The .save top-level domain (TLD) is a domain space that was originally designed for Amazon Registry Services, in conjunction with their SAVE brand. The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), which oversees domain names management globally, has assigned this TLD.
TLDs refer to the last segment of a domain name. For example, in the domain name www.facebook.com, “.com” is the TLD. They are typically classified into two categories: generic TLDs (gTLDs) which are open for public registration, like .com, .org, and .net, and country-code TLDs (ccTLDs) which represent specific geographic locations, like .fr for France or .jp for Japan.
Amazon Registry Services, a subsidiary of Amazon, Inc., has proposed the .save TLD primarily for its own corporate use to promote its SAVE brand which stands for Simple, Approachable, Valuable Experience offering everyday goods at a great price (Source: Amazon Registry Services). This TLD is part of a wide array of gTLDs that Amazon aspires to register in order to promote its multiple brands and services, magnify its web presence, and provide a more seamless customer experience online.
However, it doesn’t indicate that the .save TLD is currently in widespread use or available for public registration. This kind of proprietary domain is usually classified as a “Brand TLD” or “.brand” which ICANN introduced as part of a new initiative in 2012 to increase competition and choice in the domain name space (Source: ICANN). These brand TLDs specifically pertain to companies or entities who maintain full control over the domain and can create as many second-level domains as they wish, such as shop.save or deal.save.
Like other TLDs managed by corporations, the .save domain is expected to have a strict registration policy, implying only Amazon and its affiliates will potentially be able to register a .save domain. The usage is usually dependent on the strategic decisions taken by the company managing the TLD.
In summary, the .save TLD is a domain space managed by Amazon Registry Services primarily for promoting the SAVE brand of Amazon. However, it is currently not open for public registration. Given the proprietary nature of corporate TLDs, the use of .save is likely to remain within the Amazon corporate environment.
Sources:
1. Amazon Registry Services Inc. Retrieved from https://aws.amazon.com/route53/domains/
2. Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN). Retrieved from https://newgtlds.icann.org/en/program-status/delegated-strings
3. Amazon SAVE brand informations. Retrieved from https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=GHBSJN2VU842NHPM
4. Understanding Domain Names. Retrieved from https://www.verisign.com/en\_US/domain-names/online/how-dns-works/index.xhtml
5. Brand TLDs explained, retrieved from https://www.icann.org/news/blog/the-dot-brand-observatory-the-first-comprehensive-review-of-dot-brand-extension
