"Dead" domain name extensions list

[gprod]

Hello Pros.,
I frequently see in your comments here: "this extension is dead".
Usually it goes after questions about exact match domain names, from unexperienced domainers.
So, let's make a list of these "deads", to aware the newbies not to invest in domain names who look pretty, but nobody is ready to give a penny for them. Please, copy/paste and add your thoughts in the list I starting here:
So:
1.mobi
2.
3.
4.
5.

 

[maya-zir]

I said match, not sold.
.com match with any domain.
.net also does the same
The rest of extensions dont

 

[DNGear]

.eu

 

[gprod]

Yes, .EU is strange domain name and It's slowly going to dye.
The CCtld's are much stronger than .eu.
The same problems like those between EU and the member states.

 

[rhakim]

dot cc

 

[Haroon Basha]

The reason for the dead is high renewal fees for these domain names.

 

[Masay]

.PW
Before we see emoji domains, is it still in use now?

 

[Joe N]

Kind of funny to see .net taking such a thrashing here... I own only a small (approx. 50) portfolio of two-word .net names, and I probably sell one every couple of months for mid XXX.

You're not going to make a killing with .net unless you have great single word names, but people absolutely still look for them as a cheap alternative to strong .com names. Just make sure the names are short, with strong keywords. Technology focused names will likely give you a better chance at a sale.

As for the discussion of "dead" extensions... I don't think you can fairly describe an extension as such unless it has been discontinued by the registry. I'm personally not a fan of anything beyond .com, .net, .org, and the occasional .co or .io, but other extensions are "alive" as long as you can buy them. Just be careful what you buy.

 

[Kate]

Generally speaking, what works:

• .com/.org/.net
• mature/large ccTLDs
• plus a few repurposed extensions ie .io .co but they may go out of fashion at some point (that happens)

Run your own stats from reported sales, you'll see that it's always the same few extensions that take the spotlight.

Majority of extensions are unfit for investment purposes.
It could be said that they are 'dead' but some are 'deadest' than others

 

[dobbsie]

The reason for the dead is high renewal fees for these domain names.

Very insightful comment.

 

[mawels]

1. .tips
2. .guru
3. .mobi

 

[MadAboutDomains]

.page - Google domain with a very poor 7,000 registrations.

Dead before arrival due to ridiculous premium renewal prices. I guess they were hoping to scalp people, but it hasn't worked.

 

[Henry Y]

How do you define "dead"? No sales or no registrations?

I think an extension is dead if it has zero registration (and of course no sales accordingly).

So from my point of view, the extensions listed above (e.g. .net, .mobi, .xyz, etc) are not dead, but are less active than before. Actually they keep having sales records and some have huge sales occasionally.

 

[Ezra5]

What about .gold?

 

[topdom]

Life = fundamentals x promotion

fundamentals = being established for long enough x being short x being generic enough x appearing at the end of keywords x low renewals x pass radio test and being unconfusing and well focused x being unrestricted x being universal

promotion = being offered to domain buyers by registrars and marketplaces and looking like a standard extension x media attention x being used by big companies as the main address

A domain with artificial promotion and without fundamentals may not live long.

If fundamentals are good, it can be made alive again.

.nu appears most dead compared to its past recently, but it can be promoted again, and may do well somewhere. .cc, .ws are almost dead. Someone is trying to kill .biz but it has strong fundamentals. If China decides to use .biz, .com may die slowly.

 

[Ben Ahmaid]

Though I'm still new to the field (newbie)
I will try give my opinion (who cares!).
What I've learned couple monthes ago is
To stick with .com
Buy (sanse-able names)
Stay away from fad names (unless you are well-preparied)
Other extensions (but .org) are joke (sorry guys)
ccTLD have some gems.

 

[Bob Hawkes]

This is a complex topic that I may comment on in future in more length, but let me just pick one item suggested as dead.

10. co

So far in 2018 (year not yet over) there have been 441 sales of .co with an average price of $2393 with a total sales volume of $1.1 million. It has sold 26 times for $10,000 and more so far in 2018. If we apply a factor of perhaps only 20% of sales NameBio reported suggests $5 million plus in 11 months. I know that some are concerned with the registry taking back and making premium short names that drop, but I think overall the extension is still very much alive both in terms of sales and real world use. Here is the link.

If you look at the previous year it sold about 75% as much volume and with an average price less than one-half the amount for this year. Suggesting that .co has now died is simply not supported by evidence imho.

There is no doubt .com dominates, possibly moreso than a few years ago. That does not mean that other extensions are dead depending on the quality of the name and the venues used to promote and sell them.

Bob

(disclosure: I hold only 2 .co from a portfolio of about 240 names,,so don't really have a horse to push in the debate)

 

[Ollie3000]

agree with @Chris Wright

I think .info is dying. Have some really nice short words and literally no interest for the last 12 months. That being said I've always liked the extension so I will probably still renew them haha

 

[Brands.International]

How do you define "dead"? No sales or no registrations?

I think an extension is dead if it has zero registration (and of course no sales accordingly).

So from my point of view, the extensions listed above (e.g. .net, .mobi, .xyz, etc) are not dead, but are less active than before. Actually they keep having sales records and some have huge sales occasionally.

I agree Btw, this thread is full of gross generalisations and innacurate information, unfortunatelly..

To see how all extensions are doing, one can have quick glance at 2 sources:
a) namebio.com (reported sales, you can filter by extension)
b) namestat.org (you can see there how many domains are registered per extension)

So when someone says "xyz is dead", it is a total rubbish: they have now around 2 mil registrations (of course, many of them due to very effective promo deals) and there are many many aftermarket sales recorded as well. (Disclaimer : I own 0 .xyz names)

 

[dgmweb]

Not quite dead, but dying

.net (only one worders really sell now)
.co (increase in price and confusion amongst users killing it)

Definitely agree about .co.

 

[strugar]

namestat.org (you can see there how many domains are registered per extension)

Am I wrong, or they indeed do not show ccTLD? Only gtLD?