Every site has an address, also known as a domain or URL that appears in a browser's address bar. For example, "mystore.com". Your Lightspeed eCom website also has a default free domain, or URL, in the form of https://store123.company.site that you can edit or replace with your custom domain.

It’s recommended to replace the default URL with your own domain that reflects your brand and builds trust with customers. Having your own domain also improves your SEO (search engine optimization), helping you get better placement in search engine results.

Buying a domain

If you want your site to run on your own domain, you can purchase a domain right from your eCom Admin Panel that will connect automatically, or from a third-party domain registrar like GoDaddy, eNom, or Name.com that will require manual setup.

Buying a domain from the eCom Admin Panel

Domains bought from eCom (E-Series) are connected automatically to your site after purchase. You'll be able to see the domain price and the next billing date under Website > Domain.

• Here’s what you need to know before purchasing a domain from the eCom Admin Panel:

  • Domains are registered for one year and auto-renewed annually.
  • Renewals are charged separately from your online store subscription charges. Depending on your location, your renewal price might include taxes.
  • Domains purchased from eCom (E-Series) have a free TLS certificate. TLS is a digital protocol that ensures the security of your site, online transactions, and customer data.
  • Domains purchased from eCom (E-Series) include the WHOIS privacy service that keeps your personal contact information private and protects you from spam and domain theft.
  • After purchasing a domain, you will retain your default eCom (E-Series) domain as your secondary domain. If for any reason your primary domain becomes disconnected from the Instant Site, your site will still be accessible through your default store URL.
  • Downgrading your account plan may deactivate your custom domain, making it unavailable for your site. If you re-upgrade, you can re-connect a domain.

To purchase a domain from your eCom Admin Panel:

1. In your eCom Admin Panel, navigate to Website > Domain.
2. Under Domain name and site address, click Buy a new domain for your site.

   

3. Search for an available domain name and extension (ex. .com) and click Search.

   

4. Review available domains and prices. Prices may vary depending on length or extension.
5. Choose a preferred domain and click Next Step.

   The domain name can't be changed after registration, so double-check spelling and details before purchase.

6. You can use your default payment method or Change your payment method to buy your domain. 
7. When ready, click Buy Domain.
8. Verify your email address and follow the instructions in the email to complete your domain registration.

It may take up to 48 hours to connect your domain to your Instant Site. In the meantime, your store will still be available on your default eCom subdomain (ex. mystore.company.site).

Buying a domain from a domain registrar

Steps may vary, but here are the general steps of purchasing a domain from a domain registrar:

1. Go to the domain name registrar of your choice.
2. Type in your domain into the search box and click Search Domain.
3. Select the extension you want (ex. .com or .biz) and add the domain to your cart.

4. Complete the registration process and make the payment.

   Domain registrars might prompt you to buy additional features, so check your cart to make sure it only includes what you want to purchase.

5. When payment is complete, the domain is yours for the length of registration you selected. You can choose to renew when this period is up.

Lightspeed eCom provides a free SSL certificate for your site, so you don’t have to purchase another one. After you connect a custom domain to your site, the SSL certificate will run automatically, providing your site with a secure connection.

Connecting a third-party domain to your eCom site

Domains bought from eCom (E-Series) are connected automatically to your site after purchase. If you'd like to connect a third-party domain to your eCom site, you'll need to make changes in your eCom Admin Panel and your domain registrar account.

Step 1: Setting up domain in the eCom Admin Panel

To specify your domain name in your online store settings:

1. In your eCom Admin Panel, navigate to Website > Domain.
2. Under Domain name and site address, click Connect an existing domain to your site.

   

3. Under Specify a domain name, enter your custom domain name (without www).

   

4. Click Next step.
5. Copy the IP address in the popup. You'll need it to set up your domain in your registrar account.
6. Click Save.

Step 2: Setting up domain in the domain registrar account

To finish the domain setup you'll need to make changes in your registrar account. Below you’ll find general steps for making changes but you can get precise setup steps from your third-party service.

To set up domain in your domain registrar account:

1. Log in to your domain registrar's account. If you do not remember who your domain registrar is, you can use an online domain checker like whois.domaintools.com.
2. Create an A-record (address record, a type of DNS record) for your custom domain (your-domain.com) and point it to the IP address you copied from your eCom Admin Panel.

   Make sure to delete other A or AAAA records for your root domain (@), so they don’t conflict with the A-record pointing to your Instant Site.

3. To make your Instant Site available at www.your-domain.com as well, create a CNAME record for your custom domain (your-domain.com) and specify www as a name/alias for it. You will need to add the following to DNS record:

   www IN CNAME @
   or
   www IN CNAME your-domain.com

   If you are not sure how to make these changes, contact your domain registrar support for more detailed instructions.

4. Wait for the changes to take effect. It can take anywhere from 2 to 48 hours for domain changes to occur.

   If you open your domain name right after adding DNS records, you will likely see a This site can’t be reached message. This is expected behavior. Give it 2 to 48 hours for the changes to take effect on the domain side and for eCom to connect the domain name to your store.

Once the setup is complete and the changes are propagated, your website will become available at the specified addresses via a secure HTTPS connection encrypted by an SSL certificate from Lightspeed eCom.

What's next?