Protection, flexibility and innovation: Edeka’s brandTLD strategy

Why apply for your own Internet domain? A strategy to protect the brand online

When it was announced that applications would be opened for new domains in the Internet root zone, the Edeka group’s first thought, like that of others at the time, was to stop anyone else from using its name. Edeka wanted to protect its brand online by preventing a business with a related or similar name from registering the name. This move reduces the risks of usurpation or confusion, particularly with similar domain names, and strengthens control of the brand’s digital identity.

How best to capitalise on a brandTLD? A well-controlled and easily identifiable digital space

Obtaining its own Internet TLD means that Edeka no longer relies on third-party providers and consequently no longer needs to comply with the rules and changes imposed (fee increases, changes in eligibility rules, local regulations, etc.). Management of the .edeka domain is defined in-house with exclusive control of the custom domain, which is strictly reserved for the business’ own use, with only the company being able to decide on create and delete operations for domain names under its TLD. The German group also says it chose a technical infrastructure that allows it to operate digital services on its own account and on behalf of its customers.

Having the .edeka TLD means it can create addresses suited to its in-house requirements, its digital projects or its communication with the outside world, thus enhancing agility, consistency and autonomy in the management of its digital presence.

There are many uses of the .edeka TLD that are worth mentioning as examples of how it raises the profile of the group’s projects and activities and reaffirms their connection with the brand. Some examples include:

• werbung.edeka: an institutional website presenting the entire Edeka network, its production and distribution activities, its members services and its social and environmental commitments.
• starthub.edeka: a space for producers in the Edeka network of independent traders, particularly start-ups, to present and sell their products.
• techstarter.edeka: a platform where start-ups or other technological businesses can propose innovative solutions in response to specific needs defined by the group, such as reducing energy consumption, automating operations or digitising processes. If the solution is accepted, it is first tested in stores before being scaled up if the results of the tests are satisfactory.

How does an own brand TLD impact business activity? A marker of digital independence and innovation

The group initially used its TLD mainly for in-house IT projects. Fast forward to today and it is now an essential part of its digital strategy, used to promote its services and its network, with dedicated communications both in-house and aimed at the general public.

The Edeka group also asserts that having its own TLD makes for an innovative and agile corporate image, focused on all things digital and therefore the future. In a sector in which digital points of contact are increasingly numerous, an own TLD provides a means of retaining credibility and standing out from the crowd, since there are still relatively few actors with their own domain.

In 2012, Walmart, Lidl Schwarz and E. Leclerc also seized the opportunity to register their own Internet domains. We have produced a comprehensive study on the key challenges facing the major retailing sector, a sector in a state of flux and subject to fierce competition, and the possibilities offered by brandTLDs in response. The study is available to download here:

Source of Edeka testimonials: https://newgtldprogram.icann.org/en/resources/usecases