A store name is not just a label, it represents your brand in front of customers. It appears throughout your storefront, branding, checkout, customer emails, and invoices. Your brand name is the first point of contact between your business and potential customers.
If you decide that the current brand name does not suit your business, it's time to change that to better align with your goals. Customers easily remember an attractive and memorable name, which improves your store's visibility. However, Shopify uses different names to identify your store: internal store name, domain name, and display name.
It is important to identify which of these names you want to change and how that change will impact your store and customer experience. A clear understanding of these differences is crucial to expressing your brand.
Why Change Your Shopify Store Name?
The decision to change the store name affects your brand visibility, customer perception, and overall business success. While this is a big step and needs to be handled carefully. Below are some reasons why store owners decide to change their store name.
Rebranding: It is the most common reason for changing a Shopify store name. A rebranding is like updating the logo, theme, message, and overall feel of the store.
Changing the Business Model: As your business grows, you may expand in-store offerings or sell a wider range of items. Consequently, the previous store name used no longer represents your brand. For example, if your store initially sells men’s clothing, but now you offer women's and kids’ clothing. In such cases, it can be helpful to change the store name to better present your brand.
Domain Name Changes: When you change the domain name, but the store name remains the same as before, this mismatch confuses customers. For example, if your domain changes from techgadgets.com to coolgadgets.com, but your store name still displays “Tech Gadgets,” visitors may question whether they’re in the right place or not. Updating the store name to match the new domain helps maintain brand consistency.
Customer Feedback: Customer repeatedly mentions that the name is hard to understand, pronounce, and does not represent what the store sells. Changing the name based on this feedback helps to build trust and satisfaction.
What are the Steps to Change the Shopify Store Name?
Changing your Shopify store name is simple, but it's important to know where to find the right settings.
1. Log in to your Shopify Store
Go to the Shopify official website by entering your credentials and accessing your store dashboard.
2. Navigate to Settings
Click “Settings” at the bottom-left corner of the dashboard, then select “General" to view your store information.
3. Change Store Name
There is a section named "Store details", click the pencil button next to the store name. Enter your new store name.
4. Save Changes
Click "Save" to apply the changes.
If you are a Mobile user, then
- Open your Shopify mobile app.
- Tap on three lines at the top left side and select “Settings”.
- Then, select the “General” option and locate the “Store Details” section.
- Tap on the “Pencil icon” next to the store name.
- Edit your store name and save the settings.
What Happens When You Change Your Store and Domain Name on Shopify?
Customizing the store name gives a new identity to your brand, making it more relevant to your new goals. However, it comes with certain risks that must be managed carefully.
Email Addresses: If your store name is part of the business email (e.g. info@oldstorename.com), changing your domain forces you to change your email to represent a new name. This results in missing emails from customers, partners, or suppliers, who continue to use your old email address. Update your contact information on your website, social media profiles, and any other platforms where your business is listed. You will need to update all contacts and set up forwarding from the old email to your new one.
SEO: Does changing the domain and store name affect your search engine rankings? Changing your Shopify domain can negatively impact your SEO rankings if not handled properly. Once you start losing ranking, it takes time to rebuild with the new domain because search engines treat it as a new site.
Shopify, a robust system that automatically redirects old URLs to the new domain. This helps preserve existing search rankings by informing search engines that the content has been permanently moved.
Customer Confusion: Regular customers may get confused when they do not see the old domain name. If not managed properly, this can lead to a loss in sales. Therefore, effective communication through social media announcements, a banner on the website, and an email to inform customers about the change maintains trust and prevents confusion.
Marketing Material: All references to the old store name or outdated domain on both online and offline affect brand credibility. You must update logos, marketing materials, email templates, social profiles, and offline materials for a smooth transition.
Difference Between Shopify Store Name and Domain Name?
The Shopify store name is the name you give when creating a store for the first time. It is visible across all pages of the store. Also, make sure that changing the store name does not update your domain name.
Can I change my Shopify domain name? Yes, you can change your domain name. If you change the domain name, you will also need to change the store name.
On the other hand, domain name is the web address (URL) that customers use to visit your store online. By default, Shopify domain www.storename.myshopify.com, or you can add a custom domain in the store to replace the subdomain.
Best Practices to Choose a Shopify Store Name?
Choosing the right name for your Shopify store is important to build a strong brand identity and attract customers. A good name makes your store memorable, easy to spell, and promotes your business product or service.
Easy to Remember: A memorable and relevant name helps users to easily recall your brand, making it simple for them to find and return to your store. Choose something simple, catchy, and directly related to your products.
Check Domain Availability: First, check domain is available to buy on the domain registration platform like GoDaddy, Namecheap, and many others.
