Why is the new top-level domain .Store suitable for e-commerce platforms?

ICANN launched the new Generic Top-Level Domain (gTLD) program over a decade ago, and now there are over 1,100 new domain extensions available for registration. However, the top ten most popular new gTLDs make up less than 1% of the total, yet they account for 53% of all new gTLD registrations.

Clearly, achieving significant success with new Generic Top-Level Domains (gTLDs) is a challenging task. Nevertheless, ICANN approved another round of new gTLD creation in July, expected to launch in the second quarter of 2026.

As the competition intensifies, current and future operators of new gTLDs must figure out how to carve out a profitable market share for themselves. One effective approach is to examine what successful operators are doing to stand out from the clutter. This includes companies like Radix, the operator of ten new top-level domains (TLDs). Radix employs a multifaceted strategy, creating communities around specific TLDs, conducting unique marketing campaigns to reward participants, and offering reliable research to demonstrate the intrinsic value of its TLDs.

For the latter strategy, Radix recently commissioned e-commerce marketing agency Contrast Digital to conduct a 12-month independent SEO study focused on the .store domain name, one of the top ten most popular new TLDs.

The study aimed to determine if there were performance differences between e-commerce websites using .store compared to .com domains. Elliott Davidson, founder of Contrast Digital, pointed out, "With no publicly available data, we launched two identical e-commerce websites selling the same products. The only major difference was that one used a .com domain, and the other used a .store domain. We wanted to run it as any business owner or creator would, from a resource and knowledge perspective."

"Most importantly, unlike most similar experiments, these were actual stores where customers could make purchases, not just front ends for collecting data. This made the experiment as authentic as possible. To be seen as unique by search engines and users, we rephrased the content."

The study found that e-commerce businesses using .store domains experienced an 87% increase in traffic, a 12% reduction in the cost per conversion, and achieved twice the visibility by ranking faster and higher on search engines.

Suman Das, Vice President of Brand

Operations at Radix, now has more compelling reasons to explain why e-commerce entrepreneurs should pay attention to .store. "The .store domain inherently conveys a clear, retail-centric identity, helping businesses stand out in the crowded online market," says Das. "By cutting customer acquisition costs and increasing store visibility, .store can provide a marketing advantage for e-commerce business owners. These advantages are crucial for businesses looking to build a strong online presence, increase traffic, and ultimately boost sales. The results of this study not only highlight the effectiveness of .store but also reinforce our commitment to providing solutions that meet the actual needs of the e-commerce seller community."

Suman adds, "For e-commerce business owners, customer acquisition and website traffic are some of today's key challenges. In fact, a recent survey by GoDaddy Venture Forward showed that 42% of small business owners listed online marketing through advertising, promotions, and social media as three of the top challenges faced when starting a business."