At JamesNames.com, I tend to focus on domain name upgrades reporting on brands that secure a better domain name to improve their digital identity. In 2022, upgrades that I have reported include Pry.com, Side.com, and Root.com.
Here though, I’m taking a look at 9 companies that downgraded domain names, exploring the potential reasons behind those downgrades.
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Explore.com to Smartie.com
In October 2022, The Tiki Tour Group switched its five-year-old travel brand from Explore.com to Smartie.com. After acquiring Explore.com in 2017, the company built an extensive travel site to sit alongside the company’s other brands, such as Jasons.com.
The reason behind the rebrand was the sale of Explore.com, which was acquired by Static Media for an undisclosed fee.
Fetch.com to FetchDelivery.com
Fetch, a delivery company based in the South West of the USA has raised $5.1 million since it was founded in 2018. The company operated on Fetch.com until August 2022 when it opted to switch to FetchDelivery.com, renaming to Fetch Delivery in the process.
Fetch.com was acquired by the well-funded rewards brand, Fetch, as an upgrade from its FetchRewards.com domain.
Strive.com to Strive.ca
Canadian consulting firm Strive had been operating on the Strive.com domain name for many years until mid-2022, when the company transitioned to Strive.ca.
The move away from Strive.com was prompted by Strive Asset Management’s acquisition of Strive.com. The new fintech brand has been backed by the likes of billionaire Peter Thiel.
Manor.com to ManorFinancial.com
The first three companies on the list downgraded as a result of a sale, but Manor Financial looks to have moved away from Manor.com after a lease (or lease to own deal) was stopped. This hasn’t been confirmed by Manor Financial, or the domain’s current owner, DigiMedia, but Whois history does suggest this was a payment plan deal that was halted.
Between late 2018 and mid-2020, fintech brand Manor Financial operated on Manor.com but since then, ownership has reverted to DigiMedia, the long-term owner of Manor.com.
Perch.com to OrchardHomes.com
Real estate brand Perch originally made an upgrade, switching from PerchHomes.co to Perch.com. However, the company rebranded in 2020, moving from Perch to Orchard. With $472 million in funding to date, you’d expect the company to move from Perch.com to Orchard.com.
The company moved to OrchardHomes.com but ultimately secured Orchard.com. As for Perch.com, it looks like the company acquired the domain on a payment plan that was facilitated by Escrow.com. The reason for moving away from Perch.com is unknown.
Ribbon.com to Momence.com
I wrote about Ribbon.com in a 2021 DomainNameWire article after the live events platform Ribbon upgraded from RibbonExperiences.com to Ribbon.com. However, by 2022, Ribbon had moved away from Ribbon.com and the Ribbon brand name entirely.
Ribbon is now Momence, operating on Momence.com. It looks as though the company originally secured Ribbon.com on a lease agreement. The domain has now moved back to its previous owner and is now available for a $24,500 monthly fee.
Super.com to SuperGG.com
After acquiring Super.com for $1.2 million in 2018, an entrepreneur built a gaming brand around the domain name, offering a game development platform. In mid-2022, Super.com announced a rebrand to SuperGG.com, transitioning away from the Super.com domain.
The reason for the move from Super.com became clear when Snapcommerce rebranded to Super, operating on the Super.com domain.
Picnic.com to PicnicLabs.io
The Picnic brand name is widely used, with dozens of Picnic companies listed on Crunchbase. Tech company Picnic, for example, has raised over $1.1 billion in funding and operates on Picnic.app.
The coveted Picnic.com domain was sold by Joe Uddeme in 2018, and up until 2022, it had been used by Picnic Labs, an Australian insurance brand. The domain is now listed for sale with VIP Brokerage with a $500,000 minimum offer value. Picnic Labs has moved to PicnicLabs.io.
Meal.com to Guac.com
The Meal.com domain name was reportedly sold for $1 million in 2019 on a two-year payment plan. The domain had been developed into a meal-planning site, but by early 2022 the company had switched from Meal.com to Guac.com.
As of writing, the Meal.com domain name resolves to a Bodis parked page. It’s unclear whether the domain is now fully under the ownership of the $1 million payment plan buyer or whether ownership reverted to the previous registrant after the buyer defaulted on the purchase.