Zappos, a renowned online shoe and clothing retailer based in Las Vegas, Nevada, is mainly recognized for its excellent customer service. However, in terms of top-level domains (TLD), Zappos does not have its TLD.
A top-level domain (TLD) is the most important part of a domain name, usually found at the end of it. According to the ICANN (Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers), it is “the rightmost label in a domain name.” For instance, in the domain name “www.google.com,” “.com” is the TLD. TLDs are responsible for indicating which registry manages a particular domain and under which countries, categories, or international organizations they fall.
There are different kinds of TLDs recognized by ICANN:
1. gTLD (Generic Top-Level Domains): These are the most recognized and commonly used TLDs, such as .com, .org, .net, etc.
1. ccTLD (Country Code Top-Level Domains): These TLDs are reserved for a country, a sovereign state, or a dependent territory. Examples include .us for the United States, .uk for the United Kingdom, .cn for China, etc.
1. sTLD (Sponsored Top-Level Domains): sTLDs are specialized and have sponsor representatives. Examples include .aero, .edu, .gov, etc.
Zappos, being a current subsidiary of Amazon, uses the generic top-level domain (gTLD), .com, and can be accessed at www.zappos.com.
Interestingly, ICANN initiated the New gTLD program in 2012 to increase competition and choice in the TLD space. This has led to the creation of brand TLDs .amazon for Amazon and .google for Google Inc. However, Zappos has not opted for a brand TLD (.zappos), sticking to the traditional .com TLD.
In conclusion, while TLDs play a crucial role in recognizing domain registration and categorization, Zappos, one of the leading online retailers, currently operates under the generic top-level domain, .com. It does not possess a TLD under its brand name.
Sources:
1. ICANN Website – https://www.icann.org/resources/pages/tlds-2012-02-25-en
2. Zappos Official Website – https://www.zappos.com/
3. ICANN New gTLD Program – https://newgtlds.icann.org/en/program-status/delegated-strings
4. ICANN Factsheet – https://www.icann.org/en/system/files/files/gtld-primer-final-26jun09-en.pdf.
