Morning Folks!!
Over the years I emailed Hershey's customer service 3 times. 3 times and not so much as a response. Even when I had an idea and was just looking to buy custom candy in bulk, no answer. They have a place to email them. I took my time to explain why I was contacting them without ever mentioning Candy.com. Just trying to make contact. Not even a form reply. Nada!!
So we will see how history views this shortfall. Only time will tell.
So if Hershey's did not buy it, who did? Well it is not up to me to reveal that. The buyer will do it when they are ready. But it was not Nestles nor any other company you have ever heard of. Yet.
Since the National show in the Candy Industry is next month, the wait to know won't be too long. It will illustrate another failure of Madison Ave. and Corporate America. Not because they did not acquire the domain name, but because their shortsightedness will allow a challenger to come in and disrupt things. It's like a country getting invaded and the army hired to not let that happen has no clue just how bad things may get. Nor do they understand that they will be responsible should things go south.
So whether it is Hotels.com, Toys.com or Candy.com, it is 15 years later and they STILL have not come to understand what this all means. Is anyone awake out there?? And then folks want to know why unemployment is about to eclipse 10%?? Why GM is already bankrupt?? Why the banks are in trouble?? Are all the founders of these companies that would recognize the opportunity dead and buried?? An unfortunate yes is the answer. Those in control now know how to have meetings but they don't know it's all about sales. Nothing else. Sales, sales, sales. Profitable sales. And lastly, Timely decisions. Since nobody can make a decision it is virtually impossible for it to be timely. Let's have a meeting!! Let's have a meeting and let's postpone the decision to the next meeting. These decisions were once made in a snap. But that guy is now in a grave and there ain't no more snapping going on.
And THAT is why my friends that WE will make out like bandits in this recession. Nothing happens until a sale is made and now in the new way of business nothing happens until a decision is made. The big guns are paralyzed and that gives us a tremendous advantage.
Have a GREAT Day!
Rick Schwartz
Jim Holleran
Rick,
You are so right. There seems to be 2 type of people, the ones who are always having meetings and planning for the next meeting and these folks never make money.
The others are the ones who don’t have meetings and are making money.
The only people who I meet with and want to meet with everyday are my twin 1 year daughters who I watch while I am making money on the internet.
Thanks, Jim
Sergej Lebedew
Hello Rick,
the domain Candy.com is absolute top domain! Unfortunately, not all companies understand that Domains are a very valuable investment. Today without good Domains one cannot be present on the Internet.
Best Regards,
Sergej
Mark
Hi Rick:
Totally agree!
Gonna take a stab at guessing and say the Jelly Belly people!
Best,
Mark
UFO.ORG
Mark,
Yes, you might be right with that, they are into affiliates big time… so they probably know more than others the power of the online world.
Using affiliates with candy.com will result in more direct navigation through direct recollection and also the enhanced branding will make consumers more confident to buy through affiliates.
If they team up with flowers and all sorts then it’s a pretty powerful marketing mix.
Anunt
I bet half of the traffic from candy.com are from people looking for adult webcam girl named”Candy”
karl
Rick,
You have to remember now some of these guys live in the now; they do not understand how important the internet is to their business and even much more how important a domain name is for their future business;
In another 15 years from now they would regret they had not spent 100 million on a domain name that can secure their brand online.
I believe these cooperate guys the older guys can not even understand how places like facebook can be a billion and it’s free for everyone.
jeff
rick,
wow.. ok i will throw a guess out there who seems to get the internet and powerful family money:
http://www.dylanscandybar.com
daughter of ralph lauren and she has the cash, the locations and seems to be doing good..with candy she would be even doing better, lol
congrats on sale and good write up..
Kevin
LOL, hopefully not Dylan’s Jeff, since that was one of the candy companies I pitched Candy.com to last year. They weren’t interested when I went to them, but then again I was at a higher price point at that time.
jeff
@kevin and rick… hmm… ok lol… dying to know this and who the lucky one is..
i guess dylans dosent get the internet after all, lol. what a perfect name for them to have and other retail locations as well.. maybe they were thinking how many more mansions they can by passing on candy then… who knows..
hope we get to know the lucky person soon..
Greg
Rick,
I have been reading some of your posts for a while now because I am trying to educate myself on why the aftermarket works the way it does. I think as a outsider looking in, corporate America will not grasp the value of internet presence unless they have someone on the team that really gets this stuff. Just like when Kmart had gone under, or almost did a few years ago. The fact that they owned all of there real estate in prime area’s was an exit to there troubles. Same with domains. It’s digital real estate. Until companies realize that, some huge companies are going to keep suffering. I love the posts. Keep um coming
Greg
redundant
I have a feeling the buyer is InternetRealEstate.com, they also own Chocolate.com.