Everything You Need to Know About the Namecheap Expired Domain Auction
If you're a blogger, business owner, or solopreneur in need of a cheap domain name, you may have compared prices at all of the biggest domain hosts.

But if your budget constraints demand another option, don't stress.
You can get a premium domain name at a low price through Namecheap's expired domain name auction.
Namecheap has made its name serving customers since 2001. From registering, hosting, and managing domains to creating an open domain name marketplace, the ICANN accredited registrar makes it easy to launch your website.
Additionally, you can browse the registrar's expired domain auction, known as the Aftermarket.
Here you'll find updated listings of expired domains – and potentially nab a high-ranking domain for less.
But if you've never purchased an expired domain, you may not know where – or how – to start.
Our staff at SpamZilla has put together this comprehensive guide showing you how to get expired domains with Namecheap.
What You Need to Know About Purchasing Expired Domains
Thousands of domains expire every day, but what does that actually mean? In many cases, the domain owner either forgot to renew their domain or no longer wants to use it past its expiration date.
An expired domain doesn't simply disappear from the web, though. Instead, other site owners or domain investors can acquire the expired domain.
Before another user can purchase the site, however, the domain must go through a series of steps, as follows.
1. Grace Period
The current registrant has a redemption grace period of up to 30 days after the actual expiration date to renew the domain.
The late grace period renewal will typically cost the registrant more than an on-time renewal, and it may take 24-48 hours before the renewed site resumes active function.
Keep in mind that owners must renew certain types of domains no later than five to 12 days before the actual expiration date, while they can renew others only within the 30 days after the expiration.
To simplify the process, Namecheap provides an article identifying each type of domain that requires early renewal, plus more information on grace period redemptions.
2. Termination of Ownership
After the 30-day grace period, the owner of the domain will no longer have ownership.
The domain will then become available to interested parties who put in a backorder on the name.
3. Entry to Market
If no backorders exist on the domain, or if the interested parties pass on the purchase, it will go to auction at the end of the grace period.
Most auctions last for one week, and the highest bidder receives the domain.
Keep in mind that a "reused" domain will still have the same expiration date. You will need to renew it each year before the expiration date or face a higher fee and 24-48 hours of downtime during the grace period.
Your Guide to Domain Auctions
While the idea of a domain auction may seem unusual, these auctions mirror eBay's bidding process. The listings begin with a minimum bid. The amount increases as people place their bids.
In some cases, a desirable domain's price may see a surge at the end of the bidding time.
Many domain auction platforms automatically extend the closing time to prevent costs from soaring above market value.
While business owners, bloggers, or other entrepreneurs may purchase and renew domains from an auction, domain name investors may also search for and buy domains.
Investors buy the domains at a relatively low price with the intent to sell later – possibly on the same auction platform.
Purchasing a Domain Name from the Namecheap Marketplace
While you may find a diamond in the rough on a domain auction, the Namecheap marketplace makes it easy to purchase high PR expired domains without a hassle.

Browse the available domain names until you find one that suits your business or brand. Then, click "add to cart" and proceed to checkout.
As soon as your payment goes through, you will have full access to the domain. Your contact information will replace the former registrant's.
You can then use, sell, or modify the domain as you choose.
What to Consider Before Buying Expired Domain Names
Whether you intend to purchase expired domains from Namecheap's Marketplace or Aftermarket auction, you should always conduct your due diligence.
Domains have histories, and not all of them are good.
From hacked websites to sites formerly used for porn or spam to a history of manipulative SEO tactics, search engine algorithms will blacklist your domain, or even remove it from the search engine index.
Luckily, it's easy to take a close look at your domain name's history before purchasing.
The Internet Archive's Wayback Machine provides information on your domain's previous content, while DomainIQ and SEMRush thoroughly audit the domain for hosting, registrant, and backlink history.c
When considering a domain name, make sure to check three main areas:
1. Domain History
Your domain could have a flag or penalty attached to it for many reasons, such as offensive content to attempts to manipulate search engine rankings.
Depending on its original use, it may have landed on a blocklist, too.
Unfortunately, these penalties follow the domains, not the owners.
If a domain goes past its expiration date a poor mark, removing a flag or getting your domain off a filtering blocklist can take quite a bit of time and hassle.
2. Domain Age
Google's algorithm considers domain age when ranking websites. The search engine assumes that established domains provide higher quality content and lessen the potential for irrelevant material.
Additionally, the algorithm believes that an older website is less likely to contain spam, as most spammers move quickly from one site to another.
That said, a domain with a short history isn't necessarily a red flag, but an older domain may receive preferential treatment.
3. Domain Traffic
Expired domains that had high levels of traffic before their expiration date can create a lot of excitement during an auction.
However, it's critical to check the source of the traffic. Have hundreds of thousands of visitors found the domain through an organic search, or is the traffic the result of bot visitors?
Performing a quick audit of your domain name before purchasing can make a significant difference when you launch your website.
4. Domain Authority
Your domain's authority relates to the likelihood that your website will rank highly during a Google search. Your domain will receive a score between 1-100. Domains with higher scores receive a better placement.
You can use a tool like the Moz SEO Toolbar or SEMRush SERP analysis to check your domain's authority. There is also many great articles to show you how to find expired domains with Scrapebox which can also provide analysis data.
You'll also receive valuable insights on which keywords your domain names rank highly for, how many monthly visitors find your site, and more.
Buying Domain Names through the Namecheap Expired Marketplace
Namecheap makes registering, hosting, and managing domains simple.
Whether you want to register a brand new domain name or prefer the ease of purchasing expired domain names, you can count on user-friendly Marketplace and Aftermarket access and guaranteed purchases from qualified sellers.
After you purchase the domain names, you can easily manage, modify, renew, or even resell them through your Namecheap account.
The registrar offers comprehensive domain management guides, videos, and extensive support to troubleshoot any problem areas.
Unlike other registrars, Namecheap's domain names come with free privacy protection for all Namecheap account holders.
The registrar also allows purchasers to transfer their WordPress websites to its reliable hosting platform for free within 24 hours.
If you have any other domains, you can transfer those domain names to Namecheap's hosting platform as well.
When it comes to purchasing expired domains for less, no other site compares to Namecheap.
The registrar built its reputation on serving customers since 2001, making it a staple for reliable, low-cost domains – and a favorite with our staff at SpamZilla.