Plans: Premium, Enterprise Platforms: All platforms

Overview

AfterShip enables you to create a custom domain for the branded tracking page to enhance brand visibility and increase post-purchase customer engagement. This feature is available on Premium and Enterprise plans only.

How does a custom domain work?

You can use your own custom URL (for example: http://track.yourdomain.com/ or any URL of your choice) to display the tracking information instead of using the default AfterShip-hosted tracking page URL (http://username.aftership.com/tracking_number).

SSL certificate

Enabling SSL is mandatory due to a new Cloudflare policy. If you're already using a custom domain, make sure SSL is enabled to ensure an uninterrupted experience.

Acquire a domain from a domain registrar

There are numerous DNS providers that can assist store owners in registering or renting a domain. Popular options include Cloudflare, OpenDNS, and Google, among others. If you don’t already have a domain, you can easily purchase one from services like GoDaddy, Domain.com, Bluehost, and similar providers.

Create a CNAME record in your domain’s DNS provider

To link your custom domain to AfterShip, you need to set up a CNAME record:

Log in to your DNS provider's platform.
Create a new CNAME record.
Choose CNAME as the record type.
Enter a subdomain name (e.g., track).
Set the Target to domains.aftership.com.
Ensure the CNAME record is set to DNS-only (not proxied) to avoid verification issues.

Refer to your DNS provider’s documentation for specific instructions on how to create a CNAME record. For example, you can follow the process on Cloudflare.

The interface may vary depending on your DNS provider's user interface

CNAME record changes may take up to 72 hours to propagate, but they often take effect much sooner.

Set up a custom domain in AfterShip Tracking

Go to Tracking pages in your AfterShip Tracking admin.
Navigate to URLs and domain > Universal URLs.
Click Manage Domains.
You will enter the Domains section under the Organization settings of your AfterShip account.
Click Add custom domain.
Enter your custom domain (e.g., track.yourdomain.com) and select the product you'd like to associate with the domain.

For example, a customer might choose to use track.brandname1.com exclusively for Tracking, and returns.brandname.com exclusively for Returns.
Click Add. Once added, your custom branded tracking page URL will be ready for use.

Once you save the CNAME, it can take up to 24 hours for it to propagate and properly point to AfterShip. You can also insert this URL into the track button code of your store page.

Troubleshooting custom domain issues

If your custom domain tracking page is not working, it is likely due to one of the following reasons:

Inactive subscription: Ensure that your AfterShip Tracking app is installed and your account has an active subscription. Custom domain support requires an active Premium or higher plan.
Plan limitations: Verify that your current plan supports custom domains. If you are on the Essentials or Free plan, you will need to upgrade.
Propagation time: Changes to DNS settings can take time to propagate (up to 72 hours). Use tools like WhatsMyDNS to check the DNS propagation status.
SSL certificates: If your site uses HTTPS, ensure that SSL certificates are correctly installed and configured. Check for any errors in the SSL certificate, such as expiration or misconfiguration.
"Unable to Verify Domain" error: If AfterShip shows this error despite the CNAME resolving and SSL working, check if the CNAME record is set to "Proxied" through a CDN or proxy service. If so, disable the proxy and set the CNAME to DNS-only. Retry the verification process.
Delays in domain switching between accounts: If you remove a custom domain from one AfterShip account and add it to another without changing DNS records, the switch is not immediate. DNS propagation delays can still occur, so allow time for the changes to take effect.

Set Up a Custom Domain for the Branded Tracking Page