Shopify is one of the most popular platforms for launching an online store—and for good reason. It’s beginner-friendly, powerful, and fully hosted, so you can focus on selling instead of dealing with tech headaches. Whether you’re selling physical products, digital downloads, or print-on-demand goods, this guide will show you how to build a Shopify store from scratch.
Let’s get started.
Step 1: Sign Up for a Shopify Account
Go to shopify.com and click Start Free Trial. You’ll enter basic information like:
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Your email address
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Password
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Store name (you can change it later)
After that, answer a few simple questions about your business or what you plan to sell. Shopify uses this to personalize your setup.
Step 2: Choose a Shopify Plan
Shopify offers different pricing tiers based on your needs. You can start with the free trial, but you’ll need to select a plan to launch your store publicly.
Popular Plans:
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Basic Shopify: Best for new businesses
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Shopify: Great for growing stores
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Advanced Shopify: Best for high-volume sellers needing advanced reports
You can always upgrade as your business grows.
Step 3: Set Up Your Store Details
Navigate to Settings at the bottom-left corner of the dashboard and enter:
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Store name and legal info
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Business address
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Currency and time zone
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Standard shipping settings (you can customize this later)
These basics help Shopify tailor your store setup.
Step 4: Add Products
From the admin dashboard, go to Products > Add product. Enter the following details:
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Product name
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Description (include key features and benefits)
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High-quality product images
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Price and compare-at price (for sales)
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Inventory details (SKU, quantity)
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Shipping info (weight, fulfillment options)
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Variants (sizes, colors, etc.)
Tip: Write clear, benefit-focused product descriptions that speak directly to your audience.
Step 5: Choose and Customize a Theme
Shopify’s Theme Store has both free and premium themes. To start:
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Go to Online Store > Themes
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Click Explore Free Themes or visit the Shopify Theme Store
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Choose a theme and click Customize
From there, use the drag-and-drop editor to update:
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Header, logo, and navigation
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Homepage sections (like banners, featured collections, testimonials)
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Fonts and colors to match your brand
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Footer links and contact info
Tip: Choose a mobile-friendly theme since most customers shop on their phones.
Step 6: Set Up Payments
To accept payments, go to Settings > Payments and choose your provider. Shopify Payments is the easiest option and includes major credit cards with no extra fees.
Other options include:
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PayPal
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Apple Pay
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Google Pay
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Third-party gateways (like Stripe)
Make sure your payment system is secure and convenient for your target audience.
Step 7: Configure Shipping Settings
Go to Settings > Shipping and Delivery and:
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Set up domestic and international shipping zones
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Add flat-rate, free, or real-time carrier rates
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Choose packaging sizes if you’re shipping products yourself
If you use dropshipping or print-on-demand, these settings may be handled by the supplier.
Step 8: Add Legal Pages
To protect your business and inform customers, add key pages:
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Refund Policy
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Privacy Policy
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Terms of Service
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Shipping Policy
Shopify has templates to help you get started. Add these pages to your footer navigation so they’re easy to find.
Step 9: Set Up Your Domain
By default, your store URL will look like yourstore.myshopify.com, but it’s more professional to use a custom domain.
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Go to Settings > Domains
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Buy a domain directly through Shopify or connect one you already own
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Set it as your primary domain
This helps build trust and strengthens your brand.
Step 10: Test Everything Before Launch
Before going live, test your store like a real customer:
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Browse your product pages
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Add items to the cart
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Test your checkout process
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Try different payment methods
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Review confirmation emails
Make sure everything works smoothly across desktop and mobile.
Step 11: Launch Your Store
Once you’re confident your store is ready, remove the password protection:
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Go to Online Store > Preferences
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Scroll down to Password Protection
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Uncheck “Enable password” and click Save
Your Shopify store is now live and ready for customers!
Step 12: Market Your Store
After launching, promote your store using:
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Email marketing (welcome series, promos, etc.)
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Social media (Instagram, TikTok, Facebook)
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Paid ads (Google Ads, Meta Ads)
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SEO (optimize product pages and blog content)
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Influencer or affiliate marketing
Drive traffic, track results, and adjust your strategy over time.
Final Thoughts
Learning how to build a Shopify store is easier than ever, thanks to its beginner-friendly platform and rich features. With just a few steps, you can go from idea to fully functional online store—no coding needed. Focus on strong product listings, clean design, and smooth checkout to turn visitors into loyal customers.
Ready to start selling online? Shopify makes it simple to launch and grow your business with confidence.
