Morning Folks!!
There is a story to tell and it must be told in an understandable and cohesive manner. It must also be hard hitting and filled with example after example of facts that are easy to verify. Consider this a starting outline and all the things that need to be filled in.
Does anyone really believe that DrugStore.com would be what it is today without the domain name? Had it been JimmysDrugSuperMarket.com with the greatest content and the best backend would it have been where it is today without the name? I doubt it. Let's just say that it increases your chances dramatically and your front end 'Branding' costs are much lower because they are funded by SALES and not borrowing. Let's just say it's the smart thing to do if you can and it takes a lot of burdens out of the picture. Let's just say one domain is cheaper than building one store. Let's just say all the damn benefits because if we don't, who will?
Thousands of visitors each day before you even open up the door. JimsDrugs Something or other .com would have never have gotten that benefit. It would have taken a lot of “Branding” just to get where Drugstore.com was the day it opened for business. That takes a lot of money.
That is not true of just drugstore.com but all the other high profile, category killer domains like Insurance.com, Insure.com, Books.com and all the rest. And while they hide behind wanting everything but the domain name, they are all lying. They want that domain name! They will never let go of that domain name. That domain name has cost Walgreens hundreds of millions over the years in lost business and lower prices.
Barnes and Noble owns Book.com and Books.com and BN.com and who knows what else. Amazon is Amazon. And Boarders? Well they are broke and closing up as I write this. They did not survive and I think we can make the case that had they owned book.com and books.com the outcome would have been different. MAYBE! It showed how one company was ahead of the curve and another company crashed into the curve. One company did not miss a trick and one company did not show up at the show.
I am sure Walgreens could have bought Drugstore.com for a lot less years ago. $1M, $3M, $25M, $100M, $200M, $300M, $400M…….but since they did not understand what was going on, not only did they pay $400M++++ but they lost sales and profits during all those years. Add that up! Just because you can’t see it does not mean it was not lost. Those employed in those high levels are there NOT to miss stuff like this. And nobody says a word or dare point it out. I just did. Imagine how many companies are GUILTY of this right now?
Most are still clueless and the rest will just argue the point. Be patient. An avalanche of companies are about to be bought and the one common thing they will have that few will talk about, the high profile domain name that motivated the deal to begin with. But Shhhhh, hush, they don't want anyone to know. But the more crowded the field becomes, the more important the location becomes.
Congratulations to Walgreen's for getting what I would say is one of the very best domains in the world. A body blow to CVS who is expanding very rapidly but lost the biggest prize it could have hoped to get.
Have a GREAT Day!
Rick Schwartz
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