding namewinner policy and procedure. The names are indeed registered at dotster but this is a policy from a name registered/obtained through a namewinner auction. The funny thing is you can let a name drop at dotster, watch the auction end and then ask for the name back . AND THEY'LL GIVE IT TO YOU! silly!

I made a $30 bid on one of these expired dotster domains.
I was the only bidder.
Today I get an email that the domain entered the extended auction!!!
And then I was outbid by someone.
Anyone had this before?

I think this is similar to what enom does. . . You may have made a $30 bid and I may have made a $30 bid. . There's no real way to tell if there are multiple bidders (until after phase 1) unless someone bids higher. The name moves into extended auction if more than 1 person is involved. . . . I might be wrong on this though.

Good luck getting any kind of reply out of nw or dotster. I'm fortunate to have the ear of one of their top guys but w/o that I'd be waiting and waiting and waiting. 24 hrs is nothing. I would not be surprised if you don't hear back for 3 days and when you do it will be a canned and worthless response that likely doesn't even answer your question. Good luck

 

[dvdrip]

If the high bid is $30 then you are the only and high bidder.
Namewinner doesn't accept multible bids of the same ammount like enom does pre-drop.
I got a domain today for $30 with no auction. I will wait for their reply...