How to Create a Shopify Store?

Shopify is one of the most popular commercial content management systems (CMS) globally. It is inferior to some competitors in terms of the total number of sites, but it is at the top of the rankings of online stores with the highest traffic and the biggest revenue. Among the top users of the platform are such giant international corporations as Nestle, Mattel, Red Bull, Kylie Cosmetics, and Gymshark.

Why has Shopify become such a popular CMS? There are several reasons: the relative ease of customization, an abundance of built-in tools for marketing, accounting, and lead processing, a wide range of ready-made themes, and the presence of an expert community always ready to help beginners.

Therefore, if you are going to launch an online business and are in search of the perfect platform for your future website, we recommend that you consider this option first. Today, we will tell you how to create a Shopify store from scratch, what technical and legal nuances you should pay more attention to, and how to lay the foundations for future success. Let’s dive in!

Setting up Your Shopify Account

The first step is simple. Go to the Shopify homepage and click the Start free trial button in the upper right corner of the screen. Then follow the instructions that the system will offer you. Enter your email or log in with one of the popular online services, such as Google or Facebook. 

The next step in building a Shopify store requires a little more attention. After creating an account, the platform will ask you how you see your business model and offer the following options:

• New online store;
• Markets, fairs, and pop-ups;
• Social media;
• Physical retail store;
• Existing site or blog;
• Online marketplaces. 

Your choice will determine the basic settings, as well as the list of topics and tools in the recommendations. But don’t worry — if necessary, you can change these parameters at any time.

Next, take a short survey. Tell us about your business experience and product range. This will also help narrow down the range of optimal settings and facilitate the creation of a Shopify store from scratch.

To log in to your account, all you have to do is choose a plan. Whichever option you choose, you can use the platform for the first three days for free, then for a month for $1, and only after that will you have to pay the full amount. It’s a great option for a soft launch of your store because you’ll be dealing with administrative and technical tasks rather than sales in the first days.

Pro Tip: Be sure to click the View Plan Details button you see in the screenshot below left, and in the new window that opens, click on Full List of Features. Although Shopify’s plans are not sky-high, they do have some limitations. For example, the basic subscription does not include additional accounts for employees, and advanced analytics is available only in the top plan.

If you don’t want to make a decision in the heat of the moment, just skip this step and go to the admin panel. Another important task at this stage is domain setup. Fortunately, it sounds much more complicated than it is. As soon as you launch the Shopify admin panel, you’ll see a list of priority tasks, including domain setup. 

By default, you get a free domain like MYSTORE.myshopify.com. It’s cheap but not prestigious. Therefore, it is better to change it right away so that all settings are immediately applied to your main domain. The platform options allow you to buy a new domain on the spot or connect an existing one. You can also choose the name of your site from a specialized registrar, such as GoDaddy.

Customizing Your Store’s Design

Unlike old-school CMSs, where you have to upload every detail manually and accompany it with serious pieces of program code, Shopify makes this process much easier. Here, you can launch a basic version of your online store in a few clicks by simply choosing a suitable theme.

The Shopify Theme Store offers more than 100 ready-made themes, both free and premium. Just click on the one you like, make a payment if necessary, and choose the appropriate account from the list. You can also check out the demo store to evaluate the functionality of the theme and take a look at it as a future buyer.

Pro Tip: In the world of e-commerce, personalization is the highest value. It helps significantly increase conversion rates and loyalty. Therefore, sometimes, it is worth creating a Shopify store theme from scratch. You can contact Voodoo Digital Agency to launch a unique website on this platform that will make your business stand out from the competition.

An easier option is to go to the settings of your current theme and click the Customize button. 

It will open a simple online editor that mostly works on the Drag-n-Drop principle. You can choose pre-made elements or upload graphic files from other sources, such as cloud storage or your computer. To edit a particular element, click on it, and a menu with all the possible settings will open on the left. 

We won’t go into detail about the features of the built-in website editor, because this is a topic for a separate full-fledged article. Instead, it is worth reminding you of the mandatory elements that form your brand identity:

• The company logo and product brands;
• Color schemes that correspond to the brand book;
• Fonts.

And remember to create a design for the mobile version! In some e-commerce industries, up to 40-85% of purchases are made via mobile devices.

Adding Products to Your Shopify Store

After creating a basic version of your online store with a unique design, start filling out the catalog. This item will be at the top of the list of tasks offered by the platform. By clicking the Add Product button, you can do it manually. You will see a menu where you need to specify the name, main characteristics, price, tax parameters, and delivery terms.

Pro Tip: Scroll to the bottom of the menu, and you will see the Search Engine Listing option. Don’t ignore it — click the edit button to add the necessary meta tags. This will allow you to see how your product will appear in search results.

An alternative option is the Import Products button. It enables you to upload a ready-made CSV table with several hundred or even thousands of products to automate the listing process as much as possible. We won’t go through all the necessary parameters either — there may be several dozen of them. Instead, you should click the Download Sample CSV button to familiarize yourself with the rules for filling out the table.

If you are wondering how to create a successful Shopify store, you should lay the foundation for success at such early stages. To automate business processes, products can be grouped into collections. To do this, in the Products menu, open the Collections item and click the Create Collection button on the top right.

You can apply common rules for discounts, delivery terms, payment methods, availability in certain markets, etc. to collections. You can also add tags when creating new products or specify them in a CSV table to make searching easier.

Setting up Payments and Taxes

Now, it’s time to deal with financial issues. A crucial step in building a Shopify store is choosing a payment system that will serve as a gateway for processing electronic transactions. In the admin panel, open the settings (bottom left) and then go to the Payments tab. 

If you plan to work in a certain region, it is better to choose a local provider convenient for you and your customers. But for international businesses, global operators like Shopify Payments and PayPal are suitable.

Pro Tip: By subscribing to Shopify Payments, you can reduce the fees for payments through Shopify Payments, Shop Pay, or PayPal Express, regardless of the chosen transaction method.

In the same menu, you can select payment points on your website and connect additional modules to customize financial transactions.

And do not forget about the obligations of business to the state. Be sure to go to the Taxes and Duties tab and select your region.

This will help you automatically set the required rates. In this menu, you can configure tax collection rules, add exceptions, or even connect tax compliance software modules to ensure correct calculations. 

Configuring Shipping Options

If you are selling physical goods rather than digital assets and services, you also need to take care of shipping. To create a successful Shopify store, it is worth specifying realistic time periods for each region and favorable rates. You can do this in the settings by creating the required number of profiles.

Shopify offers its fulfillment service and also supports integration with local logistics operators. On this page, you can create sample packaging, orders, and invoices. Moreover, the platform allows you to choose delivery dates manually for specific products or collections.

Pro Tip: You can facilitate the customization of delivery terms by integrating special modules to optimize order management and ensure fast processing of customer requests. Voodoo Digital will help you find the best solution to simplify your business processes and make shopping even more convenient for your customers.

Setting up Legal Pages and Policies

E-commerce is regulated by local and international laws. That’s why you should make sure that all the terms of service, store responsibilities, and customer rights are clearly defined.

Immediately after launch, your website will have three pages:

• Home
• Contacts
• Checkout

To add new pages when creating a Shopify store from scratch, go to the Online Store menu in the admin panel and then select the Pages tab. After that, click the Add Page button on the top right.

In the menu that opens, enter a name for the page, copy the necessary content, such as GDPR rules or return policy, and choose a theme. By default, the new page will be visible to all visitors. If you want to test it first, select the corresponding option in the menu on the right.

Pro Tip: Be sure to click the Edit page SEO button at the bottom. Here, you can add the necessary meta tags and choose a custom URL. Remember that the page address should be easy to read — this is one of the conditions for its display in search engine results.

Testing Your Store Before Launch

It is the most important stage in building a Shopify store. Before the official launch, you must ensure that the site works perfectly and synchronizes seamlessly with your business processes. But for this purpose, you shouldn’t publish it online, because, in 99% of cases, you will have to go back to the settings to fix minor issues. Instead, go to the payment system settings and select a test service. 

It allows you to simulate the work of any provider — local or international. Then you just go to the preview of the website and do what you would do if you were a customer. Enter random card details and an email with the @example.com mail domain. Return to the admin panel and enter the Orders section. Make sure that all the order parameters match your business process flowchart. 

Pro Tip: If you are just starting in business, it can be difficult to navigate the process of testing an online store. Use the official Shopify guide to simplify this process and identify possible problems.

Launching Your Shopify Store

The day is finally here. You’ve finalized your store, run all the necessary tests, and confirmed that the ordering system works perfectly. Return to the main page of your admin panel and find the Launch Your Online Store button at the bottom. 

Remove the password protection of the site to make it accessible to everyone. You’re done! From now on, you can run your business online and generate revenue!

Marketing and Growing Your Shopify Store

To create a successful Shopify store, you must constantly develop your website and invest in marketing activities. We can give you the following tips to achieve success:

• Create official social media pages for your online store and use them to actively communicate with your target audience. It is better to do this in advance to build a subscriber base and widely announce the launch.
• Connect the necessary modules, applications, and extensions from the official Shopify online store. You will need professional analytics, CRM, accounting, SEO, and marketing campaign management.
• Start planning marketing campaigns in other communication channels, such as email campaigns and contextual and targeted advertising, right after the launch.
• Be sure to connect Google Analytics and Meta Pixel platforms to your website, if possible. You can use them to create custom reports and automate marketing activities.
• Use applications to analyze reviews, feedback, and comments. This will help you quickly process negative reviews and use positive feedback to strengthen your marketing.

Final Tips for Long-term Success

The main tip is to never rest on your laurels. If you take a break to receive passive income, you can quickly lose out to ambitious, dynamic competitors. Constantly look for new ways to increase engagement and conversion rates — optimize your sales funnel, use personalization tools, track design trends, and develop a mobile version of your website at the same time.

To create a successful Shopify store, be sure to follow the platform’s updates and prepare for them in advance. Think ahead about how changes can affect your website and take the necessary measures. Look for new partners in payment and logistics services, as well as get acquainted with new applications and extensions in the official marketplace.

If all of this seems too complicated and incomprehensible to you, consider entrusting the creation of a Shopify store from scratch to professionals with extensive experience — the experts of the Voodoo Digital agency. We will develop a website for you that will meet your needs and expectations, and we will continue to provide support after the launch, helping you grow your business and achieve new goals.