🌐 Connect Your Own Domain

Show your MiniShop on your own web address — e.g. www.yourshop.co.za or store.yourshop.co.za

Before you start

  • You need a domain you already own (e.g. bought from Afrihost, Domains.co.za, xneelo, HostAfrica, GoDaddy etc.).
  • You need the login details for where you bought it.
  • You choose the name in front of your domain: www (www.yourshop.co.za) or a name like store or shop (store.yourshop.co.za). Not sure which? Read the next section.

Which address should I use?

No website on your domain yet? Use www

Your MiniShop will open at www.yourshop.co.za.

Already have a website on your domain? Use store or shop

Your MiniShop will open at store.yourshop.co.za (or shop.yourshop.co.za). Your existing website stays exactly where it is, and you can add a “Shop” button on it that links to your MiniShop.

⚠️ A name can only point to one place. If you connect www.yourshop.co.za to your MiniShop, it replaces whatever website is there now. If you are not sure, choose store — it never affects your existing website.
💡 You cannot connect yourshop.co.za with nothing in front of it. Always choose a name like www, store or shop.

Step 1 — Choose “My own domain” on your MiniShop

  1. Go to Create / Update My MiniShop (log in first).
  2. Go through the steps to Step 6 — Address.
  3. Choose 🌐 My own domain and type your full address — e.g. www.yourshop.co.za or store.yourshop.co.za. You can also tap the www., store. or shop. buttons to fill in the start.
  4. Click Create / Update My MiniShop. You’ll see the exact setting to add in Step 2.

Step 2 — Add one DNS record at your domain provider

Log in where you bought your domain, find DNS settings (sometimes called DNS management, Zone editor or Manage DNS) and add this record:

Type Name / Host Points to / Value / Target
CNAME www or store or shop shops.minissite.co.za
💡 Name / Host is the name you chose. For www.yourshop.co.za type www. For store.yourshop.co.za type store. Your MiniShop page shows the exact record for your address after you save.
⚠️ If there is already a record with the same name (for example an existing www or store record), edit or delete that one first — you can’t have two records with the same name. Your other records and your main website are not affected.
💡 Some providers want the full name: if “store” doesn’t work, type store.yourshop.co.za. Leave TTL on the default.

Step 3 — Wait a little, then check

Most domains go live within 30 minutes, but it can take up to 24 hours. Your secure padlock (https) is set up automatically.

Go back to your MiniShop page and click Check status — it shows ⏳ Waiting or 🔒 Live. Your free MiniShop link keeps working the whole time.

Optional — make yourshop.co.za (nothing in front) work too

Most providers have a Domain forwarding / Redirect option. Forward yourshop.co.za to the address you chose, e.g. https://www.yourshop.co.za or https://store.yourshop.co.za. Then customers can type it either way. (Skip this if yourshop.co.za already shows your main website.)

Where to find DNS settings

Menu names change from time to time — look for “DNS” if you can’t find the exact wording. In the examples below, replace www with store or shop if that is the name you chose.

Afrihost

Log in to ClientZone → select your domain → DNS / Manage DNS → add a CNAME record: Name www (or store / shop), Value shops.minissite.co.za.

Domains.co.za

Log in → My Domains → choose your domain → Manage DNS → add a CNAME record: Host www (or store / shop), Points to shops.minissite.co.za.

xneelo (Hetzner SA)

Log in to konsoleH → select your domain → DNS / Edit DNS → add a CNAME record for www (or store / shop) pointing to shops.minissite.co.za.

HostAfrica

Client area → Domains → My Domains → Manage → DNS Management → add CNAME: Host www (or store / shop), Address shops.minissite.co.za.

GoDaddy

My Products → your domain → DNS → Add New Record → Type CNAME, Name www (or store / shop), Value shops.minissite.co.za.

cPanel hosting (most other providers)

Log in to cPanel → Zone Editor → Manage (next to your domain) → Add Record → Type CNAME, Name www.yourshop.co.za (or store.yourshop.co.za / shop.yourshop.co.za), Record shops.minissite.co.za.

Cloudflare

DNS → Records → Add record → Type CNAME, Name www (or store / shop), Target shops.minissite.co.za, and set Proxy status to DNS only (grey cloud).

Need help?

💬 Stuck? WhatsApp us your domain name and where you bought it — we’ll help you get connected.

🚀 Go to My MiniShop