How to Create a Shopify Store: Step-by-Step Guide for Beginners

You can create a Shopify store. Yes, you heard it right! With these easy steps mentioned in our today’s post, you can create a Shopify store for your business in no time.

Because with Shopify, you don’t need coding skills. You don’t need to be a tech expert. There’s no need to read complex data charts and work with advanced tools. And you can make all the changes and modifications you want.

In this guide, we will walk you through each and every step of setting up a Shopify store. And also, we are going to take a quick look at the requirements.

Why Choose Shopify to Create an Online Store?

 

Here are just a few reasons why Shopify is an excellent tool for anyone interested in starting their own online store before we get into the how-to:

1. Ease of Use: It’s very simple. To create a store that’s professionally designed, you don’t need any sort of coding expertise.
2. All-in-One Solution: Shopify is a comprehensive website-building tool. It offers everything from marketing to hosting and product management and what not.
3. Scalability: The Shopify platform is a flexible option. It can handle thousands of products if you plan to sell them in the future.
4. Wide App Store: With Shopify, you can use thousands of apps, which are all in-built. You name it, and Shopify has it all.
5. 24/7 Support: And support is one of the best things about Shopify. You have a problem, Shopify has a solution right away. 

Step-by-Step Guide to Build a Shopify Store

Step 1: Sign Up for Shopify

To begin with, you will need to go to Shopify and register for an account there.

1. Go to Shopify.com: Click on “Start Free Trial“.
2. Enter Your Email: To complete the signup process, you will need to provide your email address.
3. Answer a Few Questions: As soon as you sign up with Shopify, you will be asked some basic questions regarding your business idea, like what you plan to sell and where you are located. 
4. Create Your Store Name: Choose a unique name for your store. 
5. Set Up Your Shopify Account: Create a strong password.

Shopify offers a 3-day free trial, and then 1 month for $1/month. You don’t need a credit card for the trial. Shopify’s Basic Plan starts at $39/month (billed monthly) and $29/month (billed yearly).

Step 2: Choose a Theme

Once you have created an account, you need to choose a Shopify theme. You will be able to choose from a hundred different themes, paid and free. Choose according to your business needs and your personal taste. And then, you can also customize the theme if you want to.

To install a Shopify theme, you need to:

• Go to the online store > themes
• Click explore free themes or browse the Shopify theme store
• To edit the layout, fonts, colors, and homepage sections, click Customize Shopify theme

Step 3: Add Products to Your Store

Now comes the very important step of setting up your Shopify store. At this point, you will add your products to your store. 

To add products, you need to go to products > add Product and enter:

• Product title
• Description
• Product Images
• Pricing & Inventory
• Variants (e.g., size, color)
• Shipping information

Step 4: Set Up Shipping and Payment Options

At this stage, you will need to set up the shipping and payment methods you want to use. 

Here’s how to set up shipping in Shopify:

• Go to settings > shipping and delivery
• Set up shipping zones and rates
• Set up options like free shipping and flat rates

To set up a payment method, you can:

• Navigate to settings > payments
• Set up Shopify payments or third-party methods, for example: PayPal, Stripe, Razorpay, UPI, etc.
• Set up your payout schedule

Step 5: Add Your Store Pages

Now, at this stage, you can add pages to your Shopify store. This is where your store will feel like a complete Shopify store. 

To create the pages, go to the online store > add pages.

You can add these pages:

• About Us: Tell your brand’s story to build trust
• Contact Us: Add forms, maps, and social media links
• FAQ: Add frequently asked questions
• Policies: Add Privacy Policy, Return Policy, and Terms and Conditions

Step 6: Set Up Blog Posts

After adding the required pages to your Shopify store, you should also add a dedicated blog section. As a Shopify store owner, you can use a blog to increase organic traffic, build trust with your audience, and improve your store’s search engine ranking. You can share tips, updates, and stories using targeted keywords.

In order to add a blog post to your Shopify store, follow these steps:

• Go to content > blog posts

Step 7: Connect with Your Custom Domain

Now you need to connect with your custom domain name. It is the name that you will call your store. A domain is a digital address that represents your brand. If you already own a domain, you can connect here: 

• Go to settings > domains
• Choose: Register a new domain or connect an existing one
• If you are connecting your custom domain, follow the DNS setup instructions

Step 8: Create Coupons and Discounts

By adding coupons and extra discounts, you can increase sales. If you add discounts, you indirectly increase conversions and customer loyalty.

• Go to discounts > create discount
• Get free shipping, a % percentage off, or a fixed amount
• You can set conditions like a minimum purchase amount or specific products
• Set a start and end date

Step 9: Install Shopify Apps

With Shopify, you can add third-party apps according to your needs. Shopify, for example, provides you with a lot of applications. And with these apps, you can add advanced features.

To create an online store, this is how you can add Shopify apps:

• Go to apps > add apps

You can use them to boost sales, increase conversions, and improve customer experience:

• Shopify Search & Discovery
• Pumper Bundles Quantity Breaks
• Booster: Page Speed Optimizer
• ReConvert Post Purchase Upsell
• Smile: Loyalty & Rewards
• Klaviyo: Email Marketing & SMS
• Printful: Print on Demand
• Omega Facebook Messenger Chat

Step 10: Set Up Sales Channels

Adding more sales channels will help you reach more people, like online marketplaces, social media, and physical stores. Your brand will be more visible if you use multiple sales channels. 

• Facebook & Instagram Shop: Use Meta to sell directly from your catalog
• Google Shopping: List your products for free on Google Shopping
• Amazon or eBay (via apps): Expand your Shopify store to some of the biggest marketplaces

To set this up:

• Go to sales channels > add channel

Step 11: Launch Your Store

Upon doing all the steps, you are now close to making your Shopify store live. Here is what you need to do:

• Go to the online store > preferences and remove the password protection
• Make sure all links to products, buttons, forms, and the checkout process work
• Optimize for mobile devices
• Set up Google Analytics, Facebook Pixel, or Shopify Analytics

How Much Does It Cost to Set up a Shopify Store?

There are different pricing plans available for Shopify depending on the size and needs of your business. Here’s a quick breakdown:

• Basic – $42/month: Ideal for individuals or small businesses just getting started.
• Grow – $114/month: Great for small teams that need more features.
• Advanced – $431/month: Best suited for growing businesses or medium-sized teams.
• Shopify Plus – Starts at $2300+/month. Designed for high-volume, enterprise-level stores.

You can also create a custom plan with Shopify. Depending on your usage, you can get a customized pricing model based on the features you want.

How Long Does It Take to Set Up a Shopify Store?

Setting up an online store on Shopify does not take much time. But keep in mind that it depends on so many things. For example, how familiar you are with the platform, how many products you’re adding, and how much customization you want to have.

To give you an idea of how long it would take, if you want to develop a very basic store with limited features, it can be developed within 3-4 days.

And creating and launching a Shopify store is just the beginning. Over time, you add more features, products. And based on your experience in the market, you keep it updated with features. When it comes to time or custom features, hiring an experienced Shopify app development company will help you get things done faster.

Shopify Store Setup Timeline with Example –

1. Basic Setup

• If you design it yourself: 4–5 days
• If you hire Shopify experts, 2–3 days

This includes creating your Shopify account, adding basic store settings, and connecting your domain.

2. Product & Page Upload

• If you design it yourself: 6–7 days
• If you hire Shopify experts, 3–4 days

This stage involves uploading product listings, writing descriptions, setting prices, and creating key pages like About, Contact, and Policies.

3. Theme Customization

• If you design it yourself: 5–9 days
• If you hire Shopify experts, 2–4 days

Here, you’ll work on the visual design of your store, customizing layouts, fonts, colors, and banners to match your brand.

4. App Integrations

• If you design it yourself: 3–5 days
• If you hire Shopify experts, 1 day

Integrating apps for marketing, inventory management, reviews, and SEO. A Shopify app development company can help speed up the process.

5. Final Testing & Launch

• If you design it yourself: 1 day
• If you hire Shopify experts, 1 day

This final step includes reviewing everything, testing the checkout process, mobile responsiveness, and then going live.

Setting up a Shopify Store: Legal Requirements

If you are going to start an online store, you must know the following things in the first place. With these steps, you can protect your business as well as keep your customers’ trust secure.

1. Register Your Business

If you want to operate legally, the first thing you need to do is register your business. Depending on where you’re located, you might register as a Sole Proprietor, LLP, Private Limited Company, or LLC.

A registered business allows you to:

• Open a business bank account
• Apply for GST (India) or EIN (U.S.)
• Set up a Shopify payment gateway and handle taxes properly

You can get help setting up Shopify from Shopify experts or your development agency if you’re not sure how to do it.

2. Add Legal Policies to Your Shopify Store

You should add all the key legal pages to your Shopify store, including:

• Privacy Policy
• Terms of Service
• Return & Refund Policy
• Shipping Policy

These pages, for example, let customers know what your store’s rules are. Under Settings > Policies, Shopify gives you built-in templates you can customize.

3. Set Up Your Tax Collection Settings

Collecting taxes correctly is one of the most overlooked yet essential steps when setting up an online store.

Shopify offers automated tools to help:

• Auto-calculate taxes based on your location and your customer’s address
• Manage local and international tax rates
• Handle duties for international shipping

You can configure this easily under Settings > Taxes and Duties. And in any case, if you’re selling your products globally, you should talk to a tax professional.

4. Comply with GDPR and CCPA

If your Shopify store collects data from customers in the European Union or California, you need to follow these privacy laws, like GDPR and CCPA.

What you need to do:

• Add a cookie consent banner
• Update your Privacy Policy with detailed data handling practices
• Allow users to access, download, or delete their data

Set Up Your Shopify Store with Appco Software

If you want to set up your Shopify store with every feature, working with the right agency can help you make it happen. 

Appco Software is a leading Shopify website development company in Jaipur, India. Appco Software has been around for 13+ years. And we are offering Shopify development services to clients all over the world. Appco Software has completed over 5000 successful projects and collaborated with 50+ enterprise-level enterprises. As a full-service Shopify development company, we provide all types of development and design services. Like performance marketing and digital marketing services. 

We at Appco Software provide these services:

• Shopify Store Development Services
• Shopify Custom App Development Services
• Shopify Conversion Rate Optimization Services
• Shopify Store Rebuild Services
• Shopify Theme Customization Services
• eCommerce to Shopify Migration Services
• Shopify Website Maintenance Services
• Shopify Speed Optimization Services

Final Say

If you follow the right guidance, you can easily build your Shopify store without being confused by the process. It doesn’t matter if you are a solo entrepreneur or a growing business; when you have the right tools, strategy, and support, setting up an online store will be easy.

By now, we hope you have understood all the steps to set up a Shopify store online. We have explained each point in a very easy way so that if you’re new to Shopify, you can easily understand it. 

And by any chance, if you need our help, as a Shopify expert agency, we are here to help you. Just give us a call or drop a message, and one of our consultants will contact you shortly.  

FAQs

1. Can I build a Shopify store myself?

Yes, of course! For those who do not have any coding experience, Shopify is the go-to option. And in this guide, we have shared how to set up your Shopify store.

2. How much does it cost to build a Shopify store?

The first three-month plan starts at $50/month. You’ll have to pay extra for premium themes, Shopify apps, and custom development.

3. How do I set up a Shopify store?

If you want to start your store right away, you should start with a free trial, then choose a theme, add products, set up payments, and customize it before you go live.

4. Can I create a Shopify store for free?

For beginners, Shopify offers a 3-day free trial. After the trial period, you’ll have to subscribe to a Shopify plan.

5. How long does it take to build a Shopify store?

Well, it depends on the complete requirement you have. But in case you want to know the estimated time, you can contact us now.

6. Which Shopify plan is best?

It also depends on your business needs. Like if you are a small business, you can start with the Basic plan. And if you do a large-scale business and have thousands of products, in this case, you can go with Advanced or Plus, for example.