Q: What does it mean to backorder a domain name?
A: A backorder is a request to acquire an expired domain name when it becomes available. Services like Pool and NameWinner will use many registrars simultaneously to attempt to grab a domain before anyone else has the chance.

Q: What characters are allowed in a domain?
A: Only Letters, Numbers, or dash are allowed (A-Z0-9-)

Q: What status types are shown at PCNames
A:

Available: These domains are available right now. You can purchase one for about $9-$30 depending on where you go.

Deleted: These domains were previously owned and have just become available. These domains are shown as Available and can be viewed by choosing a date from Date Added box on any of the advanced searches.

Expired: These domains were previously owned and will become available again within 5 days. To acquire one your best option would be to backorder the domain which will cost around $40-$60. If more than one user goes after the domain you may end up in a bidding war for it. These domains are usually higher quality than what's available now, but will take some more work and money to get it.

Expired* (Pre-Release): This is a new category of domains. These are domains which the previous owner has recently opted to not pay the renewal fee for. Now they are being auctioned off by the registrar. If no one goes after the domain it will eventually be moved to the expired category. There is still a chance for the previous owner to buy back the domain, but if he/she does not then it's possible to acquire some very valuable domains at bargain price.


* If you can't find the answers to your questions, ask your question here.