(Rough copy!) There are a number of unique benefits available to .coop domain registrars.

To take full advantage of them, it’s probably a good idea to know just a little bit about co-operatives, the history of  .coop and how the domain is supported by the global co-operative community.

Cooperatives are regular businesses owned and managed by and for their members. Members can be customers or employees. What makes a co-op different to a shareholder business is that each member has a say in how the business is run and gets a share of the profit.

Over 250 Million people worldwide earn their living through a co-operative. There are agricultural co-ops, banking co-ops, retail co-ops,  technology co-ops, service co-ops, food, water and energy co-ops…  In fact there are so many different co-operative business, you’d be hard pressed to find an industry or sector that doesn’t have at least one! And co-operatives make money –  X% of the global economy in DATE

Recognising that co-ops make up a significant global community, in 2002, well before many other community domains existed, ICANN created the .coop TLD. A unique domain sponsored by, and for the exclusive use of, co-operatives. Since then the domain has grown to 8000 domains worldwide representing X users in X countries.

Around the world, each region or business sector has a co-operative governing body. These work with each other and the overall international governing body the ICA (International Co-operative Alliance) to develop co-operatives. .coop is sponsored by the ICA as part of that development effort.

So, unlike owners of generic domains,  say .food or .florist, who have to market to each individual food store or florist, we’re in the enviable position of being able to reach new markets through a single point of contact. One that’s constitutionally mandated to promote the domain name in the interest of all co-ops.

What’s more, as co-ops have been around for over XXX years, the ICA and regional co-operative organisations have a wealth of data and understanding about their co-ops that we can take advantage of to market .coop