Domain Names For Dummies

[KTMsm]

Starting a new business lets say XXX Corp

The name is available XXXCorp.co.uk for £50/yr (or for £500 10yrs)

I'm unsure if it will take off so am tempted for a year but typically what happens at renewal I don't want to have to keep changing it nor to pay £500+ next year

It's a decent name and I'm starting a Ltd Co. with the same name

Essentially - what generally happens ?

[Gilmore]

I have all mine on yearly with auto-renewal.

Works for me.

Wouldn't worry about going for 10 years until you've got proof of concept!

[KTMsm]

Gilmore said:

I have all mine on yearly with auto-renewal.

But do they try to sting you once you're established ?

[ecs]

No, the price generally stays the same every year, you can transfer the domain to another registrar if you want to shop around at renewal too.

[Zoon]

That's expensive assuming you've quoted true values.

[robuk]

.co.uk's are quite portable and are only a few quid a year - so if hosting / domains are a large outlay I would question what you are getting for your money.

As you are at this point it is worth mentioning that you could look at what else is out there - to use your example - XXX.co.uk or XCL.co.uk etc as if it flies you could be using this long term and depending on the business it can help.

I am aware of a few doors being opened by a nice domain alone, and similarly plenty of misdirected emails by having a crap one!

Many parked or unused ones could be for sale, and many are leasable or pay off over x years and the like.

[Gilmore]

KTMsm said:

But do they try to sting you once you're established ?

Nope.

Just get them off GoDaddy and the such and you'll be fine.

[KTMsm]

Zoon said:

That's expensive assuming you've quoted true values.

It's £36 for the one that is my exact name or £12 for one that's very close

Whilst I'm tight I think I'd have to have the right one, life is confusing enough !

[KTMsm]

Thanks for the replies I'll do a bit more research

[P4ulB]

£50 a year!

A co.uk domain name should be approx a tenner to register for a year give or take.

Who are you checking the availability with? Pop it into something like Krystal domain search and see what they come back with.

https://krystal.uk/domain-names

Edited by P4ulB on Tuesday 30th March 14:57

[Mr Pointy]

KTMsm said:

Zoon said:

That's expensive assuming you've quoted true values.

It's £36 for the one that is my exact name or £12 for one that's very close

Whilst I'm tight I think I'd have to have the right one, life is confusing enough!

Check prices with places like 123 but don't hang about - you're pretty lucky if you can get the same domain name as your company name & you'll really kick yourself if you lose it. There's anecdotal evidence that if you search for it a lot one of the registrars will snap it up. Think about getting the .uk at the same time just to reserve it.

[KTMsm]

P4ulB said:

£50 a year!

A co.uk domain name should be approx a tenner to register for a year give or take.

Who are you checking the availability with? Pop it into something like Krystal domain search and see what they come back with.

https://krystal.uk/domain-names

It seems my name is already taken at .co.uk (presumably that explains the higher fee) looking on krystal I can get it
.uk
.co
.net

I think the .uk and .co will lead to people automatically thinking it's .co.uk

Is there a reason to avoid .net ?

It's just for uk bike sales not worldwide domination

[Zoon]

99p for the first year at 123 reg

https://www.123-reg.co.uk/domain-names/

[Mr Pointy]

KTMsm said:

It seems my name is already taken at .co.uk (presumably that explains the higher fee) looking on krystal I can get it
.uk
.co
.net

I think the .uk and .co will lead to people automatically thinking it's .co.uk

Is there a reason to avoid .net ?

It's just for uk bike sales not worldwide domination

If it's taken can you actually get it? Once you have bought it for £50 for the first year then you should be able to move the registration elsewhere.

You want the .co.uk & the .uk. The .net is useless for commerce.

[KTMsm]

Mr Pointy said:

If it's taken can you actually get it?

Once you have bought it for £50 for the first year then you should be able to move the registration elsewhere.

You want the .co.uk & the .uk. The .net is useless for commerce.

Yes it's not active just already registered so they want to rent it

(Those probably aren't the right terms but I'm sure you know what I mean)

Why is .net useless ?

It's not for direct sales, old fashioned on site sales

[Mr Pointy]

KTMsm said:

Yes it's not active just already registered so they want to rent it

(Those probably aren't the right terms but I'm sure you know what I mean)

Why is .net useless ?

It's not for direct sales, old fashioned on site sales

I'd be very wary about not actually owning a domain name: you could find they suddenly want £200 next year & you'd be stuffed. I'd pick up the .uk or change the name & find an available domain.

People don't generally think .net domains are for commerce - they're supposed to be for internet related businesses, not that anyone sticks to it.

[robuk]

Check it direct with Nominet via the WHOIS https://www.nominet.uk/whois/?query=namehere.co.uk...

There shouldnt be different pricing on a registar side depending how good it is at that level.

If it was XXXCorpWidgets.co.uk it would be £5-10 pa

If it was Widgets.co.uk I would expect a domainer to flog it to you for a several grand if another company has not nabbed it already.

[mattley]

KTMsm said:

It's just for uk bike sales not worldwide domination

Go to 123reg and get the .bike

Crack on


....


Profit!!!

[Durzel]

Be wary of searching for domain names to buy on 123-Reg.

They have a “premium domain name” side business that buys up expired domains to try and resell back to absent minded people. I would not be surprised if they harvest searches too to register domains that people might be intending to buy.

[KTMsm]

Thanks all