Buying a domain through Shopify

To help you set up your domain and manage all your domain settings from your Shopify admin, you can buy a domain through Shopify. If this domain is the first domain that you add to Shopify, then it's automatically configured to be the web address that’s displayed to customers. If you already use a domain with your store, then the new domain automatically redirects to your primary domain.

After you buy your domain through Shopify, you can do the following tasks on the Domains in your Shopify admin:

• edit your domain settings
• create subdomains
• set up forwarding email addresses
• pay for your domain
• renew your domain

Caution

Domains purchased through Shopify are registered for one year, and can be renewed annually. After you buy a domain, you can’t change the URL that you chose during purchase. Domain purchases are non-refundable.

Considerations before you buy a domain through Shopify

Before you buy a domain through Shopify, review the following considerations:

• Email hosting services aren't provided on Shopify. Instead, you can connect your Shopify-managed domain to a third-party email hosting service.
• Some domain extensions include WHOIS privacy, which is a service that keeps your personal contact information hidden from public domain registration records. If you want WHOIS privacy, then make sure that your domain extension isn't on the WHOIS exceptions list.
• Some domain extensions have specific residency or business registration requirements. Make sure that you can meet these requirements, because you might need to verify your registration information. If you can't meet these requirements, then your domain might be suspended.
• A new TLS certificate, also known an SSL certificate, is created automatically when you buy a domain through Shopify. You don’t need to buy SSL encryption for your domain.
• You need to pay the registration fee every year to renew your domain subscription. Domain renewals are charged separately from your monthly subscription charges. The exact pricing depends on which domain extension you choose.
• Domain hosting services are only available with a paid Shopify plan. If you want to deactivate your store or your Shopify account, but you want to keep using your domain, then you need to transfer your domain before you deactivate your store. You can transfer your domain to one of the following:
  • a different Shopify store
  • another domain provider
• Contact information can't have any special characters including characters with symbols. For example, you can't include ß,ä, or * in the address. To purchase the domain, replace the characters with the equivalent characters in English. For example, straße can be replaced with strasse and Å with A.
• When purchasing .se domains, the contact information should be in the following format:
  • The postal code can't include spaces.
  • The first 0 in your phone number can't be included.
  • Your Swedish Identity Number must consist of ten digits and a hyphen in the following format: YYMMDD-XXXX.

Buy a domain through Shopify

Before you buy a custom domain through Shopify, check the price and availability of your domain name by using Shopify's domain name generator. The exact price of domains that are bought through Shopify depends on which top-level domain (TLD) extension you choose. The availability of TLDs is subject to change.

The domain name generator displays the availability of your chosen domain name, as well as other available TLDs and alternative domain names. If your chosen domain name or TLD isn't available, then you can choose one of the suggested options or start a new search.

Step 1: Select the domain name that you want to buy

1. From your Shopify admin, go to Settings > Domains.
2. Click Buy new domain.
3. Enter the domain name that you want to buy.
4. Review the available domain extensions and their prices.
5. Click Buy next to the domain that you want to buy.

Step 2: Review the purchase summary

1. Review the Domain to be registered section. If you want to ensure your domain is automatically renewed before it expires, then select Auto-renew this domain every year.
2. Review the Contact information section to confirm that the Shopify store owner's email address and information are correct.
3. Confirm whether this domain extension includes WHOIS Privacy, a service that keeps your personal contact information hidden from public domain registration records:
   • If the domain name that you enter includes WHOIS privacy, then a message is displayed that the domain includes WHOIS privacy.
   • If you don't receive this message and you want WHOIS privacy on your domain, then click Cancel and select a different domain extension that isn't on the WHOIS Exceptions list.
4. In the Payment method section, choose a payment method for your domain.
5. Read the ICANN policy and the Domain Registration Agreement.
6. Click Buy domain.

It can take up to 48 hours for your domain to start working. If this domain is the first domain that you add to Shopify, then it's automatically configured to be the web address that’s displayed to customers. If you already use a domain with your store, then the new domain automatically redirects to your primary domain.

Step 3: Verify your email address

After you buy a domain, you need to verify your email address to complete your domain registration. Check your email account for several emails from Shopify that you need to review. These emails include details about the following:

• confirming your purchase
• verifying your email address
• managing how your data is shared.

If you don't receive an email about verifying your email address, then check your email inbox's spam folder or resend the verification email from your Shopify admin. If you don't verify your email address within 15 days, then your domain might be suspended.

Note

If you already own a domain through Shopify that's registered with the same first name, last name, and email address, then your email address might be verified automatically. If your email address is verified automatically, then you won't receive an email about verifying your email address.

Verifying your registration information

Some domain extensions have restrictions or registration requirements when you buy a domain through Shopify. For example, to use a .ca domain for Canada or a .fr domain for France, you need to meet certain residency and business registration requirements. These domain extensions have specific registry organizations that manage their registrations. If you’re the domain owner, then these organizations can contact you periodically to verify that you meet their residency or registration requirements.

When you buy a domain through Shopify, your store’s information is automatically used to complete your domain registration. This information includes your business name, personal name, address, and phone number.

If a registry organization contacts you to verify your domain, then you need to provide proof of your registration information. Each registry organization has different requirements for what kinds of documentation you can provide, for example, a passport, business bills, or proof of business address. If you change your business address or have difficulty proving your registration information, then contact Shopify Support.

Caution

Before you share any personal documentation, make sure that you're contacted by the registry organization for your specific domain extension.

Next steps after buying a domain

After you buy a domain, you can do the following:

• Set up email forwarding addresses.
• Set up third-party email hosting.
• Configure automatic renewal for your domain.
• Add subdomains.
• Set up international domains.

WHOIS exceptions

The following domain extensions don't include WHOIS privacy when you buy a custom domain through Shopify. If you buy one of these domain extensions, then your personal contact information is available in public domain registration records.

Top-level domains that don't include WHOIS privacy

.abogado	.ac	.ae	.aero	.africa
.ag	.ai	.alsace	.am	.ar
.archi	.as	.asia	.at	.au
.auto	.barcelona	.bayern	.be	.berlin
.br	.brussels	.bzh	.cat	.cd
.ch	.cl	.cm	.cologne	.coop
.corsica	.cx	.cz	.de	.ec
.es	.feedback	.fi	.fm	.fr
.frl	.gd	.gg	.gl	.gr
.gs	.gy	.hamburg	.hk	.hm
.hn	.hr	.ht	.hu	.il
.im	.in	.io	.is	.je
.jobs	.jp	.kg	.ki	.kr
.la	.law	.lc	.li	.lt
.lu	.lv	.ly	.ma	.md
.melbourne	.mn	.ms	.mu	.mx
.my	.nl	.no	.nrw	.nu
.nyc	.nz	.paris	.pe	.ph
.pl	.pm	.pr	.pro	.pt
.pw	.qa	.quebec	.re	.rio
.ro	.ru	.ruhr	.sb	.sc
.scot	.se	.sg	.sh	.si
.so	.sr	.srl	.st	.sx
.sydney	.tc	.tf	.tk	.tl
.tm	.to	.travel	.tw	.ua
.us	.uy	.vc	.ve	.vg
.vlaanderen	.vote	.voto	.wf	.wien
.yt	.za