The top-level domain (TLD) “.bestbuy” does not currently exist according to data obtained from the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), the organization that coordinates all of the globally unique identifiers across the internet, including domain names.
A Top-Level Domain (TLD) is the last part of an Internet domain name; that is, the letters which follow the final dot of any domain name. For example, in the domain name www.example.com, the top-level domain is “com”. The most common top-level domains are “.com”, “.net”, “.org”, among others. There are also country-specific TLDs like “.us”, “.uk”, “.de”, etc.
In an effort to increase the number of TLDs, ICANN launched the New gTLD Program in 2012. The program was designed to dramatically increase the number of TLDs from the original list of 22. Since the launch of the program, ICANN has delegated more than 1,200 new TLDs into the internet’s Root Zone (ICANN, 2021).
A significant percentage of these new TLDs are brand TLDs, owned by corporations and used exclusively for their own operations. Examples of brand TLDs include “.google”, “.apple”, “.bmw”, among others. Companies apply for brand TLDs for various reasons including enhancing the customer experience, gaining competitive advantage, and protecting their brand online.
However, despite its large brand presence, Best Buy Co., Inc. (the multinational consumer electronics retailer) did not apply for a “.bestbuy” TLD during the first round of the New gTLD Program. There can be several reasons why a company like Best Buy might choose not to apply for a brand TLD. The process can be expensive and time-consuming. It includes a $185,000 evaluation fee, annual costs, plus the potential costs associated with managing the TLD. Furthermore, the first round of applications was considered something of a ‘pilot’ phase, and some brands may have chosen to wait and see how the landscape develops before committing to a brand TLD (CircleID, 2012).
ICANN has stated that there will be future rounds for new TLD applications, although the timeline for this is currently uncertain. It remains a possibility that the “.bestbuy” TLD could be applied for in the future.
To summarize, the “.bestbuy” top-level domain does not currently exist. The process of applying for a new TLD is managed by ICANN, and it’s an expensive and time-consuming process that some companies may decide isn’t worth the effort or cost.
References:
- Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers. (2021). New gTLD Program.
- CircleID. (2012). Brand TLDs vs .com.
- ICANN. (2021). Root Zone Database.
