How many registrations does a TLD need to remain viable?

[Kuffy]

Well I guess a lot depends on the reg fee, But my experimental name is in the #182 entry in the TLD list with only 9,000 registrations so far. I'm happy with the name, and the fee I paid - as long as the registry stays in business.

 

[Kate]

Depends on the retail price per domain
10 premiums @100K/year should get you covered

 

[Kuffy]

I'm paying less than $40 for a .gold name.

 

[usernamex]

I stumbled across this old thread about a week ago wondering the same thing:
https://www.namepros.com/threads/what-if-a-gtld-goes-bankrupt-or-shuts-down.816683/

TL:DR Three years notice and they pull the plug, IF the backup plan works. Worst case it goes *POOF*

Personally, I would be more concerned with the registry deciding I have a premium name and jacking the cost. FTR, I've stuck to bigger ngTLDs - I have a bunch of XYZ, a handful of WIN and a single NINJA I'll likely drop. I'm more likely to have a ccTLD Country dissolve : grin :

 

[Kuffy]

Thanks for posting that link. I wasn't aware of the 3 year "Guarantee".

I think you are right about the ccTLD - now that it is apparent that the EU has no future, what will happen to Eurid?

Your point about price changes following the change of ownership is valid, but it applies to .com as well. I remember all the fuss about price increases a few years ago, and now that ICANN has changed hands, will it look after the interests of Internet users, or prefer the banking elite.

With all the current changes and controls increasing, I can see an alternative Internet being created. Maybe it will appear on the ham radio network.

 

[Ategy]

I don't think it's an issue anymore unless the numbers are ridiculously tiny (like xxx domains) ... otherwise even if one goes bankrupt it's very likely another registry will buy out the TLD assets .. likely the larger TLD registries with dozens of TLDs. For them the TLD in question would just be absorbed into existing infrastructure if their system was build for scale. The carrying costs would be nominal .. and I'm thinking even ICANN would make an effort to help the new registry (probably wave fees for a couple of years if it really came to that).

At least 1 ccTLD has "sunset" over the years (former Yugoslavia I think). So there is a precedent for that kind of extreme situation.

I'd be more worried about non-official wannabe TLDs that are more 2nd level ... stuff like .co.com or .uk.com etc .. much less rigid standards apply to those .. I can't understand why anyone would ever use one of them!

 

[GoKaizen]

Christa Taylor financials, $150k - $200k a year. 53% are losing money!

I'd be more worried about non-official wannabe TLDs that are more 2nd level ... stuff like .co.com or .uk.com etc .. much less rigid standards apply to those .. I can't understand why anyone would ever use one of them!

http://www.internetnews.me/2016/04/29/centralnic-sunsetting-several-sld-extensions/

https://www.sibername.com/blog/qc-com-will-sunsetted-along-ar-gb-hu-kr-no-se-uy-com/

 

[usernamex]

OK I was referring to the fine print - in the T&C, the registry can arbitrarily decide that a name you already own is now a premium, and change the price as long as they give you 6 months notice, and they give you the option of renewing at the current cost. This is a long thread that greatly influenced my decision to participate in ngTLDs
https://www.namepros.com/threads/new-gtlds-dot-ripoffs-dont-get-suckered.914163/

So if I ever had a friend who wanted a ngTLD and they planned to use it for business, I would advise them only to get it if they could pay the 10 year max registration, then they would be sheltered from arbitrary price hikes, at least for 10 years. OTOH, if the ngTLD then failed after 4 years, you'd risk losing a name you already paid up for if the extension wasn't rescued by another registry.

Here's a good article about sunsetted ccTLDs
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2015/0...ficially_removed_from_the_internet_yesterday/

@Kuffy - is your dot gold a name you plan to use for yourself and develop or just for resale?

 

[GoKaizen]

OK I was referring to the fine print - in the T&C, the registry can arbitrarily decide that a name you already own is now a premium, and change the price as long as they give you 6 months notice, and they give you the option of renewing at the current cost. This is a long thread that greatly influenced my decision to participate in ngTLDs
https://www.namepros.com/threads/new-gtlds-dot-ripoffs-dont-get-suckered.914163/

So if I ever had a friend who wanted a ngTLD and they planned to use it for business, I would advise them only to get it if they could pay the 10 year max registration, then they would be sheltered from arbitrary price hikes, at least for 10 years. OTOH, if the ngTLD then failed after 4 years, you'd risk losing a name you already paid up for if the extension wasn't rescued by another registry.

Here's a good article about sunsetted ccTLDs
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2015/0...ficially_removed_from_the_internet_yesterday/

@Kuffy - is your dot gold a name you plan to use for yourself and develop or just for resale?

EXACTLY! Who wants a phone call that your domain price is being raised from $10 to $10,000 a year? What would you do as a business if you couldn't pay that?

 

[Kuffy]

@Kuffy - is your dot gold a name you plan to use for yourself and develop or just for resale?

I've had a bit of a change in attitude towards domain names. I think they can be appreciating assets, so I've started to build mini-sites on the ones I've got. It's a bit of a slow process, as my html and css is a bit rusty. Of course, if I get the right offer, I'm always pleased to sell a name. I've had a few offers for names, but they seem to be a bit low, so I've only sold one in the last couple of years. That was for $2,000 for a video clips .com. I suspect it was underpriced, but the buyer was reasonable and pleasant, and talked me into it.

English.Gold is an interesting one, and I am hoping to develop it and put some active price charts and news links on there. I'm also wondering how these new tlds will hold up for traffic against .coms.