How to Connect a Custom Domain to Your Website
Point a branded web address to Pagecart safely, understand DNS verification, and know when your HTTPS connection is ready.
Choose a supported address
A custom domain replaces a platform-looking storefront address with a branded address customers can recognise. Pagecart currently supports subdomains such as www.example.com or shop.example.com. The root hostname example.com is not supported yet.
Only a store owner can add or remove a custom domain. Publish and test the Pagecart storefront before moving an address that already receives production traffic.
Start the connection in Pagecart
- 1Open Dashboard → Settings → Domains.
- 2Enter the full supported hostname without https://, a path, spaces, or a trailing dot.
- 3Select Connect domain.
- 4Keep the Pagecart screen open or copy the exact DNS record it displays.
Create the CNAME record
Sign in to the company that manages the domain’s authoritative DNS. This may be Cloudflare, GoDaddy, Namecheap, Squarespace Domains, or another provider. Open its DNS records page; do not change nameservers.
- Type: CNAME
- Name or Host: the subdomain being connected, often www or shop
- Target or Value: domains.pagecart.uk
- TTL: Automatic or the provider default
- Proxy: DNS only while connecting, unless Pagecart explicitly says otherwise
Verify DNS and HTTPS
- 1Return to Pagecart and select Check again.
- 2Leave the CNAME in place while DNS caches update.
- 3Wait until Pagecart reports that the domain is connected.
- 4Confirm that HTTPS is active before promoting the address to customers.
Fix common connection problems
- Still checking setup: confirm the target is exactly domains.pagecart.uk and remove conflicting records.
- Cloudflare DNS: use DNS only—the grey cloud—during initial setup.
- Root domain entered: use a supported subdomain such as www.example.com.
- Provider duplicates the root: enter only the host label, such as www.
- HTTPS pending: keep the CNAME unchanged while certificate issuance completes.
- Moving from another host: make the Pagecart site ready before changing the existing record.
Know when to ask for help
Do not repeatedly delete and recreate a correct record while it is propagating. If the CNAME remains correct after 48 hours and Pagecart still cannot connect it, contact support with the hostname and the exact status message shown on the Domains screen. Never send your registrar password or account recovery codes.
