Are 2 sites in same niche from same company white hat?

[BobGW]

Hello,

We want to open a second eCommerce store. Our first one is doing well. It would be different code, different graphics, a different category/menu system, but many of the products will be the same.

Will that be safe and white hat now and into the future to have 2?

Thanks!

[The_Sage]

If you're serving multiple target audiences, then this is entirely white hat. If you're doing it for usability (segmenting products based on category), it's white hat. If you're doing it to own the top 8 listings instead of the top 4 for the same search terms, that feels grey hat.

[Ron_McCabe]

As said above you need different targets and objectives for the site. You also need to write new content with whatever your new positioning is.  To avoid duplicate content penalties you should also use different pictures and descriptions as well.

[Toddfoster]

From the sounds of it you're in the clear for now and the foreseeable future, but this is liable to change and as already said you must ensure that there is little (if any) duplicate content from one site to the other. It will depend on how you go about it (especially with regard to your link profile and content development). I would attempt to find a difference between the 2 sites and use that to expand into a slightly different market niche (and try to capture them both). Wish you the best of luck!

Rob

[BobGW]

This is some of the most wise responses I've seen. Here's my plan of action. Please comment:

1. Decide on unique niche. Develop 2 long excellent pieces of content (only article on site) that provide a direction and niche separating the new site from the other site.

2. Of course, very very little duplicate content anywhere, new pictures.

3. Excellently helpful content on home page and category pages addresses the unique niche addressed in the two long pieces of content.

4. 10% of all products must not be on the original site

5. Completely different on-Site SEO when possible (different keywords that when possible represent uniquie niche)

Any comments?

[KeriMorgret]

I'd still want to ask why? Why put the work into two sites, and divide your effort between them? If the time from the new site was instead allocated to the existing site, could that make it the leader in its field?

[EGOL]

I agree with Keri.   You already  have a site with traction.  Improve it.  Add pages that compete for new products, new keywords.  They will be immediately competitive.

Why start a second site with ZERO traction?   It can take a few years to get a new site ranking well.