Consumers Prefer the .ORGANIC Web Address for True-Organic Goods

[news release] .ORGANIC domain operator Afilias today announced the results of new research that provides important insights regarding U.K. and U.S. Internet users’ experience finding organic products and services online.Â

[news release] .ORGANIC domain operator Afilias today announced the results of new research that provides important insights regarding U.K. and U.S. Internet users’ experience finding organic products and services online. 
Nearly 70% of respondents believe that some companies are misrepresenting themselves as “organic” to command a premium price, and 60% would like a reliable way to distinguish real organic providers online from the pretenders. That’s why almost 60% of respondents claimed they would be more inclined to visit a site on .ORGANIC, which is restricted to verified organic entities, than legacy .COM sites when searching for organic products.
The research showed the depth of confusion consumers feel when searching for organic products online: 43% of respondents acknowledge that they can’t easily differentiate who’s truly organic and who’s not when they are researching or shopping online; whereas only 5% claim they don’t have such a problem.  69% think companies should stop associating themselves with the term “organic” if they are not.
1 in 4 consumers believe that true organic companies and products SHOULD have a .ORGANIC web address, as only verified organic entities are allowed to have one.
“In traditional .COM or .CO.UK addresses, any site can have the word ‘organic’ in its web address and content because no one checks,” said Roland LaPlante, CMO of Afilias. “.ORGANIC addresses are different.  We DO check every applicant to be sure they are certified organic or otherwise meet stringent eligibility requirements.  Consumers have asked for help identifying real organic online, and .ORGANIC sites make it easy: if it’s in .ORGANIC, it’s organic!”
Beyond a preference to visit sites on .ORGANIC, consumers now EXPECT to see their favorite organic brands with a .ORGANIC web address. The most mentioned brands include:
•  U.K. – Abel & Cole, Biona, Green and Black’s, Green People Organic Beauty, Lush, Planet Organic, Organix, Riverford, Planet Organic, Waitrose/Duchy Original’s, Wholefoods, Yeo Valley, and more.
•  U.S. – Amy’s Kitchen, Annie’s Homegrown, Applegate, Clif Bar, Dole, Horizon Organic, Kashi, Nature’s Path, Newman’s Own, Organic Valley, Stonyfield, Trader Joe’s, Wholefoods/365 Everyday Value, and more.
It’s easy to understand why: traditional .COM and .CO.UK addresses are where the pretenders are; only .ORGANIC addresses are restricted to qualified products and services, and consumers have a right to expect the most trustworthy organic brands in the safest space.
Fig. 1: Brands that U.K. consumers believe should be on the .ORGANIC domain
Fig. 2: Brands that U.S. consumers believe should be on the .ORGANIC domain
Afilias commissioned independent research agency YouGov to undertake this research. Conducted in mid-November 2014, the research surveyed over 3,200 U.K. and U.S. Internet users (2,057 and 1,147 adults respectively). The findings were sampled and weighted to be nationally representative of each nation (adults aged 18+). The full report can be found here.
About Afilias
Afilias is the .ORGANIC registry operator and the world’s second largest domain registry provider, with more than 20 million names under management. Afilias powers a wide variety of top level domains, and will soon support hundreds of new TLDs now preparing for launch, including TLDs for cities, brands, communities and generic terms. Afilias’ specialized technology makes Internet addresses more accessible and useful through a wide range of applications, including Internet domain registry services, Managed DNS and mobile Web services like goMobi® and DeviceAtlas®.

New .ORGANIC TLD welcomes leading brands as .ORGANIC pioneers

[news release] Global registry operator Afilias today (17 September) announced that six leading organic brands are participating in the .ORGANIC domain pioneer program and plan to launch .ORGANIC sites soon

[news release] Global registry operator Afilias today (17 September) announced that six leading organic brands are participating in the .ORGANIC domain pioneer program and plan to launch .ORGANIC sites soon.

Given the growing popularity of the term “organic”with consumers, it is increasingly important that buyers be able to trust that providers who offer “organics”can prove they actually deliver organic goods. The .ORGANIC domain meets that need by requiring anyone who wants to register a .ORGANIC Internet address to submit their organic credentials for verification prior to using the domain name.

The usefulness of .ORGANIC Internet addresses has resonated strongly throughout the organic community, which is why leading organic brands have signed up to become .ORGANIC domain pioneers. These brands include:

  • Rodale Institute — Organic pioneers since 1947, theRodale Institute is a nonprofit dedicated to pioneering organic farming through research and outreach. Their upcoming websites include RodaleInstitute.organic and research.organic.
  • Stonyfield — Stonyfield is a leading maker of nourishing organic yogurts and dairy products, and will soon promote their organic offerings at stonyfield.organic.
  • Applegate — Applegate is a producer of high-quality natural and organic hot dogs, bacon, sausages, deli meats, cheese and frozen products. Applegate plans to launch sites at applegate.organic and hotdogs.organic.
  • Bitsy’s Brainfood — A mega-delicious and ultra-nutritious line of smart snacksand resources that nurture kids’ bodies, minds, and imaginations. A site at bitsys.organic is forthcoming.
  • NibMor — The producers of dark chocolate products created using the most delicious organic, non-GMO, Fair Trade and gluten-free ingredients plan a Web presence at nibmor.organic.
  • OMRI — The Organic Materials Review Institute (OMRI) supports organic integrity by providing organic certifiers, growers, manufacturers, and suppliers an independent review of products intended for use in certified organic production, handling, and processing. OMRI is preparing a site at OMRI.organic.

“It’s exciting to see these organic leaders adopt the .ORGANIC domain so quickly. And it’s especially gratifying to be able to announce this adoption at Natural Products Expo East 2014.  The speedy adoption by such reputable organizations reinforces our belief that .ORGANIC will really help distinguish the organic space on the Internet,”said Roland LaPlante, Senior Vice President and CMO, Afilias. “And for consumers, a special Internet space for verified organic providers means they can have confidence that the information they find at .ORGANIC sites is from confirmed organic community members.”

It’s easy to join these brands in having your own .ORGANIC domain. Find out more at Natural Products Expo East.

Exhibitors and attendees of Natural Products Expo East 2014 in Baltimore (running September 17-20, 2014), many of whom may benefit from the brand differentiation and marketing opportunities associated with a .ORGANIC domain name, are invited to visit the .ORGANIC team at booth #9009 to get first-hand information on the domain registration requirements and process. .ORGANIC registrants are accepted in several different categories ranging from certified organic producers to organic restaurants and other eligible organic community members. The verification process is designed to be easy for authentic community members: simply answer a few questions with information that can be checked by our verification team.

For more details, please visit www.get.organic and then get your .ORGANIC nameat any .ORGANIC authorized registrar.

You can also follow .ORGANIC on social media, including:

About Afilias
Afilias is the world’s second largest domain registry, with more than 20 million names under management. Afilias powers a wide variety of top-level domains, and will soon support hundreds of new TLDs now preparing for launch, including TLDs for cities, brands, communities and generic terms. Afilias’specialized technology makes Internet addresses more accessible and useful through a wide range of applications, including Internet domain registry services, Managed DNS and mobile Web services like goMobi® and DeviceAtlas®. For more information on Afilias services, visit www.afilias.info.

Afilias is a proud member of the Domain Name Association.