If you have files such as images/logos, etc that you want to keep a copy of on your current site, you will want to back these up onto your home computer. Log into your site via FTP and download all the files from your current website onto your local computer. If you currently have a cPanel host, we can backup your files for you. Just open a support ticket and ask.

If you are currently hosting elsewhere and are using domain email accounts (you@yourdomain.com) that you want to continue to use, you will need to first re-create your email accounts on your ShoppePro server before pointing your domain name servers to Shoppe Pro. This ensures that there is no interruption of email services after you point your name servers.

When you receive your Store Setup email, you will find a Temporary Site Address that looks something like this http://hostX.shoppepro.com/~username/storeadmin . This is the “direct link”, if you will, to your website administration on our server before your domain has propagated. You can use this URL to work on your site before “going live”. Add your products, categories, and create your pages here first.

If you are happy with your site and are ready to “go live”, you are ready to change your name servers. Your Store Setup email should contain your exact name servers but they should look something like this: NSXX.SHOPPEPRO.COM and NSXX.SHOPPEPRO.COM. The place to change the DNS addresses is whoever your domain name is registered with. If you registered the domain name through a registrar such as yahoo or godaddy, you will need to login to their control panel and change the DNS servers there. If it was registered with your old host, you will need to login to their control panel and change the DNS entries there. We have some instructions for common registrars here. We also provide this service for you free of charge. Simply open a support ticket including your 1) domain name, 2) your registrar and their website, 3) your login username and password for your registrar, and we would be happy to do this for you.

As soon as you change your name servers with your registrar, those changes can take up to 24-48 hours to update throughout the entire internet. Common DNS Propagation concerns: Since you have frequently viewed your website, your own web browser may have “cached” or saved a copy of some of your old site. For this reason, during this time, it is sometimes common for you to watch your site “flip flop” back and forth between the old site and the new site, and sometimes it will even show a “mish mash” with images from both old and new sites. DON’T PANIC! This is only temporary and it will work itself out shortly. It is most likely that it is only YOU that sees your site that way, since your local computer has stored copies of your site that it accesses in an attempt to try to provide you with a faster loading time. If you are concerned, it is sometimes helpful to view your website through a Proxy Server, which is real-time DNS. What you see through a proxy is what your visitors are most likely seeing. Try typing your domain name into a Proxy Server and you will be able to see what others see. Feel better?

Make sure you wait at least 48 hours for the domain name to propogate. If your domain name is resolving to your new ShoppePro hosting account, you may proceed with canceling your old account.