18(b) How do you expect that your proposed gTLD will benefit registrants, Internet users, and others?

Prototypical answer:

1 BENEFITS OF REGISTRANTS, INTERNET USERS, AND OTHERS

The Top Level Domain (TLD), .SALON, will benefit registrants, Internet users, and others by providing a means for personal care industry owners and workers worldwide to acquire a domain name that demonstrates the core focus of the business or individual, which will provide name recognition, trust, and an ease of use for website visitors. The .SALON TLD will provide business owners with an inherent value in terms of Internet search metrics, of name recognition, domain name availability, and overall improvement in Internet marketing and advertising. The TLD, .SALON, will also provide a means for small, third world, and emerging countries to acquire a prestigious second-level domain on prominent and recognizable TLD geared primarily towards the personal care industry.
While the primary focus of .SALON is for the personal care industry, it will not be restricted to include only businesses within the personal care industry. It will encompass businesses and organizations that preside within the definitions that are listed in the English dictionary and the global language market that utilize the term “Salon” in its various forms.

1.1 Goal Of The gTLD In Terms Of Specialty, Service Levels, And Reputation
In terms of specialty, the goal of .SALON is to establish a diverse and global community comprised of millions of personal care professionals, which includes a wide array of specialties such as hair, makeup, skin care, nail, tanning, spa, and general beauty industry businesses.
In addition, in terms of specialty, .SALON will reflect:
- Modern style and branding that will keep up with current styles and business trends in the hair, beauty, nail and personal care industry
- An online destination for the exhibition and growth of artistic and creative excellence
- A basic web domain for sites dedicated to discussion and debate of the personal care industry
- A unique web presence that defines what it is to be part of the personal care industry
- A trustworthy reputation that all .SALON websites are secure and offer legitimate services
- Technologically advanced sites and web services
The service levels and reputation of .SALON will be built and maintained with the same regard and reputation that DaySmart holds its software development and customer service. DaySmart develops software and mobile applications that are utilized in salons and spas all over the world: 100 countries in all. DaySmart was founded in 1999 and has continued to grow annually, having recently seen a 35% increase in sales for 2011. In 2011, DaySmart was recognized as one of the fastest growing companies in America with an Inc. 500|5000 award. Additionally, and most recently, DaySmart was named a “Michigan 50 Companies to Watch” for 2012.
Through a commitment to develop quality products and services to its customers, DaySmart has worked to develop software that exceeds user expectations and supports our benchmark reputation. Current users are given the features they have requested, while new users are provided software that was influenced by the industry it serves. Throughout the years, Salon Iris(r), DaySmart’s flagship product, has been recognized by several industry leading publications. Salon Iris(r) has been awarded Best Business Software by Beauty Launchpad magazine for three years in a row, Nails Magazine’s Best Computer System in 2009, and American Salon’s Best Salon Software in 2010.
DaySmart’s success is also attributed to its customer support performance. The Applicant assists its customers not only with software and hardware troubleshooting, but with responding to their requests to make its product better. The average wait time for a customer on hold with customer support is less than forty seconds. DaySmart troubleshoots every software problem to completion. Trending issues and call metrics are tracked daily as part of our continuous improvement process so software and hardware problems can be quickly identified and efficiently resolved for every user. Every customer request is taken seriously, and DaySmart uses those requests to develop a stronger brand. This customer service foundation will be the same for the .SALON TLD; proactively interacting with the registrars and registrants to ensure seamless integration and a positive consumer experience.

1.2 .SALON Will Add To The Current Competition, Differentiation, And Innovation
In terms of competition and differentiation, .SALON will be competing with the following established TLDs:
- .COM: this TLD has a heavily depleted supply of semantically appealing domain names
- .BIZ: while this TLD offers a registry space for business owners and operators specifically, DaySmart foresees that the millions of personal care industry business owners located around the world, such as salon owners, will prefer a .SALON domain to better differentiate their web identity from a generic group of businesses
- .PRO: while there are millions of professionally licensed cosmetologists and aestheticians that may qualify for a .PRO domain, DaySmart anticipates that the specialization provide by a .SALON domain would be preferred
- .INFO: this generic TLD offers an opportunity for those who wish to educate and share information, but leaders and educators in the personal care industry will be provided a more specialized domain with the .SALON TLD, which will offer a more focused and preferred method to target the audience in their industry
As a company that takes pride in its innovative spirit, DaySmart will encourage creativity and innovation within the web space. DaySmart is committed to the growth, preservation, and future marketing of .SALON as a space for creativity and business alike. To ensure that marketing efforts are current, DaySmart will maintain the approach of being a proactive agent in the salon and personal care industry. DaySmart is currently integrated in the beauty industry, and works to adhere to trends and marketing research. Marketing outreach and communications are currently, but not limited to:
- Social media: over 8,000 social media followers
- Magazine print ads: 481,000 readers based on circulation numbers of advertising partners
- electronic Advertisements: 2,426,000 combined yearly views of websites containing our advertisements
- Software purchases: over 30,000 installs
- DaySmart online service users: over 17,000 online accounts
- DaySmart website views: 140,000 combined yearly views
- Mobile app downloads: 35,000 combined mobile application downloads
- Trade shows: 200,000 estimated visitors to industry trade shows

1.3 User Experience Of .SALON
The .SALON TLD will add many exciting and innovative features to the current Internet space. The user experience of .SALON will reflect:
- A reflection of modern style that will keep up with current styles and business trends in the personal care industry
- An online destination for the exhibition of, and growth of artistic and creative excellence
- A web domain dedicated to the discussion and debate of the personal care industry
- A web presence that defines personal care industry businesses
- Trustworthy reputation and secure web domains
- Technologically advanced sites and web services
The .SALON domain will be utilized by the world as the place to interact with the global hair, beauty, and nail industries on the web by launching key industry specific websites. Adding a new TLD for .SALON will allow a special presence and differentiation for the salon industry extending globally to all regions and levels of commerce.

2 POLICIES

2.1 Registration Policies
These policies will assist with the interaction between people and online services to promote a trustworthy, balanced, and reliable domain space.

2.1.1 Registration Policy Summary
DaySmart’s Registration Policy will be open and non-restrictive; however it reserves the right to alter this policy to include eligibility restrictions if deemed necessary. The primary audience for .SALON is intended to serve the personal care industry. By implementing a registration policy that will not restrict registration in the .SALON domain to registered businesses or individuals in the personal care industry, DaySmart will encourage businesses, organizations, and individuals that identify with one of the other accepted definitions of the term “Salon” in the English language as well as the global language market that utilize the term “Salon” in its various forms.
The .SALON TLD will be open to any person or business entity who wishes to register a domain name. All namespaces will be available unless the name has been designated a second or third level registration.
As it is not possible to file a request for domain name registration directly with the registry organization, domain names can only be applied for and registered with the registry through a registrar accredited by the registry. It is likely that the registrar will charge a fee for such service.
Each registrar will be required to evaluate the registration policy as part of the registration process.

2.1.1.1 Premium Domain Names
Domain names will be identified as “premium names” during the startup period. These domain names will be offered at an increased price throughout the General Availability period.

2.1.1.2 Second and Third Level Domain Names
Some domain names will be identified as .SALON second level namespaces. These second level domain names will be identified during the startup period, and will be unavailable during the Sunrise period and will not be available during the initial Landrush. It is the intention of DaySmart to allow third level domain names by the second full year of operation. All reserved second level domain names will be reserved on the following basis:
1) The name of a city, state, country or geographic location (all in compliance with Specification 5 to the Registry Agreement and the rules provided in the Applicant Guidebook in this regard)
2) The name is a personal care industry term
3) The name could be utilized to create specialization for personal care industries
4) The name could be utilized to create specialization for non-personal care industries
The DaySmart controlled second level domain names will be open to registrants for third level domain name registrations.

2.1.1.3 Selecting a Registrar
Domain names can only be registered, and registrations may only be renewed with the registry through a registrar who acts on behalf of the registrant. Therefore, in order to file a request for registration of a domain name, the registrant should select an accredited registrar as a provider of the .SALON domain.

2.1.1.4 Provide Accurate and Complete Contact Information
A request for registration of a domain name will only be considered complete when, through a registrar, the registrant provides the registry with at least the following information:
(i) the full name of the registrant; or in the case that a name of a company or organization is not specified, the individual requesting registration of the domain name will be considered the registrant; if the name of the company or the organization is specified, then the company or organization is considered the registrant;
(ii) address and country of the registrant
a. where the registered office, central administration or principal place of business of the undertaking of the registrant is located, or
b. where the organization of the registrant is established, or
c. where the registrant resides;
(iii) E-mail address of the registrant (or its representative);
(iv) the telephone number where the registrant (or its representative) can be contacted;
(v) the domain name applied for;
The registrant is under an obligation to keep the above information complete and accurate at all times throughout the term of registration.

2.1.1.5 Procedure for Renewal, Cancellation or Extension of a Domain Name Term
In principle, the term of a registered domain name is automatically renewed for consecutive one (1) year periods. The term may at any time be extended for more than one (1) year, not exceeding an aggregate total of ten (10) years at a certain given time, although the exact total amount may be more than ten (10) years by adding the remaining number of days of the month in which the domain name was registered.
The registrant is entitled to cancel a domain name registration by filing a request with its registrar, who is the only person that may file a cancellation request with the registry. It is not possible for a registrant to file a cancellation request directly with the registry.
The procedures used by registrars for the renewal, cancellation or extension of the term of domain names may vary; DaySmart therefore urges the registrant to read clearly the terms and conditions specified by the appointed registrar. In some cases, the registrar will only renew registrations and not provide cancellations.

2.1.1.6 Registrant Domain Name Sales Policy
It will be the policy of DaySmart that registrants can sell their registered domain names. This will allow the domain name registrants the flexibility to transfer a domain name to another party should it be necessary. The personal care industry has a significant business failure rate and the domain names may need to be transferred to a new owner. It is understood that this will allow for some domain names to be registered and no site posted.

2.1.1.7 Cybersquatting
DaySmart’s registration policy will include statements to prevent cybersquatting, or domain names being registered and no site being posted. When a domain name is registered, the registrant will have twelve (12) months to post a valid website. A site may be considered invalid if one of the following criteria is met;
(i) No website is posted or a registrar default page is posted
(ii) A minimal page with no content or content that is non-descriptive
(iii) A web page is posted listing the domain for sale for more than six (6) months
(iv) Web site forwards end user to a non-personal care industry site or a site does not utilize the term “Salon” in its various forms.
If a domain name is flagged as a potential cybersquatter, the registrant will be given notice every thirty (30) days for ninety (90) days, for a total of three notices. If the registrant takes no action and does not respond to the notices to discuss this potential violation, the registrant may be considered a cybersquatter and their registration revoked.

2.1.2 Registration Domain Name Disputes
Because many salons in the U.S. and global market share a name, we will resolve name disputes based on each registrant’s submission of intended use. Because .SALON is an effort to improve the web presence of the beauty industry, the best possible use of .SALON domain space will be taken into consideration before a registrant is awarded a disputed domain.
Every registrant will have to acknowledge and accept
- that any proceedings concerning a Domain Name must be conducted before a designated dispute resolution center in accordance with the UDRP, the Rules for UDRP and any relevant supplemental rules that are made available, and⁄or the Rules for URS and any relevant supplemental rules; and
- to participate in good faith in any domain name dispute initiated by  third party complainant under the UDRP and⁄or URS against the registrant in compliance therewith and with the Rules for UDRP and⁄or URS.
The Applicant reserves the right to develop policies regarding the cancellation and⁄or transfer of domain names following dispute resolution.

2.2 Anti-Abuse Policies
DaySmart will ensure a safe and secure user experience when using a .SALON domain extension, and will maintain this security by adhering to a strict anti-abuse policy. Abusive behavior is an action that:
- causes actual and substantial harm, or is a material predicate of such harm; or
- is illegal or illegitimate, or is otherwise considered contrary to the intention and design of the mission⁄purpose of the TLD.
A ‘predicate’ is an action or enabler of harm.
‘Material’ means that something is consequential or significant.
Examples of abusive behavior falling within this definition:
- Spam: the use of electronic messaging systems to send unsolicited bulk messages. The term applies to e-mail spam and similar abuses such as instant messaging spam, mobile messaging spam, and the spamming of web sites and Internet forums. An example, for purposes of illustration, would be the use of email in denial-of-service attacks.
- Phishing: the use of a fraudulently presented web site to deceive Internet users into divulging sensitive information such as usernames, passwords or financial data.
- Pharming: the redirecting of unknowing users to fraudulent web sites or services, typically through DNS hijacking or poisoning, in order to deceive Internet users into divulging sensitive information such as usernames, passwords or financial data.
- Willful distribution of malware: the dissemination of software designed to infiltrate or cause damage to devices or to collect confidential data from users without the owner’s informed consent.
- Fast Flux hosting: the use of DNS to frequently change the location on the Internet to which the domain name of an Internet host or nameserver resolves in order to disguise the location of web sites or other Internet services, or to avoid detection and mitigation efforts, or to host illegal activities. Fast flux hosting may only be used with prior permission of the registry operator.
- Botnet command and control: the development and use of a command, agent, motor, service or software which is implemented: (1) to remotely control the computer or computer system of an Internet user without their knowledge or consent, (2) to generate direct denial of service (DDOS) attacks.
- Distribution of child pornography: the storage, publication, display and⁄or dissemination of pornographic materials depicting individuals under the age of majority in the relevant jurisdiction.
- Illegal access to other computers or networks: the illegal accessing of computers, accounts, or networks belonging to another party, or attempt to penetrate security measures of another individual’s system (hacking). Also, any activity that might be used as a precursor to an attempted system penetration.

2.3 Privacy Policies
Privacy of confidential information is important to all DaySmart customers. We commit to the following:
- Safeguarding the confidentiality, integrity and availability of registrant’s data.
- Compliance with the relevant regulation and legislation with respect to privacy.
- Working with law enforcement where appropriate in response to illegal activity or at the request of law enforcement agencies.
- Maintaining a best practice information security management system that continues to be ISO27001-compliant.
- Validating requests from external parties requesting data or changes to the registry to ensure the identity of these parties and that their request is appropriate. This includes requests from ICANN.
- That access to DNS and contact administrative facilities requires multi-factor authentication by the Registrar on behalf of the registrant.
– That Registry data cannot be manipulated in any fashion other than those permitted to authenticated Registrars using the EPP or the SRS web interface. Authenticated Registrars can only access Registry data of domain names sponsored by them.
- A Domain transfer can only be done by utilizing the AUTH CODE provided to the Domain Registrant.
- Those emergency procedures are in place and tested to respond to extraordinary events affecting the integrity, confidentiality or availability of data within the registry.

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