Should my commerce store be on a separate domain to my main website

[SeoSheikh]

Hi, I have a brochure style website mycompanyname.com that gives lots of detail about my company and what services we offer etc. I am soon going to be adding an commerce solution (haven't decided on opencart or paid such as shopify yet).

I was wondering... is the best way to have a shop to have it on a completely separate domain like mycompanynameonlinestore.com or simply add it to a sub folder on my main brochure style website like mycompanyname.com/onlinestore

Many thanks to anyone who takes the time to help me make up my mind!!!

[BruceA]

Hi

It will be the same as putting on the main domain.  It will get crawled as part of the main site.  Blogs tend to site on sub domains, so start with www.blog.xxxx.com  or the shop could be www.shop.xxxx.com

Bruce

[HCHQ]

Sorry to butt in, what if you put it on a subdomain?

[SeoSheikh]

Thanks for this guys. Some great help and points made.

Alex

[CandymanKen]

Hi-

I would tend to agree with Bruce that you want to keep it on the same domain, otherwise you are starting from scratch for SEO on the new domain.

Good Luck

Ken

[BruceA]

Hi Johnas

In our view add it to the main site.  If you go for a split solution you dilute all the great work done from both sites.  Adding a shopping section to the site will add more traffic to the XXX.com site and therefore will also bring in product specific links and recommendations.

There are some very learned colleagues here on Moz, who will be able to offer more thoughts about your thinking.

As always with SEO, distill the essence of your company and present it in a unique way.  Unique in respect of making sure all reading material is written with your own words, with a moderate sprinkling of keywords.

Adding your ecommerce to the site enhances and leads the reader from reader to buyer

Hope that this helps

Bruce