There's no shortage of malcontents online, and for years marketers have been coping with those who publish brand-critical sites (NikeSucks.com, for example) by buying up negative domains. But according to a recent study, a handful of brands are using the negative destinations to open up a dialogue with disgruntled consumers.

The study, which was conducted by FairWinds Partners, an internet strategy and consulting firm, found that about 35 percent of brands in the Global 500 are actually registering negative domains associated with their names.

But according to a Wall Street Journal (subscription) report, brands like Southwest Airlines have used some of those domains to field customer complaints rather than simply moth-balling the URLs.

Other brands, like Starbucks, say that they prefer to let fan sites compete with the negative sites.

"We appreciate that our customers and partners [employees] take the time to share their thoughts about Starbucks. This feedback -- good and bad -- ultimately makes us a better company," a spokeswoman said in a statement.