What you need before you start building

A Shopify store is a website you build on Shopify's platform — you don't need to know how to code. Shopify handles the hosting, the payment processing, and the security. You pay a monthly subscription (plans start around $29 per month) plus transaction fees if you use Shopify Payments, or a percentage fee if you use an outside payment processor like Stripe or PayPal.

Before you open a Shopify account, gather three things: a product or products you want to sell, high-quality photos of those products (at least one clear image per item), and a basic understanding of what you'll charge. You don't need a business license to start, though you may need one later depending on your location and sales volume. You also don't need a separate business bank account, but having one makes accounting much simpler.

If you're selling physical goods, think about how you'll ship them — Shopify integrates with carriers like USPS, UPS, and FedEx, but you'll need to decide on your shipping costs and delivery times before you launch. If you're selling digital products like PDFs or video courses, shipping isn't a factor, which makes the setup faster.

Key Takeaways

  • You create a Shopify account, choose a store name and domain, then add your products with photos and descriptions before your store goes live.
  • Shopify charges a monthly subscription fee plus payment processing fees, and you can start with the basic plan and upgrade later if your sales grow.
  • Your store needs a payment method set up (Shopify Payments, Stripe, or PayPal) before customers can buy, and you must configure shipping rates if you're selling physical items.
  • The first few steps take a few hours; the longer work is writing product descriptions, taking good photos, and deciding on pricing and shipping costs.
  • You can launch with just a few products and add more later — you don't need a full catalog before your store goes live.

Creating your account and choosing your store name

Go to shopify.com and click "Start free trial" at the top of the page. You'll enter your email address, create a password, and then Shopify will ask you a few questions: what you're selling, whether you've sold online before, and what you're hoping to achieve. These answers help Shopify suggest features you might need, but they don't lock you into anything.

Next, you'll choose your store name. This becomes your Shopify domain — something like yourstore.myshopify.com — and it's what customers type into their browser to reach you. You can change this later, so don't spend too long on it. Shopify will check whether your choice is available and suggest alternatives if it's taken.

After that, Shopify asks for your address and phone number. This information appears on your store's legal pages and in customer emails, so use the address where you actually operate. You're not required to have a physical storefront; a home address works fine.

Setting up your payment method and choosing a plan

Before customers can buy from you, you need a way to receive money. Shopify Payments is the simplest option — it's built into Shopify, and you don't have to sign up separately. Shopify Payments charges a percentage of each sale (2.9% plus 30 cents for online credit card sales, with lower rates for in-person sales). The money lands in your bank account every few days.

If you prefer a different processor, you can use Stripe, PayPal, or dozens of others. These usually charge similar percentages but may have different payout schedules or requirements. You can set up multiple payment methods and let customers choose which one they use.

Then you'll choose your subscription plan. The Shopify Basic plan ($29 per month) includes everything most new stores need: up to 15 product variants, basic reporting, and customer accounts. The Shopify plan ($79 per month) adds more variants and advanced reporting. The Advanced plan ($299 per month) is for larger stores. You can start with Basic and upgrade anytime — you'll only pay the difference for the rest of the month.

Shopify offers a free trial for the first three months, so you can build and test your store without paying. After the trial ends, your subscription begins.

Adding your products and writing descriptions

In your Shopify admin dashboard, click "Products" on the left side, then "Add product." You'll fill in the product name, description, price, and upload photos. This is where most new store owners spend the most time, because good product descriptions and clear photos make the difference between a browser and a buyer.

For each product, upload at least one clear photo showing the item straight-on. If you're selling clothing, include a photo of someone wearing it. If you're selling something small, a photo next to a coin or ruler shows scale. Shopify lets you upload up to 250 images per product, so you can show multiple angles, close-ups, and the item in use.

Write a description that answers the questions a customer would ask: What is it made of? How big is it? What problem does it solve? What's included in the box? If there are size options, colors, or materials, create variants so customers can choose. For example, if you're selling a t-shirt in sizes S, M, L, and XL, you create one product with four variants rather than four separate products.

Set your price. This is your revenue minus what it costs you to make or buy the item, minus shipping and packaging, minus payment processing fees (usually 2-3%). If you're not sure what to charge, look at what competitors charge for similar items, then adjust based on your costs and how much profit you want per sale.

Configuring shipping and tax settings

If you're selling physical products, you need to tell Shopify how much shipping costs. Click "Settings" at the bottom left, then "Shipping and delivery." You'll set up shipping zones — for example, "United States," "Canada," and "International" — and the cost for each zone.

You can charge a flat rate per order, a rate based on weight, or a rate based on the destination. Most new stores start with a simple flat rate: for example, $5 for orders within the US, $15 for Canada. As you grow, you can integrate with USPS, UPS, or FedEx so Shopify calculates real shipping costs based on the package weight and destination.

For taxes, Shopify can calculate sales tax automatically if you're in the United States. Go to "Settings," then "Taxes and duties," and turn on "Collect sales tax." Shopify will charge the correct rate based on where the customer lives and where you're located. If you're outside the US or selling internationally, tax rules vary by country — you may need to research your local requirements or consult an accountant.

Choosing a domain name and customizing your store's look

Your store starts with a Shopify domain (yourstore.myshopify.com), but most businesses buy their own domain — something like yourstore.com. You can buy a domain through Shopify for about $11 per year, or buy one elsewhere (GoDaddy, Namecheap, Google Domains) and connect it to your Shopify store. Buying through Shopify is simpler because the connection is automatic.

Next, you'll choose how your store looks. Shopify offers free themes and paid themes (usually $140 to $350, one-time cost). Free themes like Dawn, Prestige, and Impulse are professional and work well for most stores. Paid themes offer more customization options and unique designs. You can change your theme anytime, so don't overthink this choice.

Once you've chosen a theme, you customize it by adding your logo, changing colors, and arranging sections on your homepage. You don't need to know code — Shopify's theme editor is drag-and-drop. Add a clear navigation menu, a homepage that explains what you sell, an About page, and a Contact page. These pages help customers understand who you are and build trust.

Setting up legal pages and customer policies

Before you launch, add a Privacy Policy, Terms of Service, and Refund Policy. These pages protect you legally and tell customers how you handle their information and what happens if they want to return something.

Shopify has a free policy generator: go to "Settings," then "Legal," and click "Create policies." Answer a few questions about your business, and Shopify generates basic versions of these pages. You can customize them or have a lawyer review them if you want to be extra careful.

Your Refund Policy is especially important. Decide whether you accept returns, how long customers have to return items, and whether you refund shipping costs. Be clear about this on your product pages and in your policies — confusion about returns is one of the top reasons customers leave negative reviews.

Testing your store and going live

Before you tell anyone about your store, test it. Create a test order using a test credit card number (Shopify provides these in your settings). Go through the entire checkout process: add items to the cart, enter a shipping address, choose a shipping method, and complete the payment. Make sure the confirmation email arrives, the order shows up in your admin dashboard, and everything looks right.

Check that your product photos load quickly, your descriptions are clear, and your shipping costs are correct. Test on both a computer and a phone — most shoppers use phones, so your store must work well on small screens. Shopify themes are mobile-friendly by default, but it's worth checking.

Once you're satisfied, your store is live. You can start telling people about it through email, social media, or word of mouth. You don't need a huge product catalog to launch — many successful stores start with just five to ten items and add more as they learn what customers want.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a business license to sell on Shopify?

Not to start, but you may need one once you reach a certain sales threshold — this varies by location. Check with your local business licensing office or a small business advisor in your area. Shopify doesn't require a license to open an account.

How much does it cost to run a Shopify store?

The Basic plan is $29 per month, plus payment processing fees (usually 2.9% plus 30 cents per transaction with Shopify Payments). A custom domain costs about $11 per year. A paid theme costs $140 to $350 one-time. So a new store might cost $40 to $50 per month to start, not counting the cost of your products.

Can I sell internationally from my Shopify store?

Yes. You can set up shipping zones for different countries, and Shopify can calculate taxes for some regions. International shipping costs more and takes longer, so be clear about delivery times and costs on your product pages. Some countries have import restrictions or customs requirements — research these before you start selling there.

What if I want to sell digital products instead of physical items?

Shopify works for digital products too. You upload the file (PDF, video, software, etc.) to your product, and when a customer buys it, Shopify emails them a download link automatically. You don't need to set up shipping or worry about inventory — the setup is faster than for physical goods.

How long does it take to build a Shopify store?

The basic setup — account, payment method, theme, and a few products — takes a few hours. The longer part is taking good photos, writing descriptions, and deciding on pricing and shipping. Most new store owners spend a few days getting everything ready before they launch.