This week’s .scot Experiences focuses on local business Linlithgow Papercraft, an art and crafts supply shop based in central Scotland. Linlithgow Papercraft is a vital part of the local arts community. The business offers many tutorials and was one of the first businesses to register a .scot domain name. Here’s what the owner had to say about his experience:
What made you choose .scot?
I am a proud Scot who has waited all his life to let people know that I am Scots first, then European and finally British, only because we did not have a choice. With .scot, we do have a choice!
Why was having a Scottish domain important for your business?
Having a .scot is extremely important as it sets us apart from the huge number of .co.uk &.com websites. Some people, in my experience mainly tourists, see it as a novelty and some, mainly native residents, smile and say ‘not before time!’ The main thing is that it’s very, very memorable.
How did you find out about .scot?
I first found out that .scot was coming on a news item on the good old BBC! I searched around to find out more, applied and was told that it would not happen for another twelve weeks. Then I asked to be informed when I could apply and when they got in touch we filled in the blanks and I was told I was the third business to register.
Do you think it helps establish the cultural identity of your business?
Linlithgow Papercraft operates from Linlithgow, right in the heart of the central belt. As such we are right in the middle of the tourist belt and so anything that identifies us as being different from our opposition is good and very important. Not just for sales but by letting folk see that we exist. Our address Crafting.scot is extremely important. In the UK, the largest crafting company is ‘crafting .co.uk’ so it was obvious that we should have the Crafting.scot label!
Crafting.scot sets us apart from other craft companies but strangely it also gives our clients a sense of belonging, too. It’s certainly not designed to be divisive – we have so many customers from down south and much further afield that love our business and what we represent. So .scot helps to create a brand that people like.
It’s a well known fact that many international companies hire Scots because their accent is among the most trusted, recognized and liked in the world. Our shop and our online presence aim to contribute to this.
You can find more from Linlithgow Papercraft on Facebook.