Raymond Hackney just published a story on the Thedomains.com based on a blog post published on Donuts.co corporate site, which you can read here.
I have written about Donuts attacking .Com to sell their own new gTLD’s before and even discussed it in our 2014 year recap.
I think its a bad move.
First of all its false.
In 2014 .Com grew by some 3.3 million domains which is slightly less than the total number of new gTLD registration but is more than the number of paid third party new gTLD registrations.
.Com ended 2014 with 115.3 million domains registered.
So .Com is growing and as of today is stilling at 115,630,977 domain according to Verisign, so in the first 20 days of 2014 .Com has added over 300,000 registrations.
The new gTLD’s ended 2014 with 3.65 million registrations and is sitting today at 4,069,000 registered domains, which at first blush looks like an increase of 400,000 registrations except that over 350,000 of these we made by the registry of an new IDN, so in terms of paid non-related registrations new gTLD’s have only grown by around 50,000 registration in 2015.
Lets look at some of the statements in Donuts blog post:
“”Choices in new gTLDs are fresh, semantically meaningful and, in comparison, widely available. New gTLDs aren’t comprised of “reused” names that others have thrown away.””
Well anyone who regular looks through drop lists will tell you that some of those “reused” names that other have thrown away are very valuable. I have seen domain names we sold for $25K drop. At least 100,000 domains drop everyday and within that group everyday there are domains that are worth $xx,xxx that become avaliable. Of course the best of the best go to auction where drop auctions can reach the $x,xxx and even $xx,xxx range pretty often.
Of the 80,000 domains or so we own 98% were acquired over the years on the drop.
That 345.com we just sold for $800,000 someone else “threw it away” in 2002 when we registered in on the drop.
“”The yardstick for quality measurement will be renewals; new 2014 .COM renewals will be below 50 percent, while renewals in new gTLDs are estimated to be 80 percent or higher.””
Donuts is the one that predicted a 80% or greater renewal rate, which is fine and their right but they are citing their own prediction as authority to support this 80% figure again.
You can’t use your own prediction as an authority in another story as a reference point.
“”Choices in new gTLDs are fresh, semantically meaningful and, in comparison, widely available. New gTLDs aren’t comprised of “reused” names that others have thrown away.””
I agree that there are a lot of great “fresh, semantically meaningful domains in the new gTLD space.
Yet the underlying message is that because all these great domains are available that is driving new gTLD registrations.
However everyday I get an email from at least one person trying to sell new gTLD’s they registered.
Here is one I received just yesterday:
Following domains are for sale. The prices are starting from Us$499/- onwards.
The complete domains list is as under :
.tips
assets.tips
rescue.tips
.directory
fone.directory
dial.directory
fonefinder.directory
.bikes
booster.bike
efficient.bike
formula.bike
.today
pill.today
till.today
tariff.today
crude.today
prizes.today
dday.today
dinar.today
franc.today
rand.today
rial.today
ringgit.today
ruble.today
taka.today
.support
relief.support
extra.support
further.support
immediate.support
domestic.support
extend.support
.shoes
jogger.shoes
ethnic.shoes
jockey.shoes
partywear.shoes
.cab
cosy.cab
cozy.cab
locate.cab
tariff.cab
.guru
ideal.guru
webdomain.guru
.ventures
metal.ventures
automobile.ventures
.camp
cricket.camp
.coffee
saffron.coffee
.buzz
filmy.buzz
.estate
posh.estate
.land
potential.land
.club
aom.club
aristo.club
bru.club
dukes.club
enid.club
exim.club
fuzz.club
jogger.club
lava.club
murray.club
oakwood.club
ostrich.club
parma.club
pepe.club
sme.club
spares.club
sparrow.club
tago.club
torch.club
trekker.club
troy.club
Ziva.club
maple.club
mica.club
Maroon.club
Malva.club
Paxos.club
Puce.club
SeaView.club
NewEra.club
Vatsa.club
Spinach.club
Poppy.club
Peppermint.club
Vero.club
Nimbus.club
Energize.club
VeroBeach.club
SkyFly.club
.expert
mCommerce.expert
.ninja
webseo.ninja
.solutions
antidote.solutions
.properties
trademark.properties
Ok so lets face it there are a handful, and when I say a handful I mean less than 5 decent domains on this list.
The rest is crap.
So while there are some great new gTLD’s registered, there is a ton of crap as well.
If you can’t pick a good domain, then you can’t pick a good domain and having more and/or new choices isn’t going to help.
Crap is crap.
So my company Worldwide Media, Inc, is one of top 100 registrants of new gTLD’s.
We love new gTLD’s.
We love .me and .tv and .co.
However Its still our opinion that .Com will continue will grow.
There are over 280 million domain names registered in the world
.Com is 115.6 million of those, less than 1/2 of all domain name registrations.
I hate negative selling.
Sell me based on what your selling.
Tell me why I should by what you’re selling
Tell me what your plans are
Tell me how you are going to market your product and grow your space.
Don’t tell me to buy what your selling because the sky is falling, especially when the numbers show there is not a cloud in the sky.
