Internet retailer NoMoreRack.com has rebranded, the name they chose is Choxi, according to the company it is hybrid of “Chock Full” and Choice. I can say I don’t get it. I don’t think the name is easily spelled when one customer may tell a potential new shopper. On top of that Target used to sell a brand of chocolates called Choxie.
InternetRetailer.com reports that the move was partially due to a lawsuit (which was dismissed) filed by Nordstrom 3 years ago. In the article the Chief Marketing Officer said they were already thinking about rebranding before the Nordstrom lawsuit.
From the article:
Part of the motivation for the rebranding was to better position the company globally. “NoMoreRack is a very literal English word,” Agarwal says. “We wanted to have a more global name, a more world-recognized brand that would be easier for everyone else. We wanted to be able to set the right platform for the future.” While the company has what it considers to be a more global name, international expansion plans aren’t yet in its future, he says.
Top500Guide.com data shows that NoMoreRack.com experienced explosive growth during the past five years, going from $375,000 in sales when the site launched in 2010 to an Internet Retailer-estimated $700 million in sales in 2014. Agarwal declined to confirm that number or provide an exact sales figure in an interview.
The move comes three years after Nordstrom Inc. (No. 19) filed a trademark infringement lawsuit against NoMoreRack on the grounds that Nordstrom, which operates the Nordstrom Rack chain of discount stores and NordstromRack.com, had staked its claim to the “Rack” name when it came to online commerce. However, the Nordstrom case was dismissed in February 2014.
Read the full article on InternetRetailer.com
I really don’t “get” these names either but that said you have to roll with the landscape and these types of names are what new companies are “Branding” with. With that in mind we started buying and have about 100 of them now re Jittsy.com Deqio.com etc etc -we’ll see if they prove to be great investments or a waste of time. Thanks for the post.
Xi is at the top of the list of iconic lucky Chinese words – it means happiness.
I bet they paid a marketing company $50-100k to come up with that name. Too funny.
A very important fact that was left out of this article is that NoMoreRack.com has net sales of almost 1 billion dollars and bought the domain from HugeDomains.com in March of this year. It is safe to say that this billion dollar company bought the name for between $1,500 and $3,500 because that is the price range where most of HugeDomains 5 letter portfolio falls.
No More Rack sucks as a brand name and so does Choxi so it may seem like a downgrade to most but it’s pretty easy to remember this 5 letter domain so it just may be an upgrade in the end. This is a pure play internet company so remembering word of mouth names doesn’t really matter. I am sure their marketing team understood this and knew that didn’t have to go buy some overpriced $100,000 domain to make the business work.
Todd revenue numbers are included in the article, Top500Guide.com data shows that NoMoreRack.com experienced explosive growth during the past five years, going from $375,000 in sales when the site launched in 2010 to an Internet Retailer-estimated $700 million in sales in 2014
You know I like Made Up Pronounceables, I just didn’t think this one was great, Especially with the previous Choxie from Target for chocolates.
Thanks for the Huge Domains info.
Ray I know you had the revenue numbers in the article. I worded it wrong and put the emphasis on the revenue numbers when the emphasis was on the HugeDomains sale.
I agree with you 100% that Choxi isn’t great but it’s not better or worse than No More Rack.
I agree No More Rack is certainly not a good brand when you want to be selling around the world. Do you think a brandable that incorporated clothing or fashion would have been better ? You know like a modified word.
Personally I think the Choxi name serves it’s purpose for them. They are going for a more hip feel to their company and Choxi works for that. 2 syllables and only 5 letters you really can’t go wrong even though it’s not the most catchy 5 letter. The name NoMoreRack reminds of a Kmart. It has that discount merchandise feel to the name.
whatever Overstock dumps is NoMoreRack’s destination
Choxi.com makes sense since the twitter & FB accounts weren’t available, with broader merchandising applicability for a domain name than for instance, chocolate.dental (still available)
Hello Ray,
We catch the drift of the big picture in all of this. By the way they would be smart to keep the LONG TAIL .com over the CHOXI ??
This is obviously the work of a Slick Ad Company salesmans advice. His rebranding to the inferior Choxi. Causes confusion and its end result Indentures the company to endless expensive Ad support into infinity.
OCCAM’S RAZOR
Gratefully, Jeff Schneider (Contact Group) (Metal Tiger) (Former Rockefeller IBEC Marketing Analyst/Strategist)
Seems like brands and short words are in. But I agree with above: I’m not keen on either Choxi (sounds like a “pet rock-like” toy) or NoMoreRack.com.
Kudos to @Jeff for the “Occam’s Razor” reference – simple & clearest choice is best
The Company is doing something right: going from $375 K to $700 million in sales is phenomenal. Nordstrrom should just acquire this company.