If
the .com version of your name is gone and you
can't buy it off the owner, try .net or .org.
New domain names like .biz, .info and .us are
also available but not used as widely. If even
those are taken, you can register your name in
one of the more than 100 non-U.S. top level domains
(TLDs) like .cc and .nu. The drawback is that
these don't have the recognition of .com-and your
prospects will automatically slap on a .com if
your domain name hasn't imprinted itself on their
noggins. The results can be hilarious: Let me
just say whitehouse.com does not lead to the Web
site of our president's new digs. If you're older
than 18, check it out and imagine a customer stumbling
upon that site instead of yours.
If
you're still stuck without a domain at this point,
it's time to get creative. The recent decision
on the part of the Internet gods to allow URLs
as long as 64 characters is a great help. Many
business owners can get a reasonable facsimile
of their name by adding prefixes and suffixes
like "e," "i," "cyber,"
"online," and "the" or using
hyphens. When Shannon Rubio of Spring, Texas,
found that SmileBox.com was already registered,
she registered TheSmileBox.com for her goodie-filled
gift box company.
To
check what's available and what's not, visit Network
Solutions. Other businesses now offer domain registration,
but this place was the first, and it has the technology
down pat.
The
drill is simple: You try a name, and Network Solutions
tells you if it's available. When you strike out--that
is, the names you want are taken--Network Solutions
will provide alternative suggestions. You can
also use their brainstorming tools on their Domain
Name page: Enter keywords and you'll get possibilities
that are available for registration. Find a name
that suits you, and the charge is currently $25
a year when you register the name for three two
years.
Trademarking
Your Domain
Because your domain is such a big part of your
e-commerce business, you'll want to be sure to
protect it. The best way to do that is through
trademark law. A trademark is a word or symbol
used to identify the source of goods or services
to consumers.
You
may apply for registration of a trademark or service
mark, word, phrase or image after you use the
mark to identify a product sold or service performed
"in commerce," which means that you've
used it for advertising and/or sale to customers.
Your online business name can be a be a service
(for trademark purposes) if it provides any kind
of service to consumers: information access, ticket
booking, online dating and so on. If your site
sells the goods you manufacture, then your product
names would be goods for trademark purposes. Trademark
rights arise upon use in commerce--with or without
national registration--of the name of the good
or service. However, national registration expands
and protects your trademark rights, giving your
company a presumption of first use of the mark
in association with particular goods or services.
The
trademark office will not register a domain name
that does not also meet the requirements of being
a trademark; a domain name by itself is considered
merely an address. Having trademark rights allows
you to protect your domain name against others
who might allege that it infringes on their trademark
and try to have it legally taken from you, and
also allows you to enforce your trademark rights
against others who use domain names similar to
yours to try to divert your customers.
Trademarks
are complex, so make sure you read more about
them or consult an attorney for your particular
situation. You can learn more at www.uspto.gov.
Activating
Your Domain
No matter what hosting solution you select, the
process of activating your TLD is the same. The
host will assign your domain name an IP (Internet
Protocol) address, which consists of four numbers
separated by full stops, log the IP number onto
the host's primary and secondary DNS (domain name
services) servers and broadcast to the Internet.
The DNS servers will have hostnames and their
own IP addresses. This information is required
to modify your domain name profile kept by your
registrar. Your profile can be modified by either
you or your host. The name servers specified in
your domain name profile will be the primary destination
routers on the Internet used to resolve requests
for your domain name or unique IP address.
Once
you have a host, most of this maintenance will
be done for you. You can provide permission for
your host to update your domain name profile,
and their technicians will take care of updating
the DNS servers so your domain name can be resolved
through its unique IP address.
