Domain transfer & Soholaunch feature questions

[Pennylane]

I have a few questions before signing on. I have a domain name, however am using it for a live ecommerce site. Eventually I want to rebuild that site with Soholaunch and host it via Vodahost. If I sign up with that domain name, will it automatically transfer, or will I have the ability to make the transfer when my site is rebuilt and I'm ready? Also, how will I be able to test my new site before going live? And lastly, since I have an ecommerce site, I am interested in having order confirmation and shipping confirmation emails sent automatically to customers. Does Soholaunch have that capability? Appreciate the help!

[Karen Mac]

Re: Domain transfer & Soholaunch feature questions

Penny

Before you even begin transferring domains, you need to make sure that you actually have control of the domain name and can point it where you want. In most cases where you are.. you dont.. its all controlled by them.

domain name servers and hosting are NOT the same. So no it wont automatically transfer here. Thats done in your domain name servers control panel. You point it to an ip address.. when the time comes to make the .com resolve to the server you are building your site on.

Soho is a live builder and needs the use of a domain to function properly. If you sign up with a domain name that is currently in use, you can trick your computer into getting into the admin etc, but you will have issues previewing it etc because its configured to a DOMAIN NAME. You can still work on it...etc.. but you may not be able to accomplish all you want.

You would be better off to buy a SIMILAR name, rebuild the store, then when you are ready forward the old domain to the new with a 301 redirect or at your domain host, or in your cpanel when you get hosting here... its easy.

Soho does order confirmation, but you have to manually do the shipping confirmation unless you purchase one of the addons that have that built into it.

Karen

[Pennylane]

Re: Domain transfer & Soholaunch feature questions

thanks, this is helpful!

[Pennylane]

Re: Domain transfer & Soholaunch feature questions

one other question, I'd really hate to use a redirect to a URL that isn't an exact match to my store's name (the one I currently use is). So once I'm happy with my new site, can I use a redirect for a period of time and then change the URL back to the one I'm currently using?

[Karen Mac]

Re: Domain transfer & Soholaunch feature questions

Well.. yes and no.. youd have to MOVE the site.. soho does provide a Moving tool. Best thing to do is just download your product file... customize it for soho.. upload it and all your images... and repoint the domain.. youd be up in about 4 hours... just have to redo your outer pages etc. Just easier NOT to fool with moving it at all.. .just build it and call it good. Thats what I would do!

That or you can build with bv.. and use cart manager or mals ecart ADDON checkout...copy and paste all the buttons. Dont know how many products you have.. but how u do it is up to you. This latter would let you build til youre ready to move.

Karen

[Pennylane]

Re: Domain transfer & Soholaunch feature questions

hmm, am a little confused. i'm willing to rebuild my site, but i want to be able to test it before putting it "live". i want to use my existing URL and point it to my new site after I've tested it throughly. Would I get an IP address to view/test with?

[Karen Mac]

Re: Domain transfer & Soholaunch feature questions

You would get an ip address yes.. but ... when you configure soho its configured to resolve to a DOMAIN NAME not an ip address, and while most things FUNCTION like you can add to the databases and make pages .. viewing them will be an issue as the domain name is NOT resolved to that server. YOu can fool your computer into thinking its seeing your site .. but it takes some knowledge to do this and reconfiguring the ip hosts files in windows.. and it will only work on your computer until the cache dumps or becomes too full. The only way to fully test it.. is to do as i suggested.. either use bv and an addon cart or.. buy a similar domain name and REDIRECT your old to the new when the time comes.

The NAME server will point it to your current hosting, and your current hosting does not have soho on it.. therefore.. you cant see your soho site correctly. I dont know anyway to explain it to you better.

If the domain name was NOT in use and just waiting to proprogate this would work much better... I can assure you theres NOT much to test in soho .. it functions very well.. I dont know what you want to test? That cant be resolved in a matter of minutes.

Think of it like .. department stores.. Walmart versus Macys.. they both sell things, they both have brand names.. but they arent located on the same side of town.

Karen

[Pennylane]

Re: Domain transfer & Soholaunch feature questions

ok. gotcha. thanks again.