If you cannot get the domain name you want through standard registration, you can use Domain Name Pre-release to acquire it.
What is domain backorder
Domain Name Pre-release is an Alibaba Cloud service that lets you register expired domain names pending deletion. If a domain name is not renewed upon expiration, the registry deletes it after a certain period and releases it for public registration. When a domain name is pending deletion by the registry, you can use the Alibaba Cloud Domain Name Pre-release platform to place a priority backorder. This increases your chances of successfully registering the domain name.
Transaction notices
Domain Name Pre-release does not involve bidding. Each domain name can be backordered by only one user. The first user to submit a backorder request and complete the payment secures the backorder.
NoteOnly some generic top-level domains and new top-level domains can be backordered, and the backorder price varies by domain name.
Premium domains cannot be backordered. If a domain name is a standard domain when you place the backorder but becomes a premium domain at the time of registration, the registration will fail.
By default, a domain name acquired through Domain Name Pre-release is registered for one year. After the registration is successful, you can renew the domain name. For more information, see Domain name renewal.
You cannot cancel a backorder once it is successfully placed.
Transaction fees
Domain name purchase fee: The final price for a domain name acquired through Domain Name Pre-release is the backorder price.
Service fee: No service fee is charged.
NoteThe service fee is a percentage of the transaction price that Alibaba Cloud charges the seller during a domain name transaction. The buyer is not charged this fee. The buyer only needs to pay the full amount specified in the order.
Procedure
The backorder start time depends on when the registry updates its data. Alibaba Cloud typically synchronizes data from the registry a few days before a domain name is deleted and updates the list of pending-deletion domains available for backorder daily between 9:30 and 10:00. The actual update time depends on the data volume for that day.
The system stops accepting backorders a few hours before the registry deletes the domain name. To register a specific domain name, place your backorder as early as possible. The detailed procedure is as follows:
Go to the Domain Marketplace page.
Click the Domain Backorder tab. On the Domain Backorder page, find the domain name that you want and click Backorder Now.
Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the payment.
After successfully placing a backorder, go to the My Backordered Domains page. To find the domains that you have won and are awaiting payment, select the status and click Search. After you complete the payment, the domain name's status changes to Backordered. At this point, wait for the registry to delete and release the domain name. After the registry deletes the domain name and Alibaba Cloud submits the registration request, the status updates to Successful or Failed.
Settlement time
The settlement time is when Alibaba Cloud successfully registers the domain name after the registry deletes it. Therefore, for a successfully backordered domain name, the registration date shown in the WHOIS information is the re-registration date.
If you need to request an invoice after a successful transaction, see Domain name invoice FAQ.
Reasons for registration failure
A successful backorder does not guarantee a successful registration. When a registry deletes a domain name, it becomes available for registration simultaneously to thousands of registrars worldwide. This creates competition, especially for domain names that contain popular keywords, as another registrar may register them first.
Alibaba Cloud automatically submits registration requests based on the registry's typical deletion schedules. If the registry's actual deletion time changes and falls outside the preset submission window, the automated submission may fail. This can cause the registration to fail even for a successfully placed backorder.
If the domain name registration fails, the system automatically issues a refund. If your Alibaba Cloud account has an outstanding balance, the system credits the refund to your account balance. Otherwise, the system returns it to your original payment method.
Cancellation and refunds
You cannot cancel a successful backorder for a refund until the registration process is complete. You must carefully verify the domain name before you place a backorder. If the final registration fails, the system automatically issues a refund. If your Alibaba Cloud account has an outstanding balance, the system credits the refund to your account balance. Otherwise, the system returns it to your original payment method.