SEO disadvantage to redirecting domain?

SEO IIS Microsoft Commerce Server IIS/5.0 Multiple domains

[carylf]

Question for the group. We are currently helping a customer whose sites are setup on IIS/5.0. They have a popular main domain - let's call it www.contentdomain.com - and a related shopping site we'll call www.shopdomain.com. They have very bad positioning for shopdomain.com but great for contentdomain.com. Of course the content is likely to do better but they do not even show up well for specific products.

Here's one of the issues I think is the "problem." One thing they are doing is immediately redirecting (302) shopdomain.com to contentdomain.com/shopping. So nothing is ever indexed for shopdomain.com. However we do see an occasional listing for contentdomain.com/shopping/productetc. Nothing to write home about or build a business on.

They are looking to build better affinity and separation for the shopping site, as well as content to it. To leverage this better is it neceesary to split the 2 and have 2 unique domains or would that require another server?

Sorry I only have a mild and dangerous background on server functions. I'm trying to get a better understanding of the situation. Any help is appreciated.

:-) Thanks, Caryl

[webdoctor]

They have a popular main domain - let's call it www.contentdomain.com - and a related shopping site we'll call www.shopdomain.com.

Is there a good reason for separating the two domains?

Is the content domain the kind of site that doesn't mention shopping, or does it link through to the shopping domain?

Have you considered hosting the shopping on the content domain - something like www.contentdomain.com/shop?

[carylf]

They do currently redirect all traffic to www.contentdomain.com/shop. They are hoping to separate and "rebrand" the shopping side a bit and have it stand on it's own. Which is why they are using the other domain. They want to drive traffic directly to the shopping site and bypass the corporate site. It's an easier URL to remember as well.

Right now, my concern is that they are using a 302 redirect for this and I am seeing some "hijacked" appreaing listings in the SERPs. A little more parnoia since reviewing posts else here. The results I am seeing are through an anonymous browsing site. (Not sure if I can mention it here.) If this was legit then why would the site show up in allinurl searches? So I'm wondering if they are opening themseleves up to security issues.

[webdoctor]

if they currently

redirect all traffic to www.contentdomain.com/shop

then it's not really surprising that

They have very bad positioning for shopdomain.com

or am I missing something?

What content, if any, is actually available on the www.shopdomain.com website?

If the answer is none, then you need add some, and stop redirecting people away from the domain. :-)

[carylf]

Thanks for the input. Agreed, they have far more indexable and relevant content at contentdomain.com. The issue really is that quick redirect from www.shopdomain.com to contentdomain.com/shop. Essentially there really IS no content. I guess what I am not usderstanding from them is why they wouldn't simply maintain the shopdomain.com url throughout? They insist they cannot with Commerce server. That's really why I am asking the question. From my understanding they CAN. Hope that makes more sense.

[webdoctor]

Essentially there really IS no content.

You could tell them this:

Ancient chinese proverb: "If there is no content on a domain, pigs will fly before that domain will rank well."

it's an over-simplification, but hey...

[webdoctor]

They insist they cannot with Commerce server. That's really why I am asking the question. From my understanding they CAN. Hope that makes more sense.

What is their server set-up? Commerce Server is a pretty beefy product, so I'm assuming multiple web servers and/or multiple database server. Is Commerce Server actually powering both websites?