Domain extension .shop
Buy a .shop domain: price, renewal and rules
A .shop domain shows at a glance that people can buy from you. Any person or company can register one, without proof.
- Registration
- CHF 10.90
- in the first year · incl. VAT
- Renewal
- CHF 37.90
- per year · incl. VAT
- Transfer
- CHF 37.90
Is your .shop domain still available?
What is .shop and who can register it?
.shop is a generic domain extension operated by GMO Registry, Inc. from Japan. Like .com, it is subject to ICANN rules. There is no restriction to particular countries or industries: individuals, sole proprietorships, associations and companies in Switzerland can register a .shop domain. You do not need to prove a commercial register entry or an existing online shop.
Rules for the name
- Up to 63 characters before .shop.
- Letters, digits and the hyphen are allowed. Special symbols and emojis are not possible.
- The hyphen may not be at the start or end.
- The registry supports internationalised domain names (IDN) in several languages and scripts, such as Japanese, Chinese, Arabic, Cyrillic and Spanish.
Premium domains
The registry sells short and popular terms as premium domains at a higher price, often at renewal too. Our domain search shows such names with the note «Premium domain – price on request». The prices on this page apply to regular names.
Calculating the first year and renewal correctly
With .shop, the first-year price is well below the renewal price: CHF 10.90 to register, then CHF 37.90 per year. For three years, count CHF 10.90 plus twice CHF 37.90. We show both prices side by side so you do not find out on the first renewal invoice. If you plan to run your shop under this address long term, budget for the renewal price from the start.
Typical use
Many companies use .shop as a second address next to their main domain: the company website runs on your-company.ch, the online shop on your-company.shop. The address is short and works well on posters, packaging and social media profiles. Others simply redirect the .shop domain to their existing shop. Our WordPress hosting suits a WooCommerce shop, and our web hosting suits several shops or shop systems such as PrestaShop. An SSL certificate is included with every hosting plan, which is a must for a checkout.
Use the WHOIS lookup to check the .ch version of your name too. If your-company.ch is free, secure it at the same time so nobody else can use it.
Transfer and protection in disputes
To transfer to HostOn, you need the auth code from your current provider. The transfer costs CHF 37.90 and extends the domain by one year. Under ICANN rules, a transfer is currently not possible in the first 60 days after registration or a previous transfer; a reduction to 30 days is being introduced. Trademark conflicts are handled under ICANN’s UDRP procedure, as with .com.
Alternatives to .shop
- A subdomain such as shop.your-company.ch costs nothing extra and uses your well-known main domain.
- .ch, if the shop mainly targets customers in Switzerland.
- .com for a shop that sells internationally.
Who is a .shop domain suitable for?
- Retailers whose preferred name is already taken under .ch or .com.
- Companies that want to keep the shop and the company website clearly separate.
- Farm shops, small manufacturers and studios that sell online and want a memorable address.
- Brands that need a short, telling address for promotions and advertising.
Frequently asked questions
Answers to the questions we are asked most often about this service.
No. The extension is open to everyone. You can also use the domain for a website, a redirect or e-mail addresses.
The registry grants a lower price for the first year. At HostOn, .shop costs CHF 10.90 in the first year and then CHF 37.90 per year. You see both prices before ordering.
The registry sets a higher price for short or popular names. Our domain search marks them as «Premium domain – price on request».
Yes. A .shop domain works for e-mail like any other extension. Set up SPF, DKIM and DMARC so that order confirmations arrive reliably.
No. Under ICANN rules, a transfer is currently only possible 60 days after registration or a previous transfer; a reduction to 30 days is being introduced.
