.EXTRASPACE New gTLD Application
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New gTLD Application Submitted to ICANN by: Extra Space Storage LLC
Application Downloaded On: 13 Jul 2015
String: EXTRASPACE
Application ID: 1-1688-1352
Applicant Information
- Full legal name
Extra Space Storage LLC
- Address of the principal place of business
2795 E. Cottonwood Parkway
Suite 400 Salt Lake City, Utah - 84121 US
- Phone number
+01 801 365 4501
- Fax number
+01 801 365 4801
- If applicable, website or URL
http://www.extraspace.com
Primary Contact
6(a). Name
Joshua Bourne
6(b). Title
Managing Partner, FairWinds Partners, LLC
6(c). Address
6(d). Phone Number
(202) 223-9252
6(e). Fax Number
(202) 223-9256
6(f). Email Address
Secondary Contact
7(a). Name
Gwyn McNeal
7(b). Title
Senior Vice President/Chief Legal Officer, Extra Space Storage, Inc.
7(c). Address
7(d). Phone Number
(801) 365-4576
7(e). Fax Number
(801) 365-4876
7(f). Email Address
Proof of Legal Establishment
8(a). Legal form of the Applicant
Limited Liability Company
8(b). State the specific national or other jurisdiction that defines the type of entity identified in 8(a).
Delaware
8(c). Attach evidence of the applicant's establishment.
Attachments are not displayed on this form.
9(a). If applying company is publicly traded, provide the exchange and symbol.
9(b). If the applying entity is a subsidiary, provide the parent company.
9(c). If the applying entity is a joint venture, list all joint venture partners.
Applicant Background
11(a). Name(s) and position(s) of all directors
11(b). Name(s) and position(s) of all officers and partners
11(c). Name(s) and position(s) of all shareholders holding at least 15% of shares
Name
Position
Extra Space Storage Inc Not Applicable
11(d). For an applying entity that does not have directors, officers, partners, or shareholders: Name(s) and position(s) of all individuals having legal or executive responsibility
Name
Position
Charles Lester Allen Manager
David Lyman Rasmussen Manager
Peter Scott Stubbs Manager
Applied-for gTLD string
- Provide the applied-for gTLD string. If an IDN, provide the U-label.
EXTRASPACE
14A. If applying for an IDN, provide the A-label (beginning with "xn--").
14B. If an IDN, provide the meaning, or restatement of the string in English, that is, a description of the literal meaning of the string in the opinion of the applicant.
14C1. If an IDN, provide the language of the label (in English).
14C2. If an IDN, provide the language of the label (as referenced by ISO-639-1).
14D1. If an IDN, provide the script of the label (in English).
14D2. If an IDN, provide the script of the label (as referenced by ISO 15924).
14E. If an IDN, list all code points contained in the U-label according to Unicode form.
15A. If an IDN, upload IDN tables for the proposed registry. An IDN table must include:
the applied-for gTLD string relevant to the tables,
the script or language designator (as defined in BCP 47),
table version number,
effective date (DD Month YYYY), and
contact name, email address, and phone number.
Submission of IDN tables in a standards-based format is encouraged.
15B. Describe the process used for development of the IDN tables submitted, including consultations and sources used.
15C. List any variants to the applied-for gTLD string according to the relevant IDN tables.
- Describe the applicant's efforts to ensure that there are no known operational or rendering problems concerning the applied-for gTLD string. If such issues are known, describe steps that will be taken to mitigate these issues in software and other applications.
Extra Space Storage LLC (Extra Space) anticipates the introduction of this .EXTRASPACE gTLD without operational or rendering problems. Based on a decade of experience launching and operating new TLDs, Afilias Limited (ʺAfiliasʺ) the back-end provider of registry services for the .EXTRASPACE gTLD, is confident the launch and operation of this gTLD presents no known challenges. The rationale for this opinion includes:
-The string is not complex and is represented in standard ASCII characters and follows relevant technical, operational and policy standards;
-The string length is within lengths currently supported in the root and by ubiquitous Internet programs such as web browsers and mail applications;
-There are no new standards required for the introduction of the .EXTRASPACE gTLD;
-No onerous requirements are being made on registrars, registrants or Internet users, and;
-The existing secure, stable and reliable Afilias SRS, DNS, WHOIS and supporting systems and staff are amply provisioned and prepared to meet the needs of the .EXTRASPACE gTLD.
- OPTIONAL.
Provide a representation of the label according to the International Phonetic Alphabet (http://www.langsci.ucl.ac.uk/ipa/).
18A. Describe the mission/purpose of your proposed gTLD.
Extra Space Storage® Inc. (Extra Space) is a real estate investment trust based in Salt Lake City, Utah with regional offices in California, Connecticut, Florida, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York and Texas. Extra Space Storage is the second largest operator of self-storage in the U.S., and is a national owner, developer, acquirer and operator of professionally managed self-storage properties.
Extra Space Storage is a thirty year old company that has been involved in the self-storage industry since its inception. It is a growth-oriented company creating a new standard in the self-storage industry. Both customers and communities benefit from Extra Space Storageʹs professional approach to storage. Featuring attractive, convenient and secure facilities operated by professional managers, Extra Space Storage seeks to change the association of self-storage as a temporary holding place for rarely-used things to a desirable, safe, and customer-oriented facility perfectly suited for maintaining and accessing valued personal and business possessions.
Extra Space Storage Inc., headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah, is a fully integrated, self-administered and self-managed real estate investment trust that owns and⁄or operates 870 self-storage properties in 34 states and Washington, D.C. The Companyʹs properties are comprised of approximately 550,000 units and over 59 million square feet of rentable space, offering customers a wide selection of conveniently located and secure storage solutions across the country, including boat storage, RV storage and business storage. The Company is the second largest owner and⁄or operator of self-storage properties in the United States and is the largest self-storage management company in the United States.
The preservation of this brand is of paramount importance to Extra Space in all aspects of its operations, including and especially on the Internet. Operating the brand as a gTLD will likely be an important part of its digital strategy in the future. Extra Space will be analyzing and evaluating other .BRAND gTLD applications as well as general market adoption to determine short and long-term potential best-in-class use case options to most effectively serve and enhance Extra Space’s online strategy as a leader in the self storage market.
The intended future mission and purpose of the .EXTRASPACE gTLD is to serve as a trusted, hierarchical, and intuitive namespace provided by Extra Space and its qualified affiliates, for Extra Space customers. Extra Space will be the entity to file this application and bring the .EXTRASPACE gTLD to market.
Although ICANN has not specifically recognized a .BRAND gTLD specification in the current round, it is widely anticipated in the brand community that this will become a specialty subset of gTLDs. .EXTRASPACE is intended to be one of those .BRAND gTLDs, with the goal of protecting Extra Space’s online presence and identity, expanding its marketing and promotion efforts, providing a secure channel for online products and services.
Extra Space intends to initially limit registration and use of domain names within the .EXTRASPACE gTLD to Extra Space and its qualified affiliates. This initial limited use will allow Extra Space to establish its operations and achieve full sustainability. This limited distribution coupled with the other requirements set forth in Specification 9 of the Template Registry Agreement is intended to exempt Extra Space from its annual Code of Conduct Compliance requirements.
Extra Space currently plans a three-stage rollout for Extra Space’s gTLD(s):
- Stage One
The initial stage of implementation of the gTLD will involve Extra Space registering a limited number of .EXTRASPACE second-level domain names.
This initial use will provide Extra Space’s IT and security personnel the time to run a number of tests to ensure seamless and secure access using the .EXTRASPACE gTLD domain names, interoperability with various software and Web-based applications, and unbroken and secure use of all names. This initial allocation will also allow the appropriate Extra Space staff to coordinate with the internal and external staff responsible for the application, delegation and setup phases of the .EXTRASPACE gTLD to ensure a proper transition from delegation to full operation.
- Stage Two
Once all testing has been successfully completed, Extra Space will begin allocating domain names in .EXTRASPACE for more widespread internal corporate use. During this same period of time, Extra Space will begin evaluating strategies to potential migrate traffic away from its existing second-level domain names.
It is in Stage Two that Extra Space will evaluate expanding the operations of the gTLD to permit registration by other registrants such as licensees or other strategic parties. Should an assessment of its expansion strategy lead to a decision to extend registration rights to other parties, this expansion is currently planned to take place during Stage Three. However, any expansion would be conditioned upon a review of the Specification 9 (Registry Code of Conduct) set forth in the template registry agreement to ensure compliance with Extra Space’s business model.
- Stage Three
Depending upon the analysis of the evaluations undertaken in Stage Two, Extra Space may begin to implement the migration of Internet traffic away from Extra Space’s legacy domain names, and toward the Extra Space gTLD. It is in this stage that Extra Space also may implement its decision to extend registration rights to licensees or strategic parties, depending upon compliance with Specification 9 as noted above. The dates of such expansion are subject to change depending upon business, strategic, and industry factors at the time.
After consideration of the following factors: analysis of Extra Space’s existing domain name portfolio; internal analysis of marketing initiatives; and the fact that Extra Space will have full control over the number of registrations in the .EXTRASPACE gTLD namespace, Extra Space is confident that the number of domain name registrations will be less than 3,000 in the first five years of operation.
Based on its experience to the end of Year 5, and based on its experience with any expansion implemented in Stage Three, Extra Space will assess whether its business plan and any future expansion strategy. It is anticipated by Extra Space that changes to the domain name industry, and particularly the impact of .BRAND gTLDs, will take at least five years to be realized and assessed. Any decision to expand the gTLDs beyond corporate, qualified subsidiary and affiliate, and licensee use will take into account this experience as well as the technical analysis of potential expansion.
The potential use of the .EXTRASPACE gTLD by these or other business segments will also be driven by Extra Space’s future business strategies as identified in its annual report and investor filings.
18B. How do you expect that your proposed gTLD will benefit registrants, Internet users, and others?
Extra Space believes that a proposed .EXTRASPACE gTLD has the potential to offer the following benefits to Internet users and consumers:
- Establish a trusted source of information and an online marketplace for the consumers researching self storage options through Extra Space’s online website, for investors and third parties seeking information, and for the general Internet user population; and
- Provide Extra Space and its qualified subsidiaries and affiliates with short and memorable Internet addresses; provide increased navigation to self storage locations, services, advertising campaigns, etc;
- Through the adoption of new gTLDs by the wider Internet user community, consumers may benefit from a lower incidence of phishing and malware often associated with mistypes of domain names in the .COM space that are owned by cybersquatters, since consumers will be navigating to domain names in the .EXTRASPACE gTLD; and
- Minimize the cost and need for defensive registrations because domain names will only be allocated by Extra Space within the .EXTRASPACE gTLD to Extra Space and qualified subsidiaries and affiliates.
Extra Space believes that an .EXTRASPACE gTLD can provide an online single-source identifying function for its current and future customers around the world, instead of the mix-and-match approach currently required for expansion into different global markets.
18.2.1 What is the goal of your proposed gTLD in terms of areas of specialty, service levels, or reputation?
The primary mission and purpose of the .EXTRASPACE gTLD is to provide a trusted, hierarchical, and intuitive online marketplace for consumers looking for information about Extra Space self storage facilities. As Extra Space continues to expand, the company will continue to pursue and develop opportunities to market and reach consumers through the US, and on various platforms, including the Internet and mobile devices.
Most importantly, Extra Space will be able to provide consumers access to Extra Space’s network of self storage facilities void of piracy, cybersquatting and other malicious activities. Providing consumers with a trusted experience is paramount to Extra Space, and an .EXTRASPACE gTLD will be used to further that goal.
Extra Space’s mission is sustainable growth, based around six basic company goals:
- Maximize customer satisfaction
- Provide an excellent product and service
- Develop and maintain mutually beneficial business relationships
- Increase shareholder value
- Grow the business
- Make Extra Space Storage a great place to work
18.2.2 What do you anticipate your proposed gTLD will add to the current space, in terms of competition, differentiation, or innovation?
As a branded gTLD, the primary driving factors of an .EXTRASPACE gTLD are differentiation and innovation. The success of the gTLD will be measured not by the number of domain names registered, but rather by the level of consumer recognition and trust that is placed in the .EXTRASPACE gTLD. Using this benchmark, Extra Space will strive to build consumer recognition and trust through usage of the .EXTRASPACE gTLD that rise to the level found in the .EDU and .GOV gTLDs.
As noted above, Extra Space is a leader in the self-storage sector. This dominance is in large part because of Extra Space’s ability to reap the benefits of its online marketing strategy. Years ago Extra Space had the foresight to recognize that self-storage marketing was making a dramatic shift online. The Internet has now become Extra Space’s leading awareness channel. In 2010, more customers first became aware of Extra Space online than by driving by one if its properties – once the dominant way our industry built brand recognition.
Extra Space leverages numerous distribution channels and emerging technologies such as Twitter, Facebook and YouTube to market its services to consumers online. An increasing portion of consumer are researching and reserving storage online, nearly half of customers use the Internet during the buying process, compared to the once-predominant Yellow Pages. From 2009 to 2010, Extra Space’s website optimization increased traffic on the Extraspace.com by 43% and customer conversion by a remarkable 144%. An .EXTRASPACE gTLD has the potential to serve as a cornerstone of this online strategy.
18.2.3 What goals does your proposed gTLD have in terms of user experience?
Extra Space believes that the .EXTRASPACE gTLD will provide a single trusted ecosystem experience for the millions of consumers worldwide who purchase the company’s products, as well as those who seek information about Extra Space, including investors and members of the press. Consumers will know that domains and content on .EXTRASPACE are owned and controlled by Extra Space and are thus more likely to be protected from infringing, pirated, or harmful content.
The initial use of the .EXTRASPACE gTLD will involve a limited number of second-level domain names. This initial use will provide Extra Space the ability to ensure seamless and secure access to the Extra Space website and interoperability with various software and Web⁄mobile-based applications. Once appropriate security and stability issues have been satisfactorily addressed, Extra Space will likely begin allocating domain names for internal corporate use and may redirect new .EXTRASPACE domain names to pre-existing content. This phased rollout will likely take place over a multi-year period, subject to change depending upon a range of external factors.
At the same time, Extra Space will evaluate potential strategies to migrate traffic away from the current network of second-level domains registered in various gTLDs, to the .EXTRASPACE gTLD, which offers the potential to provide customers with a single, trusted online source for Extra Space products and services.
18.2.4 Provide a complete description of the applicant’s intended registration policies in support of the goals listed above.
Extra Space currently intends for the .EXTRASPACE gTLD to be used exclusively by Extra Space and its qualified subsidiaries and affiliates. Because of this condition, and because the Extra Space mark is a valuable brand, the protection of which is paramount to the company, Extra Space intends to address registration and use requirements in its qualified subsidiary and affiliate agreements, rather than in a domain name registration agreement.
Extra Space will, of course, incorporate all required ICANN consensus policies and other legal⁄policy requirements imposed on new gTLD applicants into the terms and conditions of the domain name registration agreement that each qualified subsidiary⁄affiliate will execute.
18.2.5 Will your proposed gTLD impose any measures for protecting the privacy or confidential information of registrants or users? If so, please describe any such measures.
Extra Space respects the privacy of its customers and other consumers. The company employs a variety of physical, electronic, contractual, and managerial safeguards to protect personal and confidential information in its stores and on its websites. Extra Space will take similar precautions to protect registrant and user data associated with the .EXTRASPACE gTLD. Furthermore, given that every domain name will be registered to Extra Space or a qualified subsidiary⁄affiliate, Extra Space has a vested interest in ensuring that accurate and current registrant information is readily available in connection with each .EXTRASPACE domain name.
Extra Space will ensure that the operation of the .EXTRASPACE TLD will be consistent with Extra Space’s Statement of Privacy Principles, available on its website at http:⁄⁄www.extraspace.com⁄Help⁄Privacy.aspx.
In addition, Extra Space intends to incorporate contractual language in its Registry Registrar Agreement (RRA) modeled after language which has been included in the template Registry Agreement and which has been successfully utilized by existing ICANN gTLD registry operators. Specifically, Extra Space shall notify Registrar of the purposes for which Personal Data submitted to Registry Operation by Registrar is collected, the intended recipients (or categories of recipients) of such Personal Data, and the mechanism for access to and correction of such Personal Data. Extra Space shall take reasonable steps to protect Personal Data from loss, misuse, unauthorized disclosure, alteration or destruction. Extra Space shall not use or authorize the use of Personal Data in a way that is incompatible with the notice provided to registrars. Extra Space may from time to time use the demographic data collected for statistical analysis, provided that this analysis will not disclose individual Personal Data and provided that such use is compatible with the notice provided to registrars regarding the purpose and procedures for such use.
18.2.6 Describe whether and in what ways outreach and communications will help to achieve your projected benefits.
Extra Space sees the potential for the .EXTRASPACE gTLD to play a large role in the company’s future online strategy. While the extent of likely benefits is currently uncertain due to questions of consumer recognition, the adoption of new gTLDs, and the response from search engines in the marketplace, all of which will influence the communication and usage strategies for the gTLD, Extra Space anticipates a phased-in approach to using and promoting the .EXTRASPACE gTLD.
As a first step, Extra Space plans to start using .EXTRASPACE domains initially as redirects to existing .COM domains. Subsequently, Extra Space expects to initiate a targeted rollout using select gTLD domains as primary addresses and, after careful analysis and study of this rollout, Extra Space may engage in a broader initiative, should the results be satisfactory and in accordance with the company’s overall strategic goals. The actual usage of .EXTRASPACE domain names will dictate what public communications and consumer outreach is conducted to encourage navigation to the .EXTRASPACE gTLD, including advertising, media outreach, communications, email campaigns, etc.
18C. What operating rules will you adopt to eliminate or minimize social costs (e.g., time or financial resource costs, as well as various types of consumer vulnerabilities)? What other steps will you take to minimize negative consequences/costs imposed upon consumers?
Extra Space’s proposed operating rules to limit registration to Extra Space and its qualified affiliates will provide a trusted online environment for consumers to access Extra Space’s online content, and by default will minimize social costs. This verified ecosystem provides consumers with a single trusted source for Extra Space’s storage unites and information with a substantially lower risk of fraud and⁄or scams. We do not anticipate consumer vulnerabilities. In addition, there is no need for other trademark and brand owners to defensively register second-level domains in the gTLD. In fact, our expectation is that the usage of an .EXTRASPACE gTLD will eliminate some of the vulnerabilities that its customers face in the wider Internet today.
18.3.2 What other steps will you take to minimize negative consequences⁄costs imposed upon consumers?
Extra Space believes that the proposed operation of the .EXTRASPACE gTLD as set forth in this application has no known negative consequences or cost implications to consumers. On the contrary, the proposed operation of this registry will likely lead to direct benefits to consumers.
18.3.3 How will multiple applications for a particular domain name be resolved, for example, by auction or on a first-come⁄first-serve basis?
Extra Space does not envision multiple applicants for the same domain name, as domain names will be allocated only to Extra Space and its qualified subsidiaries and affiliates in accordance with Extra Space’s business strategy.
18.3.4 Explain any cost benefits for registrants you intend to implement (e.g., advantageous pricing, introductory discounts, bulk registration discounts).
Extra Space does not envision any pricing, introductory discounts, or bulk registration discounts because these marketing⁄commercial initiatives are inconsistent with the mission and purpose of the .EXTRASPACE gTLD as a trusted online source identifier. Moreover, it is the current intention of Extra Space to provide domain name registrations to itself and its qualified subsidiaries and affiliates at no cost, though the company reserves the right to re-evaluate this decision and may choose to impose a nominal fee in the future. Any potential registrant fees imposed upon licensees and strategic partners will be made in the future if this class of registrants is permitted to register domain names in the .EXTRASPACE gTLD.
18.3.5 Note that the Registry Agreement requires that registrars be offered the option to obtain initial domain name registrations for periods of one to ten years at the discretion of the registrar,
but no greater than ten years. Additionally, the Registry Agreement requires advance written notice of price increases. Do you intend to make contractual commitments to registrants regarding the magnitude of price escalation? If so, please describe your plans.
Extra Space is committed to providing the domain name registration periods set forth in the Registry Agreement. However, as noted above, as a branded gTLD, the registration and use of the domain name by a third party is conditioned upon a separate qualified subsidiary or affiliate relationship with Extra Space Therefore, providing contractual commitments in a domain name registrant agreement regarding the magnitude of price escalations does not seem relevant or appropriate. Additionally, as noted above, the current business model envisions Extra Space providing domain name registrations to itself and its qualified subsidiaries and affiliates at no cost.
Extra Space acknowledges that the current template Registry Agreement requires that the Registry Operator “shall offer registrars the option to obtain registration periods for one to ten years at the discretion of the registrar.” However, Extra Space as the primary registrant within the .EXTRASPACE gTLD, will only be registering domain names on an annual basis. This is done to better account for costs on an annual basis as well as to provide for more concise financial statements as provided in the answer to Question 46 of this application, e.g., no multi-year registration or deferred revenue.