Domain names taken :(

biomed86 · Jun 21, 2009

Hi all,

I've been playing with names for a new business idea, and as I come up with a name I check to see if the domain is available. However, with two possible names that I really like, the .com domain has been taken but all the others are available. When i browse the web for those domains, each just has a parking page up, with no actual website.

I'm pretty sure if I contacted the owners of the domains, they might want large amounts of money, so i'm a bit wary of doing this.

Since the business idea will operate as a UK business, do you think it would be ok to just have the .co.uk domain? Especially since the .com sites have nothing on them, so I wouldn't be infringing on any copyright or passing off etc?

Or am I better off just going back to the drawing board and thinking up new names?

Thanks in advance

Dwebs-Ltd · Jun 21, 2009

Approach the domain owner I assume they are sedo type parking pages with a buy button, see how much they want. You can usually negotiate them down.

.UK's are fine if they are available and you are mainly targeting UK users it isn't a issue. Example we only own dhosting.co.uk not the .com or .net but as we mainly target UK services its never been an issue.

biomed86 · Jun 21, 2009

One is parked with godaddy, and the other with network solutions. The godady page has the option to let them help me buy, but it doesn't show how much is wanted for the domain, just talks about fees+commission I'd have to pay Godaddy to act on my behalf to negotiate a deal.
Other than that, there are no buy buttons.

Might just stick with the .co.uk for now.

J-Wholesale · Jun 21, 2009

You should find another domain where the .com is available. I know a lot of people will say that the .co.uk is fine for a UK business, but you're opening yourself to whole raft of potential problems further down the road.

If anyone ever uses the .com, then you will frustrate potential customers who have difficulty finding you
Even worse if the .com is used for a business similar to your own, in which case you will be confused with them
Many people assume a .com address first
You are effectively telling the world that you are a UK only business. While this may be true now, no one knows what next year or the year after might bring. A .co.uk website will not rank well outside the UK.

You can avoid these problems from day 1, by choosing a .com domain.

Despite what so many people say, there are still lots of great domains available. As an exercise yesterday, I went looking for new and interesting domains. I came up with 8 in about 15 minutes, 2 of which, I believe, are exceptional.

ozbon · Jun 21, 2009

While it's fair to say that the .com is useful - and it is, in many ways, as per the post above - don't forget that if you've started trading with the .co.uk domain, if you keep that going for a while, you can then work through Nominet and ICANN to get the .com as well.

Basically - and as a disclaimer, I've never had to do this, so it's theory only - once you've established the business and domain, you're trading using that name. If the .coms continue to be just on parking and/or "for sale" pages, it can be seen as domain squatting, and there is existing case-law for domain squatters to lose the domain to the person trading using that name.

The issue on it - and the bit I don't know about - is that the .com domains will have been registered prior to your .co.uk. That may provide a problem in the claim - but if they've been on parking/"for sale" all that time, it's clear they're not being bought for a business.

biomed86 · Jun 21, 2009

Hmm it's starting to sound quite complex

I think for now I'll have a go at continuing to think up other names.

Ozbon - I'll try to find out more info on what you were talking about, could help me out in future, thanks very much

ozbon · Jun 21, 2009

No worries.

If you want some more ideas on domain names, drop me a PM with your idea, and I'll see if I can come up with anything. Up to you, of course, but the offer's there.

J-Wholesale · Jun 21, 2009

ozbon said:
While it's fair to say that the .com is useful - and it is, in many ways, as per the post above - don't forget that if you've started trading with the .co.uk domain, if you keep that going for a while, you can then work through Nominet and ICANN to get the .com as well.

Basically - and as a disclaimer, I've never had to do this, so it's theory only - once you've established the business and domain, you're trading using that name. If the .coms continue to be just on parking and/or "for sale" pages, it can be seen as domain squatting, and there is existing case-law for domain squatters to lose the domain to the person trading using that name.

The issue on it - and the bit I don't know about - is that the .com domains will have been registered prior to your .co.uk. That may provide a problem in the claim - but if they've been on parking/"for sale" all that time, it's clear they're not being bought for a business.

While this all may be true, you're giving yourself problems from day 1 that you simply don't need. It's hard enough starting a business without lumbering yourself with extra problems that may or may not get resolved down the road. If you set up your business on the .co.uk domain with the intention of acquiring the .com later on, then you're asking for trouble and you'll only have yourself to blame if it doesn't resolve in your favour, or costs you a lot of money to fix.

Find another domain.

SPLASH · Jun 22, 2009

i have pm'd you

3 MORE YEARS · Jun 22, 2009

If you were launching a UK service, and you have the .com, .co.uk, and .net available to you - would you still launch with .com?

Ryann

fisicx · Jun 22, 2009

Ryann said:
If you were launching a UK service, and you have the .com, .co.uk, and .net available to you - would you still launch with .com?

Ryann

Nope, launch with the .co.uk and redirect the .com and .net hoping of course that nobody buys .me .tel .info. org. .org.uk .info .biz and so on and so forth ad nauseum.

J-Wholesale · Jun 22, 2009

Ryann said:
If you were launching a UK service, and you have the .com, .co.uk, and .net available to you - would you still launch with .com?

Ryann

Yes. Launch with the .com and redirect the .co.uk. If you own the .org and .net, park them - you only need them to prevent other people acquiring them.

As long as your site is hosted on a UK server, you'll still rank for UK only searches. If you go with the .co.uk, then you're limiting your future options. No matter what you might think starting out, you do not know where your business will be in 5 years.

Edit:
You can see there's little agreement on this issue.

3 MORE YEARS · Jun 22, 2009

OK. I am already aware that as long as .com domain is hosted in the UK, it doesn't effect ranking.

However, I have two different opinions here.

fisicx · Jun 22, 2009

It's all about trust. If people in the UK see a .co.uk tld then they feel more comfortable than a .com.

If you do branch out internationally later then move to the .com and redirect from the .co.uk using a 301 so you don't lose any ranking.

Better still. Keep the comfortable, cosy UK site and build a new international super site. Remember that your UK customers really don't case if you see socks in the Sudan or mice in Morroco as long as you still sell tea in Tetley.

Ryann said:
OK. I am already aware that as long as .com domain is hosted in the UK, it doesn't effect ranking.

How do you know it doesn't?

ozbon · Jun 22, 2009

If it's a UK-based business, I always redirect the .com to the .co.uk - and if it's a larger concern, I do it the other way.

If you're sticking in the UK, the .co.uk is the better one to use, as it makes sure that people know you're a .co.uk - .com can be anywhere.

Of course, if you decide further down the road to go global, you can either have the .com for non-UK business while keeping the .co.uk for UK only - or swap round, and redirect the .co.uk to the .com site.

That's how I do it, anyway.

ozbon · Jun 22, 2009

Ha, thanks Fisicx, nice to see we're both reading from the same page!

biomed86 · Jun 22, 2009

Thanks for all the replies - advice taken on board

tomos · Jun 22, 2009

not at all a reply, but if you type in a random domain, and you are sent to a complete other site, does that mean that the domain you searched is available to be taken, and if so, how do you do it?

Thanks

Tom

3 MORE YEARS · Jun 22, 2009

As far as I know that is probably a no. As there are a lot of domains owned by people/businesses that redirect to their main site.

tomos · Jun 22, 2009

i knw its not an answer to your question, but how do you when you can take a domain name?

Thanks
Tom

fisicx · Jun 23, 2009

tomos said:
i knw its not an answer to your question, but how do you when you can take a domain name?

Just check the whois data for the domain. It will tell you when the registration expires. This doesn't mean that the domain will become available as most people auto renew there registration.

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