When setting up your Flowhub Ecommerce experience, one of the most important early decisions you'll make is how your online menu will be presented to customers, specifically, what web address (domain) it will live on. This step is part of your initial ecommerce setup and should be finalized before going live with your menu.
This article will walk you through both options and help you choose the one that’s right for your business.
First, how does ecommerce fit into your website?
Your ecommerce menu is linked from your main dispensary website, where customers typically go to find your hours, contact info, and product details. This menu is a separate shopping experience — and you decide what web address (URL) it will live on.
Option 1: Use the Flowhub Default Domain
Every Flowhub ecommerce store comes with a ready-to-use web address:
Format:
[yourdispensary].dispensary.shopExample:
wavecrest.dispensary.shop
This is considered a subdomain.
What this means:
The ecommerce experience is hosted under a domain separate from your main site
Technically simpler to launch (no DNS setup required)
SEO value is limited — subdomains are treated as separate entities by search engines, so the traffic doesn’t directly boost your main domain’s authority
This option is fast, fully branded (with your logo and colors), and easy to link from your website or Instagram.
Option 2: Use Your Own Domain (Domain Routing)
You can also choose to host the ecommerce experience on your own domain, such as:
shop.mydispensary.com(a subdomain of your site)Or potentially
mydispensary.com/shop(a subfolder) (note: not supported in Flowhub today)
Flowhub currently supports custom subdomains via domain routing.
What this means:
Customers see your own brand’s domain in the URL
You maintain better brand consistency
You gain stronger SEO performance, especially over time
SEO Note:
Subdomains (like
shop.mydispensary.com) can sometimes be treated as separate from your main site by search engines, which can dilute SEO value.
Subfolders (like mydispensary.com/shop) benefit more directly from your main domain’s authority.
Summary of Subdomain vs. Subfolder (for context)
Feature | Subdomain ( | Subfolder ( |
Location in URL | Before the main domain | After the main domain |
Relationship to domain | Separate entity | Part of the main domain |
SEO impact | Can dilute main domain authority | Benefits from main domain authority |
Technical complexity | Higher | Lower |
🔔 Note: Flowhub supports subdomain routing, not subfolders.
Final Recommendation
If you're looking for simplicity and speed, the default Flowhub domain (yourdispensary.dispensary.shop) is ready to go and still offers branded customization.
If you're focused on building long-term SEO value and want a domain that matches your dispensary’s online identity, setting up a custom subdomain via domain routing is the best option.