Domain news: Hamleys oversight causes website downtime

Toy store Hamleys has run into difficulties by failing to renew its domain name, it has been reported.

The firm's website was out of action for around 36 hours after a third party company took over the web address and displayed adverts for rival companies.

A company spokesperson confirmed that the problem had occurred, but had now been rectified.

She stated: "The domain name was not renewed. It was an extremely big oversight, and yes, the timing of it was very unfortunate.

"It is now renewed. For most people around the world, if they type in Hamleys they will see our address."

The Telegraph reports that Hamleys may have lost hundreds of thousands of pounds due to the website downtime – which saw its address direct web users to the holding page of a domain name consultancy.

Internet retail trade body IMG told the news provider that the domain issue could prove to be "potentially disastrous".

Last month, Patricio Robles told Econsultancy that catchy domain names are the key for growing businesses.

Written by Debra Hastings-Henry