Custom Domains
By default your storefront lives at a subdomain like yourstore.trafficstores.ca. A custom domain lets your storefront run on your own web address instead -- for example yourbusiness.com or shop.yourbusiness.com. You can connect a domain you already own, register a brand-new one, or transfer an existing domain in from another registrar so everything is managed in one place.
Custom domains are managed from the Storefront editor under Custom Domain (in the settings panel). Admins, managers, and storefront owners can access this area.
Custom domains attach to your storefront. The storefront feature must be enabled for the domain to resolve and serve your site.
How It Works
Every store gets a free subdomain on the platform domain (e.g. yourstore.trafficstores.ca). A custom domain is an additional address that points at the same storefront.
There are three ways to use a custom domain:
| Method | Who registers it | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Point a domain you own | Stays with your current registrar | You already have a domain and want to keep managing it where it is. |
| Register a new domain | Registered for you through the platform | You don't have a domain yet and want one set up in a single step. |
| Transfer a domain in | Moved to the platform from another registrar | You own a domain elsewhere and want it managed alongside your storefront. |
Once a domain is connected and pointing at the storefront, the platform automatically issues an HTTPS/TLS certificate for it, so your site loads securely with no extra setup. A background job verifies that the domain's DNS is pointing at the storefront before the domain goes live, and re-checks live domains daily so a working site stays working.
When you connect a domain, both the bare domain (yourbusiness.com) and the www version (www.yourbusiness.com) resolve to your storefront. You can enter either form.
Connecting a Domain You Already Own
If you already own a domain and want to keep it registered where it is (GoDaddy, Namecheap, Cloudflare, etc.), you can simply point it at the storefront with a DNS record.
- Open the Storefront editor and go to the Custom Domain section.
- In the Or just point a domain you own here box, enter your domain (e.g.
www.yourdomain.com). - At your registrar's DNS settings, create one of the following records:
- Root domain (e.g.
yourbusiness.com): an A record pointing to the storefront IP shown in the editor. - Subdomain (e.g.
shop.yourbusiness.com): a CNAME record pointing tostorefront.brotherpos.ca.
- Root domain (e.g.
- Save the domain in the editor, then click Verify Domain.
The platform checks DNS for your domain. If the A record matches the storefront IP, or the CNAME matches storefront.brotherpos.ca, the domain is marked verified and goes live. Verification also runs automatically on a schedule, so even if the check is too early, the domain will turn on by itself once DNS propagates.
| Record type | Use for | Points to |
|---|---|---|
| A | Root domain (yourbusiness.com) | The storefront IP shown in the editor |
| CNAME | Subdomain (shop.yourbusiness.com) | storefront.brotherpos.ca |
DNS changes can take anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours to take effect across the internet. If the domain doesn't verify right away, wait and let the automatic re-check pick it up.
Registering a New Domain
If you don't have a domain yet, you can search for and register one directly from the storefront editor. The registration is handled through the platform's domain registrar integration, and the domain is automatically connected to your storefront when it's ready.
- Open the Storefront editor and go to the Custom Domain section.
- Under Search for a domain, type the name you want (e.g.
yourbusiness) and click Search. - The results show available domains across common extensions (
.com,.ca,.shop,.store, and more) with yearly pricing. - Click a domain to register it.
If your plan includes a free domain (Commerce tier and up, one free domain per store), an eligible domain registers immediately with no charge and sets itself up automatically -- this usually takes a minute. Otherwise you're taken to a secure Stripe checkout to pay the first year. After payment clears, the domain is registered and connected automatically.
Once registered, the new domain:
- Has the storefront's nameservers and A records configured automatically.
- Is connected to your storefront and verified.
- Auto-renews each year (charged to your card on file) unless you turn auto-renewal off.
Domains registered or transferred through the platform can be put in your own name as the legal registrant. See Transferring Out / Ownership.
Transferring a Domain In
If you already own a domain at another registrar and want it managed alongside your storefront, you can transfer it in.
- Open the Storefront editor and go to the Custom Domain section.
- Under Transfer a domain you own elsewhere, enter your domain (e.g.
yourdomain.com) and click Check transferability. - The system confirms whether the domain can be transferred and shows the cost.
- At your current registrar, before submitting:
- Unlock the domain.
- Get the EPP / Auth code (sometimes called the transfer or authorization code -- usually found under "Transfer domain out" or "Get auth code").
- Paste the EPP/Auth code into the transfer form and click Start transfer.
If your plan includes a free domain (Commerce tier and up, with no prior domain), the transfer is free. Otherwise you pay the wholesale renewal cost only -- there is no markup on transfers. Either way, ICANN rules add one year to your existing registration time.
What happens after you submit
A transfer is not instant. After submission it sits at the registry waiting for approval:
- Watch your inbox (and spam) for an approval email. Most registrars forward it automatically through WHOIS privacy.
- Once you approve, the losing registrar releases the domain in about 5 days.
- The platform polls the transfer status automatically and updates the on-screen state.
A transferred-in domain is not repointed at your storefront the moment the transfer completes. Any website currently on that domain stays live. When the transfer finishes you'll get a Go live button so you can switch the domain over to your storefront whenever you're ready. See Verification & Go-Live.
Transferring Out / Ownership
Domains registered or transferred through the platform are protected by WHOIS privacy, and you can be set as the legal registrant so the domain is genuinely yours.
Claim ownership
On the domain's management page, use the Claim ownership / registrant form to set yourself as the legal owner (owner, admin, billing, and tech contact at the registrar, behind WHOIS privacy). Provide:
- First and last name, full address, city, state/province, country, postal code, phone, and email (all required).
- For
.cadomains, a CIRA legal type (defaults to CCO, Canadian Corporation).
Once claimed, you can transfer the domain out or manage it anytime, and it's no longer tied to the platform's contact details.
Transfer out to another registrar
From the domain's management page, choose to transfer the domain out. The system:
- Unlocks the domain.
- Sends the auth/EPP code to the registrant contact on file.
If you've claimed ownership, the code goes straight to your email, fully self-serve. Use it at your new registrar to complete the transfer. (If you haven't claimed ownership yet, the code goes to the platform contact -- claim ownership first to receive it directly.)
You don't have to point a platform-managed domain at the storefront. From the domain's management page you can set your own nameservers (e.g. Cloudflare, another host, a different site builder) using the use your own nameservers option. Enter at least two valid nameserver hostnames. The domain then resolves wherever those nameservers point, and it's detached from the storefront.
Verification & Go-Live
Before a domain serves your storefront, the platform verifies that its DNS actually points at the storefront. This protects against issuing certificates for domains that aren't ready.
- Pointed domains (you own elsewhere): click Verify Domain after creating the DNS record. The system checks for the A record (matching the storefront IP) or the CNAME (matching
storefront.brotherpos.ca). - Newly registered domains: DNS is configured and verified automatically -- no action needed.
- Transferred-in domains: after the transfer completes, click Point [domain] at my storefront (the Go live button). This forces the storefront's nameservers and sets the A records, taking over DNS from the old registrar. Any site currently on the domain stops showing within a few hours.
Verification runs automatically on a schedule:
- Pending domains are re-checked frequently, so a domain self-heals and turns on once DNS propagates.
- Live domains are re-checked once daily. If a previously working domain stops resolving correctly, it's flagged so it doesn't keep serving a broken certificate.
The Go live step for transferred-in domains is deliberately manual. Your old site stays up until you click it, so you can prepare your storefront first and switch over with zero surprise downtime.
Troubleshooting
The Custom Domain section shows the live state of each domain with a color-coded card. Use this table to interpret what you see.
| State shown | What it means | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Awaiting payment | A paid domain registration or transfer is waiting on checkout. | Finish the Stripe checkout to start the process. |
| Queued | Payment received; the domain will be registered/submitted within a few minutes. | Wait and refresh the page. |
| Registering / Submitting to the registry | Background process is registering the domain or submitting the transfer. | Refresh in a minute. If it sits more than 15 minutes, contact support. |
| Submitted -- waiting on your old registrar | Transfer-in submitted; awaiting your approval at the losing registrar. | Approve the email request (check spam). Release takes ~5 days. |
| Awaiting approval at losing registrar | Transfer is pending at the registry. | Keep watching for the approval email. Polls automatically. |
| Ready to go live | Transfer or registration complete; not yet pointed at the storefront. | Click Point [domain] at my storefront, or use your own nameservers. |
| Setting up DNS | Pointing the domain at the storefront servers. | Finishes in a minute or two. |
| Active / Registered | Domain is live and serving your storefront. | Nothing -- you're done. Manage DNS or auto-renewal from the domain page. |
| Registration failed / Transfer failed | Something went wrong (the error is shown on the card). | Read the error. Common causes: domain taken, domain not unlocked, wrong EPP code, or non-transferable. Fix and retry. |
| Issue | Solution |
|---|---|
| Domain won't verify | Confirm the A record points to the storefront IP shown in the editor, or the CNAME points to storefront.brotherpos.ca. DNS can take a few hours; the automatic re-check will pick it up. |
| Transfer keeps waiting | The losing registrar hasn't released it yet. Make sure you approved the email request and unlocked the domain at the old registrar. Transfers auto-cancel after ~14 days without approval. |
| Transfer failed -- cancelled | The transfer was cancelled at the losing registrar. Re-check transferability and start again with a fresh auth code. |
| "Domain transfers are not configured" | The registrar integration isn't set up on this environment. Contact support. |
| Domain is taken | The exact name is registered elsewhere. Use the search suggestions for alternatives, or transfer it in if you own it. |
| Lost access to a domain after cancelling | You don't. A domain you own stays reachable and keeps auto-renewing even if your POS subscription lapses -- see Best Practices. |
Best Practices
- Register or transfer through the platform for one-click setup. DNS, certificates, and renewals are then handled for you.
- Claim ownership of platform-registered domains. Set yourself as the legal registrant so the domain is genuinely yours and you can transfer it out anytime.
- Use
wwwand root. Both forms resolve, but pick one as your primary in marketing for consistency. - Plan your transfer go-live. For transfers, your old site stays up until you click Go live -- prepare your storefront first, then switch over.
- Leave auto-renewal on. It charges your card on file each year so the domain never lapses. Turn it off only if you intend to let the domain expire.
- Give DNS time. After any DNS change, allow a few hours before assuming something is wrong.
If your POS subscription lapses or the store is deactivated, any domain you own stays reachable and keeps auto-renewing (billed to your card on file via a standalone invoice, independent of the POS subscription). Domain management stays accessible even behind a paywall, so you can always manage, renew, or transfer your domain out.
What's Next?
- Storefront -- Configure the online store your custom domain points to.
- Analytics & Tracking -- Add tracking once your storefront is live on its own domain.
- Promo Codes -- Set up discounts for storefront shoppers.