The domain import feature lets you move domains from your OpenSRS Reseller Control Panel (RCP) into your Storefront, handing off management and billing directly to your customers. Once a domain is imported, the registrant can log in to your Storefront and manage their own DNS, WHOIS, privacy, locking, and renewals — without contacting you for routine changes.
This is a one-way process. It is not currently possible to undo a domain import. Read this guide fully before starting, especially the sections on WHOIS accuracy and nameserver behaviour.
How domain import connects to other parts of Storefront
WHOIS data creates customer accounts
Domain import does not just move a domain — it also determines which customer account owns it, and may create a new customer account in the process. Storefront reads the WHOIS Owner contact email on each domain and matches it to an existing Storefront customer. If no match exists, Storefront creates a new account automatically using the WHOIS data.
This means the quality of your WHOIS data directly determines the quality of your import. A wrong email in WHOIS puts the domain in the wrong account. Correct WHOIS data in the RCP before you import — not after.
Nameservers determine what customers can do with DNS
If a domain uses OpenSRS SystemDNS nameservers after import, the customer can see the domain in their Storefront account but cannot edit its DNS records there. DNS changes for SystemDNS domains still need to be made in the RCP.
If you want your customers to self-manage DNS in Storefront, the domain must use Storefront nameservers (a.ns.shopco.com, b.ns.shopco.com, c.ns.shopco.com). This requires manually migrating the DNS zone before or after import. See Manually Transferring SystemDNS Zones to Storefront for instructions.
Domains using custom (third-party) nameservers are migrated as-is — DNS is managed at the external provider and is not affected.
When to use domain import
Import makes sense if:
- You currently manage domains on your customers' behalf and want to give them direct control. Including DNS, WHOIS, domain lock, and access to transfer auth codes.
- You want Storefront to take over billing for renewals and add-ons so your customers pay directly.
- You are onboarding existing OpenSRS customers to your Storefront as part of setting up or expanding your store.
Do not import if:
- You want to keep managing the domain without giving customers self-serve access.
- You want to continue handling billing for renewals and add-ons yourself.
- The domain's WHOIS registrant email is incorrect or doesn't belong to the right customer, correct it first.
Before you import
WHOIS accuracy is critical
Storefront uses the Owner contact email address in WHOIS to determine which customer account receives the domain:
- If a Storefront customer account already exists with that email, the domain is associated with that account.
- If no matching account exists, Storefront creates a new customer account using the WHOIS Owner contact information, then associates the domain.
- If multiple Storefront accounts share the same email, the domain is associated with the most recently active account.
If the WHOIS email is wrong or belongs to the wrong person, the domain will be imported into the wrong account. Correct WHOIS data in the RCP before starting.
What changes after import
- The customer gains full self-serve control: DNS (if using Storefront nameservers), WHOIS, domain lock, contact privacy, and the transfer authorization code.
- Billing for renewals and add-on services moves to Storefront. The customer is billed directly; your share is paid to your connected Stripe account.
- You can still manage the domain on the customer's behalf using the Log in as Customer feature in Storefront Manager.
What does not change during import
- The domain's DNS records, nameservers, and WHOIS data are not modified during import.
- Contact Privacy status (enabled or disabled) carries over unchanged. No additional charge is applied for the remaining prepaid term.
Domains that cannot be imported
The import tool skips any domain that is:
- Not found in your OpenSRS reseller account
- Already managed in your Storefront
- Pending transfer away or pending transfer in
- In redemption
- A registry premium (tiered-price) domain
- On a TLD not enabled in your Storefront
How the import process works
For each domain submitted, Storefront runs through these steps automatically:
- Eligibility check — verifies the domain is in your OpenSRS account, active or expired, on a supported TLD, and not a registry premium domain.
- WHOIS lookup — retrieves and parses the WHOIS Owner contact to get the registrant email.
- Account matching — looks for an existing Storefront customer account with that email. Creates a new account if none exists.
- Domain added to Storefront — the domain appears in your Storefront Manager and in the customer's account.
- Customer notification email — a branded email is sent to the customer with their username and login link (existing accounts), or a password-reset link and next steps (new accounts).
No email is sent if a domain fails to import.
Run a batch import
- Log in to Storefront Manager.
- Go to Domains, then select the Batch Imports tab.
- Enter the domains you want to import — one per line, or in CSV format.
- Click Import Domains.
- A new entry appears in the Batch Imports table. Refresh the page to update status — it does not update automatically.
- Click the batch ID to open the batch detail page, showing each domain, the customer account it was imported into, and the per-domain status.
Start with a small batch, a handful of domains to verify the process before importing at scale. If one domain in a batch fails, the others continue processing. The overall batch status shows as "failed" even if most domains imported successfully, always open the batch detail page for the full picture.
From the batch detail page you can download a CSV of the results. Save this as a permanent record.
After the import
Your customer receives a branded email using your store name, logo, and support email. New accounts receive a password-reset link and suggested next steps. Existing accounts receive a notification that a new domain has been added.
Even after importing, you retain the ability to manage domains on your customer's behalf using Log in as Customer, and to view domain status and settings from the Domains section of Storefront Manager.
Troubleshooting
A domain shows as "failed" in the batch.
Open the batch detail page for the specific error message. Common causes: domain not in your OpenSRS account, already in your Storefront, TLD not enabled, registry premium domain, pending transfer, or in redemption.
The domain was imported into the wrong customer account.
This happens when the WHOIS Owner contact email didn't match the intended customer. Use the domain push tool in Storefront Manager. Open the domain, click Change next to Customer Details, and select or create the correct account. See Managing Customer Accounts and Domains for full details.
The customer didn't receive their email.
Confirm the WHOIS Owner contact email is valid and deliverable. Ask the customer to check their spam folder. Emails are only sent for successful imports. If the email went to the wrong address, the WHOIS email was incorrect at import time — push the domain to the correct account.
The customer can see their domain but can't edit DNS.
The domain is using OpenSRS SystemDNS nameservers. DNS changes for SystemDNS domains must be made in the RCP. To give the customer self-manage access, migrate the DNS zone to Storefront nameservers. See Manually Transferring SystemDNS Zones to Storefront.
The customer can't log in to their new account.
For newly created accounts, the password-reset link in the welcome email has a limited validity. If it has expired, ask the customer to use Forgot password on your Storefront login page. You can also use Log in as Customer to assist them directly.
The import status isn't updating.
The batch status does not refresh automatically. Manually refresh the page.
Related articles
- Manually Transferring SystemDNS Zones to Storefront
- Managing Customer Accounts and Domains
- Legacy Storefront Migration Guide
- Storefront Nameservers
Questions? Contact OpenSRS Support.
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