Staking your claim on a website domain name may sound intimidating or complicated, but thankfully the best domain hosting providers make the process super easy. Fortunately, “buying” a new domain name is as simple as most online shopping transactions Buying a domain name entails registering the address you want, along with your contact information, with the international organization in charge of keeping track of website addresses. Thankfully, you can have a domain registrar (which is usually your hosting provider) contact the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) on your behalf. When signing up for hosting, the provider will probably ask if you want to register a domain name. Enter the address you desire, and the registrar will let you know if it’s available. From there, it’s as simple as online shopping: Decide which domain (or multiple domains!) you want, add them to your cart, and submit your payment information when you’re ready to check out. Technically speaking, you don’t really buy a domain name; you’re actually leasing it. The registry, or organization that oversees a particular top-level domain (.COM.ORG.NET.EDU.EDU, etc.), and registrar (likely your web hosting company) work out the specific terms of how much a TLD should cost, who can register them, and for how long.