Where do I start? I need to copywright and register a .com name for my small online fashion biz?
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I think Network Solutions is the best for buying .com names. Or you can sometimes get a deal with whoever is going to host your site and get your .com name free. For example Yahoo hosting does that. Yahoo hosting is probably the best for a new small business. Its very price effective and easy to use. My site was made with Yahoo. www.baxterspaintedpasture.com
I think for a name you have to trademark it but its very pricey. Just register it in the state you live in and once you buy the .com name no one can use it for a .com unless you give it up.
Keep in mind the biggest cause of failure for a small business is lack of cash flow. Be sure you have enough cash to keep going through the rough parts like start up.
Good luck!
Should have taken a few business classes.
Get incorporated with your state's division of incorporations. This prevents others from using your name.
You hold copyright just by being the first person to use your information in the format you are using it in. If anyone infringes, sue. As far as a trademark, this is a very very complex procedure, and does not seem necessary in your situation.
Go to godaddy.com, or some similar domain registry service (I say godaddy because they have a very good site builder, that will help you lay out your online store). Yahoo also has a good "storefront" site builder arrangement.
Set up to accept credit cards/paypal/online checks. Not expensive.
Advertise. Put your stuff on e-bay, froogle, yahoo stores, etc, with links to your main storefront.
Keep it going!! Most businesses fail within the first year BECAUSE THE PERSON WHO STARTED THE BUSINESS LOST INTEREST.
Good luck!
You can register your domain with any of the cheap hosting companies (godaddy.com is one of the most popular), but I recommend you read through about what makes a good website. You will be competing with other fashion websites, so you have to know a little bit about keywords, sitemaps, search engines, etc.
Look at Site Build It as an all-in--one for registering your domain name, hosting, step-by-step guide to help you write the site (for quality content so visitors can actually find your website among the millions out there). It is a reputable company with good support and a 30-day free trial. I switched from godaddy to them and love them (and I do not know html or any of that stuff.)
This is about online business in geneeral:
http://find.sitesell.com/business-servic...
No matter what company you go with look at this free ebook on how to write quality content for your site to attract customers:
http://mycps.sitesell.com/business-servi...
They have a good blog you can get lots of information from:
http://blogit.sitesell.com/business-serv...
Good Luck.
Copyrighting will take you forever, it's a stupidly long process.
When you register your business name it's protected, no other people can sell the same product under the same name, though they can sell totally different things. So if I start a shop called "Sneaky's" selling burglar tools, someone else can't sell burglar tools under the same name, but they can sell cars under the name "Sneaky's" because noone will mistake the 2. Their logo will have to be different as well.
A trademark is what you want, but that's for logos or sayings. It protects the face of your company basically, meaning someone can't use a close facsimile of your logo or saying. But even that protection is weak at best, so you can just skip it if you want, you should be able to sue any other companies using anything close because if you've established something as yours it's basically your intellectual property, even if it's not copyrighted.
Anyways, I suggest for you to get a small cheap website to show your wares and have a small online store. But use it more to show off your stuff, rather than to push sales, because it'll just be hard to get traffic to your area. Instead consider selling on ebay, it already has the traffic, if your products are good, they should sell. Especially if they're made in your country, which I assume is in the developed world. There's a big push for goods that aren't made in the 3rd world.
So worry about registering your business name and all the regular business stuff, worry less about protection, you have the basics, copyrighting is slow and painful and you basically get it for intellectual property. When you have the cash you can always spring for a trademark, but I suggest waiting until your business has stabilized and you have the final look you want, because otherwise you could trademark something you'll never use again, and that's just a waste of cash.
As I recall as well all your designs are automatically copyrighted basically when you make them up.
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