While the reasons a domain drops and becomes available for registration can vary, we have identified the top 5 reasons why extremely valuable .ae domain names are not renewed:
#1 Missed renewal notices due to invalid domain contact email
This is one of the primary reasons why people lose a lot of great .ae domains. We have seen this issue during the past 9 months. Active businesses that don’t rely entirely on their website for sales miss the renewal notices due to an outdated email address on file. This could be either that the business used an email on a domain that is no longer active (usually expired & deleted), or they simply use an email that the company no longer uses / monitors.
#2 Domain Investors who gave up after demanding unrealistic prices for their domains
This one has to be the worst way to lose your domain. Let’s say you bought a one-word category defining domain such as Snacks.ae. You list the domain on the marketplace for exorbitant amount such as $175,000. You wait 5 years and nobody shows interest, so you proceed to let the domain expire and eventually drop. A ton of .ae domains drop for that exact reason. Unfortunately, some domain investors don’t want to price their domains to sell. Instead, they want the world or nothing.
#3 End Users who don’t recognize the value of a one-word gem
People that do not have a background in domain investing only think about .ae domains as a “rental” contract from the registry. Obviously, a .ae domain registration is considered a lease that ranges from 1-5 years at a time based on the registration period. But, did you know that you can sell that lease to someone else and make a decent profit in the process? Many end users drop their .ae domains when their plans change and no longer want to pursue their projects.
#4 Companies that hand their domain management to 3rd-parties
We receive a ton of requests from companies who seek our assistance in recovering domains that were left to expire due to a 3rd-party’s mismanagement of their domains. The main culprit to this problem is allowing a 3rd-party handle the domain management by an uninformed entity. Usually, the company will ask a friend or a web designer to register the domain for them. It’s all good until that individual forgets to do the job that the company was supposed to do: Renew.
#5 Companies that believe a website is no longer important for their business
Companies in the UAE have been increasingly building websites to compliment their social media initiatives. Not having a website means the business is missing out on new opportunities and leads. Some businesses reach a conclusion that social media (such as Instagram) is all what the business needs to survive. This limited mindset leads to a decent generic domain dropping and potentially being picked up by a competitor.