My domain and my web site are suspended

[WalterBortoloss]

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I didn't realize my domain payment was late. It's been over a month and my website is suspended and no longer visible. What should I do? I managed to pay my starter subscription on time but I can't pay for my domain anymore. What should I do? My website is completely deleted? Do I have to rebuild it entirely or can I recover it???

[TheRealChipA]

Hey there @WalterBortoloss.  If domain names expire, then the Registrar (Square uses register.com for their registrar) returns them to a list of domains available for someone else to acquire.  You can go to register.com and search for your domain to see if it has been taken by someone else.  If it has, then I’m afraid that you will have to decide on a different domain name.  Be aware that since this was considered an active domain in the past, registrars are allowed to charge premiums to acquire what they consider to be good/popular domains.  Hopefully, yours did not fall into that category.  Also, be aware that Square has no control over this process.  There are a number of registrars and they control pricing, etc.  Square can’t help you if the price on yours has gone up, now.

Of course, if it is unavailable any longer, then you will have to decide on a different domain name and use that.  Yup, that’s a pain, but it is what it is, I’m sorry to say.

Let me know if you have any other questions.

[WalterBortoloss]

Thanxxx . 
Checking in the list of register.com I see that my domain is still available so I can buy It .   But is my original web site still existent there or is it completely cancelled ???  

[TheRealChipA]

@WalterBortoloss Your website files are still in Square. You can still edit them. You just won’t be able to publish them until you have secured a domain name. You should be able to purchase the domain through Square then connect and publish. Let me know if you run into any issues. I’m turning in soon, but can reply tomorrow morning. If needed, we can do a Zoom call and get you going after you have the domain. 

[WalterBortoloss]

Thanks again for your answer. 

This morning with register.com i placed 

a Backorder Service for

walterbortolossi.com . 

I received  confirmation for the payment (only $12)

If i have understood well, now i have to wait new communications .

Is it all right or I have to do other things? 

Am I obliged to make a Certified Offer also? 

[TheRealChipA]

@WalterBortoloss This is complicated, unfortunately.  A domain backorder means you have put yourself on a list of people who want that domain once it is available again.  That list might just be you, or it might be others.  In that case, the domain is offered to those on the list on a first-come, first-served basis.  

That $12 has nothing to do with you actually re-acquiring the domain, however.  There will be a separate charge for that, and there is no way anyone can predict what that will be.  Here’s a link to a great article that answers lots of questions about the domain backorder process.

Anyway, you are left with various choices now.  

1. You can choose another domain for now and use that while you wait.  That wait could be a week or it could be months.  But once you get it you could just redirect one to the other, again.
2. You can go without a website while you wait. Obviously that’s probably not an option.
3. Or, you could just cut your losses, chalk this up to a lesson learned, choose a new domain name and republish your site there.  Of course, you’re going to have to change marketing materials as well as listings in Yelp, FB, Instagram and all other socials.  It’s a pain, but it’s not bad, really.  I did this on purpose last year when I moved from our original PipersCafe.biz domain to our new PipersIceCreamBar.com.  It took time, but it was worth it, for me.

Let me know if you have any other questions.  I’ll do my best to help you get up and running again as quickly as possible.

[WalterBortoloss]

ok I will wait some days, after that I will decide what to do .

Many thanks  for your help.

All the best