What you need to do before you start

Creating a Shopify store means setting up an account, choosing a plan, adding your products, and configuring payment methods — all of which takes between two and four hours for a basic store. You do not need coding knowledge or design experience. Shopify handles the technical parts; you provide the product information, images, and business details.

Before you open a Shopify account, gather three things: a business email address (can be Gmail or Outlook), a password you have not used elsewhere, and basic information about your business — your name, address, and what you plan to sell. If you already have a domain name (like yourstore.com), have that ready too. If you do not, Shopify can sell you one during setup or you can use a free Shopify subdomain while you decide.

You will also need a way to accept payments. Shopify accepts credit cards, PayPal, Apple Pay, and other methods, but you must connect a payment processor. Stripe and Shopify Payments are the most common; both require a business bank account and take a few days to activate. Plan for this delay if you want to launch quickly.

Key Takeaways

  • Shopify charges a monthly fee (starting at $39 per month for the basic plan) plus a small percentage of each sale, so calculate these costs against your expected revenue before you commit.
  • You must add product photos, descriptions, and prices yourself — Shopify provides the store structure but not the content.
  • Payment processing requires connecting a third-party processor like Stripe or Shopify Payments, which takes two to five business days to activate.
  • Your store goes live as soon as you finish setup, but you can keep it in draft mode while you add products and test checkout.
  • Shopify provides hosting, security, and updates automatically — you do not need to manage a separate web server or install software.

Creating your account and choosing a plan

Go to shopify.com and click "Start free trial" in the top right. Enter your email address, create a password, and enter your store name — this becomes part of your Shopify URL (like yourstore.myshopify.com) unless you connect a custom domain later. Shopify will ask what you plan to sell and whether you have a business already; answer honestly but do not worry about perfect answers — you can change almost everything later.

After you confirm your email, Shopify shows you three pricing plans: Basic ($39/month), Shopify ($105/month), and Advanced ($399/month). Most new stores start with Basic. The difference is mainly in transaction fees (Basic charges 2.9% + 30¢ per sale; Shopify charges 2.7% + 30¢), staff accounts, and reporting tools. You can switch plans anytime, so pick Basic unless you know you need the others.

Shopify gives you 14 days free to explore before charging your card. During this trial, you can build your entire store without paying. At the end of the trial, you enter a credit card to continue. If you do not enter a card, your store closes but your products and settings stay saved for 90 days in case you return.

Adding your products to the store

From your Shopify dashboard (the control panel you see after login), click "Products" on the left menu, then "Add product." You will fill in a product name, description, price, and upload photos. Do this for each item you plan to sell. Shopify lets you add variants — like size or color options — so a single product can have multiple choices without creating separate listings.

For each product, upload at least one clear photo. Shopify accepts JPG, PNG, and GIF files. The first photo you upload becomes the main image customers see. Add three to five photos per product if you can — customers who see multiple angles are more likely to buy. Write a description that explains what the product is, what it does, and who it is for. Include dimensions, materials, or care instructions if relevant.

Set your price and decide whether to charge tax. If you sell physical goods in the United States, you probably owe sales tax in states where you have "nexus" — usually where you live or where you ship from. Shopify can calculate tax automatically if you tell it which states apply to you. Click "Manage" under the Tax section in your store settings to turn this on.

Connecting payment processing and shipping

Before customers can buy, you must set up a payment method. Go to Settings (bottom left of your dashboard), then "Payment providers." Shopify Payments is the simplest option — it connects directly in your dashboard and deposits money to your bank account every two business days. Stripe is another popular choice and works similarly. Both require you to provide your Social Security number or EIN, your business address, and your bank account details. Approval usually takes two to five business days.

While you wait for payment processing to activate, set up shipping. Click "Settings," then "Shipping and delivery." Tell Shopify where you ship from (your warehouse or home address), then add shipping zones — for example, "United States" or "International." For each zone, set a flat rate (like $5 for all orders) or a calculated rate based on weight. You can also offer free shipping over a certain order amount. Test this by adding a product to your cart and going through checkout to see what customers see.

If you do not ship physical products — for example, if you sell digital downloads or services — you can skip shipping setup entirely. Just make sure your product type is set to "Digital" so customers do not see shipping options at checkout.

Customizing your store's appearance

Click "Online Store" on the left menu, then "Themes." Shopify provides free themes and paid themes (usually $140 to $180 one-time). Free themes work well for most new stores. Pick one that matches your product type — for example, a fashion theme if you sell clothing, or a minimalist theme if you sell one or two high-end items. Click "Add" to install it.

After you choose a theme, click "Customize" to change colors, fonts, and layout. You can upload a logo, change your store name, and rearrange sections without touching code. Most customization happens by clicking elements on the page and editing them directly. If you want to change something and cannot find it in the customizer, search the Shopify help center — the answer is usually there.

Add essential pages by clicking "Pages" under Online Store. Create an "About Us" page that explains who you are and why customers should buy from you. Add a "Contact Us" page with an email address or contact form. Shopify automatically creates a Privacy Policy and Terms of Service page; you should review and customize these to match your business. These pages build trust and are legally important if you collect customer data.

Testing checkout and going live

Before you let real customers buy, test the entire checkout process yourself. Add a product to your cart, enter a test credit card number (Shopify provides these in your payment settings), and complete a purchase. Check that the order appears in your Orders section, that you receive a confirmation email, and that the payment shows in your payment processor's dashboard. This takes 10 minutes and catches most problems before customers find them.

Your store is live as soon as you finish setup, but you can keep it in draft mode while you work. To hide your store from search engines and direct visitors, go to Settings, then "Store status," and toggle "Password protect your store." Visitors will see a password prompt; only you and people you give the password to can see your products. Remove this protection when you are ready for real customers.

After you go live, monitor your first few orders closely. Respond to customer emails quickly, ship on time, and ask for feedback. Most problems show up in the first week. Shopify's dashboard shows you sales, traffic, and customer behavior — check these weekly to understand what is working.

Understanding Shopify's costs and limits

Shopify charges a monthly subscription (starting at $39), a percentage of each sale (2.9% to 2.7% depending on your plan), and a fixed fee per transaction (30¢). If you sell $1,000 worth of products in a month on the Basic plan, you pay $39 + $29 (2.9% of $1,000) + $3 (30¢ × 10 orders, assuming 10 orders) = $71 total. As your sales grow, the percentage fee becomes the bigger cost.

Shopify also charges for add-ons: custom domains ($11 to $14 per year), paid themes ($140 to $180 one-time), and apps from the Shopify App Store (prices vary widely). You do not need any of these to start — a free theme and a free Shopify subdomain work fine. Add them only when you know you need them.

There are no limits on the number of products you can add, the amount of traffic your store can handle, or how long you can keep your store open. Shopify handles all hosting and security automatically. You pay only for the plan and the sales you make.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a business license to sell on Shopify?

Requirements vary by location and product type. Most places require a business license if you sell goods or services regularly. Check with your city or county clerk's office before you launch. Shopify itself does not require a license, but your local government might.

Can I use my own domain name instead of a Shopify subdomain?

Yes. You can buy a domain through Shopify for $11 to $14 per year, or buy one elsewhere (GoDaddy, Namecheap, Google Domains) and connect it to Shopify. Shopify provides instructions for connecting external domains in your Settings under "Domains." The process takes a few minutes.

What happens if I stop paying my Shopify bill?

Your store closes and customers cannot access it. Your products and settings stay saved for 90 days. If you pay again within 90 days, your store comes back online with everything intact. After 90 days, Shopify deletes your data permanently.

Can I sell on Shopify if I do not have inventory yet?

Yes, but be honest with customers. You can add products with a note like "Ships in 2-3 weeks" or "Made to order." Some sellers use pre-orders to fund inventory. Just make sure your shipping timeline is realistic and clearly stated so customers know what to expect.

How do I handle returns and refunds?

Shopify does not process returns automatically — you handle them directly with customers. Create a return policy (add it to your "Policies" page under Settings) that explains your timeline and conditions. When a customer requests a return, you can issue a refund manually from your Orders section. Some sellers use apps like Returnly to automate this, but it is not required.