Do your due diligence
Hopefully, after a few hours of brainstorming and a few days to mull things over, you’ll at worst have a shortlist of options you’re considering, and at best have a potential name that you’re trying on for size.
Before you go all in and start getting your branding designed, there’s a bit of housekeeping to be done.
The biggest no-brainer – make sure there’s not already a business with that name (at least not in a similar industry) and that you’re not setting yourself up for copyright issues down the road.
The number of annual trademark filings has exploded by over 230% in the last decade, so you’ll be facing increased competition no matter what your industry is.
Here in Australia, you can search ASIC’s database to make sure your potential name has the green light. It will also let you know if any businesses have similar names, so you don’t run into the same issue if you decide to make some tweaks.
It’s also a good idea to check IP Australia to make sure your future business isn’t infringing on a trademark, at both a local and international level.
If your ideal name is still intact after checking these databases, the next hurdle to clear is the domain name. If the dot com version is taken, that’s not necessarily a dealbreaker – just know that you might have to put in some extra work in the SEO department to make sure you’re ranking top of page for your brand name.
Ideally, your social handles will be the same as (if not extremely similar to) your domain name, so secure those if they’re available when you check. It’s a good idea to claim the handle on any platform you may use, even if it’s not part of your initial strategy for launching an eCommerce brand – big name businesses have been caught out on TikTok, late to make the shift to the platform only to find that their handles have been snapped up by other creators.