Domain Name
Sometimes, companies have phone numbers that correspond with letters to make them easier to remember, like 1-800-FLOWERS. A domain name is the same thing, but more widespread. The internet equivalent of a phone number is an IP address, and the domain name is simply a word or group of letters that corresponds to a numerical IP address.
You can buy the rights to your own domain name, and have it point to your web pages, whether you have your own server or not. ICentral's server, which houses the ShopSite Marketplace, has a domain name, shopsite.com, but it also houses the ICentral homepage, icentral.com, and domain names for several stores in the Marketplace.
The company in charge of domain names is called Internic. You need to pay them $50 per year for the use of a name, and you will most likely need to pay your internet provider a fee for the work they need to do in order to get the domain working. For stores in the ShopSite Marketplace, ICentral charges $50 to set up a domain name, not counting Internic fees.
You can check to see which names are already taken. Check a Domain Name Now, You should contact your provider before attempting to register a name. You'll need information from them.
Do you need a domain name? Maybe. The primary reason for having one is to make it easier to advertise your site by word of mouth. If it is very likely that you will be advertising your site off-line, thus necessitating that people remember the name, or that your customers will be likely to recommend your site to their friends in conversation, it may not be worth the money to register a domain name. Also, it is very possible that the domain name that you would choose is already taken. If so, it may be more practical to use the URL that your Internet Provider assigns you.
