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Product names as domain names

by warfore
9 replies
What are the rules for registering a product name as a domain name? For example, yamahaelectricguitar.com....I assume that you will get push back from the company if it was a broader name like yamahaguitars.com. Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Tony
#domain #names #product
  • Profile picture of the author Killer Joe
    It's a Trademark issue. If you don't own the Trademark, don't do it.

    It's a short term play at best. Once you get a C&D letter you will need to take the site down.

    Or worse.

    Do others do it? Yes they do. Does that mean you should do it? No it doesn't. Build a long term property that stays within legal boundries and you'll be far better off.

    KJ
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    • Profile picture of the author Laura B
      Yeah, what KJ said. It's not worth the risk
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      Free ebook: Affiliate Marketing: Just the FAQs
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    • Profile picture of the author sandsbeck
      Thanks for the legal insight
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      • Profile picture of the author JamesGEvans
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        • Profile picture of the author Punkaj Dube
          Originally Posted by JamesGEvans View Post

          Ok, A tip from a friend of a friend, he creates a godaddy account using some random name, then he buys a prepaid master card account and pay the domain with it... then he sign up to affiliate programs using those details and get pay by paypal... easy, there are more ways but no sure if he would like to share them...

          James
          Even if you can remain anonymous, your webhosting provider can't. They'll contact your webhosting provider and shut your site down.
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  • Profile picture of the author Punkaj Dube
    It is never safe to use product name in the domain, even if it is a part of a longer phrase. The product owner can sue you. At least, he can make you to take off your website from the domain and let it expire.

    There were some recent cases where google has done so.
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  • Profile picture of the author kabong
    If it's your product then do so. Keep distance of using someone else trademark. Soon your investment for the domain and other legal issues will be at stake.

    Ronald
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    • Profile picture of the author warfore
      Got it. Thanks
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      Regards,

      Tony

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  • Profile picture of the author kumishi
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    • Profile picture of the author CDawson
      Banned
      If you register a domain name that is the product name of YOUR product than it is fine. If a company has a product the same as you and you choose the domain name, in my opinion, that is their loss and if they want the domain name they will pay you greatly for it.
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  • Profile picture of the author RichPargeter
    From past experience... my advice is don't do it, it's not worth it.

    When I was first starting out I was using an affiliate marketing system that I bought that suggested using a product name or brand name for SEO benefits.

    So being the naive newbie that I was I bought a domain with the exact product name as the address.

    I set up a few Adwords campaigns and over Christmas I made a decent amount of money from Amazon sales. In just a few weeks I was listed on page 1 in Google at position 1 or 2 often above the big stores, and the page rank went to 4/10.

    Then a couple of months ago after consistently being on page 1 of Google I received a letter in the post from the Companies representatives telling me that I was using a trademarked term and they went into details of the so-called infringements that I had violated and if I didn't contact then urgently they would take legal action.

    Obviously this came as a bit of a shock but I knew that what I had done was essentially wrong, though I didn't believe I was doing any harm... after all I was creating more awareness for their products.

    Anyway after I unsuccessfully tried to plead my case I agreed to transfer the domain to them, and I made a tiny profit on what I had paid for the domain in the first place.

    So I suppose what I'm trying to say is there are benefits of using a product name as a domain but is it worth putting in all the effort to build a succesful website to have to lose it all for a tiny profit?

    Just my 2 pence.

    Rich
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