Of course! but you might wanna make sure and wait for another member to confirm my answer as I am not confident. Better yet, why don't you contact the Godaddy guys because they can help better...

This is not really strange or uncommon. There is a million people out there searching for domains to register, and the odds are one of them checked the same names within the same time period as you. No matter how random or meaningless the domain, you are probably not the only one who thought of it...

Speaking about coincidence ... and this is a bit off topic to this post, but has some similarities .... I was checking out a HostGator register site, and I was checking out some domains, and then after it gave me my answer, they also suggested some really great .com domains, too, of which I was so surprised that they names were available ... and so I then attempted to register them, but they it wouldn't allow me to do so because they were already claimed. Hmmm .. I think some HostGator reg's aren't that accurate in the initial "checking" proceedure, but once you get to the final stages of reg, then the truth will finally come out.....

I've always worried about registrars scanning the searches for good names, but I don't think it would be worth the company's time to waste resources on this. Namecheap shows a list of your recently searched domains, but I think that's just stored on a cookie on your own computer...

Same thing has happened to me many times and I am not 100% sure that something funny aint happening, now I avoid using registrars to look up avail. names, I use another source and then when I am ready to reg them I do just that. Might be a coincidence but when it happens so often just after checking a name it does make you go hmm.....

Hello,.

I work with Namecheap.com and I dont think that anyone in the business of being a registrar would try to scan for names and then register a HostGator in the "hopes" of selling it. And my statement applies to all legitimate registrars..

It just doesnt even make sense..

Michael..

I thought it was illegal for a registrar to do so anyway.....

Any advice? I don't want to search for domains using small registrars or resellers as well. I used to search on whois.sc but their whois is not so up-to-date. So I'm looking for an alternative source but I didn't manage to find anything good.....

I use whois.sc, nameboy.com, and idotz.net..

Idotz.net has really gotten my attention lately, because they scan for like 30+ extensions. A good service..

I have oftened wondered about the vanishing availability thing. I've had it happen to me, more than once. It's probably just coincidence though. Although, if I worked at a HostGator registrar, I would be curious as to what domains people were searching for. You never know...

I would also give 2 thumbs up to idotz.net I recently picked up 2 3 letter domains that were available thru their HostGator search and paid via echeck and they still held them until funds cleared. Way to go.

Www.idotz.net.

A true professionally run operation...

I buy most of my names through NameCheap, and have had no problems, whatsoever w/ them. They are good people, IMHO..

There was a recent thread that discussed this subject and past threads that delved into the matter. In a nutshell:.

1) A devious little sh~t, (or a big dumb sh~t), that works on the night shift, is scanning internal whois searches and jumping on good names. This is possibile, but it is doubtful that this is a widespread practice..

2) Millons of people are searching- information is universally available- ideas occur spontaneously in two seperate parts of the world, only minutes apart. Although I have missed names by minutes only on two or three occassions, I am continually in awe of how many names I come up with that have been regged only a few days earlier, and I work alot in the made up-branding genre..

The best way to avoid 1), is to do searches using external whois search engines and not search using registrar's internal whois. The only time I do the search through a registrar's site, is when I need to check the contact info on a regged name...

It is not only illegal for a registrar to have this kind of practice but it totally goes against what the registrar is in business for. Like I stated previously, I work for Namecheap.com and, not only due to our reputation, but other top registrars, this practice does not exist as it would destroy any legitimate registrars company as well. That said, if there are any issues or concerns with our company I will be more than happy to assist as I have a personal interest in the success of our company. I also know the people I work with and have full faith that they are honest and would defend them to the fullest possible. As the original post states, the HostGator registered was no big thing, so it seems that the money incentive is non-existent and was purely coincidental as I am sure he/she was not contacted to buy the domain..

Regards,.

Michael K...

Hasn't happened yet to me mainly because once I find a name I want it gets regged ASAP...

I often use dd24 to search but more often than not I will buy via namecheap or Domains.fm ..

Only once can I remember searching and then going to reg later and finding it gone, more likely to happen if it is topical!..

This happens to me daily. I think they should come up with a rule to reserve all the names I think I might register in the future until the time I do.. lmao..

This coincidence happens. I encountered one similar situation a few months back. I checked the availability of the HostGator I wanted.. an hr later, I attempted to register it but it is already registered. I can't believe it initially but it makes sense that many thousands of people are searching for domains online just like me..

Flora...

They are good for cctld's and I confess, I do use their internal engine. The software I use gets blocked by alot of the default nic whois on the cctld's so is relatively ineffective..

Often more than once by the same person or circle of people. I actually get an odd sort of enjoyment when I am working a category that a couple of other folks are working and I see the tracks that have been left by someone else, although I must say, that I prefer to see the tracks that are following me, rather than the one's that are in front of me..

In fact, I get a bit nervous- sometimes, but not all of the time- if I'm alone..

It happens alot w/ new and emerging tech/trends/terms. I'm in an a couple of areas ATM, and am missing names by 1 and 2 weeks- sometimes even by a day or 2- and I assume I am also the first to arrive one or two times, myself. And, most of these terms are in subcategories of wordblends and "made-up" names..

That was what I meant by "possible but doubtful". I buy most of my names from Namecheap, so obviously I hold them in the highest regard. But at the same time, the world isn't perfect and it is highly unlikely that a registrar has *never* sniped a customer. The problem here, and why I understand why Michael is defending registrar's in his post, is that although the OP was based purely on speculation and conjecture, it was referencing Namecheap, which, IMO, was about as far off the mark as one could get, relative to the topic...

Well fancy that! both of the names have mysteriously re-appeared as available....I wonder if grrilla's 'freelancer on the night shift' has been apprehended?..

As one dude said, a million people searching domains daily, so it's just unlucky for you..

Actually, I prescribe more to a non-mystical collective consciousness approach. Millions of searches+communication networks=more than one person in the same search pattern. The 'freelancer on the night shift' theory reflects more on the theories of other people, although I don't entirely rule out the possibility..

Is it possible that the whois had a glitch and reported the wrong info. On several occasions my search software has shown avail, registrar #1 shows unavail. and I end up registering at registrar #2 which shows avail..

What puzzles me in your scenario, is *how could a name show up as a new registration w/ the accompanying contact info, expiration date, etc one day, and than become available, a couple of days later?*.

I assume that your intent was to register the names, unless the intention of the thread was to stimulate a theoretical discussion, (which it, successfully did). So, what were the names, if you don't mind?..

How long was it between the time it was taken and the time it was avalable? It just seems odd to me.....

...the reason I originally posted was that the 2 names were so different, and not a variation on the same theme. the whois was showing on both, and I am sorry I did not make a note of the data. I did check the names on diff registrars when they originally showed as not available just to check re glitch-land. 1 name was a 4-letter, the other an adult name. I have now subsequently regged both (with namecheap). The timegap < 1 week...

More likely is that the name was purchased by one of the companies buying 1000's of names a day who keep them for a couple days to see if they have traffic, then delete them if they don't...

Very interesting. I realized that the practice of bulk registration as a means of examining traffic went on, but I have seen little discussion about it, and I didn't realize that the turnover, (register and spit out the non-performers), was done within such a short time span. I suppose the reasoning behind the quick deletion is that if it doesn't have traffic today, it won't have traffic a year from now so why clutter up the db?.

PS~ One such company grabbed a drop a couple of years back, (my bad for allowing it to drop), of a HostGator name that is a DBA company name of mine, that has my personal name tied to it in the search engine results. However, they held onto it and never spit it out, and continue to use it as a generic portal which attracts visitors using my links and they won't sell it back..

I am slowly gaining ground and some control back, however, by using the name in meta tags in my other sites and registering and using other exts of the name. My sites show more relevant results, and my association and links to the name are coming back to me, but it has taken a couple of years...

Once I was searching free domains on freewho, I found 6-7 and in the next few days when I tried to register them, half were already taken ......

Actually it's not a clutter thing, it's to get the credit on the HostGator name within the 5 day window registrars have to delete names for full refund..

So, if the name doesn't make enough to cover costs ie. less than an average of $0.02 a day it's turned in for a refund and the $ is used to purchase a new name to test for traffic..

But this will explain the mysterious registers & deletes that people are talking about. Has absolutely nothing to do with someone watching what people are checking for, or key loggers etc. Not saying that it doesn't happen, but if you use reputable registrars or resellers you should have nothing to worry about..

I'm sure I've pissed off some people so I'm done talking about this subject for now..

That's nothing as long as what you said explains what happened. And yes,.

Registrars are using the 5-day window..

But for who, only they know for sure...

I found the email I was looking for..

On Aug8, I received an email from Macromedia adverising Studio 8..

The heading of the ad revolved from cre8te->innov8te->fascin8te->Studio8..

On Aug 8 the following names were regged..

Fascin8te.com.

Innov8te.com.

This is a very obvious example of how communications can influence people's thoughts. I wonder how many other people came up with the same "idea" on Aug 8?..