Christmas.co.uk

[StevesDomain]

You have to remember that the majority of even the biggest retailers rely on Q4 trading to survive. To have Christmas.co.uk go to a competitor for what could be a price (tax deductable) less than 0.1% of their marketing budget wouldn’t sit right with shareholders. As the seller, I’m probably biased, but I think the domain would cement their position as the No1 online Christmas destination. Not sure how they would fully leverage it, but I am sure that to throw it in the mix at the ‘Next’ Christmas marketing meetings, somebody would come up with a plan.

 

[Murray]

Have there been any offers in the past you now regret turning down? out of interest

 

[donton]

Really? I don't think so. Explain to me why you see M&S or John Lewis buying christmas.uk any time soon. Let's hear your arguments. I have said they are too big to want it, and I stand by that. Why would they want the overhead of running a site like this? Why would they start using another domain when they have no history of doing this up to now?

Don't they all spend hundreds of thousands on flashy TV adverts at Christmas, trying to outdo each other? There are a lot of ways they could spend a fraction of their TV advertising budget on this domain name and put a nice site on it that could be recycled year after year.

If I were John Lewis, I'd buy the domain and add a few festive games for kids (or some kind of wish list feature), some recipes for mum, and some scantily clad women and fast cars for dad?

Dunno, marketing isn't really my bag. But I think a big retailer could find a good use for a domain like Christmas.co.uk with very little trouble.

 

[martin-s]

"Watch the full advert at Christmas.co.uk"

 

[timter51]

I think it's an absolutely stellar name, but then I fucking love Christmas 115 more sleeps!

 

[baldidiot]

Don't they all spend hundreds of thousands on flashy TV adverts at Christmas, trying to outdo each other?

Try millions - JL spend £7m in 2015 according to this: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/03/16/watch-john-lewis-christmas-advert-2015/

 

[ian]

Really? I don't think so. Explain to me why you see M&S or John Lewis buying christmas.uk any time soon. Let's hear your arguments. I have said they are too big to want it, and I stand by that. Why would they want the overhead of running a site like this? Why would they start using another domain when they have no history of doing this up to now?

Not really surprised that you have this view; of course your opinion, but the media attention alone would yield revenue easily in excess of what they'd pay.

Imagine this printed all over the online news feeds, "John Lewis buy Christmas" - instant attention that consumers won't forget.

 

[StevesDomain]

Exactly!

 

[markb]

Exactly!

Your best bet, if you want to try and sell to m&s or john lewis etc.... Is to join LinkedIn as a premium member, search for their marketing directors in the uk and send them private messages. Remember though that if you have to pitch the idea to them, they are less likely to want to pay a lot for the domain, than if it was their idea and they contacted you.

 

[Skinner]

The whole "John Lewis Buy Christmas" would be a nice little story to drop around say a week before "black friday", and then to showcase their christmas advert and such when the time comes.

I agree LinkedIn is the only real way to get digits on the right people.

 

[accelerator]

Not really surprised that you have this view; of course your opinion, but the media attention alone would yield revenue easily in excess of what they'd pay.

Imagine this printed all over the online news feeds, "John Lewis buy Christmas" - instant attention that consumers won't forget.

Actually I think major retailers have to be quite careful in their approach to Christmas. Don't forget it's a religious festival, and anything seen to be overtly commercial can be seen in a very negative light. That is another reason why I don't see John Lewis or similar buying the domain, it would look too cynical.

People like John Lewis have huge campaigns running up to Christmas where they invest in their own brand. Why would they divert any of this into trying to promote the name of the religious festival, it could be a total disaster for them.

That said, a smaller retailer that is only all about Christmas could do it.

 

[boxfish]

That said, a smaller retailer that is only all about Christmas could do it.

Why don't you invest some of the profits from LowPrices, give that template another airing and go for it?

 

[accelerator]

Why don't you invest some of the profits from LowPrices, give that template another airing and go for it?

I'm happy with my existing domains thank you.

 

[ian]

Actually I think major retailers have to be quite careful in their approach to Christmas. Don't forget it's a religious festival, and anything seen to be overtly commercial can be seen in a very negative light. That is another reason why I don't see John Lewis or similar buying the domain, it would look too cynical.

People like John Lewis have huge campaigns running up to Christmas where they invest in their own brand. Why would they divert any of this into trying to promote the name of the religious festival, it could be a total disaster for them.

That said, a smaller retailer that is only all about Christmas could do it.

The major retailers don't care one jot about it being a religious date, for them, as with most consumers, it is a time for gifts and excessive spending. If my retail business was gift related, and I had a budget for television advertising, I'd be all over this domain; the returns will be significant and fast.

 

[timter51]

Rob_F on here sold foundit.co.uk to Debenhams in 2014, they used it for a massive marketing campaign that Christmas and it still resolves to their Christmas section (they may have used it for promotion last year as well, can't remember). How's that for a huge retailer basing a massive campaign off a new domain?

 

[accelerator]

Rob_F on here sold foundit.co.uk to Debenhams in 2014, they used it for a massive marketing campaign that Christmas and it still resolves to their Christmas section (they may have used it for promotion last year as well, can't remember). How's that for a huge retailer basing a massive campaign off a new domain?

That is one case amongst a number of big retailers, in one year only. So, in general, big retailers don't have a habit of using domains other than their own in their marketing campaigns. So, on the balance of probabilities, I am likely to be correct in saying M&S or John Lewis won't be interested in making an offer. Note though I said it's still worth asking them.

Also, they didn't build a site for it, they just forwarded it. I don't remember seeing it being used last year either.

 

[Bailey]

I must admit when I first read the early Valuations on here for the domain I was a bit sceptical but , the more I think about it how easy it is for a big marketing company (sure a with a big Budget) to put any 'Steer' they want on this National 'Holiday word' The more I I'm convinced that most Companies with associated business would love to hold it - even for a future 'Yet to be Specified' Campaign (yes of course at Christmas)
lets face it Christmas starts to appear in our shops from about mid November, You see this domain on a well worked National advertising campaign (with well-worked understatement for the Domain) - there's little doubt several Million are going to take a look.
I even reckon the fact it is the .co.uk gives it an edge well above the normal dot com to dot uk ratio (for the UK Market)
And the Years to Come - providing it's not messed-up in its first year of Use

 

[accelerator]

Sure, it could happen. Undoubtedly it is a good domain. All I am saying is I think it is unlikely one of the very large retailers would buy it, but there's still a chance. I see it more as a Christmas-specialist retail entrepreneur being interested. The only way he is going to find out is by writing a well worded sales letter and sending it off to all possible prospects. Even great domains do not sell themselves.

 

[Murray]

Even great domains do not sell themselves.

Has that been your experience?

 

[Murray]

Yawn. Discussion isn't worth pursuing. Nobody had a crystal ball. Posters would do well to use "in my opinion" and "may" and "may not"

In my opinion you may be right