Godaddy.com appears to have gone all in on the new gTLD’s.
Gone from the front page of Godaddy is the drop down menu listing the different domain extension that are available for registration replaced by a huge ad for pre-registraions of just 4 new gTLD’s, .Uno, .Luxury, .Build, and .Menu.
Actually the only other extension mentioned anywhere on the front page is .co which is right by the domain search bar.
Instead there is a “domain search bar” which assumes the inquiry is for a .com
For example type the word “wild” into the domain search bar without an extension and you get a page telling you that wild.com is taken and then suggesting other domains in the .com, .co and .net extensions along with a couple of premium domain names for sale.
It will be interesting to see how all of this plays out not just in new gTLD pre-registrations but in normal domain registrations and of course for aftermarket sales.
Of course with pre-registrations starting at $39.95 and going all the way up to $1,199.99 you can understand that margins on these domain names are far in excess of what Godaddy.com makes on a pure .com/.net/org registration.
Its also interesting to note that on the page for .Luxury, Godaddy seems to be promoting in small part trademark infringing type of domains.
“Whatever you sell – French champagne, BMWs, Miami condos – .LUXURY tells shoppers you have the best that money can buy.
Not sure how many people looking to register a new gTLD domain name are going to know about the Trademark Clearing House, UDRP rules, URS rules or trademark laws.
Maybe not the best example Godaddy could have used.
