The .net dilemma

[AdoptableDomains]

when I get an idea for a domain, I often enter it in whois to see what extensions are taken if any. Usually, the .com is taken. If .net is also taken, I'll often think .info or .us might be worth the investment. If .net/org/info/us are taken, I'll consider the .biz if the domain fits for development. However, if only the .com is taken, I sometimes wonder if it has enough value to take the .net if that isn't already taken.

I find most of the .nets I have are either ones that I own the .com and want other extensions, or I've found the net available and the .com and at least one other major TLD is registered. I find it to be a dilemma in being the first to register the .net when only the .com version is already taken. It just occurs to me that the .net (and to a lesser extent .org) is pivotal to deciding to register other TLD's, but it's hard to be the first to take only the second of a name in another TLD except .com. Maybe becasue .net is an old TLD, and it would figure that if it had value, someone would already have it. Anyone else reluctant to be only the second person to register a particular name.

 

[floatingworld]

so...you won't reg the .net, but if the person next to you registers the .net, you will register the .org or .info wishing you had the .net (forget the .com for the moment)

 

[peter phillips]

I won't be reluctant to buy a .net if .com is not available. You should register the next best available TLD if your preferred TLD is not available. So if .com of a particular name is not available and if .net is available, I would go ahead and register the .net rather than waste time being in a dilemma and end up with a .info or .biz.

 

[sooty]

I only buy .net if I think the domain is especially good.

 

[AdoptableDomains]

I only buy .net if I think the domain is especially good.

Me too. But when the only version registered is .com, I wonder if the domain is really all that good, or someone would already have taken it. Or else maybe the reason it's available is a TM issue.

 

[briman1970]

I just got a watermarking .net domain after I checked to see if the .com was taken. www.freewatermark.net perfectly describes the content/purpose of the site and I'm planning to develop it soon, so I don't think it matters much.

If the keyword is strong enough and you're looking to park it, then .net would be the best second choice IMO. For development purposes though, traffic is just icing on the cake. Cake doesn't always need icing to be good and if you have the skills necessary to apply the icing, and a jar ready in the fridge, why worry about whether you should've bought the pre-iced cake? (I'm going for the weird analogy Pulitzer prize!)

For speculation though, I'd be leery of buying the .net unless the keyword is VERY strong and/or most of the other major ext's are already reg'd.

 

[accuname]

What if .com and .org are taken and the rest available ?

 

[.X.]

I will definatly buy a .net if the .com is taken,The only other tld i will look at outside of .com and .net ....is .info...And only if the .info fits the name and possible dev,I myself never examine the .biz or .org

 

[JaxForum]

I only have registered 2 .nets in the past... one is my last name because the .com was taken. The other was truckforums.net which i ended up selling for xxx. I personally would only consider .nets if it is a great name with lots of google results. That's not to say .net's aren't popular. There are many many priceless .nets

 

[jeter4982]

I always look for the .com first, but if that is taken and the .net is available I would definitely consider the .net. After .net the only other two extensions that I consider registering are .us and .info...

Tom

 

[accuname]

Well, I regged "strawberryicecream.net" yesterday because the .com and .org was taken.
I got it for 1.99 with a Godaddy hosting purchase.

 

[Tippy]

For speculation though, I'd be leery of buying the .net unless the keyword is VERY strong and/or most of the other major ext's are already reg'd.

Agree, I'm not very big on made up/brandable .nets, its gotta be a nice keyword(s) for me to consider but the fact is most of those are long gone. Traffic or links also play a role if the name was regged prior and dev. and then became avail. I'd prob. grab it.

I regged a hyphen .ws not too long ago simple for its links.

 

[Dannoth]

If the .com was taken, I'd take the .net first, and then .org after that.

 

[AdoptableDomains]

If the .com was taken, I'd take the .net first, and then .org after that.

Actually, the .org is probably somehere down near the end with .biz in my pecking order. Unless the domain fits .org well, I don't see a whole lot of value. I probably have fewer .org than any other gTLD.

Oddly enough though, I'm closing on a one word .org today at sedo.