This is How I lost my Domain Name at Epik.com

[Fadi H]

Hello everyone,

I've been closing my eyes on many things that I didn't like on Epik.com Registrar. But today is the final day and I'm transferring all my domains from there for a Never comeback.

So what happened is that I had a .CO domain hosted at Epik, Which Expired on December 11th 2021. I did not renew it or transfer it as I've been busy and thought I still have time as I know that .CO domains have a 40 day grace period and that's by the registry. And during that grace period domains are transferable and renewable.

Yesterday I logged in to my account and didn't find the domain, So I clicked the blue button and the support agent said that they will look into the matter and reach back to me later.

Today I received the following response :

"Hello Fadi,

The domain expired on December 11, 2021 and the grace renewal period is 15 days which means that the last day that you have to renew your domain was on December 26, 2021. Since renewal did not take place, and someone had a backorder on your domain, the backorder was fulfilled.

We may be able to get in contact with the new owner to help you get your domain back but you might need to provide your best offer so we can send it to our sales team.

Looking forward hearing from you. "

So I clicked back the blue button questioning about that backorder story and I got the following response :

"Thank you for patiently waiting. I have confirmed with our tech team that domain renewals of 40 day grace period is only applicable for domains without back order. You will only get 15 day grace period if there is a backorder for your domain."

But in fact if you visit Epik.com You will not find this backorder story anywhere on the site.

They referred to this link which doesn't help :

https://www.epik.com/support/faq/expired-registration-recovery-policy/

I'm not satisfied with their answers at all and this is the first time I hear of this 15 day back-order story and it's not even mentioned anywhere on the site.

You can see it clearly "After the discretionary grace period the customer's domain is deleted from their account. And deleted domains may be recoverable for up to a total of 69 days after the expiration date.

Where is the 15 day backorder story?

Your opinions matter, Do you think what they did is right?

 

[Keith]

You’re not part of the 1% @Rob Monster has chosen for special renewal privileges. They allowed mobilewallet.com to be renewed well after 16 days and flushed my BO down the drain.

This isn’t a company to do business with epik.com

 

[Fadi H]

This is not new and I have to wonder what rock you are living under to not know that Epik has a short renewal period unless you request a longer one. Everyone knows that.

Registrars are allowed to have whatever grace renewal they want. Look it up, no one stole anything from you. You didn’t renew in time.

The incindiary title makes you look bad not Epik. Renew your domains on time next time and know your registrars grace renewal at all times.

You let your domain expire. They have a 15-day grace period and you failed to renew the domain within that time.

For you to say that they “stole” your domain name just isn’t true. I understand that it sucks to lose your name, but you are responsible for renewing your own domains and if you don’t do that you can’t really blame anyone but yourself.

Yes I didn't renew in time and they have a 15-day grace period that's clear. But what comes after the grace period? The domain gets deleted from my account and still under Epik control and can be recoverable for a higher fee. Nothing mentioned about someone could backorder and win the domain after 15 days of expiration. If you can see it anywhere on Epik, Show me.

 

[tiletalk]

I hope they renew it for you

Bro, its not dropped. Someone had it on backorder and as per the rules after 15 days, the domain will continue to stay expired or anyone with BackOrder will get it.

they cant renew it.

 

[Daniel Owens]

Bro, its not dropped. Someone had it on backorder and as per the rules after 15 days, the domain will continue to stay expired or anyone with BackOrder will get it.

they cant renew it.

If you go to local fry of register you might find discount.

 

[Daniel Owens]

Sorry, I dont understand what you're saying. not sure if it is a joke or what?

Gaining register may offer discount if pushed-out in time via auth. code.

 

[tiletalk]

Gaining register may offer discount if pushed-out in time via auth. code.

your response was out of context to my response . it should be obvious that transferring domains between registrars means you can save a dollar or two on .com domains - not sure about .co

 

[Daniel Owens]

Yeah, but the fry was not. I mean if you fry-out a domain to gaining register then you might get it for a buck or two. Save auth. code to computer transfer-out sooner. Now domain owner is new frier so it's too late for him to eat the domain back.

Did google translate this correctly it seems close no?

 

[Daniel Owens]

Also Epik sends multiple emails (like all registrars) as grace renewal approaches and a final warning when they are about to remove it from your account. You chose to ignore those emails apparently.

Also if he renew late I think domain is not stolen, it's deleted or dropped to fry epik over this is crazy.

 

[Daniel Owens]

That's not the case, The issue that I'm pointing to is clear. And I don't find any good answer until this moment.

If it turns that I'm wrong, I will accept it and everyone moves on.

But my questions are still not answered, Why the domain is not held by Epik right now and they've given it to someone else who placed a backorder and why I'm not able to recover the domain even though It's stated on their site that domains can be recoverable for up to 69 days after the expiration. The domain only Expired on December 11.

Why nothing is mentioned about this backorder process after 15 days of the expiration?

What's stated is that after 15 days the domain will be deleted from my account not fully deleted and anyone can have their hands on it. What's stated is that the domain right now should be held by epik and RECOVERABLE.

"In most cases, deleted domains may be recoverable for up to a total of 69 days after the expiration date." They said most not always recoverable. So that is their loop hole.

 

[redemo]

Also if he renew late I think domain is not stolen, it's deleted or dropped to fry epik over this is crazy.

What's the takeaway from all this @Daniel Owens? Eel keep saying it's Epik's fault for chopping his domain. But I've been shouting from the belfry for people to renew their high-steak domain names on time. Always fishing through threads finding non-renewers just drives me crazy. Fat chance anything will change. Also nobody stole your domain name. I think you are overfishing clicks from your hook-and-bait thread title. Anyway I woke up chipper but had a crappie day. Oil see you later.

 

[Fadi H]

Yeah, epik should clarify no doubt but with the verbiage they could not get sued or anything. If it's not recoverable then it's time to move on, I feel sad for him but the only way for OP to get domain back is probably to buy from new owner which is probably not an option.

It's just a domain mate. No worries.

I have options that I'm happier with. Even if they are a winner in this case and even if I'm wrong I still find their policy "silly" if I may say. So there's no coming back and trust me they lost more than I did. I hope they can improve anyway.

 

[Daniel Owens]

It's just a domain mate. No worries.

I have options that I'm happier with. Even if they are a winner in this case and even if I'm wrong I still find their policy "silly" if I may say. So there's no coming back and trust me they lost more than I did. I hope they can improve anyway.

What's interesting is how each register differs in policy. Dynadot auctions them off too but when the domain is won they contact the person who let it expire and give them 3 days to renew, but epik just gives them to new buyer. The real thing that makes me wonder is why you didn't get a notice about a backorder but you surely got tons of emails saying to renew

 

[Daniel Owens]

Learn your lesson mate. Listen to @Daniel Owens he is a seasoned domain name investor of the highest calibre and one of the most respectworthy members in the history on Namepros. He doesn't fish for fun he fries them too in grade a fat. Renew your domain names on time. Move on.

Thanks, for the support Mr. redemo and I hope we have also supported the OP. It's his choice to leave epik or not, I just advise he read policy at new register before moving their or contact the register if it's not clear to make sure he has plenty of time to renew late. Personally, I renew most of my domains early or if not I sell them before expiry. I do understand the steep renewal of .co at $25 probably reason for possible delay in renewal. Also, when it said in most cases after 2 months it can be recovered you probably should have contacted epik to double check and ask also if their was a recovery fee which apparently their is not you just can lose domain after about 2 weeks past expiry.

 

[redemo]

Thanks, for the support Mr. redemo and I hope we have also supported the OP. It's his choice to leave epik or not, I just advise he read policy at new register before moving their or contact the register if it's not clear to make sure he has plenty of time to renew late. Personally, I renew most of my domains early or if not I sell them before expiry. I do understand the steep renewal of .co at $25 probably reason for possible delay in renewal. Also, when it said in most cases after 2 months it can be recovered you probably should have contacted epik to double check and ask also if their was a recovery fee which apparently their is not you just can lose domain after about 2 weeks past expiry.

Still think it's a fishy thread title.

 

[Daniel Owens]

I think the term I bolded is important. It is not that all TLDs can be recovered that long, I think.

May or Most is similar to usually but is different than always.

 

[Daniel Owens]

@Rob Monster I love you so much and admire your orphan project, I think I'm a little strapped to buy that but it is good the $'s is going for a good cause and half to OP is pretty fair as you will probably get more for it then if he tried to sell it. Also what's this reverse auction thing, does it mean price is reduced daily? If so he can get it back cheaper then about 1K?

 

[alcy]

lol its funny how all em registrar stole.my name threads literally always end up making poster seem like.some clueless newbie amateur

or those dumbazz threads about registrars stealing people searched domains and registering them

I always pee my pants reading em

 

[redemo]

or those dumbazz threads about registrars stealing people searched domains and registering them

Are you saying it's never been done?

 

[adaaja98]

I've expirienced the same thing. I didn't know the grace period only 15 days. But fortunately no one backorder my domain.
Then the CS help me renew my domain, they even let me renew it for just 1 year from the default is minimum 2 years

 

[boker]

ICANN should apply same standard to protect domain owners, so any registrar / registry can't act like a domain owners or hide in their term and condtions to do whatever they want to registrants

Lets compare what happen today in several registrar

Registrar A : max 15 days to renew with normal price

Registrar B : max 30 days to renew with normal price

Registrar C : max 45 days , renew with normal price

Etc

Lets say icann force all registrar to give same periode to renew the domain names, there isnt case like this in the future.

All registrars are given the same period, but it's just a recommendation, they are not forced to do it, because registrars are paying the renewal fee to icann in day 1 after expiry, and they recover it when the registrant renews or when it drops.

 

[mayhemalex]

Same thing happened to one of my domains.. I believe on purpose..
I was aware of the shortened grace period but there was an issue renewing through the portal even before the grace period ended. I hit up the support rep on here who said he would look into it and get back to me... again aware of the shorter grace period I kept prompting him... not wanting time to run out... he just said.. your ticket is being looked at etc...

It was never auctioned or sold or dropped.. but 'internally held' by Epik... hmmm

Add insult to injury I got an email from Epik just recently advising that they are now taking offers on the domain (I think I filled out the query form on the lander at some point early on (actually ages ago.) to see what was up...)

I don't believe my conduct towards any party involved can be considered in the least 'thuggish'... quite the contrary..

 

[DomainBoxio]

Transfer your existing domains away

 

[tiletalk]

what was the domain name?

 

[TweNtion]

I hope they renew it for you

 

[tiletalk]

If you go to local fry of register you might find discount.

Sorry, I dont understand what you're saying. not sure if it is a joke or what?