As Frank Schilling announced via Twitter this afternoon, Amazon is now using the Amazon.BlackFriday domain name. .BlackFriday is a new gTLD extension that is operated by Uniregistry.
The company is not using it as a standalone website, but they are forwarding the domain name to a 2014 Black Friday deals landing page within the Amazon.com website. I would not be surprised if the company is using Amazon.BlackFriday in marketing materials.
http://t.co/COkwezSQKu went live today.. Like a dream, only it’s real. I feel like Marty McFly in the future
— Frank Schilling (@Frank_Schilling) November 21, 2014
Some people might pooh pooh the fact that Amazon is using Amazon.BlackFriday as a forwarder instead of a full blown website, and I don’t agree with the sentiment. Amazon owns quite a few new gTLD domain names, and it does not appear that the company is using them (yet). For example, the company owns but is not yet using Amazon.NYC, Amazon.Holdings, Amazon.Tattoo, Amazon.Insure, and probably many others I did not check. I don’t think it would be wise to syphon off any traffic to an alternative website, especially given the importance of Black Friday shopping.
Amazon is also using some other new gTLD domain names as forwarders in addition to Amazon.BlackFriday. For example, the company is forwarding the following domain names to its main Amazon.com website: Amazon.Gift, Amazon.Gifts, Amazon.Club, and likely others.
This would indicate to me that the company is selectively using domain names it feels will be beneficial. Since Amazon itself is a new gTLD applicant, it will be interesting to watch how the company’s domain name strategy evolves over time.
Interestingly, Amazon.BlackFriday is indexed in Google, even though it’s being used as a forwarder.
https://www.domaininvesting.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Screen-Shot-2014-11-21-at-6.19.56-PM.png
To be honest, I only really think Keyword1.Keyword2 are relevant GTLDS
Something like Black.Friday, when it comes to AmazonBlack.Friday or AmazonBlack.Friday, just leads to consumer confusion.
Yes, we all get it, but the average person is clueless when it comes to domains. Even to this domain most people don’t know what the word DOMAIN means.
I am sure Amazon is using this high traffic time to run some of their own analytics, and results, and these are key.
Amazon could never afford to deviate from the .com, especially during of the busiest online shopping months out there.
AmazonBlackFriday.com, and Amazon.BlackFriday both forward to Amazon.com
I hadn’t checked that, but it’s smart to do that, especially if they are using .BlackFriday in marketing materials.
Interestingly, AmazonBlackFriday.com is not indexed in Google since it’s being used in the same way as the other doman name.
“This would indicate to me that the company is selectively using domain names it feels will be beneficial.”
I don’t think they are using it because they think it will be beneficial. I think they are using it because they have it so why not forward it to the main site.
I am not sure why anyone would get excited because a new GTLD is being forwarded to a company’s main site.
Why aren’t they for forwarding all of their new domain names to the main site?
I also don’t know if they are using this for marketing materials.
Why aren’t they for forwarding all of their new domain names to the main site?
-Because it’s Black Friday so of course they forward that one. They have no reason to forward the other ones.
If you can find one piece of marketing material with this domain I would be astonished.
Would you be surprised if they tested an Adwords campaign using it? Bill Hartzer reported on a new gTLD Adwords test he ran: https://www.domaininvesting.com/com-versus-new-gtlds-real-world-test-results/
I didn’t see anything in that report that has anything to do with the domain Amazon.BlackFriday
Show me one piece of marketing material with the domain Amazon.BlackFriday
Anything that says visit Amazon.BlackFriday. See the deals at Amazon.BlackFriday. Great bargains at Amazon.BlackFriday etc…..
Anything.
I haven’t seen any and don’t know of any.
I said “I would not be surprised if the company is using Amazon.BlackFriday in marketing materials.”
So BRAND NAME remains left of the dot and .com is still the anchor.
This type of GTLD actually goes against what everyone says great GTLD’s actually are.
The descriptor should always be on the left side of the dot not the right.
Agree, although Black Friday has become something of a brand in and of itself.
This is a dud of an extension. The 11,000 registered domains doesn’t look so bad until you realize that 10,000 of them are register by North Sound Names. For those that don’t know North Sound is owned by Frank Schilling (Uniregistry) which owns .BlackFriday
So only 1,000 names are really registered and I am sure the majority are by domainers which leaves maybe a couple hundred by real brands.
It’s amusing and laughable how dogmatic certain people are regarding the new gtlds. It is ticklish almost to read comments of how “stuck” domainers are. Cudos to Elliot letting you guys rant.
As far as I am concerned, the new TLDs are still unproven, and I have not been investing much. I don’t think domainers are “stuck” though.
Justin, there is no clear answer. On one hand you have the GTLD’s in regards to URL navigation, and consumer education to deal with. Then since many are with different companies, that have different rules of operation that is another liability. Now If I want to open Seattle.Market right now my cost of entry is $55,00 per year for use of the URL, now if Donuts wants to double that to $100,000 next year, there is no contract in stopping them from doing so. Say I get $10,000,000 VC injection, and they want to up it to $1,000,000 per year for renewal, same thing again.
Look at what Mind & Machines did 2 months after the fact, charged regular renewal, then went back and asked for $3,xxx per year for subpar names.
For the most part many registries are not helping their cause.
Uniregistry has been decent in not charging premiums, and having some of the lower renewals.
At the end of the day these are intangible URL’s, that should not have these kind of renewals. Many people are willing to deal with high barrer to entry, but then want structure going forward.
It is almost like living in a country with no rule, the government can come, and take your home, and assets away at anytime, and you have limited recourse.
Tell me how many .engineer, .market, .lawyer, .attorney you got your hands on Justin? If you want MyWeb.Host is available for $6,000 per year, if all goes well that is only $60,000 per decade, remember you still need to run a business on that which generates at least $500 per month just to pay your domain renewal bill.
I guess you think we are stuck because we are voicing our opinion on what I think is a crap extension. I like some of the new GTLDs and own a few but I call it as I see it and .BlackFriday sucks.
I appreciate your comments and comments from others, regardless of whether we agree or disagree.
Thank you Elliot for letting us say whatever is on our mind. I appreciate it and I am sure many others do too.
Unless its promoted in some way most people will never know it exists.
I just saw that Amazon is also using Amazon.Christmas, and it forwards to a special page within Amazon’s website.