Monday, October 12, 2015

New gTLDs according to Registrants (updated)

New gTLDs are understood in many different ways: the understanding from end users, and the understanding of domain name professionals is often not the same. As an actor of the ICANN new gTLD program, a true user of these new domains, and a consultant on these questions, find below a mix of things I heard, and things I believe are right about new gTLDs.

A Registrant?
I call a "Registrant", the person to own a domain name and who's had to pay interest in new gTLDs at some point: website owner, law firm, webmaster, IP department...

Feedback received from Registrants:
  1. I have a ".com": why would I change my domain name?
  2. It is expensive (...)
  3. You said a domain name ending in ".consulting": do you mean "consulting.com"?
  4. Domain names ending in ".sucks"? Come on: no one would allow that (and certainly not the people who govern the Internet*)!
  5. There are too many domain name extensions: I would like to secure my domain in all of them but it is too expensive.
  6. I noticed some domain name extensions exist with an "s": this is confusing and irritating.
  7. Some extensions are really interesting, some ... I, just don't understand why they exist.
  8. My Registrar keeps me informed about new domain names, this is fortunate because I don't have time for this.
  9. My Registrar sends me too many emails about new gTLDs, this is annoying.
  10. Why is there such a difference of price between Registrars?
  11. I hate don't like domainers, they took the domain name I wanted to register and they put an ugly "Sedo" page behind with "buy now" button.
  12. .BRAND new gTLDs are a good idea for Trademark owners who can afford it.
  13. .BRAND new gTLDs will increase consumers' trust.
  14. .BRAND new gTLDs will be confusing...in the beginning.
  15. The Trademark Clearing what?
  16. It is sad that the Trademark Clearinghouse mechanism did not allow to block domain names from being registered "at the root".
  17. Why should I pay more to protect my name? In the past I had a domain name and if was fine: now so many are related to my business, the risk of infringement has increased and I am forced to act.
  18. .CITY new gTLDs are a good idea.
  19. Community domain name extensions: what ???
  20. Now I have a new domain name, should I stop renewing my ".com" or should I keep it?
  21. Is there a possibility to register a domain name before the Sunrise Period?
Coming next:
  1. "New gTLDs according to Registrars";
  2. "New gTLDs according to Registries";
  3. Updated: "New gTLDs according to Backend Registries";
  4. "New gTLDs according to ICANN" .
* Ok, this one was from me ;-)

.BRAND new gTLD Reports are updated once a month: CLICK HERE !