How to Set Up a Shopify Store: Everything You Need to Know

July 19, 2022
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If you're looking to start selling online, Shopify is a great option. It's user-friendly and customizable, and it integrates with many different platforms.

In this guide, we'll walk you through setting up your own Shopify store. We'll discuss the different pricing options, show you how to set up your shop on various platforms, and give you some tips for getting started. Let's get started!

How Much Does Shopify Cost?

Shopify has three main pricing plans: Basic Shopify, Shopify, and Advanced Shopify. The price you pay depends on the plan you choose.

  • Basic Shopify starts at $29 per month. This plan includes all the essential features you need to start selling online.
  • Shopify starts at $79 per month. This plan includes additional features and is best for growing businesses.
  • Advanced Shopify starts at $299 per month. This is the most expensive plan but includes powerful features that large businesses need.

If you're just getting started, we recommend starting with the Basic Shopify plan. You can always upgrade later as your business grows.

How to Set up a Shopify Store

Now that you know how much Shopify costs, let's walk through the process of setting up your store.

1. Sign up at Shopify

The first step is to create an account at Shopify.com. You'll need to enter your email address, create a password, and choose your store's name and address.

2. Add Your Product

Once you've signed up, that'll take you to the Shopify dashboard. This is where you'll manage your store and add products.

To add a product, click on the "Products" tab in the sidebar and click "Add product."

You'll need to enter your product's name, description, price, and other details. You can also add images and videos to show off your product.

If you have a lot of products, you can also add them in bulk using a CSV file. When you've finished adding your product, click "Save," and your product will be live on your store!

3. Create Product Collections For Your Store

Product collections help you organize your products and make it easier for customers to find what they're looking for. 

You can create collections based on product type, price, or season.

To create a collection, click on the "Collections" tab in the sidebar and click "Add collection."

You'll need to give your collection a name and description. You can also choose to add an image or video.

Then, you'll need to add products to your collection. You can do this manually by clicking on the products you want to add, or you can automatically add products by choosing criteria like price, type, or vendor.

When you're done adding products to your collection, click "Save," and everyone will be able to see them on your store’s website!

4. Create Your Store Pages

Your Shopify store comes with a few default pages: a home page, an about us page, a contact us page, and a blog. You can also create additional pages for things like your product collections or FAQs.

To create a new page, click on the "Pages" tab in the sidebar and click "Add page." You'll need to give your page a title and add content. You can also add images, videos, and other media.

After you’re finished editing your page, click "Save," and it will be live on your store!

5. Create Navigation Menus

Your store's navigation menus help customers find the products they're looking for. You can create multiple menus and add them to different pages on your store’s website.

To create a menu, click on the "Navigation" tab in the sidebar and click "Add menu."

You'll need to give your menu a name and add links to the pages and products you want to include. You can also add sub-menus for things like product collections.

6. Select a Shopify Theme for Your Store

Your Shopify theme controls the look and feel of your store. 

Free and paid themes are available, so you can choose one that fits your style and budget.

Where Can I Find Shopify Themes?

To select a theme, click on the "Themes" tab in the sidebar and click "Add Theme."

Can I Install a Third-Party Theme?

Yes, you can install a third-party theme on your Shopify store. However, we recommend only installing themes from trusted sources to avoid any security risks.

7. Create Your Home Page

Your home page is the first thing your customers will see when they visit your store, so it's essential to make a good impression!

To create your home page, click on the "Pages" tab in the sidebar and click "Add page."

You'll need to give your page a title and add content. You can also add images, videos, and other media.

When you're done, click "Save," and everyone can see your home page on your store’s website!

8. Apply Your Brand

Your Shopify store has a default logo and color scheme, but you can easily change these to match your brand.

Adding a logo to your Shopify store

To add a logo to your store, click on the "Settings" tab in the sidebar and click "General." Then, scroll down to the "Store identity" section and click "Change logo."

You can upload a PNG or JPG file. For best results, we recommend using a square image of at least 512 pixels x 512 pixels.

Changing the color scheme of your Shopify store

To change the color scheme of your store, click on the "Themes" tab in the sidebar and then click "Customize." Then, click on the "Colors" section, and you'll be able to change the colors of different elements on your store’s website.

Customizing typefaces and colors

To change the typefaces or colors on your store, click on the "Themes" tab in the sidebar and "Customize." Then, you'll be able to change the fonts and colors of different elements on your store.

When you're done, click "Save" and your changes will be live on your store!

9. Configure Back Office

The back office of your Shopify store is where you'll manage orders, products, customers, and other data.

To access the back office, click on the "Settings" tab in the sidebar and click "Back office."

You can use the back office to add and edit products, fulfill orders, and track customers.

Shipping

To configure shipping for your Shopify store, click on the "Settings" tab in the sidebar and click "Shipping."

You'll be able to set shipping rates, choose which countries you ship to, and more.

When you're done, click "Save," and your changes will be live on your store!

Payments

To configure payments for your Shopify store, click on the "Settings" tab in the sidebar and click "Payments."

You'll be able to choose which payment methods you accept, set up gift cards, and more.

Checkout

To configure the checkout process for your Shopify store, click on the "Settings" tab in the sidebar and then click "Checkout."

You'll be able to choose which countries you ship to, set up taxes, and more.

Taxes

To configure taxes for your Shopify store, click on the "Settings" tab in the sidebar and click "Taxes.”

You'll be able to set up tax rates, choose which countries you charge taxes in, and more.

10. Configure A Custom Domain

If you want to use a custom domain for your Shopify store, click on the "Settings" tab in the sidebar and click "Domains."

You can either buy a new domain or use an existing one.

11. Connect your domain.

If you want to use a custom domain for your Shopify store, you'll need to connect it to your Shopify account.

To do this, click on the "Settings" tab in the sidebar and then click "Domains." Then, scroll down to the "Domain connections" section and click "Connect domain."

Enter your domain name and then click "Connect domain." Once your domain is connected, you'll be able to use it for your Shopify store!

12. Set Up Email Forwarding

If you want to use a custom domain for your Shopify store, you can set up email forwarding so that people can contact you using your custom domain name.

To do this, click on the "Settings" tab in the sidebar and then click "Domains."

Scroll down to the "Email forwarding" section and click "Add email forwarding."

Enter your email address and then click "Add email forwarding."

Once you've added your email address, people can contact you using your custom domain name!

13. Launch Your Shopify Store

When you're ready to launch your Shopify store, click on the "Settings" tab in the sidebar and click "Launch."

You'll be able to choose whether you want to launch your store immediately or schedule it for a later date.

Once you've chosen, click "Launch," and your store will be live!

14. Promote Your Shopify Store

Now that your Shopify store is live, it's time to start promoting it!

There are a few ways you can promote your store:

  • Add a link to your store on your website or blog
  • Share your store on social media
  • Run ads
  • Send out email newsletters

Choose the promotion methods that work best for you and start driving traffic to your store!

15. Measure Your Shopify Store's Performance

Once you've been promoting your Shopify store for a while, it's time to start measuring its performance. To do this, click on the "Settings" tab in the sidebar and click "Analytics."

You'll be able to see how much traffic your store is getting, what products sell the most, and more. Use this information to improve your store's performance and grow your business!

16. Get Help from Shopify Experts

If you need help with anything related to your Shopify store, there are a few ways you can get it:

  • Visit the Shopify Help Center: You'll find detailed articles on everything from setting up your store to managing orders.
  • Join the Shopify Forums: This is a great place to ask questions and get advice from other Shopify store owners.
  • Hire a Shopify Expert: If you need help with something specific, you can hire a Shopify expert to do it for you.

No matter what kind of help you need, someone can provide it!

17. Stay Up to Date on the Latest Shopify News

To ensure you're always up to date on the latest Shopify news, visit the Shopify blog.

You'll find articles on everything from new features to tips for growing your business.

How do Shopify Payments work?

Shopify Payments is Shopify's own payment processing service. It's available to US, Canada, UK, Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand merchants.

To use Shopify Payments, you'll need to sign up for a Shopify account and then enable Shopify Payments in your account settings. 

Once you've done that, you'll be able to accept credit and debit cards and PayPal. One of the benefits of using Shopify Payments is that you'll save on transaction fees. 

With Shopify Payments, you'll only pay a flat rate of $0.30 + 2.0% per transaction. That's it! There are no hidden fees or charges.

Another benefit of using Shopify Payments is that you'll be able to use Shopify's fraud detection tools. These tools will help you protect your business from fraud and chargebacks.

How Does Shopify Shipping Work?

Shopify shipping is available to US, Canada, UK, Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand merchants.

To use Shopify shipping, you'll need to sign up for a Shopify account and enable Shopify Shipping in your account settings. Once you've done that, you'll be able to create shipping labels and ship orders using Shopify's shipping rates.

Shopify's shipping rates are based on the weight and destination of your orders. You can also choose to add insurance to your shipments.

Once you've created a shipping label, you'll be able to track your shipment and see when it's been delivered.

How Does Shopify Dropshipping Work?

Shopify dropshipping is a great way to start an eCommerce business with little upfront investment.

To start dropshipping on Shopify, you'll need to sign up for a Shopify account and then choose a dropshipping app from the Shopify App Store.

Once you've done that, you'll be able to add products to your store and start selling!

When a customer places an order on your store’s website, the dropshipping app will process the order and ship it directly to the customer. You'll never have to worry about inventory or shipping!

Dropshipping is a great way to start eCommerce because it's easy to set up, and you don't need to invest in inventory.

How Does Print on Demand Work with Shopify?

Printing on demand is a great way to sell custom products without investing in inventory.

To start selling print-on-demand products on Shopify, you'll need to sign up for a Shopify account and choose a print-on-demand app from the Shopify App Store. 

After doing that, you'll be able to add products to your store and start selling!

What is Shopify Lite?

Shopify Lite is a great way to get started with eCommerce if you don't need a full-fledged online store.

With Shopify Lite, you can sell products on Facebook, Instagram, and messenger. You'll also be able to use Shopify's buy button to sell products on your website or blog.

Shopify Lite is a great way to get started with eCommerce because it's easy to set up and you don't need to invest in a website or online store.

Setting up a Facebook Shop with Shopify

To set up a Facebook Shop, you'll need to sign up for a Shopify account and choose Shopify Lite from the plans page.

Once you've done that, you'll be able to connect your Facebook account and start setting up your shop!

When you're setting up your shop, you'll be able to add products, set up shipping, and more.  Once you're finished setting up your shop, customers will be able to browse and purchase your products directly on Facebook!

Shopify Lite is a great way to get started with eCommerce because it's easy to set up, and you don't need to invest in a website or online store.

What is the Shopify Button?

The Shopify button is a great way to sell products on your website or blog. With the Shopify button, you can add buy buttons to any page on your site.

When a customer clicks on the buy button, they'll be taken to a checkout page where they can purchase the product.

The Shopify button is a great way to sell products on your website or blog without having to set up a separate online store. Plus, your customers can use the Shopify button with any theme!

FAQs: How to set up a Shopify store

Can I create a store on Shopify for free?

Shopify offers a 14-day free trial so that you can create a store on Shopify for free! After the 14-day trial, you'll need to choose a paid plan to continue using Shopify.

Is setting up a Shopify store easy?

Yes! Shopify is designed to be easy to use, even if you don't have any technical experience. You can create a store in minutes without worrying about hosting or website design.

How do I start my Shopify from scratch?

To start your Shopify store from scratch, you'll need to sign up for a Shopify account and choose a plan. Once you've done that, you can start adding products and customizing your store!

Is Shopify suitable for beginners?

Yes! Shopify is an excellent platform for beginners because it's easy to use and requires no technical knowledge. Plus, plenty of resources are available to help you get started with Shopify.

What is the best way to set up a Shopify store?

The best way to set up a Shopify store depends on your needs and preferences. If you're looking for an easy and user-friendly platform, Shopify is a great option. Plus, plenty of resources are available to help you get started with Shopify.

Do you need a business license to sell on Shopify?

No, you don't need a business license to sell on Shopify. However, you must comply with any laws and regulations that apply to your business.

Do I need a tax ID for Shopify?

No, you don't need a tax ID for Shopify. However, ensure you follow any laws and regulations that apply to your business.

Conclusion: How To Set Up A Shopify Store

Now that you know how to set up a Shopify store, you're ready to start selling! Creating a store on Shopify is easy and user-friendly, even for beginners. Plus, there are plenty of resources available to help you get started.

Just remember to choose the right plan for your business, add products and collect payments, and you'll be well on your way to success. Thanks for reading!

Written By
Rifqi Renanda

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