Choosing a Domain Name for Your E-Commerce Store (+ Domain Name Examples)

lizmakesart(.)com vs. lizzzzzieaaarrrrttttt(.)com: which of these two domain names are you likely to remember and visit for a repeat purchase? The first one? Yeah, that’s what we thought. 

The first one is not only easy to remember, it’s also easy to type in a search bar. The second one makes you play a counting game and is impossible to remember unless you have it bookmarked. 

Let’s face it, though, we aren’t going to bookmark all the websites we ever buy from. So, if a domain name isn’t memorable and easy to type? It’s not getting visited. Simple as that. 

Let’s explore why choosing the right domain name for your e-commerce store is important, and how you can do so. We also have a few template ideas for you to steal.

Why does a domain name matter?

Your domain name is your store’s identity. It’s what people remember your store by, and what they type into the search bar to look for your store. 

A unique, memorable domain name that’s not too long makes it easier for customers to come back to your shop and even recommend it to others. Keep in mind that your domain name will become a part of your brand language, i.e. you’ll use it everywhere — right from the ads you run to your emails and social media. 

A domain name also lets people (and search engines) know what your e-commerce store is about, which improves your search visibility. It also indicates a level of professionalism that lets buyers take you seriously. 

So, in short, a good domain name:

✅ Strengthens your e-commerce store SEO
✅ Builds brand awareness
✅ Makes your store memorable and easy to recommend

While you can change your domain name later on, it’s best to get it right in the first try.

What makes a domain name great? 

Your domain name can make or break your brand visibility, so it’s important to make sure that the one you choose has the following qualities. 

Unique and brandable

When a customer comes across a domain name, they should be able to instantly identify it as yours. This means your domain name shouldn’t be generic. 

For instance, lilysneakersnyc(.)com is unique, while sneakersnyc(.)com is not. The first one is also brandable. The second one? Not so much, as it’s just a generic phrase that could refer to any sneaker brand within NYC. In short, make the domain name specific to your brand.

Before setting anything in stone, check domain availability to make sure the name you want is available.

Easy to spell and remember

Can people remember your domain name and type it in the search bar without having to bookmark it? If the answer is no, you need to change it. Because, nobody is going to do mental gymnastics just to buy from you. They’ll just choose a competitor whose name is easily memorable, instead. 

Think about it. matthew(.)com is memorable and short, while matthew-rily-scott-wingham(.)com is not. 

Research suggests that the most popular domain names also tend to be short: around 6-9 characters in length. The average domain name is 12 characters in length. 

While you don’t have to restrict yourself to that length, just make sure it’s short — preferably not more than 20 characters in length. A shorter domain name also makes it more mobile-friendly.

Descriptive

Don’t keep potential customers or search engines guessing about what you sell till they enter your store; make it clear right in your domain. 

If you sell handmade pottery, something like lilapottery(.)com would be great as it answers people’s question of “what does this website sell?” even before they ask them.

Future-proofed

Even if you’re only selling a single product type now, in the future, you may expand your business and add more items. Or, maybe you only sell locally within your state for now, but could start shipping nationally as your business grows.

Keep these things in mind when picking your domain name. Future-proof it instead of boxing yourselves in. The domain name you choose now should represent your business even when it grows.

Not confusing 

As a rule of thumb, don’t use special characters as they’re hard for search engines to make sense of. Don’t use numbers or several repeating letters that will be impossible for anyone to remember. Example: 89501890(.)com or mifffffyyyyyyy(.)com. These just make users’ experience worse and lead to typing errors.

If your domain name contains more than one word, make sure people can tell them apart even when they’re put together. A great example is personstalking(.)com. While it’s supposed to say Persons Talking, when put together, it also reads as Person Stalking. 

Strategies for choosing the perfect domain name for your e-commerce store

Whenever possible, we would recommend that you choose a domain name that matches your brand name as this avoids confusion for users. For instance, Nike’s domain name is simple nike(.)com. 

But, if that isn’t possible, here are some strategies you can use to come up with unique and relatable alternatives. 

1. Add keywords that highlight what you sell

As an e-commerce seller, there are probably thousands of others like you in your own niche. That’s why letting people know what you offer through your domain name can be a great asset. 

Think of it this way. Someone searches for ceramics in LA, and the top two search results belong to lolaceramicsla(.)com and lolacrafts(.)com. 

Only one of these leaves no doubt that it has what the user is looking for: the first one. And that’s likely the one they’ll click on. Why waste time browsing other sites when you already found one that fits your query perfectly?

Examples:

• BreeScentedCandles(.)com
• WrenDigitalPlanners(.)com
• MedusaClothes(.)com

2. Specify your geographical location

Yes, specifying a location might box you in, but, in some cases, it can be the thing that sets you apart. Do you sell highly specialized products/ services where the origin of the items speak to their quality? Or, maybe, 90% of your clients are locals. 

In these cases, specifying your location can work in your favor. 

Examples:

• MaineSpecialtyCoffee(.)com
• ItalianLeatherShoes(.)com
• FranceCraftCollective(.)com

3. Use your own name

This is a great option for solopreneurs — especially those who sell handmade creations — who want their products (and their brand) to be known by their name. Kinda like how high-end fashion items are known by their designer’s names. 

In using your own name, you become the brand. Your unique style will start being associated with you, which is great! It creates a very personalized feel and lets you target customers who want a direct connection with the maker. 

As a bonus, it also lets you expand and grow your business as you wish. You won’t be limited by your domain name.

Examples:

• ByOliviaCole(.)com
• SarahHughesStudio(.)com
• RingsByGrace(.)com

4. Get creative and make it catchy!

Catchy names are always in vogue. It could be a play on words or popular phrases (such as OhMyDog(.)com for a dog toy store), or something punny that makes people chuckle or roll their eyes in affection. You can also employ alliteration or rhymes for peak retention.

Alternatively, you can also pick a creative name that has a story behind it — just make sure to include the story that inspired the name in your “about us” page. The story will stay in people’s minds, and so will the domain name. 

Examples:

• WhatTheFudge(.)com for an ice-cream store (or even a store that sells ice-cream themed items)
• WillowWoodWorking(.)com

5. Pick a relevant extension

In our website www.crosslist.com, the “.com” is the extension. A majority of the websites use .com as it’s the extension that reigns supreme and highlights professionality. 

But, there’s nothing stopping you from getting creative with your extension and picking one that reflects your business. 

Here are some examples:

• .art for artists
• .design for designers and illustrators
• .shop or .store for anybody who’s selling something
• .studio for craft studios or handmade businesses
• .photos for photographers
• .tea for tea brands 

If your domain name has more than one word, you can even use the final word as your extension. For example, if you want a domain name for your coffee brand named elio, your domain name could be elio(.)coffee. 

You can also use extensions specific to your geographical locations, such as .co.uk for UK-based sellers, .de for German-based stores, and so on. 

Here’s a final piece of advice: come up with a few different variations of the name you want (by adding a keyword, etc.). This way, even if your first choice domain name isn’t up for grabs, you can go with your second choice.

Using Shopify for your e-commerce store? Use Crosslist to list all of your items easily.