As you get ready to launch your new business on eBay, your head
is spinning with dozens of details to take care of, and questions
about things you need to do. Should you incorporate? Will you need
a lawyer? And just what should you call your company anyway?
Slow down, take a deep breath, and relax. Then read on. Our
startup overview covers all the major factors you need to consider
before you open for business.
Naming Your Business
While many of you are running businesses on eBay, at some point
you may need to name an eBay Store. You don't need professional
help to come up with a name. With a little creativity, anyone can
use the same basic steps professional namers use.
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Your company name should reinforce the key elements of your
business, so start by defining the qualities you want your business
to be identified with. Will customers seek you out for bargains or
for one-of-a-kind art objects? If you're targeting young,
single men, you'll emphasize different qualities than if your
customers are middle-aged moms.
Begin brainstorming by looking in dictionaries, books and
magazines to generate ideas. Get friends and relatives to help.
Your name should be easy to pronounce (if people can't
pronounce it, they'll avoid saying it). If you target global
consumers, make sure your name has no negative connotations in
other languages. Come up with five to 10 names you feel good
about.
Before making your decision, do a trademark search. Enlisting a
trademark attorney or trademark-search firm early on saves time,
money and hassles down the road by ensuring that competitors cannot
infringe on your business name. If it seems every existing word
that could describe your business has already been trademarked,
consider new spellings.
Another factor many businesses on eBay have to consider is a
domain name. If you've decided to have a Web site, your first
to-do item is to make a list of possible Web site names. Then go to
your favorite search engine and type in "domain
registration." You'll find a list of companies, such as
www.namesecure.com, www.networksolutions.com, www.nomonthly.com,
www.register.com and www.siteleader.com, all of which will guide you
through domain registration. For a modest fee ($15 to $70), you can
register a domain name for two years. Register.com is particularly
helpful, because it not only tells you if the name you've
chosen is taken, but it also goes a step further by offering a list
of alternative names that are still available.
Once you've chosen a name, prompts on the domain
registration site guide you through a simple registration
procedure. You'll generally be offered one-, two- or three-year
registration packages; choose based on whether you are completely
happy with the name or think you'll want to switch in a year or
so.
If you have an eBay Store, you can also register a personal
domain name directly from the "Manage Your Store" page.
Sellers can use their domain names to direct shoppers to their eBay
Stores and to sign up for e-mail plans. For example, if Joe sells
antiques from his eBay Store, he can register www.joesantiques.com,
forward the domain to his eBay Store, and use joe@joesantiques.com
as his e-mail address.
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