How to Set Up Your Own Shopify Store (Step-by-Step Guide for Beginners)

Ready to launch your own online store?
Shopify makes it simple, even if it’s your first time. This guide assumes you’ve already chosen your niche, have a brand name, and have a logo ready to go. Let’s walk through each step to set up your Shopify store from scratch.

Shopify now only costs $1 per month for the first 3 months.

1. Sign Up for Shopify ($1/month for 3 Months)

1. Go to www.shopify.com
2. Click “Start free trial”
3. Enter your email and store name
4. Choose your country and click Next
5. Follow the prompts and choose a plan — take advantage of Shopify’s promo: $1/month for the first 3 months

2. Select a Theme for Your Niche

1. From your Shopify admin, go to Online Store > Themes
2. Click Explore Free Themes or check out our Theme Store
3. Choose a theme that fits your niche (e.g., for a bakery, choose a bakery-specific theme)
4. Click Try theme, then click Publish

💡 Niche themes come with pre-built sections and styling that match your industry — saving you time.

3. Create Collections

Collections help group similar products.

1. Go to Products > Collections
2. Click Create collection
3. Add a title (e.g., “New Arrivals” or “Gifts Under $30”)
4. Set the collection type:
   1. Manual (you add products yourself)
   2. Automated (Shopify adds products based on conditions)
5. Save the collection

4. Add Your Products

1. Go to Products > Add product
2. Enter a title, description, price, and upload product images
3. Add options like size, color, etc. if needed
4. Assign it to a collection
5. Save the product

5. Create Menus

1. Go to Online Store > Navigation
2. Choose Main Menu
3. Click Add menu item
   1. For example: Title: “Shop”, Link: Collections > All Products
   2. Add menu items for each collection or page you want in your nav
4. Click Save menu

6. Keep Navigation Simple and Clear

• Use clear names like “Shop All,” “About,” “Contact”
• Limit menu items to avoid clutter
• Use drop-downs to group related links
• Always test your menu on mobile and desktop

7. Add an About Page

1. Go to Online Store > Pages
2. Click Add page
3. Title it “About” or “Our Story”
4. Share your story, mission, and values
5. Include links to other platforms (Etsy, Instagram, etc.)
6. Save the page and link it in your navigation

8. Add a Contact Page

1. Go to Online Store > Pages > Add page
2. Title it “Contact Us”
3. Use the Contact template (select from the Theme Template dropdown)
4. Include any customer support info (email, social links)
5. Save and add it to your menu

9. Customize Your Theme

1. Go to Online Store > Themes > Customize
2. Use the drag-and-drop editor to update:
   1. Homepage sections
   2. Fonts and colors
   3. Button styles and layout
3. Replace placeholder text and images with your content
4. Click Save regularly

10. Go Through All Settings

1. Visit Settings (bottom left corner)
2. Review and configure:
   1. General – Business name and details
   2. Payments – Set up Stripe, PayPal, etc.
   3. Shipping and delivery – Add rates and zones
   4. Taxes and duties – Enable automatic tax calculation
   5. Checkout – Set up guest checkout and email preferences
   6. Policies – Add return, privacy, and shipping policies

11. Place a Test Order

1. From Settings > Payments, enable Bogus Gateway (for test mode)
2. Go to your site like a regular customer
3. Add a product to cart and go through checkout
4. Use test card numbers provided by Shopify
5. Complete the order and check email confirmations, customer flow, and your dashboard

You’re Ready to Launch 🚀

Once everything is set up and tested, remove password protection in Online Store > Preferences, and start promoting your store to the world!

Shopify now only costs $1 per month for the first 3 months.