How do I find the domain registrar and nameservers used by Shopify?

Key findings

• Reseller model: Shopify frequently resells domain registrations through larger, established registrars, rather than acting as a standalone primary registrar for all domains. Evidence suggests OpenSRS, a Tucows subsidiary, is a common backend provider.
• No unified nameservers: There isn't a single, publicly advertised set of nameservers that all Shopify-hosted domains consistently use. The nameservers depend on whether the domain was purchased directly through Shopify or connected from an external registrar.
• WHOIS lookup: The most reliable method to ascertain the actual registrar and nameserver details for any domain, including those connected to Shopify, is by performing a WHOIS lookup.
• Admin panel focus: Shopify's admin panel is designed to simplify domain management for merchants, abstracting away much of the underlying DNS complexity, which often means direct nameserver information is not prominently displayed.

Key considerations

• Purpose of inquiry: The necessity for finding the registrar or nameservers often arises for specific technical reasons, such as asset discovery for an organization's inventory or advanced DNS configurations for email authentication.
• Domain origin: The method for finding details differs depending on whether the domain was purchased directly through Shopify or merely connected to the platform after being registered elsewhere. If purchased elsewhere, the nameservers likely remain with the original registrar.
• DNS record management: Even if Shopify manages the nameservers, merchants can typically add or modify specific DNS records (like CNAME, MX, TXT) directly within the Shopify admin interface for purposes such as setting up email subdomains.
• WHOIS privacy: Some domains utilize WHOIS privacy services, which mask the direct registrar and owner details, making the lookup more challenging. However, the nameserver information is usually still public.

Key opinions

• Simplicity over detail: Marketers appreciate Shopify's streamlined domain connection process, even if it means less transparency regarding the backend registrar or specific nameserver details.
• WHOIS is the go-to: When technical details like nameservers are needed, marketers frequently resort to public WHOIS lookups as a practical way to uncover the information Shopify doesn't explicitly provide in its admin.
• Focus on deliverability: The main technical interest lies in ensuring that required DNS records for email (like SPF, DKIM, DMARC) are correctly configured to avoid spam filters, regardless of the specific nameserver provider.
• Limited direct need: For the majority of marketing tasks, direct interaction with nameservers is rare, as Shopify's platform handles most of the necessary configurations internally.

Key considerations

• Email authentication setup: While Shopify simplifies connections, achieving full email authentication with DMARC, SPF, and DKIM often requires adding specific DNS records, which necessitates understanding where these records are managed.
• Impact on reputation: Proper DNS configuration contributes significantly to domain reputation, a critical factor for email deliverability. Any confusion about nameservers can impede this.
• Third-party integrations: When integrating third-party marketing automation or email service providers, specific DNS adjustments may be required, making it necessary to identify the domain's management point.
• Asset management: For marketers managing multiple domains or large portfolios, systematic identification of registrars and nameservers is crucial for efficient asset discovery and inventory.

Key opinions

• WHOIS is definitive: Experts consistently advise that public WHOIS services are the authoritative source for determining a domain's registrar and nameservers, even if platforms like Shopify don't make this information readily visible.
• Reseller validation: Confirmation from experts indicates that Shopify indeed resells domain services, with Tucows/OpenSRS being a likely underlying provider. This is a common and sensible business model for platforms.
• Nameserver unreliability: Some experts caution that simply looking at the nameservers of Shopify's own corporate domain (e.g., nsone.net or dnsimple.com) might not reliably indicate the nameservers used for customer-registered domains.
• Fingerprinting approach: For systematic identification, experts suggest a WHOIS fingerprinting method, analyzing WHOIS data patterns to infer the service provider.

Key considerations

• Data availability: While businesses typically don't need to publicize their backend domain providers, a WHOIS lookup remains the standard for discovering such details, especially for asset inventory or security purposes.
• DNS delegation principles: Understanding how DNS delegation works via nameservers is fundamental, irrespective of the platform. This knowledge empowers users to troubleshoot advanced domain and email issues.
• API access: For large-scale analysis or automated discovery, having API access to a WHOIS service is beneficial for programmatic lookups and data extraction.
• Domain reputation and compliance: For email deliverability, knowing who controls your domain's DNS is vital for ensuring compliance with sender requirements and maintaining a strong sender reputation.

Key findings

• Simplified domain acquisition: Shopify's help center provides detailed steps on buying a domain directly through their platform, which automatically configures the domain to point to the Shopify store.
• Connecting existing domains: For external domains, documentation typically instructs users to modify A records and CNAMEs at their current registrar to point to Shopify, rather than changing nameservers to a Shopify-specific set.
• DNS management within admin: Merchants are shown how to manage various DNS records (e.g., MX, TXT) within the Shopify admin, suggesting internal DNS management for domains purchased through Shopify.
• WHOIS as external tool: Shopify's own blog articles sometimes refer to WHOIS lookup tools as a means to find domain ownership data, implicitly acknowledging it as the public source for such information.

Key considerations

• Registrar anonymity: Shopify's public-facing documentation generally does not explicitly name the specific backend registrar that handles domains purchased directly through their platform.
• DNS concepts: The documentation provides a high-level overview of DNS concepts, explaining how the domain name system connects domains with IP addresses, but avoids deep technical dives.
• Automatic configuration: Shopify's system is designed to automatically detect and provide configuration instructions for domains connected from external registrars, streamlining the setup process.
• Email forwarding insights: Mentions of email forwarding services in the documentation can sometimes indirectly hint at the underlying providers Shopify uses for certain domain-related functionalities, like OpenSRS.