If you have a custom domain you'd like to use for one of your stores, this guide will help you learn more about configuration and various options for this.
About Custom Domains
Every InkSoft store automatically uses the url directory of stores.inksoft.com/yourstorenamehere. However, you can choose to assign a custom domain to any store, instead of having to use the InkSoft domain. Here are a couple of things to consider:
- You can assign any custom domain to any one of your stores. All of your stores can have a custom domain name assigned if you wish.
- Assigning a custom domain name to a store, and then setting that store as the 'Main Store' will make that custom domain the default directory for all of your other stores that don't have their own custom domain.
For example: Instead of all your stores having the directory of stores.inksoft.com/storenamehere, they would have the directory of customdomain.com/storenamehere
To learn more about the 'Main Store' setting, click here.
For stores that are not set as the 'Main' store:
If you'd like to stick with whatever the default directory url would be (either stores.inksoft.com OR customdomain.com, if you have one assigned to the main store), then choose the 'No, I'll use my InkSoft subdomain.' option.
If you would like to use a custom domain for your store (instead of the default directory url), then choose the 'Yes, I have a custom domain' option. You'll then be required to complete further configuration for your custom domain.
NOTE: You'll need to have already purchased a custom domain name from a domain provider prior to this step. You can purchase custom domains from any provider, but InkSoft Support is only trained to help users point domains that are purchased from GoDaddy (InkSoft does not sell custom domains). If you use a different domain registrar, please reach out to them for specifics on how to point your domain.
Click here to view the training guide for pointing domains with GoDaddy.
After you enter a Custom Domain and click "Next" you will be prompted with a pop-up message which explains the additional configurations that are required for your custom domain name. This includes completing DNS configuration both in InkSoft and with your domain provider. You may do this via a CNAME or an A Record.
Point your domain name to either:
- CNAME: stores.inksoft.com
- A Record: 38.72.123.9 (if CNAME is not possible)
SSL Certificates
After you've successfully pointed your custom domain to InkSoft and assigned it to your store, it is very important and strongly recommended that you install an SSL for the custom domain. SSL certificates are needed to show that the site is secure. An unsecured site (especially an ecommerce online store) deters customers from visiting the site and from shopping.
InkSoft provides many SSL options for your custom domain(s), including a FREE option.
Click Here to learn how to install the FREE SSL option for your domain.
IMPORTANT NOTE:
Once your domain is fully configured, your customers can enter the custom url in the address bar of their browser to be taken directly to your site. However, customers may also just search for your business/site instead. When doing this, the browser's search engine will return some relevant results. For search results, search engines will typically force a "www" subdomain on the links in those results.
For this reason, it may be advised to configure and point your custom domain by using the CNAME Record instead of the A Record. This means you will need to:
1. Add your domain to InkSoft with "www" included (example: www.mycustomdomain.com)
2. Point your domain to InkSoft by way of the "www" CNAME Record in your domain's DNS records (this should be pointed to stores.inksoft.com).
3. Configure and install the SSL for the domain.
4. Once the SSL is installed, re-point your CNAME Record to the updated SSL InkSoft info (refer to the details provided in the SSL Certificate).
5. The final step is to set up a forward for your domain. The non "www" version of the domain will need to direct users to the "www" version of the domain (mycustomdomain.com ➡️ www.mycustomdomain.com).
Following these steps and configuring your domain/SSL in this way will help to avoid any issues customers may come across when clicking on search result links for your business/site.