Philip Morris USA Inc, just won the rights to the domain name buying-tax-free-marlboro-cigarettes.com in a UDRP.
The fact that the corporate giant won the domain is no surprise, but I have no idea of why the company would spend $1,500 in just filing fees to get control of a horrible domain name with 4 hyphens.
According to Screenshots.com, the only page they have indexed is a placeholder from the registrar Godaddy.com
The domain had no traffic according to Alexa.
To me it looks like a huge waste of money as the domain would have probably dropped on renewal.
I doubt the company will keep paying renewal fees on domain once it comes up for renewal, so it will most likely drop and the cycle may restart.
Philip Morris probably makes $1500 /minute and they still have to chase trademark violators and protect their brands.
Always the same reason: to uphold their brands.
Pertaining to that particular ruling:
“The disputed domain name points to “www.ww1.buying-tax-free-marlboro-cigarettes.com”(“Respondent’s website”), a directory site that includes links to various categories of websites, *including websites advocating smoking cessation*, selling wholesale cigarettes, and selling “cheap cigarettes””.
(emphasis is mine).
Generally an attempt will be made to solve the issue privately before going to WIPO. A WIPO usually suggests that the registrant was not responsive or uncooperative, or that attempts to contact the registrant have failed.
The respondent has failed to respond to the UDRP too.
The truth is that Philip Morris legal department has cash to burn.