 campaign with the intent of establishing and supporting the new top-level domain, .SHOP. Commercial Connect, LLC seeks ICANN authorization for this new extension to be a worldwide generic top-level domain for the purpose of electronic commerce on the Internet. |
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  2013-02-01
November 16, 2012
ICANN Fadi Chehade, CEO 12025 Waterfront Drive, Suite 300 Los Angeles, CA 90095-2536 (310) 301-5800 – (310) 823-8649 fax
Re: New gTLD ApplicationProcess
Dear CEO Chehade:
I am writing this letter not as an applicant for a new gTLDstring but as a concerned member at large who represents a substantial internetcommunity. I have personally beeninvolved with internet domain issues since the mid 1990’s and my company,Commercial Connect LLC, submitted an application for .shop during the initialgTLD offering in 2000. We are the onlyremaining applicant that has been completely approved throughout theapplication process without being delegated.
ICANN’s board asked us to come back at the next gTLDapplication phase whereby it would consider giving us delegation. Since 2000, we have continuously adapted ourapplication and gained community support to offer the .shop as a secureeCommerce offering. We remain cognitiveof ICANN’s vision and have strived to participate and abide by its processesand therefore resubmitted our application for .shop in 2012.
Similar to RosettaNet’s model, we have built a communityfrom differential and highly competitive entities and have brought thesecompanies’ ideas and concerns together via a new representative body. Submitted with our application were the namesof over 1,100 significant and relevant supporters who recognize us as acommunity representative and leader. These supporters represent in excess of $666 (USD) Trillion in annualsales.
We have identified concerns that we believe should beaddressed to save significant time and effort on the part of ICANN as well as the1900+ applicants of new gTLDs. We may beable to offer a different perspective that may assist ICANN in this process.This is aligned with the analogy of looking in from the outside versus within. We, as a community entity, are not entrenchedin consulting and providing TLD services to anyone other than .shop and feel wecan provide a unique view to ICANN but at the same time acknowledging that wedo have a major stake in this process.
It seems there are two major issues that need immediateattention. By addressing these issues,you might discover vast opportunities for enhanced operational quality and costefficiency.
The first issue is that of string similarity. Throughout the process, there has been anunderstanding that no new gTLD would be released that had similar meaning,sound, or appearance to any existing TLD. This has roots in protecting the end user from being confused aboutwhich TLD should be used and lends credibility to the intent of the process. The premise of keeping the internet a safe,secure and user friendly environment for all stakeholders supports this rule. Continued online..... Full Text can be located at http://www.icann.org/en/news/correspondence/smith-to-chehade-16nov12-en.pdf Spreadsheet for analysis can be located at http://www.ecwr.net/showthread.php?7833-Data-Used-for-gTLD-Confusing-String-Analysis  2013-01-07
Since we submitted our application to ICANN to manage the proposed top-level domain, .SHOP, we have been in close contact with other new-TLD applicants. Together, we have been closely monitoring ICANN's progress in sorting through and processing new-TLD applications. We have also collaborated in providing feedback and new ideas to ICANN regarding its proposed methods - universal fairness and transparency being our top priority and concern.
DotShop. Faster. Safer. More Efficient. Driving the Best Shopping Experience.  2012-09-17
Commercial Connect is preparing to attend ICANN 45 in Toronto in October. The event comes at an important time as ICANN has now been reviewing new-TLD applications for several months. ICANN 45 will provide us with much information on the application-review process and give us the opportunity to have our questions and concerns heard. Additionally, the event will enable us to meet with our competition and, possibly, discuss our collaboration strategies. More information in ICANN 45 can be viewed here: http://toronto45.icann.org 2012-09-06
The board members of Commercial Connect, LLC met in regular session to discuss several important issues at hand. In great detail, the board reviewed and discussed a competitive analysis. Also, touched upon were various strategies for collaboration with Commercial Connect's competition.  2012-07-03
Commercial Connect attended ICANN 44 in Prague last week. The event provided crucial information about the next phases of the new-TLD application process. In addition, ICANN introduced its new CEO, Fadi Chehadé. Commercial Connect was also able to meet with other applicants for the .SHOP string and other related strings. These new relationships will prove beneficial to all as time progresses in the application process.
See information, videos, and photos from ICANN 44 at:
2012-06-13
Information obtained from: http://newgtlds.icann.org/en
Of the 1,930 applications...
Applications were received from 60 countries. Using ICANN’s definitions of the world’s regions, which can be viewed on our website:
Some domain names have been applied for by more than one applicant. There are 230 domain names for which at least two applications were submitted, involving a total of 751 applications.
2012-05-31
ICANN's TLD Application System (TAS) closed yesterday. Commercial Connect's application for .SHOP was successfully submitted the previous day. ICANN received over 1,900 applications to create and manage numerous new top-level domains. ICANN expects to announce the list of applied-for domains on June 13th.
View ICANN's announcement at:
2012-05-29
Today was a momentous day at Commercial Connect, as the application to bring .SHOP to the world was finally submitted to ICANN! ICANN's TLD Application System (TAS) had experienced set-backs resulting in application submission delays for the past couple of months, but, fortunately, the glitches were worked out and the application was submitted seamlessly.
Commercial Connect would like to thank all of its supporters. Your support was pivotal in getting the application for .SHOP compiled and submitted. The journey is not over yet, but with your further support .SHOP will, finally, be able to make the e-commerce world a safer and better place to do business.
2012-05-10
Since April, a glitch in ICANN's TLD application submission (TAS) system has caused a series of delays in our submitting the application. However, ICANN has, finally, announced a date at which it will resume application submissions: May 22nd.
View ICANN's announcement at:
View the history of announcements regarding the system glitch at:
As always, Commercial Connect stands ready to bring .shop to the world of e-commerce. Its application has been and is currently ready to be submitted to ICANN.
2012-04-15
Commercial Connect has been hard at work, as of late, to ensure a timely submission of its lengthy and detailed application to manage the new top-level domain, .shop. Unfortunately, on the day submission to ICANN was due, a system glitch forced ICANN to take its system offline (due to privacy concerns).
View ICANN's statement on the situation at:
Commercial Connect is remaining poised and is prepared to finish submitting the application whenever ICANN deems its system safe, secure, and ready.
 2012-03-30
Former ICANN CFO, Kevin Wilson, was featured in a Wall Street Journal article titled, "Should Small Businesses Get New Top-Level Domains?" The article was styled in a debate format in which Mr. Wilson advocated that the emergence of new top-level domains would be a boon for small businesses.
Read the full article at:
 2012-03-20
Commercial Connect attended ICANN 43 in Costa Rica this month. The event provided crucial information and networking opportunities.
See information and photos from the event at:
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