gTLD Use Case – edeka
About
The gTLD .edeka is used by the Edeka Cooperative, a large supermarket cooperative based in Hamburg, Germany. This custom domain provides a branded online space designed exclusively for the use of the EDEKA retail business.
What motivated you to apply for a new gTLD?
Protecting our brand has been the main reason for the application. We wanted to avoid other companies with the same or a similar name applying for the TLD. In addition to protecting our brand, we wanted to have a technical infrastructure enabling us to operate digital services for our company and customers.
What were some of the considerations you made before applying?
We issued a call for tenders to find a qualified consultant to support us with the application for .edeka. Together with our consultancy DOTZON, we applied to ICANN for .edeka. With their advice, we have been able to decide about the strategy, structure and operation of our brand TLD.
How are you using the gTLD?
We use .edeka for many digital services, and also for our external and internal communication.
How has your organisation benefited from operating a gTLD?
A combination of brand protection, more flexibility in registering and deleting domain names, and being recognised as an innovative and digital company.
How has having a gTLD changed or impacted your business?
We gained a lot of flexibility in the use of a domain name. Whereas the technical infrastructure of existing TLDs like .de and .com is determined, with .edeka we are in the position to decide ourselves. We were able to reach out to new target groups, especially with our food start-up hub, which uses starthub.edeka.
“We started with the use of .edeka domain names for some of our IT projects. Nowdays, we use .edeka domain names mainly for new digital projects, and across all communication channels and stakeholders .”
- Edeka Cooperative, Registry Operator