Why is it so important for ecommerce entrepreneurs to have a .co.uk website? The answer is simple: more sales.
By Jason Hesse
Most ecommerce entrepreneurs already know that choosing the right website address is really important for driving traffic and making sales online. But did you know that having the right top-level domain is just as important?
A top-level domain is the end extension in a web address, for example, in esellermedia.com, the top-level domain is .com. There are many top-level domains already (usually associated to countries, such as .fr for France, .be for Belgium or .cn for China – but also .gov for government sites, .biz for business sites, and others), and more are set to become available soon.
The importance of having a domestic top-level domain cannot be understated for ecommerce entrepreneurs. It is really important for attracting customers and increasing sales.
According to recent research by 123-Reg, Britain’s largest domain registrar, a huge 78 per cent of consumers are less likely to buy from an ecommerce website if its domain name does not end in their country’s code (.co.uk for the UK).
The reason for this, according to consumers, is that if the domain top-level domain is with a foreign-country extension, they worry about resolving any order issues that may arise (41 per cent). Another 25 per cent of consumers also worry about payment security when using a foreign domain.
Thomas Vollrath, chief executive of 123-Reg, explains why it is important for ecommerce entrepreneurs to pay attention to their top-level domain name: “The rapid growth of internet users across the globe in the last decade has created great opportunities for businesses, however they risk alienating customers and damaging the strength of their brands if their websites end in extensions that do not correspond with the country they’re trading in.”
Also, do not forget that your ecommerce website’s address will often form the second half of your email address. Having a local top-level domain in your email address will also encourage customers and suppliers to trust your business.
Owning a .co.uk domain name helps to show that your ecommerce website is local, relevant and useful to a customer searching online. And if you’re looking to increase your sales, you cannot afford to ignore this.
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