Guide
How to check if a website is built on Shopify
4 min read
Plenty of big brands run on Shopify behind a custom domain, so you often can't tell at a glance. Here are five fast, free ways to confirm whether a website is a Shopify store - and what you can do once you know.
1. The products.json test (fastest)
Add /products.json to the domain. If it returns a JSON list of products, it's Shopify - this endpoint only exists on Shopify stores:
https://examplestore.com/products.json
2. Check the page source
Right-click the page and choose 'View Page Source' (or open developer tools), then search the HTML for any of these - nearly every Shopify storefront includes at least one:
- cdn.shopify.com - Shopify's asset CDN, referenced for images, CSS and JS
- Shopify.theme or window.Shopify - the storefront's JavaScript object
- myshopify.com - the underlying store domain often appears in the source
- /cdn/shop/ - the path pattern Shopify uses for assets
- A 'Powered by Shopify' link in the page footer - present on many default themes
3. Look at the response headers
Shopify stores return tell-tale HTTP headers. In your browser's Network tab (or via curl -I), look for:
curl -sI https://examplestore.com | grep -iE 'x-shopid|x-shardid|powered-by|x-sorting-hat'
4. Use a tech-detector tool
Browser extensions and sites like Wappalyzer or BuiltWith detect a site's platform automatically - install the extension and it'll show 'Shopify' in a click. Handy when you're checking lots of sites, or want to see the full tech stack (theme, apps, analytics).
5. Try the admin/checkout redirect
Shopify checkouts historically run on shopify.com / shop.app infrastructure. If a store's checkout redirects to a checkout.shopify.com style URL, or you see Shop Pay at checkout, that's Shopify too.
Confirmed it's Shopify? Here's what you can do next
Once you know a site runs on Shopify, its public catalog is an open book. You can view every product it sells, export the catalog, check its best sellers, and monitor it for price and stock changes - all from public data, no app or API key.
Frequently asked questions
What's the fastest way to tell if a site is Shopify?
Add /products.json (or /cart.js) to the domain. If it returns JSON, it's Shopify - those endpoints only exist on Shopify stores.
Can a store hide that it's on Shopify?
They can use a custom domain and theme, but the technical fingerprints (cdn.shopify.com in the source, X-ShopId header, /cart.js, Shop Pay checkout) are very hard to fully remove.
What can I do once I know it's Shopify?
Read its public catalog via products.json - view all products, export them, find best sellers, and monitor prices and stock. See the linked guides.
Does this work on password-protected stores?
No - a password-protected storefront gates everything, so most of these checks (and the catalog itself) won't be reachable until it opens.