Shopify Redirect Chains Explained: Demystifying http://www to https://non-www Hops

Hey fellow store owners!

As experts in e-commerce migrations and Shopify optimization at Shopping Cart Mover, we often encounter questions that spark a bit of head-scratching, especially when it comes to the technical nuances of domain management. One such topic that frequently pops up in community forums and client discussions alike revolves around those seemingly complex redirect chains. Specifically, we're talking about situations where your store URL takes a scenic route, like http://www.yourstore.com, and then redirects through a couple of hops before landing on the desired https://yourstore.com.

Recently, a community member, pdintane, brought this up with a very specific example:

http://www.domain.com (307) -> https://www.domain.com (301) -> https://domain.com (200)

The core question was: is this multi-redirect chain, especially with that initial 307 temporary redirect, normal and unavoidable on Shopify? And can we simplify it to a single redirect, like http://www.domain.com -> https://domain.com (200)?

Understanding Shopify's Redirect Logic: It's Normal!

Good news first: if you're seeing this kind of redirect chain, you're not alone, and it's generally considered business as usual for Shopify stores. As our community experts, like clickfromai and Maximus3, pointed out, this behavior is a standard part of Shopify's robust infrastructure. For those considering launching their own online venture or migrating an existing one, Shopify offers a robust and user-friendly platform that handles many technical complexities like this behind the scenes.

Think of it as two distinct, necessary steps that happen at different "layers" of Shopify's setup:

1. HTTP to HTTPS (Security Layer): The very first hop, from http:// to https://, happens at Shopify’s edge. This is about ensuring your store is secure and encrypted, which is absolutely critical for customer trust, data protection, and search engine optimization (SEO). This often involves what's called the TLS (Transport Layer Security) layer, which is fundamental for secure web communication. Shopify automatically provides SSL certificates for all stores, ensuring this crucial security step is handled.
2. WWW to Apex Domain (Application Layer): The second hop, from https://www.yourstore.com to https://yourstore.com (the "apex" or non-www domain), is Shopify enforcing your primary domain setting. Most store owners prefer the cleaner, non-www version of their URL, and Shopify provides a straightforward way to designate this as your primary domain. This redirect happens at the application level, after the initial security handshake.

Why the Multi-Hop is Unavoidable (Without Complex Workarounds)

The reason these two steps can't typically be collapsed into a single redirect using standard DNS settings is because they operate at different levels of the web infrastructure. DNS (Domain Name System) primarily translates human-readable domain names into IP addresses; it doesn't control URL redirects directly. Shopify's infrastructure is designed to handle security (HTTPS) at one layer and then apply domain preferences (www vs. non-www) at another.

While some advanced users might consider putting a proxy or CDN (Content Delivery Network) in front of Shopify to try and collapse these steps, this adds significant complexity, cost, and potential points of failure. For the vast majority of Shopify merchants, this added complexity is simply not worth the marginal gain.

What About the 307 Redirect?

Pdintane specifically mentioned the initial 307 Temporary Redirect. While 301 Permanent Redirects are generally preferred for SEO as they pass full link equity, a 307 in this initial http-to-https hop from Shopify's edge is often a technical implementation detail that search engines like Google are well-equipped to handle, especially when followed by a 301 to the canonical URL. Google is smart enough to understand the intent and consolidate signals to the final, secure, primary domain.

SEO Impact: A Non-Issue (If Handled Correctly)

This is where many merchants get concerned, fearing that redirect chains will negatively impact their SEO. The good news, as Maximus3 rightly pointed out, is that this is largely a non-issue for SEO. Google and other search engines are highly sophisticated and handle these common redirect chains extremely well. The ultimate goal for search engines is to index the correct, canonical URL – in this case, https://domain.com.

However, while the chain itself isn't a problem, *your* actions can be. The key is to ensure that you're consistently pointing to the final, desired URL wherever possible.

Actionable Steps for Shopify Merchants

To ensure your Shopify store is optimized despite the redirect chain, follow these crucial steps:

1. Confirm Primary Domain: Navigate to your Shopify admin under Settings > Domains. Ensure your preferred apex domain (e.g., domain.com) is set as the primary domain. Also, make sure the option to "Redirect all traffic to the primary domain" is enabled. This tells Shopify definitively which version of your URL is the authoritative one.

2. Update Internal Links: This is critical. Scour your store for any hard-coded links that might be using old HTTP or www versions. This includes:

   • Navigation menus
   • Theme code (if you've made customizations)
   • Blog posts and page content
   • Sitemap references (Shopify usually generates this correctly, but it's good to be aware)

   All internal links should point directly to the final https://domain.com version. This minimizes the number of times the redirect chain is triggered for users and bots.

3. Check External References: While you can't control every backlink, focus on those you *can* influence:

   • Your social media profiles
   • Email signatures and marketing campaigns
   • Paid advertising campaigns (Google Ads, Facebook Ads, etc.)
   • Any partner websites or directories where you have control

   Update these to use the correct https://domain.com URL.

4. Monitor Canonical Tags: Shopify automatically generates canonical tags for your pages, which tell search engines the preferred version of a URL. Verify that these tags consistently point to your desired https://domain.com version. This is a strong signal to search engines.

Conclusion

The multi-hop redirect chain from http://www to https://www to https://non-www is a normal and largely unavoidable aspect of Shopify's architecture. It's a consequence of ensuring both robust security and consistent domain branding. While it might look concerning on the surface, search engines are adept at processing these chains without significant SEO detriment, provided your internal linking and canonicalization are correctly implemented.

By following the actionable steps outlined above, you can ensure that your Shopify store sends clear signals to search engines and provides a seamless, secure experience for your customers. Focus on consistency and pointing to your primary, secure domain wherever possible, and let Shopify handle the underlying redirects. If you're planning a migration or need help optimizing your existing Shopify store, don't hesitate to reach out to the experts at Shopping Cart Mover for tailored guidance.