Epik's Fully Refundable $199 backorder is a TRAP!

[Shailendra Mishra]

TLDR : read the bolded part.

I was interested in a domain registered on EPIK.com and not renewed by the owner.

The best thing would be try to grab it before deletion.

So, I researched and found that it can either go to nameliquidate, or their own expiry auction or to their own backorder queue.

To increase my chances I bought their backorder worth $199 which was apparently fully refundable, as I could always participate in the auctions if it goes there.

The owner transferred out the domain to other registrar and all hopes vanished.

I canceled the backorder and expected a full refund.

NOW
I found that the money went to in-store credits and not my credit card. Not very surprising, but then I had to manually request a refund from support.

Support told me that there is a 2.5% fees for refund to credit card which was my payment source. They even have a mention of this in t&c so I agreed and confirmed that I still want a refund.

The support keep on taking my confirmation and after 8 emails agreed to send this to their accounts team.

THEN NOTHING HAPPENED TILL DATE.

10+ days have passed.

And going by horror stories of other domainer's sales proceeds struck in limbo (even though my case has nothing to do with masterbuxks.) I am less hopeful now.

 

[nlitenme]

If your credit card company has a purchase protection policy, you might want to contact them to see what they'll do on their end.

Good luck.

 

[karmaco]

Read the Epik threads they are having financial woes. Also $199 is $8.49 for some domainers who requested it. I find it ridiculous you have to prepay. Every single other place you can backorder colllects IF they catch it except Epik. Matters not because they are not good at catching compared to the alternatives.

 

[Shailendra Mishra]

If your credit card company has a purchase protection policy, you might want to contact them to see what they'll do on their end.

Good luck.

No such thing in India.

Read the Epik threads they are having financial woes. Also $199 is $8.49 for some domainers who requested it. I find it ridiculous you have to prepay. Every single other place you can backorder colllects IF they catch it except Epik. Matters not because they are not good at catching compared to the alternatives.

Agree to all your points.

I explained why Epik backorder made sense, I was not expecting the domain to drop at all.

Can't do anything now.
Just wanted to further warn others, like for someone who is searching more info on their backorders.

 

[Recons.Com]

No such thing in India.

Just contact the card company and dispute it. If it is one of the global ones like visa, Mastercard, Amex, they will help.

 

[Shailendra Mishra]

Update: I got my refund only after I opened a dispute with PayPal.

 

[DigiNames]

Thanks for posting this, I was considering trying out their super-expensive back order service for a name I really want since it was "refundable", but I have now re-thought the idea.