Should I merge my websites?

[personalisedcarsigns]

Hi all,

I have 4 websites that each sell a specific product, but for the same target audience.

Personalisedcarsigns.co.uk, personalisedrewardcharts.co.uk, personaliseddoorsigns.co.uk and personalisedplacemats.co.uk

They have all grown over time, and some are busier than others.

I am tempted to merge them into one, to make it easier to manage and hopefully improve cross selling of products, however I am a it concerned about any reduction in seo. I have read some details about 301 redirects suggesting every single page should be redirected to an individual page, not just the root domain, but I don't really know all the pros and cons involved in this.

Because of the domain names, there isn't a naturally dominant site, so it would involve me starting a new domain, of which I was considering creating more of a brand rather than a domain name of keywords

Does anyone have any advice?

 

[8420PR]

No need to merge the sites - you could keep the domains and use a multi-site shopping cart, with a combined shopping basket (for cross sales) and admin portal.

For example, have a look at the gap website (gap . com). You can navigate in the top right to all the brands, but only need to checkout and pay once.

 

[OldWelshGuy]

Dont do it.

 

[adamo]

Personally, if they're all doing well and visitor numbers are growing, why complicate matters by merging them.

I'd say just leave them as they are.

 

[14Steve14]

Rather than have four seperate back ends, why not combine all the databases and use one checkout. I am sure it would not be too hard to sort out.

 

[ProjectOcto]

Definitely maintain the separate domains (which may have built up search/brand value).

If your issue is time management i.e. maintaining 4 different sites, then there are options available to you to merge into one database, one admin, and select which items are sold on which site. That way you have one login, one order processing place and it becomes easier. We are building a project right now where the admin will have 14 websites, all centrally managed - if you imagine he has 1000 products on each site; its just like managing one website of 14,000 items.

You never really said WHY you wanted to merge the sites?

 

[antropy]

You never really said WHY you wanted to merge the sites?

Yep, good question...?

 

[japancool]

He said it was to:

to make it easier to manage and hopefully improve cross selling of products

 

[RepricerExpress]

If they're all making money and have good traffic then I wouldn't necessarily merge them, particularly if each have strong brands now. It sounds like you're overwhelmed a little with managing the four of them though so perhaps merge the backend as suggested here already.

 

[VevoCart]

Hi all,
however I am a it concerned about any reduction in seo. I have read some details about 301 redirects suggesting every single page should be redirected to an individual page, not just the root domain, but I don't really know all the pros and cons involved in this.

Does anyone have any advice?

with this reason, IMHO, let's leave them as is.

 

[Jack@GillespieBS]

It sounds like a classic example of "If it ain't broke don't fix it". If your websites are doing well (sounds like they are) then stick with a winning formula. This definitely applies to the front-end side of things.

As you mentioned you want it easier to manage the websites then sorting out the back-end sounds like it could benefit you. If your back-end processes are done separately for the different websites, then it may be an idea to integrate the websites so the data goes into one system. The different websites can still be shown separately in your back-end system, this way you can monitor sales figures, inventory levels etc. for the different websites.

How are you currently dealing with back-end operations?

Jack

 

[personalisedcarsigns]

Hi all, thanks for your replies.

The main driver is more around cross selling and consolidation of marketing / seo efforts by putting it all under one roof.

Managing the back end isn't too difficult and has some automation in place with orders.

I think I will keep them as they are for the moment following your advice