Domain Name Help, .co.uk and .com taken

[oliver2601]

Hello,

I'm interested in starting my own company doing web design and marketing. It's just going to be really small and almost just a hobby unless things take off.

I've thought of a good company name however the .co.uk and .com domains are taken The .co.uk was registered a year ago but isn't being used. The registrant is a director of a few companies but nothing seems to be related to the domain. The .com is registed by a CRM company who have changed their name.

The name wouldn't look right with "design" or "marketing" slapped on the end so I'm a bit stuck. How are other top level domains? ie .online?

Is it worth contacting any of these two people to see if I can buy it? As they both seem to be doing well for themselves I don't think they'd just hand it over.. I'm looking to spend £150 max

Does anybody have any experience with this sort of thing?

 

[hargi]

Wouldn't it be easier to think of a new name?
Also worth checking companies house to see if a business is registered in that name to

 

[Russinating]

If the TLDs are taken (.co.uk and .com) then the name's taken. Back to the drawing board .

 

[Scotty123]

What about dashes in the name if possible? If it's two or more words that is.

A .io domain? Becoming trendy with web and technology things.

 

[craig_t]

With Scotty on the dashes, but otherwise there is no reason why not to contact them if the domains aren't being used.. They can only say no at worst!

 

[oliver2601]

Thank you for the quick responses everyone!

Wouldn't it be easier to think of a new name?
Also worth checking companies house to see if a business is registered in that name to

The name isn't registered in company house, the .com was a company from cape town and the .co.uk seems disused.

What about dashes in the name if possible? If it's two or more words that is.

A .io domain? Becoming trendy with web and technology things.

Hmm, my target market would be small, non-techy businesses, I don't think I could pull it off with a .io. I didn't actually try dashes

If the TLDs are taken (.co.uk and .com) then the name's taken. Back to the drawing board .

Yep, looks like it might be. I'm going to have a brainstorm and if I can't get anything better I'll consider begging

 

[oliver2601]

With Scotty on the dashes, but otherwise there is no reason why not to contact them if the domains aren't being used.. They can only say no at worst!

Yep, going to see how it looks with dashes and have a good mull over it.
Exactly, no harm in asking

What would be the best approach? In my mind I'd go with a helping the community / passion / hobby guilt-trip kinda thing and offer £100 as a gesture for the inconvenience of switching everything over.

 

[craig_t]

Yep, going to see how it looks with dashes and have a good mull over it.
Exactly, no harm in asking

What would be the best approach? In my mind I'd go with a helping the community / passion / hobby guilt-trip kinda thing and offer £100 as a gesture for the inconvenience of switching everything over.

You have their details, don't make an offer of an value. Email them, explain your situation...

Hello, I have created a new business called OverclockersUK and I notice that you currently own Overclockers.co.uk, but it is not currently actively hosting a website. As this domain would be greatly suited to my business and it is not in use I was wondering if you would consider selling the domain on to me?

Probably make a bit more to it, but he might say I bought it for a tenner so have it for a tenner it's of no value to him!

 

[unwashed potato!]

don't get too hung on the domain. you can still use the business name (if it's free) and have a domain like webmarketingpro.co.uk etc. another thought would be to try adding words at the beginning such as 'the', didn't harm facebook when it first started out

 

[Mynight]

Unfortunately in my experience it's best to move on. Only once have I been successful in acquiring a domain at a reasonable price.

Once tried to purchase a .co.uk after checking the site out it wasn't ranked and had been inactive for a few years or so. They wanted £23k for it lol. Obviously I didn't oblige and snapped it up when they forgot to update their bank details come renewal. They were not impressed.

 

[Scotty123]

I'm curious as to how successful one can be when they set up a site for themselves in the web development / programming area? Do you really have to push it, go out of your way to find work I.e. ask people?

I've thought about doing similar myself. Programmed in a variety of languages and frameworks, and currently have a job doing mainly backend development.

 

[p1RATE]

.co is the only alternative that i would consider.

I'm curious as to how successful one can be when they set up a site for themselves in the web development / programming area? Do you really have to push it, go out of your way to find work I.e. ask people?

Web development and SEO is hugely competitive. If you have great sale skills and good contacts you can make it pay but its difficult to be successful. Programming can be quite lucrative on the other hand. Unfortunately just dumping a site on the net isn't going to get you very far.

 

[cheesyboy]

.uk is worth a look.

 

[john_s]

.uk is worth a look.

If the .co.uk is taken, isn't the .uk domain restricted for a period?