How to Buy Domain Names Online

by Marissa Willman

Overview

A domain name identifies a location on the Internet. Domain names are the website address you type in to visit a web page. Examples of web domains include .com, .gov and .org. To start a website, you must register an available domain name with one of the available registrars. To purchase the rights to a domain name, you can use one of the accredited domain registrars from the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers. Domain names must be renewed after a period of time as you cannot buy permanent rights.

Step 1

Create a list of domain names you are interested in purchasing. Create multiple variations of your desired domain name in case the name is already registered.
Step 2

Go to ICANN's website to view a list of approved domain registrars (see Resources). Examples of approved registrars include GoDaddy and MyDomain. Select a registrar.
Step 3

Open the registrar's website in your browser. Enter your desired domain name into the website's search tool to determine whether the name is available. Enter alternative domain names until your find one that is available.
Step 4

Purchase the domain name by entering your credit card information and agreeing to the website's terms. Make sure you understand how long your registration is valid for; typically, you can own a domain name for one or two years. You will need to pay an additional fee to renew your ownership of the domain name when the registration expires.

Overview