.net vs .org and Premium Domains

   Although, I own a number of each, neither one of the dotNet or dotOrg have been a favorite of mine but have always wondered, given a choice between the two, which one is preferred by professional domainers. The Net and Org tlds (top level domain) have been around for a long time with the original intention of the dotNet being set aside for networks and the dotOrg for non-profit organizations. That quickly changed when the preferred dotCom tld was taken and the only other choices were .net and .org.

   Question: So which one is the more valuable given a choice? As one example, an answer was found when I typed in a search at GoDaddy.com for the availability of the domain name COLLEGEWEB. A light bulb went off when the results came up and I was quite shocked as to how much the two selections were considered to be worth, clearly beyond my budget for this name.

   As a Premium Name, the dotOrg was preferred over the dotNet with a price comparison of $2,388 to $1,369. That's a difference of $1,019. Does this mean the dotOrg is worth almost twice as much as the dotNet? No, not necessarily. In my opinion, it depends rather on how you plan to use the name and to what purpose the site will apply itself. My original intention was to create a website where I could share some of the shortcuts and decisions made in creating our college website. The process of finding a name, preferably a dotCom, can be quite frustrating given the fact that many of the names have been culled by those wishing to make a dollar by grabbing some key words someone else might have an interest in. This illustration was reflected with the exact same results from a search on Network Solutions. Sedo had the same pricing and I'm sure you will find this to be true with the rest of the registrars offering Premium Names.

   According to GoDaddy, a Premium Domain Name is "more valuable than typical domain names because they are based on common words and phrases." They further say, "GoDaddy.com does not own these names, but is one of the few registrars offering them on behalf of their third-party owners." Network Solutions takes it a bit further in saying, "Premium Resale Domains are registered .com,.net,.org,.info and .biz names that are available for purchase from the current domain holder at an established price. Premium Resale Domains are priced higher than unregistered domain names based on a variety of criteria including the number of characters in the domain, the number of years the domain has been registered, relevancy and popularity of the keyword, and the traffic it generates. You pay this premium price only one time at initial purchase which includes an extra year added to the term."

   Ironically, I rechecked the name with Network Solutions no more than an hour later and they showed both names had been "TAKEN". I had heard of this happening to a friend a while back so you may wish to check with another registrar before if you are serious about looking up a certain name or phrase. You don't want it to be "TAKEN" after the first search.

   The initial price for the two top level domains as an unregistered generic is the same at Network Solutions but at GoDaddy, a dotOrg is two dollars more as of this date. Does this make the dotOrg a better selection? Again, not necessarily, the preferred dotCom is even cheaper at $4.30 less than the dotOrg. This is the retail, first year price and not a special offering.

   Conclusion: Knowing this, the decision is yours as to which better fits your situation. The owners in the example above bias their names with an inflated price so do not use the Premium Resale Names as a gauge in determining which tld is worth more. The one you choose is the best value because you find it fits your situation best. My recommendation is a simple one; when available, buy both! Hope this helps.

   About the Author: Steve Merrill has been designing websites since 1992 with his most recent creations catering the mobile world. His portfolio carries across many different categories including education where he's been a college Webmaster for more than eleven years.

   See also my article comparing .mobi and .tel.  For more information, you may wish to contact Steve at Merrill.tel.