Because I live in Europe, and I am in a good position to observe the European market(s).
Local extensions are dominant and often preferred to .com (but .com is OK too).
Please understand that I am not a 'commie' with blinders on, I invest in ccTLDs too.
Just talk to real people, for example relatives, clients, coworkers. Show them some magazines where you see advertising for new extensions. Ask simple, neutral questions like:
- What do you think ? Are they cool or not ?
- Would you use one for your next business venture ?
- What if we used one for our next campaign ?
- etc
What I have observed so far is not downright hostility but indifference.
Some TLDs sure are silly, when I told a colleague that .lol is a real extension - he lolled. What he must be thinking is that those strings are funny but not for serious projects.
Domain hacks are not mainstream at all. More like gadgets. There are few well-know sites on domain hacks, and the most prominent ones have migrated to better names.
To clarify, when I talk about ccTLDs, I mean used in their natural markets, not as domains hacks
I've read this many times on NP. The young generation is supposedly going to drive the gTLD revolution.
How is that going to happen ? The popular sites that the young use today are all on .com or ccTLDs.
IMO it's wishful thinking, and not going to happen by magic.
If you have kids, ask them what they think.
To sum up in once sentence it could go like this:
"OK, new TLDs are not gaining much ground today, but there's hope so let's keep moving the goalposts and hope it will be alright".
Instead, the question I would be asking is why they aren't getting a warmer reception today and what would it take to change the situation.
I think the argument is flawed to some extent. Because pricing isn't the single issue, TLDs are more than mere technical identifiers, they are brands. End users pay for brand recognition. Just like they will pay for shiny offices on Main Street, even though they could get equally functional offices on Slum Alley for a fraction of the price (you guess it: some potential customers are reluctant to go shopping on Slum Alley).
Nonetheless, many domains have been registered in new extensions for pennies.
I think that it's not business lost to domainers, because end users buying regfee domains had no intention to pay a premium anyway.
People always have options available if they want to avoid domainers. The supply of domain names is virtually infinite. Quality is scarce but it's relative too. Plenty of viable domains can still be found even in .com (and ccTLDs).
End user demand is always overestimated.
