Domains

Your domain is the web address customers type to reach your store, such as yourbrand.com. The Domains page is where you add that address and manage how it works. You get a domain in one of two ways: buy a new one through Tanqory, or connect a domain you already own from another provider. Your store already has one address before you do anything: a Tanqory subdomain, listed on this page as your primary domain. This article explains why a custom domain matters, the two ways to get one, and what you can manage once it is in place, then links to the detailed guide for each task.

Before you begin

• Your role includes Domain settings.
• To connect a domain you own, you have access to that domain's settings at your provider.
• Open Settings > Domains in the admin sidebar.

Why your store needs a domain

A domain is how customers find and remember your store. A short, branded address such as yourbrand.com is easy to share and looks trustworthy at checkout, which is where a shopper decides whether to hand over payment details. Without a custom domain, your store still works, but the address is longer and generic, so it does less to build confidence in your brand. Adding a domain replaces that generic address with your own name, so every link, email, and share points customers to a recognizable home.

The two ways to get a domain

You only need one domain to launch, and you choose the path that fits what you already have.

• Buy a new domain through Tanqory. Use this when you do not own a domain yet. You search for an available name and register it through Tanqory. Because the domain is registered here, it is added to your store and managed in the same place, so there is no separate provider to set up. See Buy or Connect a Domain.
• Connect a domain you already own. Use this when you registered a domain elsewhere, for example at a domain registrar. You point that domain at your store by updating its settings, and once it takes effect your store loads on that address. The domain stays registered with your original provider, and your store is what it now shows. See Connect Existing Domain.

What you can do with domains

Getting a domain is the first step. Once a domain is added, you manage how it works for your store. Each task below has its own guide.

The two ways to get a domain, Buy new domain and Connect existing domain, are on the Domains page below. The management options appear once you have a domain added, since they act on a domain that already exists.

Add and manage domains

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1. Open the Domains page. This page is the home for every address that points at your store.

   A new store is not empty here. It already holds a Tanqory subdomain, an address ending in mytanqory.com, shown as Primary Domain and marked Connected. That is the address your store answers on until you add one of your own.

2. Choose which of the two paths you are on. Both sit at the top right of the page.

   Button	Use it when	Where the detail is
   Buy new domain	You do not own a domain yet	Buy or Connect a Domain
   Connect existing domain	You already own one, registered elsewhere	Connect Existing Domain

3. Add the domain, then come back here. Whichever path you took, the domain appears on this page once it is added. That is also the moment the management options become available, such as choosing a primary domain, because until now there was only one address and nothing to choose between.

A domain sitting on this page is not necessarily working yet. One bought here is ready immediately; one you connected still needs its DNS pointed at the store before it reaches anything. The status shown beside it on this page is what tells you which of those you are looking at.

Verify the result

• A domain you have added is listed on the Domains page alongside the Tanqory subdomain that was already there.
• Before you add anything, the page already lists your Tanqory subdomain as the primary domain, which confirms you are on the right page.

Best practices

• Use a custom domain for a live store. A domain customers recognize builds trust at checkout.
• Connect a domain you already own rather than buying a second one, if you have a suitable domain already.
• Choose the address carefully. The domain customers see is the one they will remember and share.

Common mistakes

• Launching publicly without a custom domain, which can look unfinished to shoppers.
• Buying a new domain when you already own a good one that you could connect instead.

After your domain is working

A domain that resolves is the start rather than the finish. Three things usually follow, and each has its own guide.

• Decide which address customers see. Once you have more than one, one of them has to be the primary, and the others send visitors to it. Set Your Primary Domain covers the choice and what changes when you make it.
• Point your email at the same domain. Sending order emails from your own domain rather than the default address is what keeps them out of spam folders, and it is set up separately from the store address. DNS Records for Your Domain covers the records involved.
• Tidy up what you no longer use. A domain you have replaced can be taken off the store without giving up ownership of it. Remove a Domain explains the difference.

Next steps

• Buy or Connect a Domain
• Connect Existing Domain
• Primary Domain

Related articles

• DNS Instructions
• Domain Types
• Delete a Domain