Domain name

The Domain name section centralises all domains attached to your Vivlab site: your temporary vivlabsite.com address and any custom domain names you have added. A custom domain is essential to be indexed by Google and to strengthen your store's credibility.

Come here when you want to buy a domain name directly from the platform, transfer a domain you already own, connect a domain hosted at an external provider (IONOS, OVH, GoDaddy…), change the prefix of your temporary vivlabsite.com address, or view the DNS configuration of a domain already added.

Your domain names

This section lists all domains associated with your site in a table. Each row represents a domain and shows its address, type, default status, and validation state.

The Type column indicates whether the address is your temporary domain (Temporary), a custom domain you added manually (Custom) or a domain managed by the platform (gandi). The Main column flags with the Main badge the domain all others redirect to and that is used for indexing. The State column shows Valid when the DNS configuration is correct and the SSL certificate is active, Invalid when a DNS record still needs fixing, or Secured when HTTPS is fully operational. For a domain being transferred, it shows Transfer in progress, then Transfer failed if the transfer didn't go through.

Click a row to open the management panel for that domain.

Add a domain name

Click Add a domain name to get started. The How would you like to add a domain? window offers three options:

• Connect an existing domain: you already own a domain at an external provider and want to point it to your site.
• Buy a new domain: you buy a domain directly from the platform, with nothing to configure.
• Transfer an existing domain: you move the full management of a domain you already own, renewal included.

To connect an existing domain, enter the domain in the field that appears; the platform checks in real time that it can be added. If you are adding your first domain, the Set as default option is ticked automatically. Click Add a domain name to confirm.

If you have no custom domain yet, a setup wizard opens instead of the simple form: it guides you through three steps (site title, domain name, DNS configuration) with a live preview of your site at each step.

Buy a domain name

Choose Buy a new domain, then enter the domain you want in the Search for a domain to buy field. The platform checks its availability with the registries and shows the yearly price. Then fill in the Owner contact details (registries require them for any domain registration), choose the Registration duration (1 to 10 years depending on the extension), accept the no-refund terms and confirm.

A secure payment page then appears: the total amount is the yearly price multiplied by the chosen duration and it is charged immediately, by card or with the payment method saved on your account. The domain is registered within minutes of the payment, its DNS configuration is applied automatically and the SSL certificate is generated right after: there is nothing to configure. A confirmation email is sent as soon as the domain is active.

The domain is then renewed automatically: about 30 days before expiry, one year of renewal is charged at the same yearly price with the payment method of your subscription, whatever duration you chose at purchase. If the renewal payment fails, you are notified immediately by email, then reminded before the domain is permanently lost: update your payment method from My account to fix it. You can disable automatic renewal at any time from the domain's management panel; reminders will then be sent before the expiry date.

Transfer a domain name

Choose Transfer an existing domain to hand the full management of a domain bought elsewhere over to the platform: renewal, DNS and SSL certificate are then handled just like a domain bought directly.

Before starting the transfer, prepare two things with your current provider: unlock the domain (the transfer lock option must be disabled) and get the authorization code (auth code), sometimes called EPP code. Then enter the domain, the authorization code and the Owner contact details, and confirm. The amount shown is charged immediately and includes one year of renewal.

The transfer usually takes up to 5 days, the time for the registries to approve it. During that window the domain appears in the table with the Transfer in progress state and your site stays reachable at its current address. You receive an email as soon as the transfer completes, or if it fails.

Transfer refused

A domain registered or transferred less than 60 days ago cannot be transferred: it's a registry rule. An expired authorization code or a domain left locked also make the transfer fail. In that case, fix the blocking point then contact support to relaunch the transfer without being charged a second time.

Do you sell online?

Once your custom domain is connected and set as the main one, register it with Stripe from Online payments to display Apple Pay, Amazon Pay, Google Pay, Klarna, Link and PayPal on your checkout page.

Manage a domain name

Click a custom domain's row to open its management panel. You'll find:

• Summary badges (domain type, HTTPS status).
• The DNS configuration of your domain name host table, which lists in real time the records to add or remove at your DNS provider. Each row shows the action to take (To add or To delete), the record type, the name, and the value. The table refreshes every 5 seconds.
• The Set as default button to designate this domain as the main domain, all other domains will redirect their traffic to it.
• The Delete button to permanently detach this domain from your site.

For a domain bought or transferred via the platform, the Modifier DNS button also opens the full domain manager: the list of its DNS records (which you can create, edit or delete, for example to connect a mailbox to your domain), its expiry date, the transfer lock state and the automatic renewal setting. Re-enabling automatic renewal charges one extra year immediately.

Irreversible deletion

Deleting a domain removes it from your Vivlab account. Your site will no longer be reachable at that address. You can add it back later if it is still available. For a domain bought via the platform, deleting it also stops the renewal billing; the domain stays registered in your name until its expiry date.

Edit your temporary domain name

Your temporary vivlabsite.com address appears in the table with the type Temporary. It is always valid and secured. Click its row to change the prefix: enter a prefix of at least 4 alphanumeric characters (hyphens allowed) to get an address in the form your-choice.vivlabsite.com, then save.

This address remains useful even after your permanent domain goes live, to test changes before publishing or share a private preview.

Guide to connect your domain name

Even though the configuration may seem technical, connecting an external domain to your site boils down to four steps.

1. Buy a domain name from the provider of your choice (IONOS, OVH, GoDaddy…). You can also buy your domain directly from the platform: in that case every following step is automatic and this guide doesn't apply.

   What to take in the provider's offer

   Most providers offer bundled deals combining the domain name with a mailbox and web hosting. Only the domain name is required to use it with Vivlab. If you want an email address at your domain (e.g. contact@your-domain.com), you can add the email option offered by your provider. Web hosting, however, isn't needed: Vivlab already hosts your site, pages, media and payments, subscribing to third-party hosting is useless and may even conflict with the DNS configuration described below.

2. Add your domain on the platform by clicking Add a domain name, choosing Connect an existing domain, then following the instructions.

3. Configure DNS settings in your provider's management area by pointing your domain to Vivlab's IP address. As long as the DNS records aren't correct, your site stays unreachable at your address.

4. Verification and security: Vivlab automatically generates an SSL certificate (HTTPS) once the configuration is complete. Allow 10 to 15 minutes typically, up to 48 hours in some cases for the DNS propagation to take effect across the internet. You'll receive an email as soon as the domain is secured.

DNS records to configure

Once your domain is added, click its row in the table to see the exact list of records to create, edit or remove in your provider's DNS zone. Each entry shows a To add, Added or To delete status updated every 5 seconds.

Three operations are required to link your domain to your site:

• Add a type A record, with name @ and value 15.188.109.135. It points your-domain.com (without www) to Vivlab's servers.
• Add a type CNAME record, with name www and value your-domain.com. It forwards www.your-domain.com to the main domain, which itself points to Vivlab's servers.
• Remove any existing type AAAA record on @ and www. These pre-existing IPv6 entries conflict with Vivlab's setup and prevent your site from loading correctly.

Recap to compare against your provider's current configuration:

Action	Type	Name	Value
Add	A	@	15.188.109.135
Add	CNAME	www	your-domain.com
Remove	AAAA	@	Any value
Remove	AAAA	www	Any value

Propagation delay

Once the records are updated at your provider, allow 10 to 15 minutes typically, and up to 48 hours before the changes take effect across the internet. During that window your site may stay unreachable or show the old configuration: this is normal, don't redo the records.

The IP address 15.188.109.135 is the same for every Vivlab site: it's the value to enter in your provider's DNS zone, whichever one it is. If the procedure feels unclear, your provider's support team can walk you through writing the records from these values.

Automatic SSL certificate

As soon as your DNS is operational, Vivlab automatically generates an SSL certificate to serve your site over HTTPS, essential to secure browsing and enable online payments. Renewal is also handled automatically before each expiry: you never have to touch the certificate.

If your site doesn't load after 48 hours

DNS propagation can take time, but beyond 48 hours your domain should be operational. Check in your provider's DNS zone that the A record on @ points to 15.188.109.135, that the CNAME record on www points to your domain, and that no leftover AAAA record remains. If everything looks correct, contact Vivlab support so the configuration can be audited.