Using Shopify To Run A Business
Starting an online business has vastly lower overheads than a bricks-and-mortar store, as it doesnt require the inventory, warehousing costs, the rent or the staff. Almost half of all respondents to a Xero survey believed that online businesses have a higher net profit margin, and six out of ten said that the costs remain lower over time.
That is why many people with products to sell start with a Shopify website.
Prepare Domain To Transfer
Provide the new host with the following information:
- The domain name you want to transfer.
- The authorization code or EPP code for your domain name
Once Shopify has this information, they will be able to begin the transfer process. It can take up to 10 days to complete the transfer, so be patient.
The next step is to access your domain names management panel and remove all records associated with the old host.
You can now add the records for Shopify. Be sure to follow the instructions provided carefully, as there can be specific requirements to transfer the domain to Shopify.
Also, be sure to keep your Shopify domain name registrar account information up to date, as this will be needed to manage your domain in the future. Finally, check your Shopify settings to ensure they suit your needs.
How To Change Your Shopify Store Name & Domain
Rachel Go
Although William Shakespeare asserted a rose by any other name would smell as sweet, for brand owners, names can make or break their business.
As businesses grow and establish market share, their names become even more important.
Owners research and carefully select their business names before registering, setting up websites, and creating marketing collateral to attract new customers. But sometimes, it becomes appropriate or even necessary to change your brand name.
For ecommerce merchants, changing your Shopify store name as part of a rebranding or expansion, or because it causes confusion, can seem like a daunting task.
This article will walk through:
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Recommended Reading: How To Get A Domain Name And Website
Transfer The Domain To Shopify
Once you successfully transfer the domain to Shopify, itll take over responsibility for the domain name.
This means that you will no longer be able to access the website or email accounts associated with the domain name.
If you need to keep these services active, you will need to continue paying for them through Shopify.
Can I Have My Own Domain On Shopify
There are a lot of different ways to set up a website these days. You can use a platform like WordPress, Wix, or Squarespace, or you can go the more traditional route and build your site from scratch. However, one of the most popular website-building platforms out there is Shopify.
Shopify is a platform that lets you create an online store. Its simple to use and there are tons of different themes and plugins available to make your store look great. One of the best things about Shopify is that you can use your own domain name with it.
Using your own domain name with Shopify is a great way to make your store look more professional. It also makes it easier for people to find your store since they can just type in your domain name instead of having to remember a long URL.
PRO TIP:
First, you need to make sure that the domain name you want is available. You can do this by checking with a domain registrar like GoDaddy or Namecheap. Once youve found an available domain name, youll need to purchase it and set it up with your Shopify store.
There are a few different ways to do this, but the simplest way is to use Shopifys Domain Name Service . With DNS, you can point your custom domain name to your Shopify store with just a few clicks.
However, if youre not using Shopifys DNS, youll need to set up some DNS records yourself. This can be a bit technical, so if youre not comfortable doing it yourself, you can always hire someone to do it for you.
Read Also: Where Can I Register A Domain Name
Change Domain Via Website Admin
2. On the left side, you will see the Online Store section. Click on it.
3. In the opened menu click on Domains.
4. On the top of the page, you will see different buttons. You should click on the Change primary domain.
5. Now select the domain from the list and click Save.
Your primary domain will be changed immediately. If someday you want to change it again, just repeat the steps described above.
Read Also: Where To Sell Domain Names For Profit
Shopify Store Name Vs Shopify Store Domain
First, lets talk about the difference between your Shopify store name and your Shopify URL.
Your store’s name on Shopify is made up of two elements.
The first is whats visible to your customers on the front end. When you initially set up your Shopify store, you need to enter your stores name.
The second is the domain name or URL, which ends with .com or myshopify.com unless you pay for a custom domain. The domain name or store URL is automatically generated when you start your store.
For example, if your store is named Barbs Burgers, your domain name could be www.barbs-burgers.myshopify.com. If you bought a custom domain, it could be shortened to www.barbsburgers.com.
Recommended Reading: Can I Create My Own Domain Extension
Difference Between Shopify And Your Website
Shopify isnt just seen as a platform that offers eCommerce solutions but as a website builder. This means that you dont need any knowledge of programming or coding to build your store, the subsequent pages that it requires and set up a blog for it. All you need to do here is click some buttons and pick your designs while the already available back-end functionality gets customized based on your steps. Shopify also provides hosting services to store owners for a monthly fee to keep their store live and accessible to everyone.
On the other hand, your website would be starkly different on a fundamental level from a Shopify store. You will first need to pick the right platform and choose a content management system that will help you build your website. The software is also crucial to managing and updating all the content of the site in just one go. A CMS is technically designed to help one build and manage a blog or website, but its flexible and customizable approach can help you build a store as well.
Which One Is More Popular
Over the years, Shopify has become the largest and the most popular eCommerce platform that has hosted over 800,000 stores from a wide set of industries and niches. The platform also hosts the biggest names like Gymshark and Budweiser, as it has a great set of functions and features that make it the obvious choice for a beginner.
However, building your online store sounds fascinating as it provides complete control and flexibility to the store owner and allows them to customize the store in whichever way they want, whenever they want. But if you wish to run your own store, you will need to find a platform and fetch all the tools needed for its operation yourself. For example, fulfilling orders, accepting payments, updating customers and more.
In the end, the decision you make will be based on your needs and requirements. But its important for you to see how both the scenarios work so that you can make an informed decision.
Recommended Reading: How To Reclaim A Domain Name
Enter Your New Store Name And Save
In the Store name field, youll enter your new name. Here, you can also update your industry and legal company name, if you want.
Click Save either at the bottom of the page or in the upper right corner.
Changing up your store name only takes three quick steps, but if youre doing a more extensive overhaul, youll want to update your URL to match.
#cta-visual-pb#< cta-title> Customize your Shopify store today< cta-title> Use Shogun Page Builder and get the website youve been dreaming of.Start building for free
Purchasing Through The Shopify Website
Here are the steps to buying a custom domain:
That’s all!
Read Also: How Much Do Domains Sell For
Can I Use My Own Domain During The 14 Day Trial
Hello, I am trying to build a website for a dropshipping store and my budget is limited,, as you know before start receiving orders I need to get approval from the suppliers ..so in case I did not get any approval from suppliers I have to change the niche and build a new website so before choosing a plan and start paying money, I want to talk to the suppliers using my own domain..my question is can I use my own domain during the 14 day trial? Thank you
This is an accepted solution.
Hi there!
Don here from Shopify.
You can absolutely use your own custom domain while your store is still on its trial period.
If you are using a third-party domain you can see how to add and connect this to your Shopify store here.
One important clarification here is that the myshopify.com domain your store is created with can’t be edited after creation in any way whatsoever.
These domains are unique to each store and are used to track stores here so can’t be edited, deleted or re-used at all.
Not to worry, as you can just add a different custom domain to your store if you feel you need to change direction and this would be the only domain your customers will see when browsing your store!
You can also get in touch with us via our support site whenever you have any Shopify-related questions for us.
All the best!
– Was my reply helpful? Click Like to let me know! – Was your question answered? Mark it as an Accepted Solution
This is an accepted solution.
Hi there!
Don here from Shopify.
Prepare Your Domain For Transfer
Before you can transfer your domain to Shopify, you need to unlock your domain and get a transfer authorization code from your domain provider.
When you transfer a domain to Shopify, your domain’s A record and CNAME record are set to Shopify’s default domain records. If additional records are present on your domain before the transfer, then make a copy of those records to add to the Domains section of your Shopify admin after the transfer. For example, you might need to add an MX record to reconnect your domain to an email hosting service.
Note
The process for preparing a domain for transfer varies by third-party domain provider. If you have trouble preparing your domain for transfer, then contact your third-party domain provider. Shopify Support can’t log in to your third-party domain account for you, even if you give your explicit permission.
Steps:
Also Check: Is Google A Domain Registrar
Transfer Domain To Shopify
Now, its time to move to the most essential steps:
In case you already have a domain connected to your Shopify store, please click Transfer domain
After you have approved the transfer process, it takes you up to 20 days for the domain transfer to be finished and after that, you will receive an email from Shopify confirming that your domain is successfully transferred.
Note: When you transfer a domain to Shopify, its A record and CNAME record are set to Shopifys default domain records. If additional records were presented on your domain before the transfer, then you need to add those in the Domains section of your Shopify admin.
Can I Get My Domain Name Via Shopify
If you decide to change to a custom branded domain name rather than stick to the primary name automatically given to your store by Shopify, there are 3 ways you can do it:
- Purchase a new domain from Shopify.
- Purchase a domain from a third-party registrar like GoDaddy and Namecheap.
- Use a custom domain name you already have.
That said, if you don’t have a preference on where to get your domain name, the easiest option is to purchase it directly from Shopify. They offer competitive pricing rates in comparison with other domain registrars, but you may be able to save a few bucks if you decide to use third-party registrars.
However, based on your technical analysis you have to choose whether saving a few dollars is worth the additional hassle and time of setting up your third-party custom domain to lead to Shopify.
The major advantage of purchasing from Shopify is that the platform will set up your domain automatically for you, so you won’t have to bother about creating your DNS records.
The major con is that Shopify won’t provide you with an email account in combination with its domain service. However, you can use other options like Zoho Mail or Google’s G-suit for the email problem and effortlessly integrate them to Shopify, but you will have to be willing to fiddle around your domain’s MX records.
Recommended Reading: How To Point My Domain To My Website
Changing Shopify Domain Via The Mobile App
Here’s how to do it.
That’s all. You’ve successfully changed your primary domain.
S For Choosing A Shopify Domain Name
Come up with name ideas
First, you should come up with some ideas for names. You can use a thesaurus to come up with synonyms for your business or product or brainstorm words that describe what you do.
You could simply use your brand name as your domain name too. Once you have ideas, its time to start checking availability.
Check if your domain name is available
You can use Shopifys domain checker to see if your chosen domain is available. If it is, great! If not, you may need to think of another name. Be sure to check the availability of both the .com and the .net versions of your chosen domain.
Generally, .com domains still seem more trustworthy for online stores than newer ones like .shop, .us, or others.
You could also leverage Shopifys WHOIS Domain Lookup tool to find out who owns the domain and when it expires. If you decide to buy a Shopify domain name, youll also need to choose a web host.
Set up your account and configure your DNS settings
Shopify offers a number of great domain options, so be sure to choose one that fits your needs.
Once youve chosen a host, youll need to set up your account and configure your DNS settings. Shopifys support team can help you every step of the way.
After youve set up the DNS records, it can take a few hours for them to start working. You can check your domains status in the Domains section of the Shopify admin.
Add your domain to Shopify
Recommended Reading: Why Are Some Domains More Expensive
How To Connect Your Domain To Shopify
Want to link your domain to your Shopify store? We can do that! Before we begin, you will need to add your domain to Shopify. This article from the Shopify help center will show you how.
Next, you can use our Quick Connect feature to link your Shopify site to your domain.
- 1
- Log in. You should arrive at the Domain Management screen. If you’re already logged in, click on ACCOUNT in the top-right corner and select Domain Management.
- 2
- 3
-
On the MANAGE DNS RECORDS pop-up, scroll down till you see our Quick DNS Config section.
- 4
- In the Quick DNS Config section, select the “Shopify” button.
- A pop-up will appear asking if you want to reconfigure your domain’s DNS records. Select the blue “OK” button to continue.
- 5
- A success message will appear, letting you know that we were able to update your DNS records. You should now see your DNS records successfully updated to the Shopify DNS under Current Records.
That’s it! You have connected your domain to Shopify. It can take up to 48 hours for these changes to go through. You will also want to verify your connection in Shopify. This article from the Shopify help center gives you further instructions:
“ClickVerify Connectionin your Shopify admin to confirm that your custom domain has been connected to your store.”