Web brands don't die, they just hide away: Many of the brands which came out of the dot-com boom have disappeared or adopted a lower profile, having realised that taking on work from others is a lot safer than going it alone. (News Analysis).

Marketing Week, February, 2002

John Lewis has announced its intention to shut down Buy.com, the e-commerce website it bought 18 months ago. After a slow start, the high street retailer now appears to have found its own online feet, via its Johnlewis.com website. It feels it has no need for a relatively obscure sub-brand like Buy.com.

In the dot-com heyday, a domain name like Buy.com would have been worth millions of dollars to insecure and overexcited corporate bidders. But that was then, and this is now. So where does this changed business climate leave the standalone dot-com that wants to forge relationships with mote established brands?

Should dot-corns insist on maintaining their own identity, or allow themselves to be subsumed by the bigger player? Is their fledgling brand worth...