Site name change - how can it work effectively ??

[shags38]

I have two sites with confusingly similar names which is becoming problematic. Precis is that started out in retail and hove now moved into wholesale as well whilst still using the business name in the new url (a problem due to unforseen development of the business) so two sites with similar names, same products but two different price points. The retail site was the first and has by far the greater traffic whilst the wholesale site is the new one but it really needs to have priority of the business name in the domain, the retail site can be called XYZ for all that it matters being purely internet sales with no branding elements).

So I want to change the retail site to a different domain - is it as simple as just a permanent redirection and if so what negatives as far as SERPs can I expect and if lost as I expect how can they be re-built in as short a time period as possible? There is no PR so that is not an issue.

I really need some guidance with this sticky issue.

cheers,
Mike

 

[DavidL]

Sounds like it would be easier to change the wholesale site name... although am I reading it right that the wholesale clients would find their way to the retail site regardless?

Changing the domain is a big deal. You can be diligent and make sure you 301 every URL but ranking may suffer anyway. Any link juice to the old domain won't flow through completely (301's experience link juice decay I believe)

I'd get a new name for the wholesalers site... if wholesalers find their way to the retail site and then find their way to the wholesale site it's better than the other way round.

The big question is how much traffic are you worrying about? If it's not a great deal then options are wider

 

[shags38]

Sounds like it would be easier to change the wholesale site name... although am I reading it right that the wholesale clients would find their way to the retail site regardless?

Changing the domain is a big deal. You can be diligent and make sure you 301 every URL but ranking may suffer anyway. Any link juice to the old domain won't flow through completely (301's experience link juice decay I believe)

I'd get a new name for the wholesalers site... if wholesalers find their way to the retail site and then find their way to the wholesale site it's better than the other way round.

The big question is how much traffic are you worrying about? If it's not a great deal then options are wider

"if wholesalers find their way to the retail site and then find their way to the wholesale site it's better than the other way round "...... unfortunately it is the other way around

I may have to look at a sub-domain and an account application that requires an ABN which I would verify and then a secure login process to that part of the site? Would that work ??

comments appreciated.

cheers,
Mike