While Shopify redirects have helped boost SEO value for several Shopify stores, a new question arises:
How many redirects are too many redirects?
Understanding when to apply redirects is one thing, but how to implement them is another. Several redirects should not necessarily hamper your online store’s site value and link equity; however, it is important to see if the redirects are occurring in a sequence.
What do we mean by a ‘sequence’?
You read it right. Sometimes, merchants end up redirecting a page that has already been redirected, leading to what we call a Shopify redirect chain.
This can be detrimental to your site’s value, as navigation becomes a problem and is also confusing to both you and your site visitors.
To understand this issue better and fix it, we have created this guide on preventing and fixing Shopify redirect chains.
We will mainly focus on:
- How to navigate to URL redirects on your online store
- Where to redirect from to avoid chains
- Where to redirect to
- How to examine the redirects
- How to audit to identify redirect chains
Let’s dive in.
Table of Contents
What Are Shopify Redirect Chains?
Suppose you have a URL A, which redirects to URL B. This URL B further redirects to URL C, creating the following sequence:
A to B to C
In some situations, the URL C can also be extended and redirected to URL D, and so on.
A to B to C to D
This sequence or loop of multiple URL redirects creates a chain before reaching the final URL destination. This is called a redirect chain.
Technically, it refers to a series of multiple HTTP redirects that occur when a server or browser attempts to access a particular URL.
| Note: Shopify has some limitations on redirects, such as not allowing redirects from URLs that still load valid pages or from specific reserved paths. Redirects start working immediately once created. |
What Causes Redirect Chains in Shopify?
In many cases, redirect chains aren’t created intentionally. Over time, these issues can pile up, resulting in multiple unnecessary redirects that slow down page loading and weaken link authority.
Here are the reasons that cause them:
- No centralized management
Manually creating redirects without having a tracking system can lead to a redirect chain. When you do not have a system that tracks all these changes, it can result in losing track of the previously created redirects. This can also happen when merchants do not check for existing redirects.
- Site Migrations
When the website undergoes an overhaul or when its domain changes, merchants add redirects in order to preserve the previous link’s data. However, when previous links are not tracked and replaced carefully, it can lead to a chain creating.
For example: oldsite.com > newsite.com > www.newsite.com > www.newsite.com/page
- Domain Issues
Websites often redirect from http to https and from non-www to www, or vice versa. When these are chained together instead of combined into a single step, they form a redirect chain.
Example:
http://example.com → http://www.example.com → https://www.example.com
- Chained Redirects in Internal & External Backlinks
When internal links point to old URLs that are already redirected, web crawlers follow unnecessary redirect paths.
And when it comes to external links, if other websites link to a redirected URL instead of the current one, it also adds an extra step for crawlers.
How To Detect & Resolve Redirect Chains in Shopify?
Fortunately, finding these redirect chains is a straightforward process. Shopify offers code-free solutions and also allows you to use third-party apps to identify the issue.
Let’s look into the different ways:
Manual Export through Shopify Admin Interface
Easily detect redirect chains on the admin dashboard. Follow this process to find them in your Shopify store:
- On the admin dashboard, go to Content > Menus > View URL Redirects.
- Find the export option.
- Now, open the exported CSV file. Search for chains where the ‘redirected to’ URLs serve as the ‘redirected from’ URL for another link.
It will look like this:
- Redirect 1: /old-page > /middle-page
- Redirect 2: /middle-page > /new-page
How to Fix the Issue: The CSV export file must contain two columns: ‘Redirect from’ and ‘Redirect to’.
In those columns, map out the ones that appear in both columns. You can use the search bar (Ctrl+F) and find them.
Manually make the changes to the sheet. You can opt to import the updated sheet to your Shopify redirects section.
Another way to quickly find them is to use a helper column and name it ‘Redirect Chain’. Then, use the following formula:
=IF(COUNTIF(A:A, B2) > 0, “Possible Chain”, “”)
This formula will locate those URLs that appear in both ‘Redirect to’ and ‘Redirect from.’ If a chain is detected, it will display a ‘Possible Chain’ under the ‘Redirect Chain’ column.
Apply this to all the rows. Keep in mind that this formula will only work in Google Sheets and Microsoft Excel.
Using Third-Party Apps
Using third-party apps to detect redirect chains is another method. Shopify allows you to use different applications for this purpose. Keep in mind, these apps are for detection only.
Here are some prominent ones that you can use:
Screaming Frog SEO Spider:
Pricing:
- Free for up to 500 URLs.
- $279 per year for unlimited URL scanning.
This tool crawls websites and identifies several SEO-related issues, including redirect chains. The tool simulates how search engines like Google crawl your site, enabling you to identify and resolve issues that could impact rankings and user experience.
Screaming Frog SEO Spider offers exporting spreadsheets.
Ahrefs
Pricing:
Ahrefs’ webmaster tools comprise site auditing tools. It is free with limited features. You get 5,000 free crawl credits per month.
- Lite plan: $129/month
- Standard plan: $249/month
- Advanced plan: $449/month
- Enterprise plan: $1,499/month
Ahrefs offers site auditing to find issues in your site. It also helps identify redirect chains by creating a list of potential chains that may be present on your website. It informs you of the number of redirects and redirect loops. You have to replace those links and redirect them correctly.
Ahrefs offers exporting spreadsheets consisting of URL redirects and data.
Lumar
Pricing: Custom pricing.
Lumar (formerly called DeepCrawl) scans websites to find technical SEO issues such as broken links, duplicate content, redirect chains, crawl errors, etc. It provides detailed issue reports and integrates with tools like Google Search Console, Google Analytics, and Data Studio for deeper SEO insights.
Lumar offers exporting URL data.
Sitebulb
Pricing: Sitebulb offers a 14-day free trial.
Lite: $18/month
Pro: $42/month
Sitebulb Cloud: $125/month
Sitebulb offers desktop and cloud solutions to resolve SEO-related issues. It delves deeper and provides comprehensive SEO reports that give an overview of how well your website is performing. This application creates crawl maps, which help you understand the functioning of search engine spiders. This gives you a better understanding of your webpages and their structures. It also checks for indexability, and thoroughly inspects internal links and their distribution. It is quick to identify broken links and redirects.
You can export URL data in a CSV file.
How to Fix the Issue: Download the CSV/Excel files from these apps that we have mentioned, and analyze where the redirect chains are occurring. This can be done by manually searching or using the search bar [Ctrl+F]. Some apps may help in identifying the chains, while some may require manual inspection.
You can also apply the method mentioned in the previous section, which involves setting a formula to find possible chains.
Another way to set redirects is to use apps available on the Shopify app store. They offer a personalized experience within the comfort of your Shopify admin.
These apps make URL redirection a seamless experience. For instance, AdNabu’s 301/404 Redirect app helps quickly detect broken links. While it is primarily used for detecting 404 errors, you can also use it to apply redirects, either individually or in bulk.
Difference Between Redirect Chains & Redirect Loops
You must have stumbled across a series of chain that do not end at their final destination but return back to the first URL. This is called a redirect loop and it is slightly different from a redirect chain.
Here are the differences between the two:
| Feature | Redirect Chain | Redirect Loop |
| What it is | A series of redirects from one page to another before reaching the final page. | Redirects that go in a circle and never reach a final page. |
| Example | Page A > Page B > Page C > Page D | Page A > Page B > Page A |
| Final page reached? | Yes | No |
| Effect on users | Page loads slower. | Page never loads; browser shows an error like “Too many redirects.” |
| Effect on SEO | Wastes crawl time and reduces link value. | Page can’t be indexed by search engines. |
| Common cause | Too many old redirects that haven’t been updated. | Wrong redirect setup or conflicting rules. |
| How to fix it | Make the redirect go straight from the first page to the final page. | Remove the circular redirects and fix the redirect settings. |
Conclusion
In conclusion, managing redirects effectively is essential for maintaining a healthy Shopify store. Redirect chains and loops can harm SEO, slow down your site, and confuse both users and search engines. By keeping redirects direct, regularly auditing them, and using reliable tools to detect issues, you can ensure smoother navigation, faster performance, and better search visibility for your store.
With that, here are the key takeaways:
- Redirect chains happen when one page redirects to another, which then redirects again, creating a long path before reaching the final page.
- Redirect loops occur when redirects go in circles and never reach a final page, causing an error.
- Too many redirects can slow down your Shopify store, confuse search engines, and waste crawl budget.
- Always redirect the original URL directly to the final destination instead of chaining multiple redirects.
- Regularly audit your Shopify redirects using exports, formulas in Google Sheets, or tools like Screaming Frog, Ahrefs, and Lumar.
- Fix identified chains or loops quickly to improve website speed, SEO performance, and user experience.
- Keep a proper record or tracking system for all redirects to avoid overlapping or repetitive entries.
- Review redirects after every site migration or domain change to ensure old links point directly to the new destination.
- Periodically check internal and external backlinks to make sure they point to active, final URLs instead of redirected ones.
FAQs
What are the implications of redirect chains on Shopify’s liquid-generated internal links?
If your Liquid templates link to outdated URLs, they may reinforce redirect chains internally. This slows navigation and signals poor site architecture to search engines. Updating handles and ensuring templates point to the correct URLs is essential for SEO and user experience.
How do multiple chained redirects affect analytics and attribution tracking in Shopify?
Redirect chains can strip UTM parameters or delay pixel firing, leading to inaccurate analytics and poor attribution. This especially affects campaigns sending traffic to outdated URLs. Clean, single-step redirects help maintain data integrity across Shopify and marketing platforms.
Can duplicate redirect entries in Shopify lead to unintended chains or loops, and how can they be prevented?
Yes, overlapping or duplicate redirects often create chains or even loops if not managed carefully. Shopify doesn’t warn against this, so regular audits and deduplication of the redirect list are necessary to avoid issues.
How does Shopify handle case sensitivity or trailing slashes in URLs and what role does this play in redirect chains?
Shopify normalizes case and trailing slashes, but inconsistent links from external sources can still trigger redirects. These small mismatches can form unnecessary chains. Always use consistent URL formatting and monitor incoming links.
What risks do automated SEO redirect apps pose in generating excessive or unnecessary redirect chains?
Apps that auto-create redirects after URL changes may stack them without checking for existing entries. Over time, this can lead to bloated chains. It’s important to audit and flatten redirect paths manually or through bulk updates.
How should URL changes be managed during product migration or replatforming to avoid redirect chains?
During migrations, avoid chaining old URLs through staging or interim links. Redirect legacy URLs directly to the final Shopify URL. A clean, well-mapped 301 strategy preserves SEO and avoids redirect bloat.
