OnlineDomain.com Domain Name News & Opinions
.Shop domains launch next Thursday September 1 at 15:00 UTC with the Early Access Program (EAP). Registration prices for day 1 of the EAP start at about $30,000 at 101Domain.com and go up to $40,000 at Name.com.
The .shop General Availability starts on September 26.
The .shop sunrise period for trademark owners ends today and .shop is close to 1,000 domain registrations. (prices were at about $1,500)
Here is what GMO, the .shop registry that paid $41,5 million for the rights of .shop domains, about the .shop extension:
“.shop is domain names for anyone, anywhere with something to sell. Ecommerce businesses have a natural affinity with .shop, but its potential extends far beyond. .shop is also a great choice for other online businesses including digital content and ecommerce solutions providers as well as the burgeoning B2B ecommerce market. The .shop TLD is equally relevant for offline shops looking to establish a web presence or offline services such as a dry cleaner or day spa. There are no eligibility restrictions to registering a name in .shop, so there is no requirement that the registrant is a shop. A .shop domain name could also be used for product review sites, shopping related blogs or shopping travel guides.”
GMO registry expects over 1 million domain name registrations after the first year of .shop.
Everything you need to know about where, when how and why of the .shop Early Access Program is right here:
Why participate in the .shop EAP?
Brands
For brands that have already secured their trademark.shop during Sunrise, EAP is a great opportunity to pick-up generic terms relevant to your business.
New ecommerce businesses
If you are a new ecommerce business or even an existing offline business then EAP is the perfect time to pick a catchy, relevant name for a competitive advantage in marketing and branding right from the start.
Existing ecommerce businesses
Even businesses that are happy with their current primary online address, could supplement their online presence with a .shop domain name for promotions or other special events.
Brandable Names
The .shop EAP is a great time to pick out a name that you can build a business around because of the many, many options to choose from.
What is the Timeline?
Unlike other new gTLDs the .shop EAP runs for 26 days. This extended period is aimed at accommodating strong demand for .shop domain names. We want to make sure that as many people as possible have the opportunity to participate.
Each stage opens at 15:00 (UTC) and closes at 14:59 (UTC). Dates are as follows:
Stage 1: September 1 – September 3
Stage 2: September 3 – September 6
Stage 3: September 6 – September 10
Stage 4: September 10 – September 14
Stage 5: September 14 – September 18
Stage 6: September 18 – September 22
Stage 7: September 22 – September 26
Where Can I Participate?
.shop accredited registrars are listed on the get.shop website here: http://get.shop/registrars/
How much do .shop domains cost during the Early Access Program?
| Registrar | Name.com | GoDaddy | 101Domain |
| Stage 1 | $40,000 | $35,019.99 | $29,999 |
| Stage 2 | $15,000 | $14,019.99 | $12,999 |
| Stage 3 | $5,000 | $3,519.99 | $3,499 |
| Stage 4 | $1,250 | $1,419.99 | $1,499 |
| Stage 5 | $750 | $719.99 | $749 |
| Stage 6 | – | $369.99 | $349 |
| Stage 7 | – | $159.99 | $149 |
| General Availability | $39.99 | $19.99 | $36.99 |
Always a few stupid ones will pay up, the GTLDs are starting to wear out there welcome.
When I think GTLDs I think of greed, and high renewals, with a lack of willing users.
Overkill, no major brand really needs it for that price
I wouldn’t pay $1 for it
No? At $1 per, I’d happily go on a shopping spree for .SHOP.