Creating a Shopify store is one of the best methods to establish or expand your eCommerce business. In this guide, we’ll show you step-by-step how to set up and optimize your Shopify store. Let’s start designing your ideal online store.
Step 1: Create an Account and Choose a Theme
Before exploring the more complex tools and features, it is important to begin with a solid theme template on which to build your ideal eCommerce store.
- Create an account: Navigate to Shopify’s home page and select ‘Start Free Trial.’ After answering a few questions, sign up using your method of choice.
- Select a plan: Review the available payment plans for your Shopify account and select the one you would like to use.
- Select a theme: Select the ‘Online Store’ tab in the Shopify admin dashboard and click the ‘Visit Theme Store’ button at the bottom of the page. After exploring the available themes, select the one you wish to use and click ‘Try Theme.’
- Customize your theme: Return to the Shopify admin dashboard and click ‘customize’ on your desired theme in the ‘Theme Library’ section. This will take you to the theme editor, where you can begin designing your Shopify store.
By beginning with a theme template, you can save time setting up your Shopify store and provide yourself with an excellent foundation for designing.
Step 2: Design Your Store Layout
You can set up your Shopify store’s layout after choosing your desired theme template and navigating to the theme editor, or you can use a custom theme.
- Customize your pages: Every page in your store will consist of an arrangement of unique sections, each with a specific purpose. Add, remove, and reorganize the sections of your store’s pages to reflect how you wish your store to appear.
- Customize your sections: Within sections are specific blocks that make up the design of a section. Add, remove, or edit these blocks to further customize your store.
- Theme Settings: Clicking the ‘Theme Settings’ button in the far left column will open the theme settings sidebar, where you can change your store’s logo, fonts, and background colors, among other things. Be sure to use fonts and colors that match your store’s desired aesthetic. If you do not yet have a logo for your store, free-to-use graphic design tools such as Canva are excellent for logo design.
One of the most important steps in setting up a Shopify store is designing the layout of your store to not only convey the identity of your business but also accurately reflect the wants and needs of your customers.
Step 3: Page Categories and Navigation
Step 3 focuses on implementing effective categories and intuitive navigation in your Shopify store, improving customer experience, and encouraging customer interaction.
- Seamless Navigation: Equip your store with efficient structural categories and an easily accessible menu. Add blocks like buttons and sections like featured collections in appropriate places throughout your store as conveniently placed pathways to effortlessly guide customers to where they want to be.
- Add search functionality: Providing customers with a search bar to quickly find what they’re looking for is an excellent way to increase customer satisfaction with and use of your online store. Make sure to add a search bar to your store to improve store navigation.
- Encourage customer interaction: Encourage customers to engage with your store by purchasing a product, subscribing to an email newsletter, or other methods.
Incorporating effective navigation into your Shopify store improves customer experience and overall functionality, making it an essential part of setting up a Shopify store.
Step 4: Products, Payment Methods, and Going Live
Step 4 centers on adding products and acceptable payment methods to your Shopify store.
- Adding products: Returning to the Shopify admin dashboard, click the ‘Add product’ button on the ‘Products’ tab. This will take you to a product information page. Begin adding all of the necessary information for each of your products, including a title, description, price, images of the product, and more. When you are ready to sell a product, make sure it is listed as ‘Active’ in the status window and that your online store is selected in your sales channels for that product.
- Adding payment methods: Clicking on the ‘Payments’ tab in the settings menu will bring you to a window where you can change what payment methods are or are not acceptable on your Shopify store. PayPal and Amazon Pay will be enabled by default but can be disabled if you choose. Additionally, you can add more payment methods to your store by clicking the ‘Add payment methods’ button at the bottom of the window.
- Remove Password to Go Live: Return to the Shopify admin dashboard and navigate to ‘Online Store’ > ‘Themes.’ Locate the yellow bar under the ‘Themes’ section of the page that reads ‘Your online store is password protected’ and click the ‘Remove password’ button to let your Shopify store go live and begin selling to customers.
Your Shopify store’s products and payment methods are its backbone. Once you have added them and allowed your store to go live, you will have completely set up your Shopify store. If you need help setting up your Shopify store, our full guide goes into more detail, or better yet, let Oyova assist you today.
Elevate Your Shopify Store with Oyova
In today’s world, online stores are vital to businesses’ growth and potential. If you’re seeking professional assistance to ensure your online store is fully optimized and ready to excel, consider Oyova’s eCommerce services.
Our team of dedicated experts is ready to unleash the full potential of your Shopify store with eCommerce services like our Shopify development services that are tailored to meet your unique business needs.
Contact Oyova today and learn how we can elevate your online store so you can confidently go live.
