Force owner of Forces.com to hand over domain — Salesforce.com can’t

Salesforce.com loses dispute over Forces.com domain name at National Arbitration Forum.

Salesforce.com has lost an attempt to get the domain name Forces.com, which it stated was similar to its Force.com domain name.

The registrant’s predecessor had registered the domain name ahead of Salesforce.com started using the Force.com domain name. As Elliot Silver pointed out when the case was filed, the domain name also had a page regarding the armed forces.

A three member National Arbitration Forum panel found that the domain name was not confusingly similar to a mark in which Salesforce.com had rights.

Forces.com owner Internet Venture Holdings, Inc. was represented by John Berryhill.

I find this UDRP filing rather interesting since the firm is savvy regarding the value of generic domain names. It purchased Data.com for $4.5 million and also owns Social.com (the sales price on Social.com was likely at least $2.6 million since a party bought it at auction for that much).

Salesforce.com CEO Marc Benioff even sold the domain name Bill.com.

For a firm savvy regarding great generic domain names, why would it take this approach for Forces.com?