Managing Store Region Restrictions and IP Blacklist/Whitelist

The region restriction and IP blacklist/whitelist settings allow you to control storefront access based on visitor location or IP address.

These settings can help merchants:

• Restrict storefront access for specific countries or regions
• Block suspicious or unwanted traffic
• Allow access only for approved IP addresses
• Limit storefront availability for operational or compliance purposes

This guide explains how to configure region restrictions and IP access control settings for your storefront.

Understanding Store Region Restrictions

Region restrictions allow you to block storefront access for visitors from selected countries or regions.

When a visitor accesses the storefront from a restricted region, they will encounter a "Store Closed" page instead of the storefront.

This feature is commonly used for:

• Regional business restrictions
• Compliance requirements
• Country-specific operations
• Temporary regional access limitations

Adding Store Region Restrictions

1. From your SHOPLINE admin, go to Online Store > Preferences.

2. Locate the Blacklist of regions with restricted access section, then click Add restricted regions.

   

3. In the Add country/region window:

   • Select the countries or regions you want to restrict
   • You can also select an entire continent or regional group

   

4. Click Add.

The selected regions will then be added to the restricted region list.

Removing Store Region Restrictions

To remove a restricted region, locate the region entry in the Blacklist of regions with restricted access list, then click the trash icon in the Actions column.

Understanding Store IP Blacklist and Whitelist

The Black/white list settings allow you to explicitly allow or limit storefront access for specific IP addresses.

You can configure:

• Allow access: Only approved IP addresses can access the storefront
• Limit access: Selected IP addresses are blocked from accessing the storefront

This feature is commonly used for:

• Internal storefront testing
• Blocking malicious traffic
• Restricting storefront access to approved users or networks

Adding Store IP Access Rules

1. From your SHOPLINE admin, go to Online Store > Preferences.

2. Locate the Black/white list section, then click Add an IP address.

   

3. In the Add IP address access list window:

   • Select the access setting:
     • Allow access
     • Limit access
   • Enter the IP address

   

4. Click Add.

The configured IP rule will then appear in the IP access list.

Removing Store IP Access Rules

To remove an IP access rule, locate the IP address entry in the Black/white list, then click the trash icon in the Actions column.

Important Notes for Region Restrictions and IP Access Control

• Region restrictions are determined based on visitor IP geolocation.
• VPN or proxy services may affect region detection accuracy.
• Incorrect IP whitelist configurations may unintentionally block legitimate visitors.
• Restricting large regions or broad IP ranges may affect customer access and storefront operations.
• Changes to access restriction settings may require several minutes to take effect.

Frequently Asked Questions About Region Restrictions and IP Access Control

Q1: Why are customers seeing a "Store Closed" page?

Customers may be accessing the storefront from a restricted country or region configured in the region restriction settings.

Review your settings in: Online Store > Preferences > Blacklist of regions with restricted access

Q2: Why is my own IP address blocked?

Your IP address may have been added to a restricted access rule accidentally.

Review the settings in: Online Store > Preferences > Black/white list

Q3: Can I allow access only for specific IP addresses?

Yes. You can configure Allow access rules in the Black/white list settings to limit storefront access to selected IP addresses only.

Q4: Can visitors bypass region restrictions with a VPN?

Possibly. Region restrictions are based on IP geolocation, so VPN or proxy services may affect region detection results.