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UK clothing online store - .co.uk or .com domain?

by saxguru
17 replies
  • SEO
    • |
Hi all,

I'm in the process of planning a new business plan to setup an online clothing store. I have sourced all the products and I believe it can be successful due to the good quality of the products and the low price.

I will be using Prestashop as I can integrate this with ebay for most of my sales.

I have been trying to think of brandable names similar to successful clothing companies such as Burtons, Topman etc

Everything I think of seems to be taken as a .com but some are available as .co.uks (one has only 42,000 results on google and seems very easy to rank for)

So the question is... do I hold out and keep thinking until I get a good .com domain or do I just go ahead and get a .co.uk one?

I plan to sell just to the UK to start with. I may have the products available for international delivery on ebay at a later date and could expand from there. Does this mean it would limit my success if I expanded internationally with a .co.uk domain?

thanks in advance
#clothing #couk #domain #online #store
  • Profile picture of the author RobinInTexas
    I would say the co.uk would be just as good. The SEO advantages of the domain name match plus the fact that you are starting out marketing to the UK should make it the best choice.

    Besides your initial market might view a co.uk more favorably than a .com.

    Damn Yankees and all that associated with .com
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    Robin



    ...Even if you're on the right track, you'll get run over if you just set there.
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    • Profile picture of the author Frank Donovan
      In general, a .co.uk domain is fine (and often preferable) if you're selling to UK customers. It may be a disadvantage if you expand to other countries; on the other hand, if your clothing line or brand is quintessentially British, it may help.

      The other point to bear in mind is whether the current owner of the .com is in the same business as you, or is owned by someone who could become a competitor. That would definitely be a problem in the long term, as you build your brand.

      If it were me, and I was looking to establish a business, I'd want to control the .com version of my domain name, regardless of which TLD extension I traded under.


      Frank
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      • Profile picture of the author saxguru
        Originally Posted by Frank Donovan View Post

        In general, a .co.uk domain is fine (and often preferable) if you're selling to UK customers. It may be a disadvantage if you expand to other countries; on the other hand, if your clothing line or brand is quintessentially British, it may help.

        The other point to bear in mind is whether the current owner of the .com is in the same business as you, or is owned by someone who could become a competitor. That would definitely be a problem in the long term, as you build your brand.

        If it were me, and I was looking to establish a business, I'd want to control the .com version of my domain name, regardless of which TLD extension I traded under.


        Frank
        Yes I understand that concern completely. When I look on the .com version it is just a blank page with some Chinese writing in the page title. Also the .org and .net versions which are also taken are just domains that are up for sale.

        All looks good
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        • Profile picture of the author CliffUK
          Start off with both the .com and the .co.uk so you can pick up as much traffic as possible, and have a strong footing for your brand (without having the hassle and expense of buying another domain later). You could then also use the 'spare' domain for specific marketing campaigns etc.

          I wouldn't suggest you pick a name similar to what's already well known - be fresh and memorable, and create your own USP's and appeal within your target market.

          Exciting times for you now. Good luck.
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  • Profile picture of the author sbucciarel
    Banned
    I'd choose a name that was available in both .com and co.uk. I've heard that co.uk ranks better in UK serps, but if you intend to go international at some point, it could be advantageous to have both domains.
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  • Profile picture of the author Larry Leggett
    As others suggested above, you can go with co.uk domain as your online store will be UK based. You are likely to get geographical advantage in terms of SEO.
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  • Profile picture of the author alexandersmith
    By both, and redirect them to each other.

    Alex
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  • Profile picture of the author talfighel
    If you are targeting the U.K audience then I would go with the .co.uk. That makes more sense to me and people there will "trust" you more.
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  • Profile picture of the author Gambino
    If I were looking to build and establish a business, I wouldn't want the .com to belong to someone else. I'd look for a domain that is available in both or try to purchase the domain from the current owner.
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  • Profile picture of the author Danny Shaw
    Get both. Build up the .co.uk domain first and then when ready clone it to the .com and redirect the .co.uk to it. Therefore none of you seo will be lost.
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  • Profile picture of the author Luke newton
    Hey, Danny Shaw is bang on... but personally when i come across a website and its .co.uk i always take more notice because im from england... i feel as if i dont need to check the location... i surpose its mind set... or im just weird...lol
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  • Profile picture of the author Samuel Adams
    If you are planning on selling locally in the UK, then that's where you should start with the domain. However, you are thinking ahead of possible expansion. And, who's to say whether or not your online business will even make it to that level. Start where you are and see how things work out in a year or so.
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  • Profile picture of the author Moneymaker2012
    It is not going to make any big difference whether if you chose .co.uk or .com domain.
    but if the store is supposed to operate only in uk then obviously .co.uk is the best choice and it will be good for local searches as well.
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  • Profile picture of the author huayiinc
    .co.uk is better i think
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  • Profile picture of the author Jeffery Moss
    Don't delay over a simple thing like a domain name. Take the uk based domain name now and then reinvest your earnings into a good .com domain name of your choice.
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  • Profile picture of the author Henney
    yup, definitely would start with co.uk it's just that people will go more friendly to co uk than they would to com
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