Anthony McGrath

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How to set up a Shopify store

Live guide · Checked 26 October 2026 · Updated 26 October 2026 · Checked every week against Shopify's own help pages

Go from sign-up to a store that takes payments: theme, products, shipping, tax, payments, legal pages and launch checks.

Time
2 to 4 hours
You will need
  • Your business name and logo
  • Product photos, descriptions and prices
  • A domain name (or buy one through Shopify)
  • Your bank details for payouts
Stuck?
Troubleshooting or ask me a question

Step by step

  1. Start your store

    Go to https://www.shopify.com, start the free trial and answer the setup questions. Pick the plan once you are ready to launch, not before.

  2. Choose a theme

    In Online Store > Themes, start with a free theme such as Dawn or one from the theme store. Click Customise to add your logo, colours and fonts.

  3. Add your products

    In Products > Add product, add a clear title, description, price, photos, SKU, stock count and weight. Use variants for sizes and colours. Write descriptions for people first, with the words they would search for.

  4. Organise collections

    Create Collections (for example "Women's", "Sale", "New in"). Use automated collections with conditions so products are added for you.

  5. Set up payments

    In Settings > Payments, activate Shopify Payments (cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay) and add PayPal if your customers expect it. Enter your bank details for payouts.

  6. Set up shipping

    In Settings > Shipping and delivery, create shipping zones and rates: flat rate, free over a set amount, or calculated rates. Make sure product weights are correct.

  7. Set up taxes

    In Settings > Taxes and duties, add your VAT registration if you are registered, and decide whether prices include tax. Check with your accountant if you are unsure.

  8. Add your policies and pages

    In Settings > Policies, add refund, privacy, terms of service and shipping policies. Create About, Contact and FAQ pages under Online Store > Pages.

  9. Set up navigation

    In Online Store > Navigation, build your main menu and footer menu so people can find collections and policies easily.

  10. Connect your domain

    In Settings > Domains, connect your existing domain or buy one. Set it as the primary domain so everything redirects to it.

  11. Add tracking and sales channels

    Install the Google & YouTube app (Merchant Center and GA4) and the Facebook & Instagram app (Meta pixel and catalogue). This sets up tracking and product feeds in one go.

  12. Test and launch

    Place a test order (use Bogus Gateway or Shopify Payments test mode), check emails and shipping. Then remove the store password in Online Store > Preferences and choose your plan.

Tips from 22 years of doing this

  • Compress images before uploading to keep the store fast.
  • Turn on abandoned checkout emails in Settings > Notifications.
  • Keep apps to a minimum: each one can slow the store down.

Troubleshooting: questions and answers

Shopify Payments is not available for me.

It depends on your country and business type. Check Settings > Payments. If it is not offered, use a third-party provider such as PayPal or Stripe through the supported options.

My domain is not connecting.

In Settings > Domains, click the domain to see which DNS records are wrong. Usually the A record must point to Shopify's address and the www CNAME to shops.myshopify.com. Changes can take up to 48 hours.

Test orders are not going through.

Turn on test mode in Settings > Payments, or install the Bogus Gateway and use card number 1 for a successful test. Turn test mode off before launch.

Customers are not getting order emails.

Check Settings > Notifications and set up a sender email on your own domain with the DNS records Shopify gives you, so emails are not marked as spam.

Official help pages

Want this done for you?

I have set these up for over 500 businesses in 22 years. If you would rather spend your time on the business, I can set it up properly, check your tracking and get it working for you.

Get a free consultation

Still stuck, or have a question?

Tell me where you got to and what you see. I read every message and reply by email, usually the same working day.