How to Change Shopify Store Name in 5 Easy Steps
Whether you are rebranding your business or drifting away from a descriptive URL, changing your Shopify store name seems a daunting task without proper instructions. As soon as your business grows and sets up market share, the name becomes even more significant.
When it comes to setting up a Shopify store name, two elements play a major role. The first is the store name, and the second is the domain name. Luckily, changing the Shopify store and domain names is easy and simple.
In this blog post, we have elaborated on how to change the Shopify store name along with the domain name or URL. Read out to learn details.
Can You Change Your Shopify Store Name?
The answer is simple - yes, you can change your Shopify store name. Before you take the initiative to change your store or business name, you must have all the information you can use to give a valuable name to your store.
You must also consider your store's progress because, with a changed name, you might lose marketing and brand awareness progress. So, you must be careful when picking up a new name for your Shopify store.
When Should You Change Store Name on Shopify?
It is quite rare that established businesses change their Shopify store name on the spur of the moment. Multiple reasons and factors are involved in making this big decision.
Who would impulsively like to undergo the process of registering the business, building the brand, and running multiple marketing campaigns for potential customers once again? But certain circumstances make changing the Shopify store name necessary to bring the business to an even better position.
Here are some scenarios where changing your Shopify store name can be appropriate:
- Rebranding: If you want to rebrand your business with a new name or logo, changing your store name on Shopify is necessary.
- Misleading name: If your current store name doesn't accurately reflect your products or services, you may want to change it to avoid confusing your customers.
- Legal issues: If your store name infringes on someone else's trademark or copyrighted material, changing your store name is necessary to avoid any legal issues.
- Better name: You come up with a better store name that will appeal to your target audience and improve your branding. Then, changing your Shopify store is the right move.
However, changing your store name can also have some downsides, such as losing your SEO rankings, confusing your existing customers, and requiring you to update your business information across all your platforms.
Before you decide to change your store name on Shopify, it's important to weigh the pros and cons and ensure that it aligns with your business goals and branding strategy.
How to Change Shopify Store Name?
Before you change your Shopify store name, you must know where this change will be applicable.
Users will see your store name on your storefront, a password-protected page, and SMS and email notifications about purchases. You will also need to change the logo if the old one doesn’t comply with the new store name.
Follow these steps to change your store name on Shopify:
Step 1: Log In to Your Shopify Account
Step 2: Find 'Settings' In Shopify Dashboard
- Once you log in, Shopify Dashboard will appear.
- Navigate to the bottom section to find ‘Settings.’
- Click ‘Settings’ to proceed.
Step 3: Click ‘General’ to Edit Store Details
- Select ‘General’ to open general information about your account and store.
- You will also find contact and other details on the same page.
Step 4: Enter New Shopify Store Name
- The store Details section will open right after clicking on General.
- Replace the old store name by entering the new name.
Step 5: Click 'Save'
- Once you have entered the selected new Shopify store name, click ‘Save.’
How to Change Shopify Domain Name (URL)?
Step 1: Open 'Settings' In Shopify Dashboard
- Log in to your Shopify account.
- Visit Shopify Dashboard and navigate to Settings.
Step 2: Choose The 'Domain' Option
- Click ‘Domains’ to access the settings to change the domain name.
Step 3: Buy New Domain If You Don't Have One
If you haven’t bought a domain yet, you can get one. Shopify will cost you around US$14 for one year plan of the .com domain. You can also buy it from Namecheap at cheaper rates.
Once the new domain is purchased, you will see the new domain in the list.
Step 4: Connect The Domain to Your Shopify Store
- Enter a new domain to your Shopify account.
Step 5: Click the 'Change Primary Domain' Option
- Click ‘Change Primary Domain’ to link and select the new domain.
Step 6: Enter New URL and Click 'Save'
- Your Shopify account’s new URL will be your new domain name.
If you already own a domain purchased through a third-party domain selling company, you can transfer it to Shopify to get access to manage settings within your Shopify admin account.
You can do it by simply selecting ‘Connect Existing Domain’ and clicking ‘Transfer It To Shopify.’
However, you will need to change your DNS records to connect to an existing domain.
Tips to Consider When Choosing A Business Name on Shopify
Though there are no set rules on how to change Shopify store name, you should be creative in picking a name that will help your business shine.
Here are some essential tips you must consider when selecting a business name on Shopify:
Make It Memorable
Always choose a store name that is compelling and easy to remember but also sets you apart from others in a similar industry. Your store name should also be brandable, which doesn’t mean it has some meaning. The perfect example is Google which doesn’t have a literal meaning but represents a whole idea.
Ensure the selected name is easy to pronounce by testing it with friends and colleagues. If they find the name hard to pronounce, come up with a more accessible name.
Keep It Simple and Concise
It is better to choose two short rhyming words that are simple and easy to remember. Avoid using complex names that are difficult to spell. Create a new word by slightly modifying the existing one. You can get ideas from companies like Amazon, IBM, Apple, and Google.
Use catchy names that match your brand's prospects and will describe your brand's image without confusing customers.
Make It Relevant
If you have a pet-themed store, choose a word or your pet’s name that has meaning to you. Choosing a name with a personal connection is always good for increasing reliability or relevance.
Your Shopify store name should have an impression to depict the whole idea clearly in front of customers. You shouldn’t pick an insufficient store name to describe your products.
Consider Your Target Audience
Do thorough keyword research by considering your target audience. Adding a relevant keyword that customers most often search for and knowing the target market will help your business grow better.
However, relying on keywords can increase the length of your store name and make it hard to be remembered by many customers. But keywords in domain names will eventually improve SEO and CTR on search results.
Compare With Competitors
It is good to compare your store name with competitors but to avoid negative consequences, you should not copy or slightly modify your competitor's name. You shouldn’t miss the originality when creating a name to reflect your niche and products.
If everyone is following a single trend blindfolded, try to choose a different path with a vast notion. Also, avoid using similar words even if you and your competitor have the same business.
Check for Domain Availability
If the domain is unavailable, do not insert hyphens or numbers to make it work, as this will reduce your store's credibility. You might have seen many spam websites with names consisting of hyphens or numbers.
A credible and good business name is always short and simple and doesn’t include numbers, e.g., Google, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
Once you have found a suitable domain name, register it immediately, as hesitating for longer will make you research names from scratch, as someone else will grab the name you planned to choose. Usually, registering a domain name costs only $10 to $14 annually.
Avoid Trademark Issues
Before registering your Shopify store domain name, do a quick trademark search to ensure the business name isn’t already taken. US store owners can easily check if the business name isn’t trademarked by visiting the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
Though there isn’t just a single trademark registry in the US, you may need to find it in another state or country. Once it is ensured the domain name is not trademarked, search on Google or Bing to see if your selected name comes up in the list. A generic name will hardly rank. You can also search social media like Instagram and Facebook for name availability.
Consider Future Growth
As we recommend avoiding too generic names, you shouldn’t also pick a too specific name that will put limits. The name should not narrow down your business or be too descriptive. These names will limit your business and prevent it from expanding in the future.
So, choose a name that will help your business to grow in the future.
Use Domain Name Generators
You can find plenty of Domain name generators for your Shopify store online. Currently, over 3.8 million live websites are powered by Shopify, while over 5.3 million new business applications are filed by Americans yearly; you will find it hard to get the most suitable Shopify store name.
You must start with original and unique name ideas to check their availability by visiting online store name generators. You can also use Shopify’s business name generator.
Wrapping Up
Congratulations on taking the first step towards a more successful and profitable business by considering changing your store name on Shopify! As we've discussed in this article, there are several reasons why changing your store name can be a beneficial move, such as rebranding your business or improving your branding strategy.
But don't stop there! The second step towards elevating your storefront is to use a powerful and user-friendly page builder like GemPages. With its intuitive drag-and-drop interface, customizable templates, and responsive design, GemPages can help you create a stunning and engaging storefront that stands out from the competition.
So why settle for a basic and generic store when you can create a unique and captivating shopping experience for your customers?