Getting the data transferred to a new server, implementing new administration and security, maintaining customer relations, and working with technology vendors and suppliers, all complicate the process of taking control of what's left of a dot com. Many dot coms are left with nothing. When their funding gets cut off, dot coms often close with virtually no cash left. There may be few substitute suppliers. It's one thing if you lose a provider of common business materials or services.
Chances are, there are plenty of other merchants ready to take their place.
But the products and services of many dot coms and related technology companies are more rare and sometimes unique, making the supply gap harder to fill. The time to plan for these problems is long before trouble starts. Any time you consider a strategic partnership with a technology company, you should take steps to increase your flexibility in the event that the company fails to survive. Obviously, you should analyze any potential business relationship carefully before signing on the dotted line. But your due diligence should be more stringent when considering a partnership with a company in an unsettled industry and without a profitable track record.