If this is your first time seeing a Domain Movers series, I highly suggest you checkout past articles. This series is all about detecting domain names on the move for one reason or another by large corporations. These companies often purchase already owned domain names by others for new brands, products or services and for many more reasons.
These are early findings and the following is often the first time publicly that the information is announced.
Microsoft Corporation registered 27 domain names related to “Teals”. Some of those were MicrosoftTeals.com |.net |.org, MicrosoftTealsK12.com |.net |.org and MsftTeals.com |.net|.org . Microsoft does not own Teals.com, which is a Truck Freight service.
ABC, Inc. registered the domain name InquireIt.net. The .com is currently for sale with a $2,000 Buy It Now and is not owned by ABC, Inc/Disney..
IBM Smarter Workforce has taken ownership of the domain name ProveIt.com, which was last listed in whois records as owned by Kenexa Technology, Inc. IBM acquired Kenexa for $1.3 Billion in August 2012 according to Forbes. The website is a testing solution.
On a side note, IBM may have the longest email address I have ever seen in whois, besides “privacy” services and uses the email address: IBM-KNXA-HOSTING-EXT-DOMAINRENEWALS@WWPDL.VNET.IBM.COM
Elderman.com registered the domain names MarketMustacheRide.com and MarketStreetMustacheRide.com for a company party and the website the domains resolve to is pretty funny (IMO) and RSVP date was September 14, 2015.
Multiply.com which is currently owned by Netrepreneur Connections Enterprises, Inc. has started to redirect the domain name to PayU.com.
The domain name has long resolved to an image that Multiply.com closed on May 31, 2013. Bloomberg.com is stating the company Multiply.com Inc. went out of business the day it closed on May 31, 2013. Prior to the closing date (about November 20, 2011), whois records for Multiply.com then displayed Multiply Singapore Pte. Ltd. instead of Multiply.com Inc. as it did prior.
About June 20, 2013 Netrepreneur Connections Enterprises, Inc (which is owned by Naspers, because in 2009, they acquired a 51% interest in Suilit.com.ph, which increased to 75% in 2012 and 83% in 2013 and Suilit owns Netrepreneur Connections Enterprises, Inc.) appears in whois records, . According to the history page on Naspers.com, it states they purchased OLX in 2010, which is one of the logos displayed on the shuttered Multiply.com. A September 2010 note states: “MIH acquires a 74% holding in Multiply Inc., a social shopping platform in South-east Asia.”
Coca Cola has registered the domain name ConaLLC.com. There are several companies that use that name.
Verizon announced a new logo after 15 years with its last one and also registered several terms relating to it, as a domain names. NewVerizonLogo.com, VerizonNewLogo.com, VerizonLogo.com, VerizonCheckmark.com and VerizonCheck.com.
JC.com changed ownership via whois from Journal Communications Inc. (Journal Sentinel Inc.) to The E. W. Scripps Company. The two companies announced a merger in July 2014. The domain name has since been sold to BrokerageFirm.com.
Facebook Inc. used brand protection service MarkMonitor to register the domain name FreeBasics.com on July 23, 2015 after the domain expired January 31, 2015. They also registered the .net and .org the same day.
They have also registered XX amount of similar spellings of the term containing a “branding” spelling like “Free Basixs” and “Free Basiks”. They appear to be registering A LOT of domains like this and that often indicates a bigger play relating to the term.
Facebook then rebranded Internet.org to FreeBasics.com!
Ford Motor Company has moved the domain name FordField.com from CSC Corporate Domains to GoDaddy and the domain name currently does not resolve. According to Wikipedia, Ford Motor Company signed a 20 year, $40 Million name rights to the stadium used by the NFL Detroit Lions. From other sources, the deal was signed in 2002.
Apple Inc. appears to have registered the domain name ConnectVerified.com at domain name registrar Tucows on July 5, 2015 and pulled that domain name out of hiding by transferring the domain to its main domain name registrar CSC Corporate Domains Inc on September 8, 2015. The domain names ApplePaySolutions.com | .net have also come out of privacy and now show Apple Inc. as the owners of those two domain names.
Lane Bryant launched a new advertising campaign with the term Plus Is Equal and is using the hashtag #PlusIsEqual and also registered the matching domain name PlusIsEqual.com on April 27, 2015 and have built a stand alone website on the domain name featuring several women in a silhouette pose stating that “67% of US women are size 14-34. But they’re underrepresented on billboards, magazines, TV… everywhere. We believe all women should be seen and celebrated equally.”
The website also features a countdown clock that states: “change starts in” with the countdown clock.
AstraZeneca AB registered the domain name Breatheable.com as well as IAmBreathable.com.com and MyBreathable.com
PLR IP HOldings, LLC (Polaroid) registered the domain names PolaroidPower.com and PolaroidSnapPhone.com. PolaroidSnap.com which was registered on April 28, 2015 by a Michael Horsfall of Collaborative By Design has also changed ownership to PLR.
Godaddy.com has sold the following domain names out of its Marchex domain name portfolio:
- Peeks.com was acquired by Mark Itwaru of Riavera.com.
- Andrew Naylor has acquired StPatricks.com.
- Yinan Wang acquired Top500.com.
- Club All Sports Pty Ltd has acquired BettingClub.com which had a $6,499 buy now.
Jackrabbit.com has been sold and acquired by Boulder Running Company, who is a shoe seller. The domain name was owned by Jackrabbit Microwave up to March 2, 2015 when whois records changed to domain name buy service Marksmen. On March 13, 2015 whois records indicate a Mark Sweetin with the organization of The Running Specialty Group Acquisitions 1, LLC on the email address of Domains-CH@btlaw.com . The domain name then went into privacy protection at GoDaddy. Jackrabbit.com currently redirects to http://archive.boulderrunningcompany.com/ which is a blank page.
The ultra premium domain name Run.com is owned by The Running Specialty Group, LLC and holds the same email address as mentioned above.
JackrabbitSports.com is owned by The Running Specialty Group Acquisitions 1, LLC according to whois records and is a New York based running and triathlon specialty store.
Finishline.com uses the same domains-ch@btlaw.com registrant email address and is owned by Finish Line Inc. which is a publicly traded company on NASDAQ: FINL
According to Run.com, “Running Specialty Group is the parent company behind a network of 75+ local running stores across the U.S. and an online store at BoulderRunningCompany.com. Our goal is to inspire, connect, and serve runners everywhere. We understand the importance of your local running community and your desire to shop the best running product out there.”
According to Bloomberg.com: “The Running Specialty Group Acquisitions 1, LLC has a strategic agreement with The Finish Line Inc. The company was founded in 1998 and is based in Indianapolis, Indiana.”
