No matter how user-friendly Shopify is as an eCommerce platform, not many know how to launch Shopify store properly or even where to get started. But don’t worry! We’ve got you covered.
In this guide, we will show you how to launch a Shopify store properly so you can lay a solid groundwork for your startup’s success.
Let’s dive in!
Contents
1. Overview of Shopify
Are you new here? Well, then, let’s get to know a bit about Shopify and why it is currently the most sought-after eCommerce platform.
By nature, Shopify is a SaaS eCommerce website builder. This means when you pay Shopify recurring licensing fees, you will get to host your website on Shopify’s server and manage all aspects of your online store easily within the Shopify dashboard.
Here are some of the superior advantages of Shopify vs other platforms:
- Great ease of use
- A robust suite of built-in eCommerce features
- A super extensive App Store with 8,000+ apps
- Strong native localization features
👉 Read our unbiased Shopify review for more detailed information about Shopify’s pricing, features, pros & cons.
2. How to Launch Shopify Store: Step-by-Step Guide
Now that you have a better understanding of Shopify, let us guide you through how to set up a Shopify store step by step. As long as you follow our instructions carefully, your store will be set up with Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO).
2.1. Create a Shopify account
First thing first, you will need to register for a Shopify account. The good news: with Shopify 3 months for $1 offer, you can build an online store with Shopify at $1/month for the first 3 months.
After clicking the link above, simply input your email address and click Start free trial.
Afterward, enter your password and click Log in.
Shopify will then ask you a couple of questions related to your business, such as your scope, model, or what kind of products you want to sell. You can answer them all and hit next or choose I don’t want help setting up.
Next, Shopify will prompt you to choose a pricing plan, you can choose right at this stage or decide later.
Finally, you will get access to your Shopify admin dashboard. Herein, you can set up and manage all aspects of your eCommerce website– which we will guide you next.
2.2. Connect Your Domain
By default, you will be given a free domain that ends with myshopify.com like johnfashion.myshopify.com. However, a generic domain won’t be of much help when it comes to building your brand and enhancing trust among your potential shoppers.
Therefore, if you have no idea how to launch Shopify store, connecting a custom domain should top your to-do list.
To connect a custom domain to your Shopify store, go to Settings > Select Domains.
Click Connect existing domain > Input your domain name and click Next.
Then, log in to your provider and open the DNS settings for your custom domain to update your current values so they match the new values defined by Shopify. Then hit Verify to finish the process.
👀 Don’t have a custom domain yet?
If you don’t have an existing domain, you can buy a new domain through Shopify and let the platform host it. Depending on your selected domain, the price can vary from $12/year to $30/year or more.
2.3. Add Your Products & Organize
If you are wondering how to launch a successful Shopify store, an important aspect you need to take good care of is adding and organizing your products.
2.3.1. Add your products
- Add products manually
To start adding products to your store, navigate to Products > Select + Add product.
Then, you will be taken to Shopify’s product information editing interface, where you can add important details to your product listing, like title, description, and media files (Shopify supports both images and videos).
If your product doesn’t have variations, you can simply set the product price and your available inventory as follow:
If your product comes in different variations, choose + Add variant. You can then add options such as color, size, and age group or add your custom variant option.
After you have added product variants, don’t forget to set up the price and inventory level for each variant.
💡 Pro tips:
Our little tip here is to link the corresponding image to each variant so that when your customers select a variant, Shopify will display the correct image.
Last but not least, remember to set up your product’s weight for shipping cost calculation.
- Bulk upload products to your store
If you are moving from another platform or have an existing CSV file from your supplier, you can quickly import it to your store within a few clicks.
All you have to do is go to Products > Select Import > Choose your CSV file and click Upload and preview.
After you have previewed and are satisfied, hit Import products.
2.3.2. Organize your products
Unless you plan to launch a single-item store, organizing your products logically can help enhance your customer buying journey, thereby increasing your product discoverability and sales.
Therefore, after you have finished adding products to your Shopify store, the next crucial step to set up Shopify account is grouping your similar products together.
To do so, go to Products > Select Collections tab and click Create collections.
Afterward, set up your collection’s basic information– title, description, and image. Then, click Browse and choose the products you want to feature in your collection.
💡 Pro tips:
If you have hundreds of products, we recommend using Shopify’s smart collection rule, so when a product meets your condition, it will automatically get added to your collection.
For instance, let’s say you want to add all the items under $100 to your “Under $100” collection, then you can choose to set them like in the screenshot below:
Now that you have added products and grouped them into neat collections, the next step on how to launch Shopify store is configuring your site’s navigation.
By default, your Shopify store would have two main navigation menus on every page: the main menu and the footer menu. You can customize these menus by adding, removing, or changing the items in them.
By items, we mean that you can include links to various parts of your store, such as product pages, collection pages, general web pages, blog posts, or customer account pages.
To add menu items, click Content > Select Menu tab. Then, you can add menu items and links to your navigational primary menu as well as the footer menu.
💡 Pro tips:
To help customers navigate your store more easily, especially if you have many products, you can use drop-down menus. For example, you could organize your products into collections, then create a drop-down menu in the top menu to display these collections.
Also, when it comes to adding your menu items, less is more. To be more specific, you should have a maximum of 6-7 menu items as your top-level items. Otherwise, it would be counterproductive since your potential shoppers might have to suffer from choice overload and will avoid making any decisions at all.
The same goes true for your menu’s layers– too much of a good thing can be bad. Ideally, you shouldn’t go for more than two layers unless it’s really necessary.
Not to mention that if you add too many menu items and layers, they will not display as you expect on mobile devices’ limited screens.
2.5. Customize Your Website
After you have configured your store’s navigation, customizing your visual storefront is the next crucial step in how to start an online business with Shopify.
First, you will need to choose a theme to get started. By default, you will be given the free Dawn Shopify theme from the get-go. You can choose to stay with Dawn or switch to another option out of 230 choices on the Shopify Theme Store.
For example, if you are on a tight budget, you can get started with one of 13 free theme options. And if you want to build a bespoke visual storefront with advanced features and unique layout, you can choose from over 210 premium Shopify themes.
>> Relevant reading: 12 Best Shopify Themes [Free & Premium]
To customize your theme, select Online Store > Choose Themes > Navigate to the theme you want to customize, click Customize.
As a user-friendly eCommerce platform, the Shopify theme editor is quite intuitive with three main components, as circled in the screenshot below:
- On the left-side menu, Shopify gives you various built-in sections that you can quickly drag and drop to your desired location on a selected page
- On the middle screen, you will find a drop-down menu where you can select with page you want to customize, like the home page, products, collections, etc.
- On the top right corner sit preview icons that allow you to preview your web pages on multiple devices.
💡 Pro tips:
Here are a couple of things to keep in mind when customizing your website:
- Image size: Remember to compress your images so they will have the least impact on your page speed
- Mobile Optimization: Don’t forget to use Shopify’s mobile preview functions to constantly test your theme on mobile devices as you make changes to your visual storefront.
2.6. Set Up Payments & Checkout
Moving to the next step on how to create a Shopify store for beginners, we’ll guide you through the payment and checkout configurations.
- Payment settings
To set up how you want to accept payments, go to Settings > Payments.
If you live in the countries where Shopify Payments is supported, we highly recommend opting for Shopify’s in-house payment gateway for the various payment methods it supports. Not to mention that if you choose Shopify Payments as your gateway, you can avoid extra transaction fees.
However, if Shopify Payments is not accessible in your region, you can choose from over 100 third-party payment gateways such as Stripe. Make sure that the payment gateway supports the payment methods you want to enable on your store.
>> Relevant reading: Shopify Payments vs Stripe Comparison: Which is Best
- Checkout settings
To set up your checkout page, go to Settings > Select Checkout. You can then choose which kind of information you want to collect from your customers.
You can also set email and SMS subscription box on the checkout page to explicitly ask your customers to get marketing emails and SMS from your brand. Plus, if you provide add-on services such as gift-wrapping, it’s advised that you enable tipping options so that your customers can tip you easily.
>> Check our detailed guide on how to set up Shopify multi currency if you want to accept your customer’s local currencies at checkout page.
2.7. Set Up Tax & Shipping Rates
For the last steps on how to launch Shopify store, let us show you how to configure your taxes and shipping rates. This will ensure you are adhering to the tax regulations in your area and applying the appropriate charges for each order.
- Tax settings
For tax setup, from the Shopify main page, go to Settings > Taxes and duties. In this section, you can input your tax rates and adjust your tax configurations.
If you are on Advanced Shopify plan, you can Collect international duties and import taxes from your international shoppers at checkout with a transaction fee from 0.85% to 1.5%.
Refer to Shopify’s documentation on duties and import taxes for more details.
- Shipping rate settings
To set up your Shopify shipping, access your Shopify admin panel and navigate to Settings > Shipping and Delivery. Here, you will be able to input your shipping expenses, regions, and options.
By default, Shopify lets you add shipping rates based on your geographical location. For instance, if you are living in the US, you can set shipping rates for the US.
If you want to ship to other regions, add the countries you want to offer shipping to a market within Shopify Markets settings. Then, activate the market to start editing shipping information for that market.
For instance, we want to offer a universal shipping rate for the international market, so we’ve turned on the International market on Shopify Markets settings.
Then, we would switch back to the Shipping and delivery tab to add the shipping rate for this market.
💡 Pro tips: If you are on Advanced Shopify, you can leverage Shopify shipping integration to connect with your couriers to display accurate real-time shipping rates at checkout.
>> Relevant reading: 7 Best Shipping Apps for Shopify to Save Time & Money
2.8. Test & Launch Your Store
Now that everything is in the right place, let’s make your dream of becoming an entrepreneur come true by testing and launching your store.
To avoid any issues, remember to place a test order to ensure that your customer buying journey and checkout experience are frictionless.
Finally, remove your password and bring your Shopify store to life. Simply go to Online Store > Choose Preference > Navigate to Password protection and uncheck “Restrict access to visitors with the password” option.
2.9. Boost Conversion and Drive Traffic
No matter how great your store is, your effort in setting it up will go in vain without a well-thought-out marketing plan. Hence, the last step on how to launch Shopify store would be promoting it.
Here are a few go-to-market strategies you can bring to the table:
- Experiment with paid ads: Utilize platforms like Google Ads and Facebook Ads to reach your target audience quickly. we would advise you to start with a small budget and A/B test different ad creatives and targeting options to optimize your campaigns.
- Add welcome email: Create an engaging welcome email series for new subscribers that introduces your brand and offers value. For instance, you can include a special discount or free shipping on their first purchase to encourage conversion.
- Offer discounts: Implement a variety of promotional offers such as seasonal sales, flash deals, or bundle discounts to attract customers. Use urgency tactics like limited-time offers to drive immediate action and boost sales.
- Make use of social media: Regularly post engaging content on platforms where your target audience is most active to build brand awareness and drive traffic. Leverage user-generated content and collaborate with influencers in your niche for broader reach and credibility.
>> Relevant reading: 8 Best Shopify Apps to Increase Sales Like a Real Pro
3. How much does it cost to set up a Shopify store
Here are some necessary or potential costs when setting up a Shopify store:
- Shopify plan: $39 – $2,300/month
- Domain: $10 – $30/year
- Theme: $0 – $460 (one-time)
- Apps: $50 – $500+/month
- Custom design and development: $1,000 – $20,000+ (depending on needs)
- Transaction fees: 2.15% + 30¢ – 5.9% + 30¢ per transaction
>> Relevant reading: How Much Does it Cost to Build a Shopify Website
Which Shopify plan is best for beginners?
For beginners, the Shopify Basic plan ($39/month) is usually the best choice since it allows you to experiment and grow your business without a significant initial investment. The plan provides all the essential features needed to start selling online, including:
- Unlimited product listings
- 2 staff accounts
- 24/7 support
- Online and social media sales channels
- Up to 64% shipping discounts
While setting up a Shopify store yourself is entirely feasible, some business owners may find the process time-consuming and technically demanding. If you are looking for a comprehensive, cost-effective solution and need expert consultation, you might consider using a Shopify setup services, which we’ll discuss next.
4. Shopify store setup service by eComStart
With years of hands-on experience and expertise, eComStart delivers comprehensive Shopify setup services designed to boost your store’s aesthetics and efficiency. More than just a provider of Shopify solutions, we strive to be a credible partner, a professional companion you can count on to fuel your business’s growth.
Why opt for eComStart?
- Committed Customer Support: Enjoy both pre-launch and post-launch assistance (including 30 days of continuous support after delivery to ensure smooth store operations)
- Fast Store Setup & Launch: Get your store up and running confidently within 3-7 days
- Budget-Friendly Pricing: eComStart distinguishes itself with competitive rates that adapt to your budget.
- Customized to Your Needs: Benefit from fully adaptable solutions upon request. The eComStart team recognizes your store’s uniqueness and strives to align it closely with your vision
5. Conclusion
Since you have made it this far, the eComStart team hopes you now know how to launch Shopify store properly.
Don’t forget to explore eComStart.io for more tutorials, tips, and tricks on starting and launching your online business.
6. Frequently asked questions
