Tuesday, January 18, 2005
Taser International and Stinger Systems Could Battle Over Ownership of “1-800-STUNGUN” and “StunGun.com.”
Taser International and Stinger Systems Could Battle Over Ownership of “1-800-STUNGUN” and “StunGun.com,” according to Robert Siciliano of StreetSafeSecurity.com
(BOSTON -- January 18, 2005 -- StunGun.com) The stun gun wars have turned into an all-out brawl. With a stun gun enjoying a cameo in “Meet the Fockers” and the market’s leading manufacturer, Taser International, embattled, the weapons are all over the news and popular culture. While the war is far from over, to the victor of the latest battles will go a prize: ownership of “1-800-STUNGUN” and “Stungun.com,” both currently the property of Self Defense Products, Inc., a small company in New England, and now for sale on eBay with bids starting at $250,000.
“StunGun.com” and “1-800-STUNGUN” are valuable to those on the front lines of this multimillion dollar industry’s stun gun war. Law Enforcement Associates, Inc. and Stinger Systems claim to have developed technology superior to and safer than Taser’s. While its competitors advance, Taser has responded to a U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) inquiry, a roller coaster ride in stock value, and a number of lawsuits.
In another embarrassment for Taser, Bernard Kerik, a member of its board at the time and former police commissioner for New York City, withdrew himself, in disgrace, from the running to head the Department of Homeland Security. Kerik then reportedly left his post as CEO at Giuliani–Kerik LLC, affiliate of Rudolph Giuliani’s consulting firm, Giuliani Partners LLC. As reported by the New York Post, Kerik remained on Taser’s board of directors as of Jan. 1, 2005. Bloomberg reported that Kerik cashed $5.47 million in November 2004 by exercising “options on 102,166 shares of Taser stock.”
A ‘Lost Opportunity Cost’ Looms
“It’s not what it costs to buy, but what it costs not to buy. The dollars lost, over time, by not owning the most recognizable domain term could be substantial. That’s ‘lost opportunity cost,’” says Robert Siciliano, author of “The Safety Minute: 01” and expert on personal security and identity theft. Mr. Siciliano is a speaker who has been featured on CNN, MSNBC, FOX News, and in The New York Times.
The sum of $250,000 for a domain name and 800-number has precedents. Recognizable domain names have sold for similar amounts, or much more: “Autos.com” ($2.2 million), “Phone.com” ($1.2 million), and “Capital.com” ($750,000).
“The term ‘stun gun’ is alongside the word ‘Taser’ in every single article about these devices,” says Siciliano. “The fact is, Taser, the weapon, is a brand, but it is and will always be a stun gun to the masses. With all the press, it would be smart to use 'stungun' as the company name, much like ‘1-800-FLOWERS’ or the successful ‘House.com.’ Whoever owns ‘Stungun.com’ and ‘1800 STUNGUN’ will have a distinct advantage.”
A Question of Terminology
Many have avoided labeling their products “stun guns.” The word “gun” connotes a firearm. News stories nevertheless call these weapons “stun guns,” and popular lexicon holds fast to the terminology. The most familiar name for a non-lethal weapon, the term “stun gun” is a commodity.
In a move that suggests its weapon could be seen as a gun, Stinger recently hired former Smith & Wesson CEO Roy Cuny as president. “If Taser, who doesn’t use the term ‘stun gun’ on its Web site, buys the toll-free number and domain name,” says Siciliano, “the company will only be doing so to keep the items away from Stinger or Law Enforcement Associates.”
A Pioneering Giant Fights a War on Two Fronts
Taser is competing on at least two fronts. Stinger has announced technology to rival Taser’s. Taser has responded by filing a lawsuit, accusing Stinger of false statements. Stinger has retaliated. In a press release, Paul Gruder, CEO of Stinger, said: “I would be happy to publicly demonstrate our weapon against the Taser at anytime.” Meanwhile, Paul Feldman, president of Law Enforcement Associates, has released video that shows him withstanding a shot from his employer’s device, which, in another video, outperforms the Taser.
Much is at stake. Taser earned more than $4.4 million in 2003, according to an annual report posted at its Web site. The company had returned $350,000 on every $5,000 invested in its stock over the course of April 2003 to April 2004, a meteoric rise. Yet, on Jan. 7, USA Today reported that Taser’s share value had slipped 10 percent since the start of the year. The fall continued through much of that week. Taser executives, in fact, had reportedly sold $91.5 million in stock in late 2004, and Associated Press reported large sell-offs of stock by family owners of Taser.
CBS MarketWatch then reported that Taser’s stock rose 20 percent on Jan. 12, “rebounding partly from a massive recent sell off and boosted by a Miami–Dade County grand jury's endorsement of its stun guns.” Taser’s stock again rose the next day, but the company continues to face litigation on many fronts.
Stinger, meanwhile, announced that it secured $17.5 million from institutional private investors and saw its stock value increase by $4.30 on the Pink Sheets, as reported on LocalTechWire.com. Shares in Law Enforcement Associates recently increased by more than 34 percent, as reported by CBS MarketWatch.
Organizations Decry Alleged Stun Gun Deaths
Safety was once non-lethal weapons’ clarion call, prompting the U.S. Transportation Security Administration, as reported by Bloomberg, to approve Korean Air Lines’ request to use Tasers on its flights. On Jan. 7, however, Associated Press and others reported that the SEC had “launched an inquiry into claims that Taser has made about safety studies for its stun guns.” A number of law enforcement agencies have launched their own investigations and postponed purchases. Amnesty International alleges that more than 70 deaths over the past three years can be blamed on stun guns, and the American Civil Liberties Union calls for law enforcement to curtail its use of stun guns.
***
Self Defense Products, Inc.
800 438 6223
The media may contact Mr. Siciliano, whose contact information follows:
Robert L. Siciliano (robert@safetyminute.com)
Personal Security Expert
phone: 888-SICILIANO (742-4542)
fax: 877-2-FAX-NOW (232-9669)
The media may also get in touch with:
Brent W. Skinner, President
STETrevisions, strategic communications
cell: 617-875-4859
fax: 1-866-663-6557
BrentSkinner@STETrevisions.com
Safe Harbor Disclosure:
Self Defense Products, Inc., StreetSafeSecurity.com, Robert Siciliano, and Brent Skinner received no direct or indirect compensation from any of the other companies listed in this release. The inclusion of any company in this listing is based on research conducted by members, administrators, and affiliates of Self Defense Products, Inc., StreetSafeSecurity.com, Robert Siciliano, and Brent Skinner and is provided to the public as a free service. Our officers and employees have no positions or stocks mentioned or profiled in this release. Inclusion of a particular company in this release is provided as is. Self Defense Products, Inc., StreetSafeSecurity.com, Robert Siciliano, and Brent Skinner provide no guarantees whatsoever of performance of said company operationally or on the stock market(s) on which it trades. Suitability of an investment is at the sole discretion of the consumer of this information, and Self Defense Products, Inc., StreetSafeSecurity.com, Robert Siciliano, and Brent Skinner disclaim any and all liability related to the use of this information, including but not limited to monetary loss.
(BOSTON -- January 18, 2005 -- StunGun.com) The stun gun wars have turned into an all-out brawl. With a stun gun enjoying a cameo in “Meet the Fockers” and the market’s leading manufacturer, Taser International, embattled, the weapons are all over the news and popular culture. While the war is far from over, to the victor of the latest battles will go a prize: ownership of “1-800-STUNGUN” and “Stungun.com,” both currently the property of Self Defense Products, Inc., a small company in New England, and now for sale on eBay with bids starting at $250,000.
“StunGun.com” and “1-800-STUNGUN” are valuable to those on the front lines of this multimillion dollar industry’s stun gun war. Law Enforcement Associates, Inc. and Stinger Systems claim to have developed technology superior to and safer than Taser’s. While its competitors advance, Taser has responded to a U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) inquiry, a roller coaster ride in stock value, and a number of lawsuits.
In another embarrassment for Taser, Bernard Kerik, a member of its board at the time and former police commissioner for New York City, withdrew himself, in disgrace, from the running to head the Department of Homeland Security. Kerik then reportedly left his post as CEO at Giuliani–Kerik LLC, affiliate of Rudolph Giuliani’s consulting firm, Giuliani Partners LLC. As reported by the New York Post, Kerik remained on Taser’s board of directors as of Jan. 1, 2005. Bloomberg reported that Kerik cashed $5.47 million in November 2004 by exercising “options on 102,166 shares of Taser stock.”
A ‘Lost Opportunity Cost’ Looms
“It’s not what it costs to buy, but what it costs not to buy. The dollars lost, over time, by not owning the most recognizable domain term could be substantial. That’s ‘lost opportunity cost,’” says Robert Siciliano, author of “The Safety Minute: 01” and expert on personal security and identity theft. Mr. Siciliano is a speaker who has been featured on CNN, MSNBC, FOX News, and in The New York Times.
The sum of $250,000 for a domain name and 800-number has precedents. Recognizable domain names have sold for similar amounts, or much more: “Autos.com” ($2.2 million), “Phone.com” ($1.2 million), and “Capital.com” ($750,000).
“The term ‘stun gun’ is alongside the word ‘Taser’ in every single article about these devices,” says Siciliano. “The fact is, Taser, the weapon, is a brand, but it is and will always be a stun gun to the masses. With all the press, it would be smart to use 'stungun' as the company name, much like ‘1-800-FLOWERS’ or the successful ‘House.com.’ Whoever owns ‘Stungun.com’ and ‘1800 STUNGUN’ will have a distinct advantage.”
A Question of Terminology
Many have avoided labeling their products “stun guns.” The word “gun” connotes a firearm. News stories nevertheless call these weapons “stun guns,” and popular lexicon holds fast to the terminology. The most familiar name for a non-lethal weapon, the term “stun gun” is a commodity.
In a move that suggests its weapon could be seen as a gun, Stinger recently hired former Smith & Wesson CEO Roy Cuny as president. “If Taser, who doesn’t use the term ‘stun gun’ on its Web site, buys the toll-free number and domain name,” says Siciliano, “the company will only be doing so to keep the items away from Stinger or Law Enforcement Associates.”
A Pioneering Giant Fights a War on Two Fronts
Taser is competing on at least two fronts. Stinger has announced technology to rival Taser’s. Taser has responded by filing a lawsuit, accusing Stinger of false statements. Stinger has retaliated. In a press release, Paul Gruder, CEO of Stinger, said: “I would be happy to publicly demonstrate our weapon against the Taser at anytime.” Meanwhile, Paul Feldman, president of Law Enforcement Associates, has released video that shows him withstanding a shot from his employer’s device, which, in another video, outperforms the Taser.
Much is at stake. Taser earned more than $4.4 million in 2003, according to an annual report posted at its Web site. The company had returned $350,000 on every $5,000 invested in its stock over the course of April 2003 to April 2004, a meteoric rise. Yet, on Jan. 7, USA Today reported that Taser’s share value had slipped 10 percent since the start of the year. The fall continued through much of that week. Taser executives, in fact, had reportedly sold $91.5 million in stock in late 2004, and Associated Press reported large sell-offs of stock by family owners of Taser.
CBS MarketWatch then reported that Taser’s stock rose 20 percent on Jan. 12, “rebounding partly from a massive recent sell off and boosted by a Miami–Dade County grand jury's endorsement of its stun guns.” Taser’s stock again rose the next day, but the company continues to face litigation on many fronts.
Stinger, meanwhile, announced that it secured $17.5 million from institutional private investors and saw its stock value increase by $4.30 on the Pink Sheets, as reported on LocalTechWire.com. Shares in Law Enforcement Associates recently increased by more than 34 percent, as reported by CBS MarketWatch.
Organizations Decry Alleged Stun Gun Deaths
Safety was once non-lethal weapons’ clarion call, prompting the U.S. Transportation Security Administration, as reported by Bloomberg, to approve Korean Air Lines’ request to use Tasers on its flights. On Jan. 7, however, Associated Press and others reported that the SEC had “launched an inquiry into claims that Taser has made about safety studies for its stun guns.” A number of law enforcement agencies have launched their own investigations and postponed purchases. Amnesty International alleges that more than 70 deaths over the past three years can be blamed on stun guns, and the American Civil Liberties Union calls for law enforcement to curtail its use of stun guns.
***
Self Defense Products, Inc.
800 438 6223
The media may contact Mr. Siciliano, whose contact information follows:
Robert L. Siciliano (robert@safetyminute.com)
Personal Security Expert
phone: 888-SICILIANO (742-4542)
fax: 877-2-FAX-NOW (232-9669)
The media may also get in touch with:
Brent W. Skinner, President
STETrevisions, strategic communications
cell: 617-875-4859
fax: 1-866-663-6557
BrentSkinner@STETrevisions.com
Safe Harbor Disclosure:
Self Defense Products, Inc., StreetSafeSecurity.com, Robert Siciliano, and Brent Skinner received no direct or indirect compensation from any of the other companies listed in this release. The inclusion of any company in this listing is based on research conducted by members, administrators, and affiliates of Self Defense Products, Inc., StreetSafeSecurity.com, Robert Siciliano, and Brent Skinner and is provided to the public as a free service. Our officers and employees have no positions or stocks mentioned or profiled in this release. Inclusion of a particular company in this release is provided as is. Self Defense Products, Inc., StreetSafeSecurity.com, Robert Siciliano, and Brent Skinner provide no guarantees whatsoever of performance of said company operationally or on the stock market(s) on which it trades. Suitability of an investment is at the sole discretion of the consumer of this information, and Self Defense Products, Inc., StreetSafeSecurity.com, Robert Siciliano, and Brent Skinner disclaim any and all liability related to the use of this information, including but not limited to monetary loss.
