Setting up a custom domain allows your corporate gifting storefront to appear under your brand's domain (for example, gifts.yourbrand.com) instead of the default brandname.zest.co address.
A custom domain creates a more professional, white-labeled experience for your customers and ensures all transactional emails appear to come from your brand's email address rather than from Zest.
The setup process involves choosing a subdomain, adding five DNS records to your domain registrar or hosting platform, and having Zest's engineering team verify and activate the configuration. While DNS configuration may sound technical, it's a straightforward one-time setup that typically takes a day or less to complete. No custom development or coding is required.
Before you begin, you'll need:
Access to your domain registrar or hosting platform (GoDaddy, Cloudflare, AWS Route 53, Namecheap, Squarespace, Azure DNS, etc.).
Admin permissions to modify DNS records.
Your chosen subdomain (for example, gifts.yourbrand.com).
Your selected transactional email address (for example, [email protected]).
The DNS records provided by Zest support.
What Custom Domain Setup Does
Once configured, your custom domain provides:
A white-labeled storefront URL: Your gifting portal appears at gifts.yourbrand.com instead of brandname.zest.co.
Branded transactional emails: Order confirmations and notifications appear to come from your brand's email address (for example, [email protected] or [email protected]) rather than from Zest.
Automatic redirects: Your old zest.co URL automatically redirects to your new custom domain, so existing links in emails and marketing materials continue to work.
All storefronts under one domain: After the initial setup, all storefronts automatically work under your custom domain with different URL paths (slugs).
Choosing Your Subdomain
Your subdomain is the prefix that appears before your main domain name. The most common format is gifts.yourbrand.com, but you can choose any subdomain that fits your brand.
Common subdomain options
gifts.yourbrand.com
corporate.yourbrand.com
shop.yourbrand.com
store.yourbrand.com
Important subdomain requirements
The subdomain must come before your main domain (gifts.yourbrand.com). Slash paths like yourbrand.com/gifts are generally not supported due to how DNS CNAME records work.
The subdomain does not need to match your Shopify domain and can be configured on any domain you own.
Once you've chosen your subdomain, share it with Zest support. They will generate the specific DNS records you need to add.
Understanding the Required DNS Records
Zest requires five CNAME records to enable your custom domain and white-labeled emails:
Purpose | Record Type | What It Does |
SSL Certificate Verification | CNAME | Allows AWS to issue an SSL certificate for secure HTTPS access to your storefront |
Website (Storefront) | CNAME | Points your subdomain (gifts.yourbrand.com) to your Zest storefront |
Email Sender Verification | CNAME | Authenticates your domain for sending transactional emails via SendGrid (em####.yourdomain.com) |
DKIM Authentication 1 | CNAME | Email authentication record (zst._domainkey) |
DKIM Authentication 2 | CNAME | Email authentication record (zst2._domainkey) |
Zest support will provide the specific values for each record in a table format. You'll copy these values into your DNS provider's interface.
How to Add DNS Records to Your Provider
Step 1: Request DNS records from Zest
Contact Zest support with your chosen subdomain (for example, gifts.yourbrand.com) and email address (for example, [email protected]).
Zest will generate five CNAME records tailored to your subdomain and send them to you in a table format.
Step 2: Identify who manages your DNS
DNS records should be configured by whoever manages your website's technical settings — typically an IT team member, web developer, or someone with admin access to your domain registrar.
Important: If your domain is registered at one provider (for example, GoDaddy) but nameservers point to another (for example, Squarespace or Cloudflare), DNS records must be added at the provider hosting the nameservers, not the registrar. Check your registrar's nameserver settings to determine where to configure records.
Step 3: Access your DNS management interface
The exact location varies by provider:
GoDaddy: My Products > DNS > Manage DNS
Cloudflare: DNS > Records
AWS Route 53: Hosted zones > [your domain] > Create record
Namecheap: Advanced DNS tab
Squarespace: Settings > Domains > [your domain] > DNS Settings
Azure DNS: DNS zones > [your domain] > + Record set
Step 4: Add each CNAME record
For each of the five records provided by Zest:
Click Add Record or Create Record (terminology varies by provider).
Set the record type to CNAME.
Enter the Name (see critical note below about formatting).
Enter the Value or Target exactly as provided by Zest.
Set TTL to Auto or 3600 (one hour).
Click Save.
Step 5: Notify Zest that records are uploaded
After adding all five records, email Zest support to let them know. Their engineering team will verify the configuration and complete the final activation steps on their end.
Critical: Avoiding the Duplicate Domain Name Error
This is the most common DNS configuration error. Many DNS providers (including GoDaddy, Azure, Cloudflare, and Namecheap) automatically append your root domain to the Name field. If you enter the full subdomain, you'll create malformed records like gifts.yourbrand.com.yourbrand.com, which will not resolve correctly.
Note: The records provided are pre-formatted to try to avoid this issue.
How to enter the Name field correctly
When entering the Name field for each record, remove the trailing domain portion:
Incorrect: gifts.yourbrand.com (creates gifts.yourbrand.com.yourbrand.com)
Correct: gifts (provider adds .yourbrand.com automatically)
For subdomain email records like em####.yourdomain.com:
Incorrect: em1234.yourbrand.com
Correct: em1234
For DKIM records with underscores:
Incorrect: zst._domainkey.yourbrand.com
Correct: zst._domainkey
GoDaddy-specific tip
GoDaddy may display a pop-up warning about duplicate domain names when adding records. Select the option to "correct the error" (not "duplicate") to avoid creating malformed records.
Provider-Specific Tips
If the below information does not align with your hosting platform, contact their support team or review their documentation as things may change.
Cloudflare users: Disable proxy mode
Important: If you use Cloudflare, all Zest-related CNAME records must have the proxy disabled (set to "DNS only" mode, shown as a gray cloud icon). Proxied mode (orange cloud) intercepts DNS resolution and will cause your custom domain to fail.
To disable proxy mode:
Add the CNAME record.
Click the orange cloud icon next to the record.
It should turn gray, indicating "DNS only" mode.
Save the record.
Azure DNS users
Use only the subdomain portion in the Name field. Azure DNS automatically appends your root domain.
Squarespace users
Navigate to Settings > Domains > [your domain] > DNS Settings to access DNS management. Squarespace's interface is straightforward and less prone to the duplicate domain name error.
Namecheap users
Enter only the subdomain portion (for example, "gifts") in the Host field. Namecheap automatically appends your domain.
AWS Route 53 users
Route 53 is more flexible with formatting. You can enter the full subdomain (gifts.yourbrand.com) or just the subdomain portion (gifts) — both typically work. However, for consistency with other providers, use only the subdomain portion.
Handling Leading Underscores and Trailing Periods
Leading underscores
Leading underscores in record names (especially for the SSL verification record and DKIM records) must be included as they are part of the record name.
Example: _abc123.yourdomain.com should be entered as _abc123 (the underscore must be preserved).
Trailing periods
Some DNS providers require removing trailing periods at the end of record values; others handle them automatically. When in doubt:
Try entering the value exactly as provided by Zest.
If your provider shows an error, remove the trailing period and try again.
Notify Zest if you're unsure so they can verify the configuration.
What Happens After You Add Records
Once you've added all five DNS records and notified Zest:
DNS propagation
DNS propagation can take minutes to a few hours depending on your provider. During this time, the records are spreading across the internet's DNS infrastructure.
Zest verification and activation
Zest's engineering team will verify that all five records are correctly configured and complete the final setup on their end. This typically happens within a few hours to a day after you notify them.
Your custom domain goes live
Once activated:
Your storefront will be accessible at your custom domain (gifts.yourbrand.com).
The old zest.co URL will automatically redirect to your new custom domain.
All existing links (in emails, marketing materials, etc.) will continue to work via redirect.
Transactional emails will appear to come from your brand's email address.
Cross-domain Tracking
If you have a Google Tag installed for your Zest instance, you will need to set up cross-domain tracking for the custom domain.
Cross-domain measurement allows activity to be accurately attributed to a single user as they cross domains. Outbound clicks that would ordinarily trigger an event via enhanced measurement are ignored when the outbound link leads to a domain that you've listed as part of cross-domain measurement.
You can find out more with Google’s Set up cross-domain tracking guide.
Common Errors and How to Fix Them
My custom domain isn't working after adding records
Check the following:
DNS propagation time: Wait at least a few hours after adding records before troubleshooting.
Duplicate domain name error: Your DNS provider may have automatically appended your domain, creating records like gifts.yourbrand.com.yourbrand.com. Review your records and correct the Name field to use only the subdomain portion.
Missing leading underscore: Ensure the SSL verification record includes the leading underscore in the Name field.
Zest hasn't activated yet: Ensure you've notified Zest support that records are uploaded so they can complete the final activation on their end.
Cloudflare proxy is enabled: If using Cloudflare, verify all Zest records are set to "DNS only" (gray cloud), not proxied (orange cloud).
DNS records appear saved but aren't propagating publicly
In rare cases, DNS records may appear saved in your provider's interface but fail to propagate publicly. This can be caused by:
SOA expire settings.
DNS caching issues.
Provider-specific bugs.
If Zest engineering cannot see your records after several hours, contact your DNS provider's support team for escalation.
Conflicting existing SendGrid records
If you already have SendGrid DNS records on your domain from another integration, they may conflict with Zest's SendGrid verification records. You may need to delete the existing records before adding Zest's records. Coordinate with your IT team to avoid disrupting other email services.
CAA record requirement for AWS SSL
Some domains require a CAA (Certificate Authority Authorization) record for amazonaws.com at the root domain level (not the subdomain level) to allow AWS to issue SSL certificates. If SSL certificate verification fails despite correct CNAME records, check with your IT team about adding a CAA record.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a DMARC record for storefront email sending?
If your domain already has a DMARC record in place, no additional DMARC configuration is needed for Zest. The DKIM records (zst._domainkey and zst2._domainkey) provided by Zest will authenticate email sending under your existing DMARC policy.
If you don't have DMARC set up at all, consult your IT team about adding one for general email security.
Do I need separate DNS setup for each storefront?
No. DNS setup is a one-time process. After the initial configuration, all storefronts automatically work under your custom domain with different URL paths (slugs).
Example:
gifts.yourbrand.com/corporate-2024
gifts.yourbrand.com/holiday-gifts
Both would work without additional DNS changes. You can customize the slug for each storefront in the portal settings.
What happens to the old zest.co URL after switching?
Once DNS records are configured and Zest activates the custom domain, the old URL (brandname.zest.co) will automatically redirect to your new custom domain (gifts.yourbrand.com). All existing links, including those in previously sent emails and marketing materials, will continue to work and redirect to the new URL. Storefront slugs are preserved.
Can I change my custom domain after initial setup?
While technically possible, changing the custom domain after setup is not ideal and requires updating DNS records and Zest's configuration. It's best to finalize the subdomain choice before completing setup to avoid complications.
Will using a subdomain affect my SEO?
Zest adds a no-index tag to storefront subdomains to avoid SEO conflicts with your main site. The traffic volume to corporate gifting pages typically doesn't significantly impact overall SEO. Subdomains (gifts.brand.com) are used rather than subdirectories (brand.com/gifts) due to DNS CNAME requirements.
Can I use a subdirectory instead of a subdomain?
While some brands have used subdirectories (brand.com/gifts) for SEO benefits, this is non-standard and not typically supported due to how CNAME records work. Discuss with Zest support if you have specific requirements around subdirectories.
Getting Help
If you encounter issues during DNS setup:
For general DNS questions: Email Zest support with screenshots of your DNS records interface and any error messages.
For provider-specific help: Search "[your hosting platform] how to add CNAME records" for platform-specific instructions from your DNS provider.
For verification: After adding records, always notify Zest support so they can verify the configuration and troubleshoot any issues before final activation.