Picking A Domain Name

Tips for selecting a domain name to use for your frontend website

Dan McCarty avatar
Written by Dan McCarty
Updated over a week ago

Picking the right domain name for your store can be a long process, but it is the biggest and boldest part of branding. Your domain name is how customers know and remember your store.

Some helpful tips:

  • Your domain name and your CrystalCommerce store name must match.

  • Try to keep it under 10 to 12 characters. The simpler the name, the more memorable it will be.

  • Try and find a name that is connected to products that your store carries.

  • Avoid any kind of copyright violations with your domain name.

  • You may find helpful websites like www.bustaname.com when creating a domain name out of several keywords that you provide.

  • Use www.godaddy.com or another Domain Hosting Service to assist you with acquiring your domain name.

  • Avoid using domain names where two identical letters are present for two separate words. (i.e. braddunham or gameelectric) Historically, users tend to forget the other letter. If you really want this domain name, make sure to buy the misspelled versions of the site or put a separating element like a (-) dash.

  • Avoid too many abbreviations or use it sparingly (i.e. ccgtcgmtg).

  • Avoid combining common words that will leave your users possibly finding other websites. UNLESS you can own the domain and be the top search result (i.e. mtgcardgames, tcgcardgames)

Why it matters to CrystalCommerce?
In relation to your CrystalCommerce inventory and frontend website, the domain name is going to be the database name that holds all your product data, orders data and custom images for your brand. This means you have to be sure about your domain name before we create your database. If you just started your membership with CrystalCommerce, we can change the database name to match your domain name for free. However, if you have been a member for awhile the service comes with a $100.00 service fee to cover the development and administrative resources that goes with this change. 

Most importantly, if you decide to change your domain name and database name, please coordinate a schedule with us since we do not want your integrations and online presence to be disrupted by the process. You might have to stop processing orders during the process and place your custom images back on your website once the process is complete. If you just started your membership with CrystalCommerce, you will most likely be unaffected unless you have already integrated and processed orders in your admin.

Other related topics you might be interested in:
How do I connect my CrystalCommerce site to my domain name?

Important Note: Top-level domains (like .net or .com) are the only domains that may be selected for use with CrystalCommerce. Domains like .co.uk or any others involving two dots after your domain name will not work and may not be used.

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