Importing Domains into Storefront : OpenSRS Customer Support

The OpenSRS Storefront domain import feature allows you to import domains to Storefront from the OpenSRS reseller control panel. Once imported, customers can manage their billing and domain registration and update DNS through a self-manage portal.

Domain Importing Process

Domain import uses the data from the owner contact in the domain WHOIS to determine domain ownership. For each domain imported, the process will:

Check if the domain is available in your OpenSRS reseller account and is not already managed in your Storefront.
Check whether the domain has an active or expired status. The domain import feature will not import domains pending transfer away, pending transfer in, or domains in redemption.
Storefront will use WHOIS information to determine ownership. The domain import feature relies on the WHOIS registrant email for this.
- If the import tool finds an existing matching WHOIS email address, it will associate the domain with that existing account.
- If an existing customer account matching the domain is not found, the import tool will create a new account using information from the domain WHOIS. This information will include the email address, first and last name, and other details.
Storefront will then send a branded email informing the customer that the domain was added to their account. For newly created customers, the email contains information on how to access their new account.

Once the domain is imported and associated with a customer, Storefront provides areas for domain management, DNS updates, and renewals. The customer can log in to their account and fully manage the domain. Storefront will bill that customer directly for any renewals, with margins paid to your connected Stripe account, like any other transactions in your Storefront.

Reasons for Importing

Benefits of importing

This process allows you to transfer your existing Reseller Control Panel (RCP)-managed customer domains to Storefront. Once transferred, you'll still be able to manage domains on behalf of your customers, while also giving them the option to control domain DNS and related functions, such as privacy settings, domain locking, and WHOIS updates, if they choose. Resellers retain full access to support and manage these settings as needed.
The billing process is much simpler in Storefront. It handles billing so you can focus on your business, allowing customers to manage payments for domain renewals and additional services directly through Storefront.

Reasons to not import

Only import a domain into Storefront if you want your customer to have full self-management capabilities. Once imported, they’ll be able to control DNS settings, update WHOIS information, manage domain locking, access the transfer authorization code, and handle billing for renewals and add-on services like Contact Privacy.

Important Information Before Importing

The domain import feature is a one-way process. It’s not currently possible to undo an import.
It is crucial to ensure the WHOIS email is correct. The WHOIS email address determines the domain’s owner. Review the WHOIS data before importing to ensure accurate account placement.
It would be best to inform your customer that their domain is being imported and that they will receive an email with login instructions.
After importing a domain, the customer can manage the domain themselves. This includes managing nameservers, DNS, WHOIS, locking, and retrieving transfer authorization codes. The customer will also be responsible for domain renewals through their customer portal.
You can help your customers manage domains using Storefront's “Log in as Customer” feature. This allows you to assist them with DNS updates and WHOIS changes.
If this is your first time using the domain import feature, we suggest starting with a smaller batch.