Can someone please help me understand what is the difference between dropped names and Pre-Release Names. And what amount of $$ represent the points you bid on enom for example?
A dropped name follows the full domain name deletion cycle, and is eventually deleted from the registry. Once deleted, the dropcatchers often try to snap it up for their customers. The fastest dropcatcher wins the domain. A pre-release name does not go through the deletion process. Instead, the registrar keeps the expired domain and then tries to sell it. A pre-release domain is ONLY available to buy from the website selling it (i.e. a pre-release domain that is listed on eNom cannot be captured through a snapnames backorder). Pre-release names are sold in an open auction, where the highest bidder wins. Not all registrars sell their expired domains... the ones that don't simply follow the full domain deletion cycle. Once a dropped domain is deleted from the registry, it's creation date is reset. However, with a pre-release domain, its creation date is not reset... So if the pre-release domain was originally registered in 98, then the creation date would stay as 98 after it was sold at auction.
thank you for your clear answer, I understand now, but let's take now: enom, snapnames, pool(do you know any other?)...they all show the same expired domains? Because the pre-released ones must be different on all of them?!
Exactly. Expired domains can be registered by anyone... the fastest dropcatcher/backorder service wins. Pre-Release domains are only sold through registrar, or the registrar's partner. Godaddy also has a backorder service, but it's best used for the less valuable dropping domains (it's not very successful), and the domains that are let go by the tasters. The main pre-release players are: TDNAM (GoDaddy's domains) www.tdnam.com SnapNames (many different registrars) www.snapnames.com Tucows ddirect.domainauctionservice.com eNom (eNom's domains) www.enom.com