.Co now second search option.
About 24 hours after promoting .co to the top of its search box, domain name registrar GoDaddy has switched back to .com. But .co remains the second option for people searching for domains at the world’s largest domain name registrar.
GoDaddy frequently runs tests, such as changing the prices of domain registration a couple bucks up or down to measure the effects. Moving .co to the top of the list was just such as test, yet it was certainly an aggressive one. It replaced a domain that costs about $12 a year with one that’s $30. .Co is also very close to .com, which could have led to confusion. I’m sure customer confusion was one thing the registrar evaluated during the test.
M. Menius says
I think switching back was a good decision. People are not going to know what .co is/was. Making it the default selection would possibly cause more problems than GoDaddy need.
Old cliche’ -> “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”
Rob Sequin says
That was quicker than I even expected.
See my comment at #54
1. The change won’t last at GoDaddy. Looks like a cheap bait and switch ploy. People will complain and/or traffic will drop or be redirected. You can try and force .co on the average man on the street/lead a horse to water but you can’t make him buy a .co/drink 🙂
END
Look, I love the free market and speculation and have no problem with people buying .co and flipping (which probably 90% of people are doing) but that’s it folks.
When the hype is gone and the speculators have moved on (or got burnt by their .co speculation) what’s left?
A handful of developers that MAY have the faith to really build out their .co but they all know that it’s not the .com so most developers will give up too.
Then when renewal times comes around… crickets. .co domains will be dropping like cement blocks from the sky.
Not sure why I am so passionate about this.
Maybe because I don’t want to see newbies drop $10k and sell one domain for $1k and think there’s more where that came from.
Maybe because I’ve seen this before in stocks, real estate, beanie babies, silver in 1980, .me .name MySpace etc.
Hype and crash. Just seems to be the business cycle these days. Get in and get out but don’t be the last one in.
Also, .co is NOT the typo for .com. Let’s please at least agree to that.
SL says
I’m confused. Yesterday .co was the new .com. Does this change signify that .com is the new .co?
Robert, please help us understand this brave new world.
David J Castello says
Spot on, Rob.
DomainsPriceWorldRecord.com says
.
just viral marketing?
Steve M says
Bottom line:
.co = .confusion
Landon White says
HATS OFF!…
To Motorcycle Bob.
Throughout Godaddy’s history if Bob sees …
that he made a mistake he is never
afraid to own up, admit and CORRECT IT!
In Fairness, a admirable quality indeed …
RK says
.co is just a waste of money
roddy says
If your not happy just wait five minutes and it will change , am i talking about godaddy or the weather ?
Uzoma says
LOL deep down, people who didn’t buy this .CO are scared to death. Why not get in now before it is really late. You this thing is a winner, in my opinion. It’s going to keep making you uncomfortable every other month as gains in momentum. Imagine that .CO actually took for place at Godaddy for almost 24hours, before being demoted temporarily to number 2 in less than 4 months, who would have guessed that a few months ago? The action for .CO will come from overseas, and yes, Overstock is leading the charge. Never mind t.co, x.co, etc You will wake up one day and the tran has left the station… get on! 🙂
Anthony Mitchell says
Any registry can offer slotting fees for premium placement with a registrar.
At GoDaddy I imagine slottage doesn’t come cheap.
The buzz created from even a single day’s top placement could provide a new extension with greater credibility.
Mr Bojangles says
.co is and will always be a great CCtld, and it will contain typo-traffic for.com on “some”bigger traffic names. That’s it. The rest is short-term speculation. Would you build your foundation in Columbia’s legal system? What if there’s a government coup some time in future? I think Rob is right that this is a speculators playground. The registration base it will go up and then settle back down in a line resembling a camel’s hump. The rela winner iss the registry operator over the next few years and the loser s are those who spent large volumes with that registry operator instead of buying a good .com
Landon White says
@ Mr Bojangles
Dance,Dance, Dance
————————–
What if there’s a government coup some
time in future?
————————–
Well Said,
That is the best NON-EMOTION logic
based argument posting on the .Co issue
so far to date …