The expiry process.
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN A DOMAIN EXPIRES
The owner has a period to renew it Then a period where it can be redeemed at higher cost Then it may be released or offered
WHERE THE MARKETPLACE FITS
Names in the later stages of that process may be offered for sale before being released.
WHY THAT MATTERS
Some genuinely good names reach expiry, usually through neglect rather than lack of value.
WHAT THE STAGES MEAN HERE
- Expired auction: competitive bidding on a name reaching the end of its registration
- Last chance: a later stage, frequently at a lower price
- Closeout: the final stage, usually at a fixed low price
WHAT TO UNDERSTAND
The owner may still renew, in which case the name does not become available.
That is not a fault. It is how expiry works.
WHAT TO CHECK
The stage the name is in, and what that means for certainty.
WHAT NOT TO ASSUME
That an expiring name is worthless.
Or that it is certain to be released.
