Welcome to Domain Movers where DotWeekly keeps track of corporate domain name transactions. These domain movements are often early indicators of new brands, marketing efforts, domain upgrades and much more.
Here are the latest:
Amazon Technologies, Inc. registered AmazonPopUp.com on May 23, 2017 and appears to be getting ready to do something with the domain. One odd thing to me, they have the super popular Amazon AWS that many use to host websites, yet Amazon often uses DYN and NeuStar, Inc’s Ultra DNS services.
Unity Technologies, which was founded in 2004 acquired the premium domain name Unity.com on May 8, 2015. The company has long used Unity3D.com for its gaming engine offering. The company uses both domain names and also secures the brand by owning Unity.com. Some of the companies competition include Amazon’s Lumberyard and Autodesk’s Stingray brands. Neither Amazon or Autodesk own the premium domain names to those brands.
Unity recently took in $400 million more in fresh funding, giving the company a $2.2 billion valuation.
Netherland based “Minibrew” recently raised $2.8 million after a successful $350K crowdfunding campaign and is using Minibrew.co. Mmmm they have a problem, because they are are an M away from being good when it comes to there domain name and securing there brand name, but the problem is, Minibrew.com is also a brewing company that sells brewing equipment, owned by Hobby Beverage Equipment Company and has owned the domain Minibrew.com since at least 2001. Instant confusion, lost web visitors, lost important email communication and simply an uphill climb to separate the brands for this new company.
Henkel appears to be going all out to protect the Lovables.com brand I mentioned yesterday and they acquired several domain names in the aftermarket to do so. Some of those include LovablesOnline.com, LovableShop.com, LovablesHome.com, MyLovables.com and Lovabels.com.
Unilever Plc. has acquired EvenAndLovely.com from its past owner Shreya Prakash from Mumbai India. The domain has been registered since 2014.
Altria Client Services Inc. acquired iqos.us with the help of Marksmen. The domain held a $9,999 offering price.
PNTA, Incorporated acquired CanyonSupply.com, TAL Promotions LLC acquired InvestorShow.com and Lending Stream LLC acquired ResponsibleCredit.com all out of GoDaddy’s NameFind portfolio.
Taihang Technologies, Inc. acquired CuteBot.com via domain name aftermarket service Afternic.
Bookingshow spa acquired UpCommerce.com, which actually has been in Afternic Escrow for years (2014).
BoldWorks.com has been acquired by a currently unknown MarkMonitor client. The domain sold in December 2015 at Sedo for $4,800 and then moved into whois privacy at GoDaddy for all of 2016 and just transferred to MarkMonitor. There is potential that the MarkMonitor client was the buyer in 2015.
Univision Interactive Media, Inc. has taken ownership of LifeHacker.com from Kinja Kft, which was part of Gawker Media. Univision purchased Gawker Media in bankruptcy for $135 million, with LifeHacker.com being one of the assets, along with Deadspin, Gizmodo, Jalopnik, Jezebel and Kotaku.
Clear Channel Identity, LP allowed TrumpsWorld.com to expire and drop. They had owned the domain dating back to at least 2007 (oldest whois records) but potentially back to when it was first registered in 2004. The domain was grabbed right after dropping and is now on an Efty landing page.
WindowsNext.com has been acquired by a currently unknown MarkMonitor client using generic whois data from a Chinese registrant. Microsoft would be a potential buyer.
BISSELL Homecare, Inc. has acquired FurGetIt.com. The domain has been registered since 2005.
AstraZeneca AB has acquired Stat3.com, a domain that has been registered since 2009. This adds to nearly 9,800 other domain names the company owns.
ArcadiaOfTheSeas.com has been acquired by a currently unknown CSC Corporate Domains client.
Thank you for the fun recap! AstraZeneca AB owning nearly 10,000 domain names seems proportional to the need for new product names in the drug company business.
Interesting point about Amazon AWS. Isn’t Amazon AWS strictly for content? I could see how Amazon might turn to professionals in managing its high value domain portfolio.