Usually, it is not possible to immediately make your Shopware 6 shop live on the desired target domain if there is an existing old shop or website operating on that domain. In certain scenarios, it is possible to install Shopware in a distinct directory on your server and temporarily access it through a subdomain. Here, we present the key factors to keep in mind when launching your shop at a later stage.
Manually update existing links
It is possible that you have manually maintained links in your test installation that refer to a resource within your shop. In the event that you decide to change the domain of your shop, it will be necessary to revise the links that are connected to it.
The subsequent links are commonly utilized and may necessitate adjustment.
- Categories: Categories can be directly linked. Simply click on the relevant category under Catalogs > Categories. Categories that are categorized as custom links have a dedicated section for customizing the link further down. You can modify the link in this area. If the link changes when you make your shop live, make sure to update it here.
- Article: You may have inserted your own links within the product description. To modify these, navigate to the admin area and click on Catalog > Products. Select the desired product and make any necessary adjustments to the links within the product description.
- Content Pages: Take a look at any content pages in your shop that contain links to other pages or resources. It will be important to update these links to reflect the new domain.
- Navigation Menus: Review the navigation menus within your shop to ensure that any links directing to internal pages or external resources are adjusted to incorporate the appropriate domain.
- Product Descriptions: If you have included links to other products or related resources within your product descriptions, it is essential to modify these links with the new domain.
- Images and Media: If you have embedded images or media files in your shop that are linked to specific URLs, verify that these links are revised to align with the new domain.
- Email Templates: If you have customized email templates that contain links to your shop, make sure to adapt these links to match the new domain.
- Third-Party Integrations: If you have integrated external services or plugins that include links to your shop, it is crucial to update these links accordingly.
By carefully reviewing and adjusting these manually maintained links, you can ensure that they accurately lead to the intended resources within your shop following the domain change.
Removing the demo data
If you have installed the Shopware 6 demo data extension for testing purposes, it is important to remove it before making your shop live. Please note that deactivating or uninstalling the demo data extension alone will not remove the demo data. You must manually delete the demo data to ensure it is completely removed from your shop.
The demo data extension adds the following data, which should be removed.
- Categories: Food, Clothing, Free Time, Electronics (including their respective subcategories).
- Manufacturer: Shopware Fashion, Shopware Food, Shopware Free Time, Shopware AG.
- Articles: All articles are associated with the mentioned manufacturers.
- Shopping Experience: If they are no longer necessary, you can consider removing any configured shopping experiences.
- Properties: If they are no longer required, you can remove properties such as color, size, material, target group, and ingredients.
Verify shipping methods
Ensure that the recently created shipping methods are available in the relevant sales channels within the live system. It is important to review and remove any temporary shipping methods that were created for testing purposes or deactivate them if necessary.
Additionally, you may want to verify if the shipping options are only accessible in the frontend under the intended conditions.
Disabling the sandbox mode for payment methods.
If you have added additional payment methods, it is likely that you enabled the sandbox mode for these methods during the testing phase to avoid processing real payments for test orders.
For instance, in the case of the latest version of PayPal, you can locate this option in the admin area under Settings > Plugins > PayPal. Within the API access data section, you have the ability to deactivate the sandbox option.
Consider adjusting this setting to ensure that the payment methods are no longer in sandbox mode and can process real transactions.
Check order process
It is recommended to conduct a comprehensive test order before launching to ensure a smooth process. Performing multiple test orders is advised to cover various scenarios and thoroughly evaluate the system. This includes verifying the display of all desired payment methods, availability of preferred shipping methods, seamless functioning of the checkout process, and proper delivery of order confirmation.
Check email templates and mailers
Before launching, it is crucial to verify the functionality of your email templates and mailer. To accomplish this, place a complete order and ensure that the order confirmation is received without any issues. If no email is sent, double-check your mailer settings. Additionally, confirm that you have correctly assigned the appropriate email template to the flow builder associated with the order.
Upon receiving the email, carefully review its content:
- Ensure the logo is displayed accurately.
- Confirm that the articles are presented correctly.
- Verify that all variables such as the customer’s name, salutation, and address are accurately populated.
- Check if the bank account details are provided.
Reset number ranges if necessary
During your testing phase, it is likely that you have placed orders, created customers, and generated invoices. If you wish to start your invoices with a specific value, you can establish a new number range for your sales channel. This can be accomplished in the administration section by navigating to Settings > Shop > Number ranges.
Once you go live, it is crucial not to alter the designated number range. This is necessary due to two reasons: firstly, legal requirements often mandate consecutive invoice numbers, and secondly, potential compatibility issues may arise with connected ERP or CRM systems if changes are made.
Note:- If you use ERP or CRM systems, it is best to check with the manufacturer first to see if changing the number ranges is still unproblematic.
Shopware account license conversions
When setting up a Shopware account, it is important to provide the licensed domain. However, if you currently have an existing shop or website on your primary domain, you might have initially used a temporary subdomain. Before going live, it is crucial to replace this temporary domain with the final license domain that will be used to access your shop in the future.
To make this change, navigate to your Shopware account at account.shopware.com, click on “Shops,” and then select the corresponding shop domain that you wish to modify.
To change your domain in the Shopware account, you can access the “Rename shop domain” button under the “Shop Information” section. By clicking on this button, you will be able to rename your domain.
After renaming your domain in the Shopware account, it is essential to update the usage type of the domain to a productive environment. This change ensures that your shop domain is configured correctly for live operation.
Note:- It’s important to note that you can only rename the shop domain in Shopware once. Your new domain is your final domain.
Updating the licensed domain in the admin panel.
Once you have made changes to your shop domain, it is important to also update the licensing host in your Shopware Admin. You can locate this option by navigating to Settings > System > Shopware Account. From there, you can proceed to update the plan domain accordingly.
Modify the domains of the sales channels.
If your shop is now accessible through a new domain, it is crucial to update the domains of the sales channels accordingly. To find this configuration option, you can navigate to the General tab of the respective sales channel in your Shopware admin panel. Within the General tab, you will find the Domains section where you can make adjustments to the domain settings for that specific sales channel.
Make changes to the domain at the hosting provider.
After verifying all the necessary points and ensuring the functionality of your shop, the final step is to configure the routing of the domain at your hosting provider. This process involves directing the domain to the main directory of your Shopware shop, allowing your shop to be accessed using the final domain.
To adjust the routing of your domain, you can refer to the specific instructions provided by your hosting provider. Typically, this can be done through an admin interface or control panel provided by the hosting service.
Please contact us at manish@bay20.com or call us at +91-8800519180 for any support related to shopware. You can also visit the Shopware 6 development page to check the services we offer.
