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Anyone using a custom domain name? I have some question

 
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ArtisticTouchBeads



Posts: 16

PostPosted: Tue Nov 03, 2020 9:06 am    Post subject: Anyone using a custom domain name? I have some question Reply with quote

Hello. I have been considering using a custom domain name. Questions:

First: would anyone mind giving me a link to your store, I would like to see what it looks like to the public.

1. Can you just take the domain name off your own current exising site? (I used to have a brick and mortar store.)

2. If I use a custom domain name and people use my current normal ecrater link in the future, will they get to my store?

3. Can I still participate in the ads system provided by eCrater?

4. Does eCrater's name show anywhere in the purchasing process? For example, the confirmation email.

5. Do you have any feedback you would share with me? Do you recommend getting my own domain name?

6. Have you found any drawbacks?

Thank you, I appreciate your taking the time to answer
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pickychicky



Posts: 1552

PostPosted: Tue Nov 17, 2020 11:48 am    Post subject: Re: Anyone using a custom domain name? I have some question Reply with quote

Sorry no one has answered these. I'm not sure how I missed your post. You can view my shop via my custom domain at www.thepickychicky.com

1. Can you just take the domain name off your own current existing site?
You can use any custom domain you own for your business and aren't using elsewhere. It doesn't have to match your eCrater URL.

2. If I use a custom domain name and people use my current normal eCrater link in the future, will they get to my store?
Using a custom domain simply means that you will have two URLs for your shop. One does not affect the other. If a browser entered under your custom domain, then every page they view (except during checkout) will be under that domain. If they entered under the eCrater domain, then every page they view will be under the eCrater domain.

3. Can I still participate in the ads system provided by eCrater?
Your custom domain will be searchable in Google just like your eCrater URL. Your eCrater URL will still be included in the marketplace and external ads (ie, Google Shopping) as long as you continue paying your fees (not a requirement to sell here, but is required for ads). However, your custom domain is for you to promote outside of the free search engines since we do not pay fees on direct sales, which a purchase via your custom domain would be. We only pay fees on marketplace transactions and those resulting from an external ad, which are all purchases made via your eCrater URL. The only time an eCrater URL won't result in a fee is when it's found in a free search (ie, Google organic) or from an external link you or someone else posted (like those I post on my own forum and blog).

4. Does eCrater's name show anywhere in the purchasing process? For example, the confirmation email.
Yes, but I can't be specific from memory. The checkout process is completed through eCrater's secure checkout system and is shown as where the item was "ordered from" at the top of the confirmation email. The seller's and product information are included within the email, which relays the transaction details.

5. Do you have any feedback you would share with me? Do you recommend getting my own domain name?
I would only recommend getting your own domain if it can be secured, which I know my domain provider says I can't do when attaching it to someone else's website. Otherwise, browsers will get the security risk warning page when attempting to visit any page under your custom domain. (no https : //) I'm not sure which browser/search engine you use, but I'm sure you got it when visiting my link.

6. Have you found any drawbacks?
Pretty much answered in #5. I've been using my custom domain for 2-3 years, now, and discovered the above sometime last year (it began when Google started preferring secured pages). I was hesitant to renew it this year, but did, anyway, and don't plan to again unless eCrater can extend their security certificate to cover our custom domains. Of course, that takes money on their part and we currently only pay to have our items placed in ads. So, for now, I have quit linking to my custom domain and create external links using my eCrater URL because I certainly don't want customers being scared off by some search engine's or browsing app's undue implication that I'm a security risk. Not conducive to building buyer trust, that's for sure.
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ArtisticTouchBeads



Posts: 16

PostPosted: Tue Nov 17, 2020 6:00 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Wow! Thank you so much, you really answered my questions! I do appreciate your taking the time!!
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pickychicky



Posts: 1552

PostPosted: Wed Nov 18, 2020 5:15 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

No problemo! I should add that you could still use your custom domain as a redirect, which doesn't result in any scary warning. Whether using your domain or not, I recommend keeping it considering how difficult it is to get good domains these days. So, if you're going to keep it, anyway, and aren't using it elsewhere, then you might as well use it as a redirect. It's free to do via your domain account and should be fairly easy to do (my provider makes it easy for me, anyway, and I'm no expert on that stuff lol).

Of course, Google frowns on redirects (due to hijackers) and, since you won't have any content (pages) directly under that domain, it's unlikely that it will ever be seen in a search. But that doesn't affect your shop or the domain's functionality as an easier way for potential customers to find you. So, it can still be used to brand your business and locate your shop.

I have two domains for this business -- the above and one for my blog. When I quit using the .com for my shop, I may have a use for it on my blog. If my idea doesn't pan out, then I'll use it as a redirect to this shop. I may just go ahead and cancel it as my custom domain and at least use it as a redirect in the meantime. That way those who have the URL won't get the scary warning page. Let any product link under that domain drop out of search because it's worse than useless to me.
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