Why Did a Domain Move Break Parts of My WooCommerce Store?

Why This Touches More Than Expected

Changing the Site Address and WordPress Address under Settings → General updates WordPress's core understanding of the domain, but it doesn't retroactively rewrite every hardcoded reference to the old domain that may exist elsewhere — in page/post content written with absolute URLs, in serialized data (widget settings, some plugin configurations) that a simple search-and-replace can silently corrupt if done incorrectly, and in entirely external systems like payment gateways that have no visibility into the WordPress settings change at all.

What Needs Separate Attention

• Hardcoded old-domain URLs in database content, requiring a proper search-and-replace tool that correctly handles WordPress's serialized data format, not a naive text find-and-replace which can corrupt certain plugin settings.
• Payment gateway webhook URLs configured in the gateway's own dashboard, which still point to the old domain until manually updated there — this is a completely separate system from WordPress and won't be touched by any WordPress-side migration tool.
• Premium plugin license activations, often domain-locked, needing deactivation on the old domain and reactivation on the new one.
• SSL certificate coverage for the new domain, which needs to be properly issued and active before or immediately after the switch.
• External integrations (analytics, marketing pixels, any third-party service with domain-specific configuration) that similarly need manual updating.

A Proper Migration Checklist

1. Use a proper serialized-data-aware search-and-replace tool for updating old-domain references throughout the database.
2. Update payment gateway webhook URLs and any other external service configuration referencing the old domain.
3. Deactivate and reactivate plugin licenses on the new domain.
4. Confirm SSL is properly configured for the new domain before going live.
5. Set up 301 redirects from the old domain to preserve SEO value and avoid broken external links.

A checklist after a domain change

1. Replace the old domain in the database safely. Use a tool that understands serialized data, such as WP-CLI's search-replace, and run it with --dry-run first to see what it would change.
2. Update the payment gateway. Webhook endpoints, return URLs and allowed domains are set in the gateway's own dashboard, and still point at the old address.
3. Reconnect licences. Domain-locked plugins and themes, Elementor Pro included, need to be reactivated on the new address.
4. Redirect the old domain. Set up server-level 301 redirects that keep the path, and use Search Console's change-of-address tool so search engines move the site's history across.
5. Test a full purchase. Cart, checkout, payment, order email and My Account, plus a renewal if you sell subscriptions.

Email after a move

If your From address changes with the domain, the new domain needs its own SPF and DKIM records. Without them, order emails can land in spam even though everything on the site looks correct.

Need a domain migration handled properly and completely? See WooCommerce fixes.