Following the controversial release of .xxx domain extensions for pre-registration earlier in the year, 123-reg, the UK’s largest domain registrar, is has announced the successful registration of 70 per cent of all its pre-registrations for businesses operating in the adult industry and companies who have trademarked their brands.
Two such businesses that have this week been advised that their .xxx extensions were successfully registered include, for trademark brand protection, asbestos awareness training, surveying and testing firm, NATAS (National Asbestos Training and Accreditation Scheme).
While, for adult business purposes, erotic publisher Xcite, has received clarification on the registration of www.xcite.xxx.
Back in July and through the sunrise and landrush periods, both Xcite and NATAS, along with thousands of other adult and not-adult businesses, pre-registered .xxx domains.
NATAS registered the extension to safeguard its business, explains owner and managing director, Max Lopacki: “A few years ago, I owned and purchased the domain www.natas.com but the registrar I used at the time did not alert me to the re-registration of the domain and it expired. It was then bought by a business in the adult industry and as a result a large percentage of my customers and prospects were routed to a very graphic and not protected adult site, expecting to learn more about my business, with alarming consequences. It was not only a very disruptive experience but a costly one too.
“Most business people might not see the clear correlation between the release of an ‘adult-specific’ domain extension and the potential brand threat, but unfortunately at NATAS we recognise the importance of safeguarding our brand wherever possible.”
At the other end of the spectrum, one business operating in the adult industry which is now able to expand its business efforts thanks to the domain extension registration is Xcite Books.
Hazel Cushion, managing director and founder of the erotic publishing company, added: “I have been successfully running Xcite Books for many years, however, the introduction of the adult-specific domains will allow me to broaden my consumer base and meet the more explicit wants and needs of my clients. I can continue to provide mainstream erotic fiction through www.xcitebooks.com, yet, in effect, using .xxx I now have a sub-brand, www.xcite.xxx which will launch in the New Year.”
Thomas Vollrath, CEO of 123-reg, said: “Although the X-rated extensions were steeped in controversy from their initial release back in July, they have proven to be extremely popular with businesses operating either out of or within the adult industry. In fact, at last count, over 160,000 .xxx domains were registered in the past week. As the UK’s largest domain registrar we worked very hard through multiple registrars to try and increase the chances of securing the domains for our clients and we are very happy to report that 70 per cent of them have had confirmation their X-rated domains have been registered.”
Source: www.123-reg.co.uk