Shopify Redirects: How to Create and Manage URL Redirects

What happens when a link does not direct you to the desired landing page? Sounds frustrating, right?

This is what your potential customer might experience when they click on a URL that does not lead them to the desired webpage but to a 404 page error (Page not found). 

To counter this effectively, we use Shopify redirects, where the URL redirects can be used to redirect traffic from one page to another. 

The process to use them is straightforward and requires no technical knowledge. In this guide, we will explain:

• What are redirects in Shopify
• Why are they important
• How to navigate on the Shopify admin panel 
• The domains 
• How to access and change the redirects 

Let’s dive in. 

What Are Shopify URL Redirects?

Shopify redirects, as the name suggests, are a way to handle URL redirects from one web page to another. They basically help in redirecting from pages that return a 404 error (Page not found). These web pages can be within your Shopify store or take the customer to an external URL. 

In simple words, you tell browsers and search engines that the old URL no longer exists and you wish to ‘redirect’ the customer to another URL without touching the old URL. 

Let’s understand Shopify URL redirects with an example:

Suppose you run a shoe store. Your product called “Power Up” has the following URL: 

www.myawesomeshoestore.com/products/power-up

This URL will be visible on several platforms, such as Google Search results, Google ads, and emails.

Now, suppose you wish to change the product name to “Power Up Pro.” This will require a new URL: 

www.myawesomeshoestore.com/products/power-up-pro

While this is the new URL, what will happen to the old URL already live across the internet? 

You must think – I can just delete it. 

This approach can cause problems. Here’s why: 

1. Google considers deleted URLs broken, which can lower your Shopify store’s rank and reduce traffic to it.
   
2. Visitors who try to access that URL will encounter a 404 error page (Page not found). This can result in frustration and poor user experience for customers. 

To tackle this problem, you use redirects to take the customer to the new webpage that will not display any error messages or look like a broken link. 

Now, we will look into the domains and URL paths that can be used for this process. 

Types of Domains Supported For Redirects

There are three types of domains supported for Shopify redirects, and impact how your URL redirects work. The domains mentioned can be used to redirect your new URL paths to them or vice versa.

These domains are: 

1. Primary Domain: This is the main domain where customers first land on your online store.

For example: http://www.myawesomeshoestore.co

1. Alias Domain: These domains take your customers to your online store but do not redirect them to the primary domain. They are visible in browsers and search engines.

For example: http://shop.myawesomeshoestore.net 

3. Redirect Domain: These domains take you from the old/original domain and redirect to the new domain.

For example: http://myshopifystore.org redirects to http://www.myshopifystore.com. 

Types of URL Paths Compatible With Shopify Redirects

The ability to use different URL redirection paths provides Shopify merchants with flexibility and complete control over their site navigation.

There are two types of URL path redirects that can be effectively used for this purpose. These redirect types include:

• Relative URL Redirects: These URL paths redirect from one path within your online store to another path within the same store.

For example: /old-page redirects to /new-page.

• Full URL Redirects: These URL paths redirect from a URL in your online store to an external URL.

For example: /old-page redirects to https://externalwebsite.com/new-page  [externalwebsite.com/new-page]

These redirects help you smoothly manage changes to your store’s URLs, removed products or collections, and updates to external links.

With that, let’s explore which redirects you can apply to your Shopify business. 

Guidelines for Executing Shopify Redirects

Knowing the general rules for implementing URL redirects in Shopify is essential for more effective execution. These rules are especially important for maintaining the SEO value of your online store.

Not knowing what’s important when redirecting can cause issues. To avoid them, follow these key rules: 

1. Merchants should create redirects only from URLs that return a 404 (Page not found) error. If the previous (original) URL still opens an existing, valid webpage, the redirect you have set will not work on Shopify.
   
2. For redirects within your Shopify store, always use relative paths like /old-page to /new-page. For external websites, use complete URLs including the domain.
   
3. Shopify does not support redirects with query strings or special characters.
   
   For example, if you redirect /products?category=sale to /sale-products, Shopify may ignore the string ?category=sale and only redirect /products to the new URL path. This can cause errors.
   
4. Any redirect you create applies automatically to all market or language subfolders. This ensures consistent behaviour across all localized versions of your Shopify store.
   
5. Never create redirect loops. For instance, if page X redirects to page Y, page Y redirects to page Z, and Z circles back to X, this creates issues.
   
6. Shopify suggests not creating redirects from system-reserved paths such as /cart, /orders, /apps, /products, or /collections/all. Shopify handles these files internally and asks merchants to avoid messing with them.
   
7. Never redirect URLs to irrelevant pages. For example, a product page should not be redirected to your site’s contact page.
   
8. You cannot redirect an external link to your Shopify store. 

What Redirects Can Be Performed on Shopify? 

This section covers a general overview of redirects that you can implement. We will cover the ones native to Shopify and some that are not native to Shopify but can be implemented in different ways. 

With that, we will now delve into the different types of redirects:

Shopify 301 Redirects (Permanent)

301 Redirect is an automatic permanent redirect from one URL to the other URL. Shopify uses the 301 HTTP status code by default by informing the search engines and browsers that the previous (original) URL has permanently shifted to another location. 

How is this helpful? When we use this redirect, the search engines preserve your SEO value like search engine ranking power, link equity, avoiding 404 errors, and domain authority. This preserved data is transferred from the old URL to the new one.

When you delete the URL without using 301 redirect, you lose all the aforementioned data. 

When Should a 301 Redirect be Used? 

This is a native option offered by Shopify, so you do not have to take the extra steps to establish 301 Redirect. 

The right time to use it depends on the merchant’s requirements. Here’s when you can apply it: 

• When the original URL is changed due to poor performance or a product change.
  
• When there is a change in the website’s content, the URL should align with the page’s contents.
  
• There are multiple content pieces that are overlapping, and you want to consolidate them into one.
  
• When different pages are ranking for the same keyword, or when you have several webpages under the same topic.
  
• Shifting your online store to a new domain.  

How to Set Up 301 Redirects in Shopify

Setting a 301 redirect is simple. Follow the steps below to execute it: 

• On your Shopify admin, locate Content in the left navigation panel. 

• In that, you’ll see a dropdown appear. Select Menus from it. 

• From there, you will see the following webpage appear. In that, locate URL redirects. 

• In that, click Create URL redirect. 

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• Fetch the old and new URLs in the following fields and save the changes. 

After this is done, search engines can take approximately a few days or a few weeks for the changes to reflect. Other factors, such as the site’s crawl frequency, site authority, and search engine tracking, can affect when the search engines update the index.

But the redirect works immediately for your website visitors. 

To speed things up, you can use the following strategies: 

• Submit your sitemap to Google Search Console. 
• Request indexing of the new URL through the URL inspection tool on Google Search Console. 

Shopify 302 Redirects (Temporary)

Before we dive into this, keep in mind that 302 redirect is not native to Shopify but it can be implemented in rare cases. 

It is another HTTP response status code that indicates the requested URL has temporarily shifted to another URL. Meaning, the URL containing the contents of the original URL have “moved temporarily” to another URL. 

When Should a 302 Redirect be Used? 

The changes made through the 302 redirect can be reverted. Here are the times you can apply this redirect: 

• When your online store is undergoing maintenance.
  
• When you are testing different webpages, such as performing A/B testing or live testing.
  
• During a limited-time promotional event on your website. 

How Do You Create a 302 Redirect in Shopify?

302 redirect cannot be implemented directly from your Shopify admin. It requires a different approach.

Shopify recommends exploring custom development options for server-side redirects from the hosting environment or third-party apps (externally; there are no Shopify apps for this as of now). You can also choose a custom storefront, which can implement the temporary redirects or reach out to the Shopify Experts for help. 

Shopify Bulk Redirects

When you have to redirect multiple URLs, bulk redirects can come to the rescue. Shopify lets you manage multiple redirects in one go instead of creating and sorting them individually. 

This can be done by importing a CSV file into your Shopify admin. 

When Should Bulk Redirect be Used? 

You can apply bulk redirects for the following reasons:

• When you are handling hundreds or thousands of broken links at once.
  
• When there are multiple URLs leading to a 404 error page.
  
• There is a discontinued collection, and you want to redirect it to a new collection.
  
• Merging multiple duplicate pages into one coherent page.
  
• Seasonal or outdated pages.
  
• Redirecting query parameter URLs to clean canonical URLs.
  
• When you are carrying out large-scale URL structure changes, such as changing folder structures or updating URL slugs. 

How Do You Create a Shopify Bulk Redirect?

Follow the steps to create a bulk redirect in Shopify: 

• First, create a spreadsheet (a CSV file) containing a list of old URL paths and new URL paths.
  
  In that, create two columns. Old URL paths should come under ‘Redirect from’, and the new URL paths should come under ‘Redirect to.’ Something like this:

This CSV file is crucial for mapping as it helps prevent errors and ensures SEO value passes correctly.

• Next, on the Shopify admin, go to Content > Menus > URL redirects.
  
• In that, select Import URL redirects. 

• You will be asked to +Add file to import the CSV file. Shopify also offers a sample CSV template that you can quickly add your links to and import. 

Here’s how the file will look after you add it:

• Click the Upload file button. You will then be asked to Import redirects:
  

• Once the import is done, you will get an “Import complete” message, like this: 

Shopify allows 100,000 URL redirects for all stores. For Shopify Plus plan users, the limit can reach a maximum of 20,000,000 URL redirects. 

You can easily create and manage a large number of redirects without hampering the SEO and boosting overall customer experience. 

Shopify Redirect Apps For Advanced URL Redirecting

Shopify also allows you to use applications to fix 404 error issues. Many Shopify redirect apps are available to help you with this.

Here’s our top list of apps that you should try:

1. AdNabu’s Fast 301 & 404 Redirects

Pricing: Free

Features:

• Automatically detect 404 errors and generate 301 redirects in real time.
  
• Fix broken links effortlessly with one-click redirects. No coding needed.
  
• Use wildcard patterns to create bulk URL redirects efficiently.
  
• Redirect multiple 404 pages to any destination with CSV import/export support.
  
• Monitor all 301 and URL redirects with real-time tracking and insights.

2. Redirect Ninja

Pricing: Free plan and 7-day free trial available. 

• Pro: $7.99/month 
• Business:  $29.99/month 

Features:

• Leverage wildcard rules to automate bulk URL redirection at scale.
  
• Identify and resolve broken links in real time to prevent traffic loss.
  
• Receive weekly reports with prioritised redirect recommendations and SEO insights.
  
• Use pre-built templates to manage redirects by region, language, or site migrations.
  
• Automatically handle 404 errors with AI-driven workflows and 301 redirects.

3. Redirect Hero 

Pricing: 7-day free trial available. 

• Regular: $2.90/month 
• Pro+: $4.90/month 
• Pro+ (15% off): $49.90/year

Features: 

• Redirect active pages to other live pages without disrupting the user experience.
  
• Monitor and fix broken links instantly to maintain SEO performance.
  
• Automatically detect 404 errors and apply 301 redirects to keep your site optimized.
  
• Reduce bounce rates and revenue loss by minimizing 404 errors.
  
• Easily handle all your redirects through an intuitive, centralized dashboard.

4. SC Easy Redirects

Pricing: Free plan and 7-day free trial available. 

• Basic: Free
• Pro: $14.99/month 
• Pro+:$29.99/month 

Features: 

• Effortlessly route visitors from outdated pages to current, active ones.
  
• Apply smart URL patterns to redirect outdated links and capture incoming traffic effectively.
  
• Improve user experience and reduce site drop-offs by minimizing 404 errors.
  
• Set up alerts and notifications to stay on top of unresolved 404 errors.
  
• Easily manage large-scale 301 redirects during site migrations or content changes.

5. SEOAnt 

Pricing: Free plan and 7-day trial available. 

• Pro: $7.99/month 

Features:

• Receive daily or weekly reports to stay informed about 404 errors across your online store.
  
• Get real-time suggestions for the most relevant target URL when a 404 error is detected.
  
• Save significant time by avoiding manual bulk edits for redirecting broken links.
  
• Automatically detect and monitor 404 errors in real time. No manual tracking needed.
  
• Set up a single auto-redirect pattern to handle multiple 404 errors efficiently.

Bonus: How Shopify Redirects Maintain SEO Value? 

SEO should be the highest priority for any e-commerce business. That’s why Shopify ensures that your optimization efforts do not take a hit when redirecting different webpages. 

The platform follows standard industrial methods for this process by implementing 301 redirects (permanent). The 301 redirect is the most effective way of sending visitors to newly allocated pages, as: 

1. Search engines like Google seamlessly transfer PageRank, link equity, and ranking signals from old pages to the new ones.
   
2. 301 redirects avoid page duplication if several URLs serve the same content.
   
3. If site visitors bookmark the old URL, they will still be redirected to the latest version of the URL without any confusion.
   
4. Page visitors will always land on the most relevant and updated webpage.
   
5. 301 redirects are the perfect solution to retain visitors’ traffic data. The data is automatically transferred to the updated URL. 

Conclusion

To summarize, Shopify redirects are a boon to the merchants. They maintain the SEO value while allowing you to make the necessary changes to your webpages. 

This flexibility to arrange pages according to your needs and strategy makes Shopify an ideal option for managing your e-commerce store.

With that, here are the key takeaways to give you the bird’s-eye view of what we have covered:

• Shopify redirects help direct visitors from an old URL to a new one without causing broken links or 404 errors.
  
• They ensure a smooth user experience and preserve your store’s SEO value by maintaining link equity and rankings.
  
• Shopify supports primary, alias, and redirect domains for flexible redirection setups.
  
• You can use relative URL redirects within your store or full URL redirects to external websites.
  
• Always redirect URLs that return a 404 error, and avoid creating redirect loops or using system-reserved paths.
  
• 301 redirects (permanent) are Shopify’s default and best option for preserving SEO authority and traffic data.
  
• Use 302 redirects (temporary) only for short-term changes, like site maintenance or A/B testing.
  
• Bulk redirects allow managing large numbers of redirects efficiently using a CSV file.
  
• Shopify offers apps like AdNabu’s Fast 301 & 404 Redirects, Redirect Ninja, Redirect Hero, SC Easy Redirects, and SEOAnt for advanced automation.
  
• Proper use of redirects ensures your Shopify store maintains high SEO performance, user trust, and uninterrupted traffic flow. 

FAQs

Are Shopify redirects 301 or 302?
Shopify uses 301 redirects by default, which are permanent redirects. They tell search engines that a page has permanently moved and help transfer SEO value from the old URL to the new one.

Why is my Shopify redirect not working?
Redirects may fail if there’s a redirect loop, the old URL is still active, or if you’re trying to redirect to an external site. Browser caching or conflicting handles can also delay showing the correct redirect.

What is 302 URL redirection?
A 302 redirect is a temporary redirect that doesn’t pass SEO authority. Shopify’s built-in redirect system doesn’t support 302 redirects natively. It only creates 301 (permanent) redirects.

Is 301 or 302 redirect better?
For Shopify stores, 301 redirects are better because they maintain SEO rankings and tell search engines that the move is permanent. Use 302 only for temporary promotions or testing, usually via custom code or third-party apps like Adnabu’s Redirect Manager app.

Can I bulk import redirects to external URLs?
Yes, you can bulk import URL redirects to external URLs in Shopify. When preparing your CSV file for bulk redirects, simply include the external full URLs in the “Redirect to” column. For example, you can redirect from an internal path like /old-page to an external URL like [www.externalwebsite.com/new-page](https://www.externalwebsite.com/new-page).

Are there SEO risks with too many redirects?
Yes, too many redirects can harm SEO by slowing page load times, reducing crawl efficiency, and potentially causing redirect chains or loops that dilute link equity and confuse search engines. To avoid these issues, keep redirects straightforward, prevent unnecessary chains, and regularly audit and remove outdated redirects.

Can I redirect URLs with query strings if my site has them?
Generally, Shopify ignores URLs with query strings or special characters. If there is one, and redirecting it is crucial, in rare instances, you may have to edit the custom code in your theme file or integrate a third-party external app. Shopify treats query strings as a live, relevant page. Redirects only work if there is a 404 error. 

Also read:

• What Are Shopify Wildcard Redirects
• Shopify Conversion Rate Optimization: 10 Tips for Success
• How To Sell Internationally On Shopify?
• The Complete Guide to Connect Shopify to Pinterest
• 10 Best Shopify Analytics Apps For Your Business