• Home
  • Domains
  • Internet & Tech
  • Security & Privacy
  • Google & Search
  • Editorial Praise
  • Contact

Strategic Revenue - Domain and Internet News

Internet news authored by John Colascione

Register Domain Names

  • Isn’t Print Dead?
  • Killer Acquisition
  • New gTLD Death
  • Online Censorship
  • Gullible Domainers
  • You’re A Loser
You are here: Home / Domain Names / Will People Use Alternative Domain Names Like They Do Toll Free Phone Numbers?

Will People Use Alternative Domain Names Like They Do Toll Free Phone Numbers?

February 3, 2018 By John Colascione 5 Comments

*** Here Is A List Of Some Of The Best Domain Name Resources Available ***






NEW YORK – Much like .com domain names, 1-800 toll free phone numbers with meaning in their letters such as 1-800-FLOWERS, are hard to come by these days – or even impossible to obtain, based on limited supply. Although it is indeed possible to get a 1-800 phone number today, if you’re looking for a vanity number, such as one with clear meaning in its letters, you’re much more likely to get it using an alternative such as 888.

This is very much what we are seeing today with Internet domain names. Toll free phone numbers such as “800” which are the “original” or “premium” can be compared to the “.com” version of a domain name. When a business does not use the .com domain name, that business risks higher marketing costs, diluted memorability and worst of all, potential loss of customers. Again, this is the exact same thing we see with the 800 prefix. However, based on the limited supply of 800 numbers, businesses have little to no-choice but to settle for an alternative.

Let’s examine a timeline of toll-free-number use.

  • 1967 – Toll-free 800 numbers were introduced.
  • 1986 – Vanity 800 numbers began being used.
  • 1996 – Toll-free 888 numbers were introduced.
  • 1998 – Toll-free 877 numbers were introduced.
  • 2000 – Toll-free 866 numbers were introduced.
  • 2010 – Toll-free 855 numbers were introduced.
  • 2013 – Toll-free 844 numbers were introduced.
  • 2017 – Toll-free 833 numbers were introduced.

I think most would agree that while looking at the above toll free timeline, which spans over fifty-years, with each new release comes a less and less desirable alternative, based on familiarity. To me, “800” is the premium .com, while “888” and “877” are similar to the .net and .org, ‘popular alternatives’, and as you go down the line, you get weaker and weaker in desirability, such as with .info or .biz domain names.

For example, 833 is, in my opinion, the least desirable choice as it is what I would expect to be the least known variation for a toll free line, as it just came out and nearly no-one should know about it, much like nGTLDs. I would only order or use an 833 number if I had absolutely no other choice.

Will people use and/or choose alternative domain names like they do toll free phone numbers?

Most likely

Historical data may be imperfect, but it remains the only unbiased way to measure risk and make assumptions. Although people will choose to use alternatives when they are needed, it will likely take many years for wide-adoption and likely never be considered the premium choice.

Alternatives may always be just that – alternatives, psychologically, just like (800) is over fifty years later.

John Colascione 2024
John Colascione

About The Author: John Colascione is Chief Executive Officer of Internet Marketing Services Inc. He specializes in Website Monetization, is a Google AdWords Certified Professional, authored a ‘how to’ book called ”Mastering Your Website‘, and is a key player in several Internet related businesses through his search engine strategy brand Searchen Networks®

Filed Under: Domain Names Tagged With: .biz, .com, .INFO, .org, (800), (833), (844), (877), 1-800, 855, 866, 888, Alternative, Alternatives, Desirability, Dilute, Diluted, Domain Name, Domain Names, Domains, Familiarity, Internet Domain, Internet domain names, Marketing, Marketing Cost, Marketing Costs, Memorability, ngtld, nGTLDs, Phone Numbers, Popular Alternative, Popular Alternatives, Prefix, Risk, Risks, Toll Free, Toll Free Line, Toll Free Numbers, Toll Free Phone Numbers, Variation

*** Here Is A List Of Some Of The Best Domain Name Resources Available ***






Comments

  1. Snoopy says

    February 3, 2018 at 7:56 pm

    There is an unlimited supply of usable .com’s. Ntlds will never be popular or mainstream because businesses can get a .com for $9.

    Reply
    • Platinums.co says

      February 4, 2018 at 7:55 am

      open yo eyes snoopy
      e.g.: google uses “business.site” domain not a businesssite.com

      Reply
      • Snoopy says

        February 4, 2018 at 6:21 pm

        business.site gives me a google error page. Is that usage in your .world?

        Reply
  2. Star Gazer says

    February 5, 2018 at 1:36 pm

    google is a proponent of new g’s so people will not bypass their search engine with short and easy to remember .com”s.

    Reply
  3. Geoffrey Gonzalez says

    February 7, 2018 at 12:27 am

    888, 877, 866…833 all have legs. But as NGTlds, keywords command

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Search This Site

by: John Colascione

John Colascione

Best Site for Things to Do While Visiting Florida
John Colascione is Chief Executive of Internet Marketing Services Inc. He specializes in Website Monetization, authored a book called Mastering Your Website, and is a key player in several Internet businesses through his brand SEARCHEN®

#Indiana.com

GEO domain name

Follow Me

John Colascione Twitter

USED CARS ENTERPRISE

auto buyers market
Auto Buyers Market – Shop Used Cars by Participating Dealers at autobuyersmarket.com

In The News

  • DNJournal: New Book From Veteran Domainer
  • From Brandable to Exact-Match Geo Domain
  • InnovateLI: Two Deals, One Very Interesting Digital
  • Internet Commerce Association: John Colascione
  • NamesCon: Featured Attendee: John Colascione
  • Long Island Media Inc, SmartCEO, Future 50
  • Speakers, Name Summit, John Colascione
  • Speakers, Real Estate Summit, John Colascione
  • 24 Leading Domain Experts Analyze 2017

Popular Stories

New gTLD? Not So Fast; History Suggests New ‘Right of the Dots’ Could = Total Failure

Could Domain Investing Industry End with Legal Provision for Domain “Hoarding”

Websites and Domain Names to Become Insignificant within 20 Years or Less

Does the Domain Industry Suffer From Own Versions of Trumpted “Fake News” Stories?

List of 300+ Cryptocurrency Domain Name Sales and Sale Prices [All Time] (NameBio)

Quotes to Follow

quote icon The domain name is equivalent to Gold. It is the only packaged item which is globally tax-free, portable, with value that is universal across different cultures. quote icon – Frank Schilling

quote icon Domains have and will continue to go up in value faster than any other commodity ever known to man. quote icon – Rick Schwartz

quote icon  Google knows you, your friends, your likes, what entertains you, where you are in the world at any given time. Google will soon predict your next action, your next thought, based on a collaboration of thoughts past. quote icon – John Colascione

Like These Headlines?

Enter your email address:

Delivered by FeedBurner

T.L.D. Brokerage

Domain Brokers

Books on Domain Names

  • Books on Domain Names
  • Best Biz Cash Back Credit Card (5%)

Hypothetically: Inflated Domain Name Valuations Driven by AI Tools

WEST PALM BEACH, FL – I recently tested a domain name valuation tool powered by artificial intelligence, and I was struck by how inflated the appraisals were. The estimated values seemed wildly … [Read More...]

Google’s Search Market Share Dips Below 90% for First Time in Decade

MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA - Google's global search engine market share fell below 90% in the final quarter of 2024, marking the first time since 2015 that it has dipped under this threshold. Regional … [Read More...]

Massive Data Breach Exposes 184 Million Login Credentials from Major Tech Platforms

WEST PALM BEACH, FL - A significant data breach has compromised over 184 million login credentials, affecting users of major platforms including Google, Apple, Meta (Facebook, Instagram), Microsoft, … [Read More...]

Domaining blog recommended by Domaining.com

Copyright © 2010-2025 StrategicRevenue.com - Property of Internet Marketing Services Inc.   FeedBurner: RSS
By using this site you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. If you do not agree, please exit the service.