How to set up a custom domain for your returns portal (Returns V2)

Put your returns portal on your own web address. This article covers requesting DNS records from Swap, adding them, and warranty and withdrawal portals.

3 min readUpdated Oct 29, 2026

A custom domain lets customers open your returns portal on your own web address, for example returns.yourbrand.com, instead of a Swap address. This article covers requesting the DNS records from Swap, adding them with your DNS provider, and checking that the domain works. The same steps set up a custom domain for the warranty and withdrawal portals.

Before you start

You need:

  • A domain you own, for example yourbrand.com. You choose the subdomain in front of it, for example returns. You can't use a domain you don't own: owning yourbrand.co.uk doesn't let you use yourbrand.com.
  • Access to your DNS settings wherever your domain is managed, for example Cloudflare, GoDaddy, Namecheap or 123-reg. This is usually your developer or whoever manages your website.

Address

Default Swap address

returnsportal.shop/yourbrand

With a custom domain

returns.yourbrand.com

Step 1: Request your DNS records from Swap

Contact Swap support with:

  • the full subdomain you want to use, for example returns.yourbrand.com
  • the DNS provider that manages your domain.

Swap sends you three DNS records to add.

Step 2: Add the records with your DNS provider

Add all three records exactly as Swap sends them. In this example the subdomain is returns; replace it with your own.

Type

Name

Value

Purpose

CNAME

returns

custom.returnsportal.shop

Points your subdomain to the Swap portal. This value is the same for every brand.

TXT

_cf-custom-hostname.returns

Provided by Swap

Verifies the hostname

TXT

_acme-challenge.returns

Provided by Swap

Verifies the SSL certificate

When you add them:

  • Check how your provider handles names. Most providers add your root domain automatically, so you enter only the short name shown above. Some need the full name instead, for example _acme-challenge.returns.yourbrand.com. This applies to all three records.
  • Don't add https:// to any value.
  • On Cloudflare, set the proxy status of these records to DNS only.
  • Copy the values exactly, with no extra spaces.

Step 3: Wait for the records to take effect

DNS changes usually take effect within a few minutes, and can take up to 24 hours. Once you've added the records, let Swap support know. Swap confirms when the domain has validated and your portal is live on it.

To check the records yourself, use a DNS lookup tool such as WhatsMyDNS or DNS Checker. Choose the record type (CNAME or TXT) and enter the full name, for example returns.yourbrand.com.

If the records look correct but the portal doesn't load for you, open the address in a private browser window or clear your browser cache.

Warranty and withdrawal portals

The warranty portal and the withdrawal portal each run on their own subdomain, for example warranty.yourbrand.com and withdrawals.yourbrand.com. To set one up:

  1. Ask Swap support to enable the portal for your store and set up its subdomain.
  2. Add the three DNS records Swap sends for that subdomain, as in step 2. The names follow the same pattern, for example _acme-challenge.warranty. The 7-day expiry applies here too.
  3. Enter the address in the portal's settings: Warranty portal URL on the Warranty policies tab, or Withdrawal portal URL on the Withdrawal tab, under Returns → Settings.

The withdrawal portal needs a custom domain on your returns portal first. For the rest of each portal's setup, see How to set up a warranty policy (Returns V2) and The Swap guide to EU right of withdrawal.

If your domain doesn't work

If your domain still doesn't work after 24 hours, contact Swap support and include:

  • your full custom domain
  • your DNS provider
  • screenshots of the DNS records you added.