Starting Ltd Company, Choosing Company Name and Changing it?

blobert

Hello,

Am setting up an ecommerce store as a ltd company.

Want to start the company now but I will not be sure of the domain name of the website for another 2-3 months (top choice name may be available then, if it is not I will be going with the 2nd choice one).

Is there any great advantage to having the company name the same as the website name?

Do I need to display the company name on the website (assuming I go with a different name to the eventual website name?) or can I just put the registered company number?

If I were to register the company under one name (my second choice domain) and then change it at a later stage (if the top choice becomes available) is this complicated or expensive to do?

Any advice would be much appreciated.

Thanks

flash harry

If there any great advantage to having the company name the same as the website name?

You will need to satisfy the domain name registration criteria to register a .ie and company or trading as name will do this


Do I need to display the company name on the website (assuming I go with a different name to the eventual website name?) or can I just put the registered company number?

If you can trade as the given website name i.e. process payments in whatever way you need to this becomes irrelevant other than to seem reputable and legit (serious currency onnline)


If I were to register the company under one name (my second choice domain) and then change it at a later stage (if the top choice becomes available) is this complicated or expensive to do?

No simple and nominal cost (think its €25 but open to correction)

HealthyWay

Just out of interest - why are you registering as a limited company and not a sole trader or partnership?

blobert

Thanks for the advice.

If it is that striaghtforward to change the name that shouldn't be a problem.

I could just register under 2nd choice name and change closer to launch time before website goes live.

Can anyone confirm this?

flash harry

trust me Im a doctor

http://www.cro.ie/en/post-registration-name-change.aspx

costs €0 squid though, thought less

thecleverone

Is there any great advantage to having the company name the same as the website name?

Yes. Firstly to satisfy domain requirements, you'll have to have the website name registered to a certain degree. Secondly, why wouldn't you register the website name as the company name? If you didn't, you'd be leaving the name available for someone else to register as a limited company (obviously subject to availability).

Do I need to display the company name on the website (assuming I go with a different name to the eventual website name?) or can I just put the registered company number?

Flash Harry is wrong on this one. As of 1 April 2007, every limited company which has a website is required to display its company name, registered office address and company number on it. (European Communities (Companies)(Amendment) Regulations 2007.)

If I were to register the company under one name (my second choice domain) and then change it at a later stage (if the top choice becomes available) is this complicated or expensive to do?

Flash Harry is wrong on this as well. While there is €0 cost to change a business name, there is a cost associated with changing a limited company name. To file a manual pdf form would cost you (with CRO) €100, but if you use the Companies Registrations Online Filing Environment (CORE), the cost reduces to €50 and the name change will be processed quicker.

TCO

blobert

Thanks guys,

The domain I want is due to expire in a month or two, I suspect that it should come available and I should be able to get it easily enough.

However I don't want to draw attention to it, by registering my ltd company name as it, getting the .co.uk, .ie versions of it I think I am increasing my chances of having a battle to get the .com name. If the person that currently owns it (and I have not been able to contact them) is aware someone wants it I'd imagine the price will go up hugely. I'm using the 2nd choice name (that I have the .com for) on my business plan etc for these reasons.

Perhaps I am being nuts about this but i reckon the less attention I draw to the .com I want the better and the cheaper I should be able to get it for eventually?

If the cost is only €50 to change the company name I reckon this is worth doing for the sake of potentially costing myself a lot more to get the .com

Thanks for the help though, its much appreciated.

flash harry

I stand corrected on the obligations re name and address but that was the link I sent oh clever one!!!

thecleverone

Sorry Flash Harry. The link you sent was correct, it was the €0 filing fee you mentioned that i was correcting.

arctictree

thecleverone wrote: »

Flash Harry is wrong on this one. As of 1 April 2007, every limited company which has a website is required to display its company name, registered office address and company number on it. (European Communities (Companies)(Amendment) Regulations 2007.)

I know of so many websites that do not meet this requirement. Is this enforced at all??!

thecleverone

As its a new(ish) requirement, some companies do not comply. By not complying, they are effectively breaking the law (however minor an offence it may be). Unfortunately its not enforced as much as it should be as the ODCE currently have bigger offences to be worrying about.