My friend Justin runs a successful PR firm in Florida. Despite all my assistance over the years regarding domain names, domain investment and domain development, Justin has a hard time understanding a few core principles.
The problem is that Justin owns a company and a trademark. But he doesn’t own the .com. His company uses the next best thing, the .net.
After successfully fighting off a challenge of his trademark by potential suitors, Justin decided to go after the .com, against my advice.
He fired off a UDRP and lost it, because he didn’t listen to me: a trademark alone does not guarantee that you can get the .com. Sometimes, the first man to grab the land, will hold it forever.
The holders of the .com are a company from another country, and they hold a trademark in that particular country in Europe. While the US is large and powerful, there are things that are decided based on international law.
Early on in the game, Justin had the opportunity to change his corporate name; that was my advice, as getting the .com for six figures was out of the question. Now, more than ten years later, it’s too late to rebrand; his company is far too large – larger than Justin’s ego.
So when you decide to form a company, ensure that you are able to obtain the .com – it’s the only sensible choice.
Amen, .com brother!
Some think that the new .crapolla gtld’s will solve their problems. Yeah, good luck with that.
It’s a smart advice!
I suggested the same to the CEO of this new company that purchased Moniker, …
They are advertising for a pair of years a registrar with a name that it simply HORRIBLE and that for remember I need to visit Domaining.com to read the name I never succeeded to save in my mind despite seeing it everyday.
Just 30 seconds I look… it’s rrpproxy.net
I even had to copy paste because in addition of horrible one is obligated to copy the name to not make an error.
They are wasting their money advertising a name that nobody will never remember.
It’s better they change it as soon as possible to something easier to remember and most attractive then continue stupidely insisting with this one.
I lost an advertiser?
No problem, it had to be said so maybe they wake up!!!
A friend must always tell the truth (like you did) even if it’s not appreciated, this way he may help while is not too late.
You learn some things only when you experience it. But it gets costly by that time. Sad thing is, you see this happening very often.