How to Set Up Your Shopify Store: A Step-by-Step Guide

Did you know that some of the popular brand websites, like Red Bull and Netflix online shops, run on Shopify? This powerful e-commerce platform supports over 1.7 million businesses globally, generating over $200 billion in sales. Its easy-to-use interface and customizable features make it an ideal choice for creating an online store.

Setting up your Shopify store may seem challenging, but with the right help, it can be a straightforward process. Whether you’re an experienced business owner or a beginner, learning how to use Shopify can significantly boost your sales.

Want to know how to set up a Shopify store and join over 4 million active websites using this platform? This step-by-step guide will show you how to build your online store from scratch. In this blog, we will learn:

Shopify Market Stats

Shopify holds a 26.2% share of the e-commerce platform market, which makes it a popular choice online. Among the top 1 million e-commerce sites, its share has increased to 28.8%, including both the standard Shopify and Shopify Plus versions.

Shopify Benefits You Need to Know

Shopify offers a wide range of features and benefits that allow businesses to thrive in the digital marketplace. For entrepreneurs, understanding the benefits of Shopify is essential because it can directly impact the success of online stores.

Below are some compelling advantages of using Shopify that you cannot miss.

1. Fast and Easy to Use

Shopify is known for its user-friendly design and interface. It offers customizable themes with features like volume, cart discounts, and bulk price editing. Shopify also offers an intuitive central dashboard that allows users to easily manage their entire store.

2. Customisable Plans

Shopify plans start at just £1, with three main options: Basic, Shopify, and Advanced. Each plan offers different features customized as per business needs. You can easily scale up or down without having to commit to the same high-level fees.

3. Abandoned Cart Recovery

Abandoned carts are a major problem for online stores since they represent lost sales. Shopify provides tools to review abandoned carts and automatically send marketing campaigns to recover them. This can help capture lost revenue and boost profits. Businesses should also identify common reasons for abandoned carts to prevent them in the future.

How to Start a Shopify Store?

Want to know how to build a website with Shopify?

Imagine an e-commerce world where your ideas can be transformed into a thriving online store. With Shopify, you don’t have to be a tech wizard; the platform offers user-friendly tools for easy setup.

Step 1: Sign Up for Shopify

Joining Shopify is simple. They provide free services and a 14-day trial. To get started, follow these steps:

If your store name is taken, Shopify will prompt you to select a different one. If you run an online business on platforms like Etsy, eBay, or Amazon, you can easily link them using the setup wizard.

Step 2: Choose Your Theme

When you create a Shopify account, a default theme is already set up. To choose a different theme:

To preview how the theme will look, click the three dots on the theme block and select the “Preview” option.

Step 3: Add Navigation to Your Theme

To add navigation to your theme, go to Online Store > Navigation in your Shopify admin panel.

To customize your footer menu:

Shopify allows you to create nested menus ? to group products or pages and add drop-down menus.

Step 4: Add Products and Product-Related Content

After creating your Shopify account, you'll be taken to your store's admin screen, where you can customize your store's appearance, upload products, and set up payment and shipping options.

Then go to your Shopify dashboard to start adding products. Customize each product with:

Step 5: Set Up Shopify Payments

To start accepting payments, activate Shopify Payments with one click or connect your own payment processor to your dashboard. Ensure your store's eligibility based on your location and enable two-step authentication for added security.

To activate Shopify Payments, go to Settings > Payments, click Activate Shopify Payments, and confirm. Provide correct business and banking details. Set your store currency and complete the account setup. If you're in Europe, remember to include your VAT number.

Upload clear and valid documents for identity and address verification. While your documents are being reviewed, payouts will be on hold temporarily. After setting up Shopify Payments, adjust your payment settings as needed and run a test transaction. If you have any issues, reach out to Shopify Support for help.

Step 6: Create Your e-Store’s Pages

To add pages to your Shopify store, go to Online Store > Pages. Click the Add page button, then enter a clear and descriptive title and content for the new page. The title will appear in browser tabs and search results. Use the rich text editor to format your content and include links, images, and videos as needed.

Step 7: Set Up Shipping Rates

Under the Settings tab, configure your shipping methods, fees, and sales tax information.

Before setting up taxes in Shopify, determine if you need to charge taxes on your products by consulting local tax authorities or a tax professional. Ensure you register and obtain your tax number from the relevant tax authorities in your area if you do need to charge taxes.

Step 8: Connect Your Domain

To connect your domain to your Shopify store, do the following:

Verification will be completed in 48 hours. Once verified, it will show as “Connected” under third-party domains on the Domains page.

Step 9: Test Your Shopify Store

Before launching your Shopify store, place a test order. To do this, go to your Shopify admin, select Settings > Payments, and enable test mode. Then, simulate a successful transaction by going to your online store, adding a product to your cart, and completing the checkout process as if you were a customer.

Step 10: Launch

To make your Shopify store public, you need to remove the password protection:

Once you remove the password protection, your store will be live and accessible to everyone.

How Much Does It Cost to Start a Shopify Store?

Now that you know how to make Shopify store, let’s discuss the cost to start a Shopify store.

Shopify offers multiple payment options:

If none of these plans work for you, there’s an option, which allows you to choose your components and get a custom pricing plan.

How Much Does Shopify Charge Per Item Sold?

The amount Shopify charges per item sold depends on your selected Shopify plan:

Basic Shopify Transaction Fees:

Shopify Pricing Plan Transaction Fees:

Advanced Shopify Transaction Fees:

Remember that the Shopify Plus plan includes flexible/individual fees.

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

The time to set up a Shopify store depends on factors like your familiarity with the platform, the store's complexity, the number of products, and the level of customization.

Developing a basic online store with essential content and products takes as little as 3-4 days. However, improving and optimizing your website is an ongoing process.

Top Companies That Use Shopify for Their E-commerce Business

Now that you know the cost to build a Shopify website, let’s check the top companies that use Shopify for their e-commerce business:

1. Red Bull

Red Bull is on Shopify but it cannot legally sell its main product online. So, what does its online store sell? Its online store sells Red Bull merchandise, branded with its framed sports merchandise. You can find everything on the Red Bull e-commerce website, from accessories and model cars to media products.

2. PepsiCo (PantryShop)

In 2020, PepsiCo launched two e-commerce websites so customers can purchase products from the comfort of their homes. People can order essential pantry products from pantryshop.com, which is built with Shopify. Whereas, other popular food brands are available on the website.

3. Whole Foods Market

Amazon’s Whole Foods is known for its natural and organic food products. It has more than 350 grocery chains and an online store, powered by Shopify Plus. Individuals can place an order, and their orders are fulfilled by Amazon.

4. Fitbit

Launched in 2007, Fitbit is a pioneer in the fitness wearables industry. After its flagship wearable fitness tracker became popular, other electronic manufacturers began producing their own versions. Fitbit uses Shopify where it sells fitness trackers, smart scales, and accessories.

5. Netflix

Wondering what a streaming company like Netflix is doing on Shopify? Spoiler alert: the solid fan base of Netflix series and movies is an excellent market for Netflix merchandise. Netflix.shop sells lifestyle products and apparel from its popular shows.

How can Protonshub Help You Set Up a Shopify Store?

Want to know how to build a Shopify store? At Protonshub Technologies, our experts can help! Developing a robust Shopify store is a time-consuming process but we do it on time.

From Shopify design and development to Shopify marketing, we can handle everything. We create seamless and high-performing Shopify websites that rank well on search engines and also engage users. Our approach is centered around three principles: dedicated ownership, transparent collaboration, and result-driven performance.

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Ekta Singh

"Senior Content Writer"

Ekta Singh is a rookie food experimentalist and k-drama fan with 4+ years of experience in writing. Bridging gaps between companies and customers through conversion-driven content is her forte. She believes in writing stories for a living and living life for exploring places.