Next week marks the third anniversary of the global launch of .CO domains. In honor of this milestone, Sedo released a report today analyzing the growth and evolution of .CO on the secondary domain market. With more than 17 million domain name listings across nearly 160 different domain extensions, Sedo is by far the largest and most well-established domain name marketplace in the world. You’d better believe that they know a thing or two about domain names!
If you love .CO (like I do…), or if you’re gearing up to launch a new gTLD (like many people are) – or if you just love a good old fashioned success story – then you’ve got to read the Sedo .CO Market report. It’s the domain industry equivalent of one of my favorite childhood tales, “The Little Engine that Could.”
Among other things, Sedo’s report reveals that .CO has achieved average domain sales prices that actually surpass – and by a healthy margin – the average sales prices for industry heavyweights like .COM, .NET and .ORG, and more. With an increase in value of approximately 37% since July of 2010, the average sales price of a .CO domain at Sedo is currently $2,486 USD – more than $400 higher than a .COM domain and $1,000 higher than a .NET domain. Holy Cow! People are really starting to understand the value of .CO!
“Inconceivable!” I’m sure that’s what the naysayers and skeptics were saying three years ago today when we were gearing up for our big launch day. “No one needs another domain extension,” they predicted. “It’s just a typo of .com,” they mocked. “It’s only going to confuse and confound Internet users,” they warned.
The haters didn’t think we could do it. But that’s okay – because we thought we could. And so did you – our industry friends, registrar partners, startup world community, and our .CO-ers around the world. You thought we could – and so we did! Thank you for believing in us and for cheering us on!
Don’t worry, we realize that we’re still just a “little engine” with a whole lot left to prove – so we’re not going to rest on our laurels anytime soon. We’ll definitely savor this quick pat on the back – but then it’s right back to the business of brand developing, product creating, community building, security enhancing, value adding and customer loving – to continue growing the long-term value of .CO.
We think we can! We think we can!
Here’s the classic story of The Little Engine That Could…
It’s definitely worth a quick read!
(Originally published 8 April 1906 in the New York Tribune)
In a certain railroad yard there stood an extremely heavy train that had to be drawn up an unusually heavy grade before it could reach its destination.
The superintendent of the yard was not sure what it was best for him to do, so he went up to a large, strong engine and asked: “Can you pull that train over the hill?”
“I’m sorry, it is a very heavy train,” responded the strong engine.
He then went to another great big engine and asked: “Can you pull that train over the hill?”
“It is a very heavy grade, I can not,” it replied.
The superintendent was much puzzled, but he turned to still another engine that was spick and span, small, shiny and new, and he asked it: “Can you pull that train over the hill?”
“I think I can,” responded the little engine.
So the order was circulated, and the engine was started back so that it might be coupled with the train, and as it went along the rails it kept repeating to itself: “I think I can. I think I can. I think I can.”
The coupling was made and the engine began its journey, and all along the level, as it rolled toward the ascent, it kept repeating to itself: “I —think —I can. I —think —I— can. I —think— I —can.”
Then it reached the grade, but its voice could still be heard: “I think I can. I—– think—–I—–can. I —–think—– I—– can.” Higher and higher it climbed, and its voice grew fainter and its words came slower: ”I ——-think ——–I——-can.”
It was almost to the top.
“I ———think”
It was at the top.
”I ———can.”
It passed over the top of the hill and began crawling down the opposite slope.
’I ——think——- I—— can——I—– thought——I——-could I—– thought—– I—– could. I thought I could. I thought I could. I thought I could.”
And singing its triumph, it rushed on down toward the valley.
