What Domain Name Changes Mean For eBusiness

When we last looked at the hype surrounding generic top-level domains (gTLDs) three years ago, we concluded that they would result in little benefit to established companies and that ultimately, consumer uptake was unlikely to change: The reign of .com, .org, and the like would not end. With the International Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) poised to open up the domain-name marketplace beyond the 21 current options in 2010, eBusiness executives could face steep costs for branded and generic domains. While there are a few credible reasons for taking on one or several branded gTLDs, there are even more credible reasons for holding off on any long-term investment or strategy beyond that.