The domain name I want is taken wwyd?

[beadmama]

So I am starting a home business and would like a website as well but I checked online and my business name is taken already for a .com. Free Range Baby even though there is no website for it. Any ideas?
The domain thefreerangebaby.com is available should I just use that one even though its not the exact name of my business? If so where should I register it?

Another question: What service do you use for building a website and maintaining a shopping cart/check out services? I know more than the beginner but not an expert so could use some guidance. I built this website for my sister using yahoo but I don't know how to do shopping carts/checkout services. www.thebouncingbead.com

Any help and guidance would be appreciated

[Kristine233]

Unfortunately there isn't much you can do if a domain is purchased but not used. You can do a whois on the domain and try to contact the person if you want, but that usually doesn't get you anywhere. I'd go ahead and use your alternative.

As far as building a website, I don't use yahoo, I just don't like the host or the software. I generally use a cart system like Watersweb Shops which has built in templates or you can customize it as well. Its super easy and affordable. The other option is WordPress and use their cart plugin.

[Neth Naneth]

What about free-range-baby.com?? It's not taken!!!

[Night Owl]

The main problem I see with the hyphenated names is that, when you tell people what your website is, you have to say, free dash range dash baby dot com. It would get annoying after awhile.

While I agree that contacting the owner of the name you want usually doesn't work out, it is worth a try in my opinion. The domain was registered in 2001 -- so it may be that the owner really isn't ever going to use it.

[mynetname]

A lot of website urls are registered for the purpose of re-sale, or domain parking, sometimes at high cost if it's popular.
Can you try another extension? .info .net .biz etc.
That way you keep the name. (The only drawback is people sometimes automatically type in ".com" and might end up somewhere else so you'd really want to emphasize the ending in your marketing).
See who owns it through Whois and nothing wrong with trying to contact them to see if it is for sale.

[poppyseed]

If I were you I would register thefreerangebaby asap, before that goes to. When we were looking for a domain name for our business, we found that we would type something in and find it was available, then think on it, sometimes we would wait till the next day, then decide that was the one we would go for, but then when we typed it in to the search again it would be gone!!! It seemed like something (or someone) was somehow able to see or read the possible domain we were entering. When we finally decided on our name, and found the domain was free we registered immediately for fear that the same thing would happen again.

[beadmama]

Ok I will register thefreerangebaby.com but where do I do it at. I am looking at using Watersweb for my site but I am not ready to do it yet and I don't want to miss out on my name?

[Mama Dragon]

godaddy.com ...you can point the domain name to your server when you get hosting, and it's cheap.

have you thought or tried frb.com or tfrb.com? Maybe frbaby.com?

[3boobykins]

deleted because posted same info as above post

[janasmama]

I would go with thefreerangebaby.com and not do one of the .biz, etc.

Wordpress has a plugin for shopping carts and its fairly simple. I like wordpress a lot...my DH is a wordpress expert.

purchase it through godaddy.com as one of the pp's mentioned. google "godaddy discount code" and you'll save a at least $4 on your one-year purchase.

You can also use paypal checkout.