Domain auctions for expired and listed names

Domain auctions decide who gets a name when more than one buyer wants it. On Domaining an expired domain auction opens when several members backorder the same name, and it is private between them. Listed names sell on the marketplace by buy-now or offer. Every sale settles through escrow.

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Which domain name auction types are there on Domaining?

Type	When it opens	Who can bid	What the winner pays
Member auction	Several members held a backorder on the same name when it dropped	Only those members	The closing bid
Marketplace offer	A seller lists a name open to offers	Any buyer, no subscription needed	The accepted offer
Marketplace buy-now	A seller lists a name with a fixed price	Any buyer, no subscription needed	The buy-now price

What do auction statuses mean?

Each auction shows one status in your account, and alerts tell you when it changes.

Status	Meaning
In auction	The auction is open and accepts bids
Leading	Your bid is the current highest bid
Outbid	Another member placed a higher bid
Won	Your bid was highest at the close; the name moves to you after payment
Lost	Another member won the auction

How does an expired domain auction work?

When a name drops and more than one member held a backorder on it, the name goes to a private member auction. Only those members see it and can bid. The auction has a fixed closing time shown on the auction page. Bids are binding, each new bid must be higher than the current bid, and the highest bid at the close wins, and the winner pays the closing bid.

Only members with a backorder on the name can bid
Every bid is binding and must beat the current bid
The closing time is shown on the auction page
The highest bid at the close wins
Payment settles through domain escrow and the name moves to the winner's account

What should you decide before bidding?

Set your ceiling before the auction opens. Check the value score and drivers with a domain appraisal, decide what you would still pay for a renewal next year, and do not raise the ceiling during the auction. On Portfolio, the budget per rule also caps what a rule may commit to.

How do marketplace sales work?

Sellers list names on the domain marketplace with a buy-now price, open to offers, or both. Buyers do not need a subscription to buy a listed name. The seller accepts or counters an offer, and every sale settles through escrow: the buyer pays into escrow, the name is transferred, and the seller is paid after the transfer. Listing limits are 25 on Starter, 500 on Pro and unlimited on Portfolio and Enterprise.

How do you choose between domain auction sites?

Look at what you need around the auction, not just the auction itself: where the names come from, how you know what they are worth, and how the money is held. On Domaining, auctions sit next to the scored expired domain names list, backorder domain requests and escrow, on one monthly plan.

Questions about domain auctions

Can anyone join a member auction?

No. A member auction is open only to the members who held a backorder on the name when it dropped.

Can I retract a bid?

No. Bids are binding. Set your ceiling before you bid, and use the appraisal to check the name first.

What happens if the winner does not pay?

If the winner does not pay within the time shown in the auction, the sale does not complete, the name may be offered to the next highest bidder, and the non-paying member may lose access to auctions. Payment always goes through escrow before the transfer.

Do buyers need a plan to buy from the marketplace?

No. Buyers do not need a subscription to buy a listed name. Sellers list names within their plan's listing limit.

Bid on names you backordered, sell the names you hold

Backorder names from a scored list, bid in private member auctions and sell through the marketplace with escrow. See plan limits on pricing.