The number of domain name registrations ending in .Net crossed the 16 million mark for the first time today according to Verisign.
According to Verisign the number of .Net domain names is 16,004,860.
This all time high is despite over 1,000 new domain extensions being released over the last 2+ year and the fact that a .net domain name wholesale cost now just slightly lower than .com domains.
The wholesale cost of a .net domain is $7.46 compared to $7.85 (not including ICANN fees)
Moreover while .com prices at the wholesale level are fixed for many years the cost of .net domains can keep rising based on the contract Verisign has with ICANN to operate the .net extension.
Just over 3 years ago domain investor Rick Schwartz wrote a post asking if “Can .whatever Make .net the Big Winner?”
While .net registrations slipped under 15 million domains in January 2015 a year into the new gTLD’s launches, it has now rebounded to record highs in terms of domain registrations.
IMHO .net is still by far the best alternative to .com, it commands more authority, credibility and trust than any .whatever …
Besides that, it has a very large end user base and it’s a natural fit for some great keywords. 🙂
The domain king is probably right again. However I remember his comment that .org is the only other extension that’s has any type of identity!
If memory serves, I remember him saying .net is an orfan extension. But that was before new gTLDs. Later he said something like “when companies now talk about domains they will talk about new gTLDs and .net will be on the table, and it’s a great option”; “a second coming a second look”