Buying a domain name is as easy as 1-2-3!

1. Choose your domain name

Choose your domain name and pay for it. We accept payment by credit or debit card, bank transfer and via Paypal. For your security and peace of mind, we offer third-party escrow to protect your payment until the domain name is transferred to you.

2. We transfer the domain name to you

Once full payment is received, we take care of everything to ensure that the domain name is officially transferred into your name or that of your business. You will then become the owner of the domain name (the Registrant in official-speak!).

3. You're now the proud owner of a new domain name!

We will help you move the domain name to a domain name company (Registrar) of your choice so that you can manage it and develop it going forward. You are then free to do whatever you want with it - redirect it to an existing website, develop it as a brand new website, or even sell it on.

Any questions? We're always happy to help. See the Frequently Asked Questions below or email us at [email protected].

Domain Name FAQ

Is the purchase price listed a one-off payment?

This is the question we get asked perhaps the most. And the answer is yes, the purchase price listed on Brandwise is for complete ownership of the domain name.

Once purchased and paid for in full, the domain name is transferred to you officially via Nominet so that you become the new Registrant (owner).

You are then free to do whatever you wish with the name: develop a website with it, point it to an existing website, use it for emails, use it in marketing campaigns, and so on. You can even sell it again if you so wish!

For the avoidance of any doubt, the transfer of registration includes the transfer of all rights, title and interest in the domain name(s) to the buyer.

Are there any ongoing costs associated with buying a domain name from Brandwise?

All domain names need to be renewed on an annual basis, and so the only ongoing cost is this small registration renewal fee. This is not paid to us, but to the organisation or body that maintains the domain name registry: in the UK this role is performed by Nominet.

You can renew your domain name for anything from one to ten years at a time and can do so through any number of Registrars (domain name companies). Prices vary between Registrars, but the typical renewal fee charged for UK domain names is £5.00 to £15.00 a year.

What happens once I buy a domain name?

When you buy a domain name, it will be transferred into your name or that of your business. You will then have complete control of it.

If you already own a domain name or domain names, we will help you move it into the same account that you are currently using for that name or names.

If this is your first domain name purchase, we will help you set up an account with a domain name company of your choice so that you can manage the name going forward.

Is the listed asking price negotiable?

We expect to achieve the listed asking price on domain names listed on Brandwise, but everything in business is negotiable and we are always happy to consider offers on domain names, providing the listed asking price is taken into consideration.

We also offer a lease to buy option which allows you to spread the cost of purchase for up to five years.

How quickly will I own the domain name after paying?

Typically within hours of full payment being received, even at weekends if we are aware payment is being made.

When paying by monthly instalment, the transfer of ownership occurs once the final payment has been received. Until then the name is held in escrow for your protection.

We can also temporarily redirect a domain name to your existing website once an agreement to purchase has been reached so it will be working for you immediately.

How do I know you will transfer the domain name to me once I have paid?

To give you complete peace of mind when buying a domain name from Brandwise, we offer third-party escrow via Transpact or another trusted escrow service.

Escrow is where your money is held by a third party and only released to us when the transfer of ownership of the domain name has been confirmed. This way your money is completely safe until the domain name you are buying has been transferred to you.

If you wish to purchase a name using our choice of escrow service, we will pay the escrow fees. If you wish to use a different escrow service, please contact us to discuss. With American clients, we regular use Escrow.com for example.

Why should I buy a domain name on the aftermarket when I can register a new one for a few pounds?

A great domain name shouts market leader. The better your domain name (think online brand), the more you will stand out in an increasingly crowded market place.

The reality is, however, that the best domain names have already been taken.

That's the bad news.

The good news is that the aftermarket gives you an opportunity to own one of those best names.

It's a window of opportunity that will stay open until another business steps forward and buys the name. Then you may be left kicking yourself for not buying it while you had the chance to do so. You had the chance, but let it pass you by.

Settling for a less than perfect alternative may be the cheaper option in the short term, but it often proves to be a false economy in the long run.

How much should you pay for a domain name?

Not all domain names are created equal. With that in mind, we have created a guide to how much you should pay for a UK domain name.

We also compile UK domain name sales charts for this and previous years which can serve as a guide to the current market.

Are domain names case sensitive?

No, domain names are not case sensitive. For example, Brandwise.co.uk, BRANDWISE.CO.UK, and brandwise.co.uk, are the same domain name. All will bring visitors to this website. Even bRaNdwIsE.cO.uK works. How a domain name appears in your marketing is simply a matter of personal preference.

Do email addresses come with domain names?

If you own a domain name you automatically have exclusive rights to all related email addresses.

So, for example, if you owned brandwise.co.uk, you could create email accounts like [email protected], [email protected] and so on.

Doing this looks far more professional than using a hotmail address or similar for your business (and far too many small businesses with websites make that mistake!).

Some hosting companies try to limit the number of email accounts per domain name so that they can charge you for extra ones, but there are plenty that don’t.

I already have a domain name. How easy it it to change it?

Changing a website's domain name is like changing the address of your business premises. It requires planning, but is not difficult to do.

We have prepared a guide, How To Change Your Domain Name, which you may find of use.

Transfer guide for UK domain names

Here's a guide to buying a domain name via Brandwise. We have made it as detailed as possible, but the actual process of buying a domain name and becoming its new Registrant (owner) is very simple. And remember, we're here to help you every step of the way to ensure a smooth, quick transfer.

1. On receipt of a £100 deposit payment, or on reaching an agreement to buy a domain name, the domain name will be reserved for you for a period of five days and taken off the market.

2. You will then be asked to pay the balance due or your first instalment payment (if buying using the lease-to-buy option). To offer you complete peace of mind, we offer an escrow service for domain name purchases whereby payment is held in escrow by an independent third party, Transpact or Dan.com, until the domain name is transferred to you. Should you wish to use an alternative escrow service, you are free to do so.

3. Full payment or first instalment payment is payable within five days. No exceptions unless agreed prior to the invoice being issued. If payment is not received within five days, the agreement to sell is no longer binding and we reserve the right to return the domain name to the market.

4. On receipt of payment, the domain name will be transferred to you via Nominet, the domain name registry responsible for UK domain names. All transfers, to be official, must be made via Nominet. During office hours, this is done typically within an hour or two of full and final payment being received.

5. The transfer is officially known as a Registrant Transfer and you will become the new Registrant of the domain name you are buying. Nominet normally charge £12 for a domain name transfer, but as a Nominet Registrar, we are able to complete the transfer for you at no charge.

6. For avoidance of any doubt, the transfer of registration includes the transfer of all rights, title and interest in the domain name(s) to the buyer.

7. To transfer the name we will ask you for the new Registrant’s name (it can be a person or business) and address (if different from the invoice) and (for Nominet use only) a contact email and telephone number.

8. We aim to transfer the name to you as quickly as possible, usually within a few hours of Transpact (or other escrow service used) notifying us that payment is being held in escrow pending the transfer completion.

9. Once the transfer is complete, you will be able to verify that you are indeed the new Registrant via the Nominet’s WHOIS Lookup Tool. This tool allows you to check the official directory for all .uk domain names and to see who the Registrant of any domain is. You will find the WHOIS Lookup Tool here: http://www.nominet.uk/whois/

10. So that you can manage the name going forward, we will also ask what domain name registration company (Registrar) you want to use to manage the domain name. Examples of well-known Registrars are Go Daddy, 123-Reg and 1&1. We will then help you move the domain name to your account with your choice of Registrar.

11. Once you have the name at your chosen Registrar you will have complete control of the domain name. You will then be able to do as you wish with the name: for example, develop a website on it, redirect it to an existing website, or even sell it.

12. The purchase price is a one-off payment, but all domain names must be renewed at regular intervals. UK domain names can be registered for between one and ten years at a time and once this term has finished, you can renew your rights to your domain name for another one to ten years via your Registrar.

Any questions? Please contact us.