Magento Domain Name Infringement
For e-commerce web designers who want to set up their own Magento website, it is worth noting that the choice of domain name should be considered very carefully. We all know that for SEO purposes a keyword-rich domain name is beneficial, but Varien makes it very clear in their License terms that you may not use the word Magento in a domain name, or you can risk legal action.
In the footer of the official Magento website, there’s a link to Varien’s license agreement, something which is very easy to miss but is clearly stated. You can read Varien’s License agreement here: http://www.magentocommerce.com/license/
The parts that I am referring to say the following:
Can I use the “Magento” trademark in one of my domain names or URLs?
No. You may not use the Magento trademark or any other mark associated with the Magento offering from our company in your domain name or URL. (For instance “www.magentohosting.com” is not allowed. See more on this topic below.)
If I can’t use the “Magento” trademarks, how can I market my own goods or services to the community?
Varien is committed to helping build an effective Magento community. We welcome business partnerships with companies around the world. You are free, under OSL 3.0, to market any of your goods or services relating to Magento software-as long as you don’t refer to those goods or services as “Magento” or confuse our trademarks and service marks with your own.
A summary of appropriate and inappropriate uses of the Magento trademarks
By law and to provide clarity for the greater Magento community, we ensure that the uses of the Magento trademarks (including our name and logos) are subject to the following “fair use” guidelines. We enforce our trademark rights around the world.
Basically, the terms are spelled out very clearly and should not be ignored. Certainly it’s very tempting to get a keyword-rich domain name while they’re available. With the following that Magento has gained over recent years, it’s easy to see why these domains would increase in value. I would suggest that you do not run the risk of being caught out by Varien and choose a domain name that doesn’t feature the word ‘Magento’. Even for sites where you’re merely testing out Magento customizations, I would avoid this completely and keep yourself out of any complications.
