Introduction

This is the first guide in a series on how to use and configure websites in Franpos. In this guide, you'll find a step-by-step walkthrough on how to add  custom (owned) domain to your e-commerce website.

Understanding the Basics

Before getting started, review the terminology presented in the illustration above.

Each URL consists of a domain name and a domain zone, and may optionally include a sub-domain. For example: www.franpos.com 

This is used as a demonstration and may vary in your case.
A subdomain is not required but can be used if desired.
A subdomain can take various forms — www is not the only option. It can also be shop, store, bit, and so on. 

You can configure hosting either with or without a subdomain. Below, we’ll cover both options.

Option 1: Adding a Domain Without a Sub-domain

Step 1: Enter Your Domain

Enter your domain in the corresponding input field. In our can: pokemonstorefranpos.shop

Click the plus button to continue.

Step 2: Confirm Domain Is Added

Your domain will appear in the list as added.

Step 3: Configure DNS Mapping  

You will now need to create a DNS mapping with your domain hosting provider.

In our example, we’re using GoDaddy.

  1.Log in to your GoDaddy account.
  2.Navigate to your domain settings.
  3.Click on the Domain tab and then open the DNS section.

Step 4: Add a New A Record or modify the existing one

Click Add New Record and input the following information:

Type: A
Name: @
Value: (Copy from your Franpos back office)
TTL: Custom, 600 seconds 
(This defines how often your DNS updates. 600 seconds is the fastest option.)

Click Save to apply the changes.

Step 5: Wait for Propagation

It may take up to 15 minutes for your DNS configuration to propagate, depending on the hosting provider.

Step 6: Save in Franpos Back Office

Return to Franpos and click Save to finalize domain linking.

Option 2: Adding a Domain With a Sub-domain

Step 1: Enter Full URL with Subdomain

Enter the full domain including subdomain. For example: www.pokemonstorefranpos.shop

Click the plus button to proceed.

Step 2: Confirm Domain Is Added

Your subdomain will appear in the list as added.

Step 3: Configure DNS Mapping 

Step 5: Wait for Propagation

As with A records, allow up to 15 minutes for changes to take effect.

Step 6: Save in Franpos Back Office

Return to Franpos and click Save to complete the setup.

Why You Should Add a www(sub-domain) DNS Record

Adding a www DNS record for your domain (e.g., www.example.com) is a recommended best practice. This configuration improves compatibility, aligns with user behavior, and helps with SEO optimization. Here are the key reasons why:

1. User Expectations and Typing Habits

Many users instinctively type www. before a domain name:

For example, they may enter www.example.com instead of example.com.

If your site is only configured to respond to the non-www version, users might encounter errors or be redirected incorrectly.

Solution: Ensure that both versions of the domain (with and without www) resolve correctly through DNS.

2. Canonical Domain and SEO Consistency

Search engines may treat www.example.com and example.com as separate websites if not configured properly. This can lead to:
 - Duplicate content penalties
 - Lower search rankings
 - Fragmented analytics data

Best Practice: Choose a canonical domain and redirect the other version to it. For example:

  - Redirect www.example.com → example.com, or
  - Redirect example.com → www.example.com

Both domains must be configured in DNS to support redirects and ensure consistent traffic handling.

How to Set a Primary URL and Enable Redirects

In the Franpos Back Office, you can designate one of your added domain URLs as the primary. This determines the default link your customers will be redirected to, regardless of which version of the domain they initially enter.

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Setting the Primary Domain

To configure the primary domain:

1.Go to the Settings - My Website section in the Franpos Back Office.
2.Locate the list of added URLs.
3.Check the field Is default next to the domain you want to make the primary.

Once selected, Franpos will automatically redirect all other configured domains to this one.

For example:
If a customer visits  pokemonstorefranpos.shop , but  www.pokemonstorefranpos.shop  is set as the primary, they will be redirected to www.pokemonstorefranpos.shop automatically.