How will direct.uk change the value of domains?

[Edwin]

For people able to secure the .uk to an existing .co.uk domain, how do you see the "value" changing in the market after direct.uk goes ahead?

 

[RobM]

I think this is one factor that has been overlooked a lot by people posting about the subject. If you take the last attempts at gtld's they've all fared badly (.me, .mobi etc) as expected. This is slightly different being a cctld in that you have to persaude *existing* registrants that they have to get this as well if they want to 'protect' their name (from nominet ironically). I think as a speculative market it will fall into the pit of new extensions that fail to be worth anything. However as a protective market nominet have a cash-cow. To me it's akin to blackmail in that they are more or less saying that you *have* to have it if you already believed their earlier crap about co.uk. Also how are search engines going to treat it? It's all irrelevant if google, for example, are going to treat it as quirky - ie rank it well below, if at all, com/net/org/co.uk/de etc. I don't know if there's been any official stance from the ses.

 

[foz]

Is dependent on .uk uptake.

Initial years having both same value as .co.uk pre direct.co.uk

 

[websaway]

For people able to secure the .uk to an existing .co.uk domain, how do you see the "value" changing in the market after direct.uk goes ahead?

I can only assume you are asking the question to make a point or prove a point that you already hold a view on.

But what I would suspect is that it would depend on whether the co.uk, when sold, is sold as a stand alone domain or as a pair with the .uk .

Loads of permutations though, Geo's, product domains, services, etc.

Unfortunately the large domain owners won't be responding to this thread.

They would not all be sold together and the danger is that they become competitors and dilute the desire for either. At the lower end of the market who is going to want to have to secure the two, keep the two, and sell the two together.

 

[foz]

who is going to want to have to secure the two, keep the two, and sell the two together.

Precisely. Makes .com the better choice for buyers.

 

[Murray]

Also how are search engines going to treat it? It's all irrelevant if google, for example, are going to treat it as quirky - ie rank it well below, if at all, com/net/org/co.uk/de etc. I don't know if there's been any official stance from the ses.

Search engines aren't biased, they will treat is no different than any existing .uk

 

[FWSJay]

What sort of difference does offering the .com and .co.uk have on values? Would there be a similar difference with the new .uk + .co.uk do you think?

 

[websaway]

Thinking about it, Nominet have been clever in releasing vague terms for the new proposals with the gaps to be filled in when they can get feedback from places like acorn etc.
Gauge response and then issue the full proposal.

 

[Edwin]

I can only assume you are asking the question to make a point or prove a point that you already hold a view on.

No, to gauge opinions. That's why I didn't post any preamble comment, just the "raw" poll.

 

[foz]

What sort of difference does offering the .com and .co.uk have on values? Would there be a similar difference with the new .uk + .co.uk do you think?

.com and .co.uk live in harmony separately.

.co.uk and .uk will need to be secured jointly to avoid confusion (being undermined).

 

[Retired_Member38]

Depends on the domain name.

Sorry if I'm annoying anyone by using my own as examples in these threads, but they're niches I know better and can do a 'real' example with more accuracy than a totally made up one.

I paid £14,000 for Monkey.co.uk. Had .uk been out at the time and owned by someone else, I would have perhaps been willing to pay £20,000 for the pair. If I couldn't have had both, I wouldn't have bought either of them and would have looked for another 1 word animal/bird/insect/etc that I could have got as a pair.

Then lets say a payday loan domain I paid £20,000 for in .co.uk. If the .uk had been out and owned by someone else, I would have been willing to buy the .co.uk still but would have dropped my offer to £18,000 (10% off as I now potentially have to compete with another exact match domain).

I'd probably have been willing to pay £10,000 for the .uk. But I wouldn't be interested in buying both together. Since its basically an seo play, I can't really develop two directly competing sites.

So all depends on circumstances. In some cases I wouldn't buy unless I can have the pair. In others I would not be interested in a pair and only want one. And I'd price accordingly.

 

[willbon]

IF .uk simply supercedes and replaces .co.uk then I don't think the fact that it's shorter will make any difference to the value of the domain.

Whether .co.uk or just .uk, it will be perceived as the same.... the premier and mainly business orientated domain extension in the UK domain space.... The fact that it's shorter is pretty much irrelevant... uk means nothing except the UK... mobi, me, net have all 'meant' something or been personalised.

Are there any words that end in 'uk' ? puk? ...actually to keep you amused.. here's a list...

auk
chabouk
chabuk
chibouk
dibbuk
drouk
dybbuk
gerenuk
jauk
jouk
mamluk
misteuk
mukluk
muktuk
neuk
padauk
padouk
souk
taluk
wauk
yeuk
yuk

... spot the brand? ;-(


I can't see .uk being issued as well as .co.uk as it's just unworkable, but if they did I would fear for the market as there will be an exodus to less confusable extension.


However... as with anything these days, whether it goes ahead or not, marketers can have a field day at decision time and promote the UK namespace with whichever result and cause a spike in aftermarket prices...

 

[namealot]

Who says domaining is fickle…? They were bad now there good…

I think a lot will be down to the individuals The buyer desire to own either one or both ? as opposed to the plethora of other coming to the field through in your ability to bs

If you have a co.uk no ones bought despite you owning it years (They cant see the benefits. you want to much etc ) does the ability to offer both for the same price, more etc benefit them?

Partly I guess also is how long you believe domain names in any cctld tld etc will matter? Many argue they don’t serve original purpose and they've not evolved ? Search engines certainly indicate they don't give a hoot about generic, emd etc. Smarter searching pre-emptive replacing reactive, visual audio searching etc will certainly not favor the vast majority of names ?

From a business (end user) view does owning both bring anything to the table financially ? You could argue it stops there competition…? Bit weak though what else ?

For the short term tlds cctlds names etc will actually matter which I suppose as a domainers you’ll need to emphasis they do and scare monger about not having both to archive best results? if you believe them short term but want to hedge your bets just flog one.

Anyone else think oh nom gave nasty, give good then they'll release something else in the middle when they actually come to market ?

 

[foz]

but if they did I would fear for the market as there will be an exodus to less confusable extension.

Yes, to the new GTLDs. The one thing Nominet feared (officially) in the first place (the need to release .uk).

 

[addz123]

I agree with Monkey.

I really wouldn't feel comfortable paying any reasonable sum (£1k+) for a UK domain without owning both extensions. I think they'd be a premium on uk pairings and then 50-75% reduction on individual prices if sold separately.

It really is sad what it comes down to. There's just too many unknowns. Will .co.uk remain the no.1 uk domain? If not, how long will it take? And if you're talking 2-5 years for .uk to supercede .co.uk, then I'd still be skeptical because the newer gTLDs will also be in play by then, adding to the confusion.

The other issue is that even if you choose to ignore the .uk, the bigger you build up a .co.uk site the more leverage the guy selling the .uk domain has on you.

 

[Retired_Member38]

I'm amazed that FY.co.uk went for £1350 http://domainlore.co.uk/fy.co.uk

Predated by the .org.uk and as of right now, no indication that Nominet are going to make any exceptions for these.