buy.com renamed

from an obvious domain name to obscure

[dcheney]

I hope this meets the exception in the charter (I am not affiliated with the company in any fashion). If not, please delete.

buy.com has renamed itself to rakuten.com

Perhaps its just me, but why would you move from an easy to remember/type name to one that is not?

[jinxed]

Bizarre...

[Andy Langton]

I believe the name well known in Japan, and they are looking to consolidate branding. But an interesting discussion! They have other one-word domains that I imagine may get similar treatment.

[HuskyPup]

In the UK they own play.com but their site always shows Rakuten play.com

I'd have a bet they're going to consolidate with their brand name and then try and sell the others for huge money.

[Leosghost]

Deja Foo [webmasterworld.com...] ..

[martinibuster]

Probably an SEO told them that Google prefers brand names... --> :P

[jmccormac]

It looks like a global brand play. Buy.com might be a great generic but it is just that and the company may not own it in all the markets in which it wants to operate. A trademarked brand is far easier to market. Naturally this logic gets lost in the domaining arguments about the values of generic domains.

Regards...jmcc

[martinibuster]

Buy.com might be a great generic but it is just that and the company may not own it in all the markets in which it wants to operate.

That's a good point that hasn't been considered yet. That could present a problem.

A trademarked brand is far easier to market.

Depends. Rakatmatakat might be a good brand name in Japan but it sounds less good in the USA, and probably sounds as bad in European tongues as well. Nova was a good brand in the USA but meant "Doesn't Run" in Spanish. A trademarked brand isn't necessarily easier to market, which is why some brands have different names across borders, like Exxon and Esso. Esso is easier to pronounce in Spanish than the less sensible Exxon.

Consolidating brand names globally, particularly a name like Ratakakatat, might not be a good solution.

[Leosghost]

Rakuten

Depends. Rakatmatakat might be a good brand name in Japan but it sounds less good in the USA, and probably sounds as bad in European tongues as well. Nova was a good brand in the USA but meant "Doesn't Run" in Spanish. A trademarked brand isn't necessarily easier to market, which is why some brands have different names across borders, like Exxon and Esso. Esso is easier to pronounce in Spanish than the less sensible Exxon.

Consolidating brand names globally, particularly a name like Ratakakatat, might not be a good solution.

Apparently it doesn't "stick" ( isn't too "memorable" ) too well for some English speakers :)..

[cabbie]

I always thought it funny that none of the nice generic names I have sold were being used.
They were bought by big companies and then redirected to their Brand name.
Maybe their is method to their madness.

[bill]

Rakuten is a big name in Japan. They're probably seeing a lot of the Korean and Chinese brands entering their domestic markets with their local names intact and have decided this is what they will pursue in their global markets for brand awareness.