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Shopify Store Development Guide: For Beginners

Starting an online business may be a huge challenge if you are new in the online selling business. However, Shopify makes it possible even for those who have little experience to use it. This guide will help you to determine what it takes to have, build, and manage a Shopify store from the ground up. Though, anyone can start with Shopify, there might be a need for experts in the process. In that case, contact Web Panel Solutions and avail our custom shopify development services.

Step 1: Sign up for a Shopify account

The first process in creating a Shopify store is to register for its services where one is required to pay a one-time fee to access the platform. Shopify expects after the free trial to upgrade with the plan of my choice because Shopify provides a 14 days trial.

1. Navigate to the Shopify website, then click on ‘start free trial’.

2. Join with your email, password, and your store name delete store name if you wish to change it later on.

3. To get started click on the button that says “Create Your Store”.

Step 2: Selecting the right Shopify Plan

The fundamental package is usually enough for a starter with tools that include an online store, an unlimited number of products, and integration of the sales channel. It is also important to note that, as your business expands, you are able to switch to a more premium package for added uses.

Basic Shopify: It is appropriate for small businesses and has such features as an online shop and a blog.

Shopify Plan: Includes superior reporting and reduced dealing charges.

Advanced Shopify: It has been developed for larger organizations who require better insights and better shipping facilities.

Step 3: Ownership of the jabber: Customize Your Store Design

This feature offers free and paid themes depending on the client’s preference and appearance of the store. To choose a theme:

1. Navigate to the Shopify admin panel and click Online Store and then Themes.

2. Select one or several free and paid themes that correspond to your brand and products or services you offer.

3. To change the color, type or location of content, click on Customize.

Customize your pages without any coding knowledge by making use of Shopify’s editor feature which is a drag and drop. Make sure your theme is optimized for mobile devices as most customers use their mobile devices to shop. For any help contact our team to choose our Ecommerce web development services.

Step 4: Add Products

Then, you’ll add the products that you want to sell, which is the product information you want to disseminate. This comprises placing product descriptions, product images and the prices of the products.

1. When you login into the Site, navigate to Shopify and go to Products and then click on ‘Add Product’.

2. Provide the necessary information regarding the product when naming, describing, pricing and using SKU (Stock Keeping Unit).

3. Upload high-quality product images. They must be concise, well lit and the product needs to be seen from all their angles.

4. Includes variants if any (e. g., size, color etc. ).

5. You should also request SEO details including the title and the meta description to make your products easily visible in the search results.

After that it is time to list the payment methods and shipping options that your company will offer.

To accept payments from your customers, you’ll be required to incorporate a payment gateway. Shopify has its own payment gateway as Shopify Payments but available options are PayPal, Stripe, etc. Shopify Payments are free of charge and thus ideal for most beginners in this field.

1. On the side navigation bar, click on Settings and then on Payment, then choose your desired gateway.

2. Provide your business bank account details for deposits to be made so that you can receive payments.

Next, configure your shipping settings:

1. Click Settings > Shipping and Delivery.

2. Set specific shipping zones and charges adequate to the type of business that you are running. Some of the available options are free shipping, a fixed price for shipping or even calculating shipping cost by the geographical location or weight of the item to be shipped.

3. Shopify users can use Shopify Shipping to avail cheaper shipping rates from popular shipping service providers. 

Step 5 of Entrepreneurial Digital DNA Program: Setting Up of the Domain

To make your store available to the public, the users will require a custom domain. Shopify simultaneously allows users to buy a domain through them or integrate with a domain that they own.

1. Locate domains: Go to your Shopify admin, navigate to Settings Domains.

2. If you want to acquire a domain through Shopify, hit on Buy New Domain; otherwise, for the one you already own, click on Connect Existing Domain.

3. Carry on with procedures aspects below to accomplish the process.

A custom domain enhances the appearance of your store making it appear more professional hence trusted by the customers.

Step 6:  Set Up Some Necessary Web Pages

Every Shopify store needs core pages to provide a complete shopping experience:

Home Page: The frontpage where clients end up when they visit the site. Ideally, it should be the product that has many sales, or the recent release in the market.

About Us Page: This page establishes a relation of trust with the customers by narrating the story of your brand.

Contact Us Page: Provide customers with a simple option of contacting you and may be through email, phone, or a contact form.

FAQ Page: Provide standard answers to the most frequent customer inquiries such as delivery, refunds, and products’ information.

Privacy Policy and Terms of Service: Such legal documents are useful to guard business and adhere to the law, and Shopify has templates for them.

Step 7: Install Basic Applications

Shopify has integrated apps that add further features to your shop in its App Store. Some recommended apps for beginners include:

Oberlo: For their part, the dropshipping businesses will find this app useful since it can help them in requisitioning products from suppliers.

Klaviyo: An email marketing tool, which can also be adopted, for interacting with the customers.

Product Reviews: Permits customers post their comments, which is a good way of establishing trust among consumers, which in turn translates to increased sales.

SEO Booster: It assists in the process of search engine optimization, which in turn will help to bring in free traffic to your store.

Download apps requiring functionality which you need, however, be careful with the costs of the application as they might build up.

Step 8 – Test Your Store

This is the reason why it is important to conduct some kind of beta testing before the launching of your store.

1. Check the operations of the checkout by ordering a product using a fictional payment method.

2. Mobile and desktop check: Open your store and check all the elements, formatting and functionality on both mobile and desktop devices.

3. Be sure that product descriptions, images, and prices in the online store have no mistakes.

4. Deactivate and reactivate all your email notifications to confirm that your customers receive information on the orders they placed as well as updates.

Step 9 – time to launch your store

After you have configured all the settings, contacted the payment services and tested your store — launch it!

1. Never again password protect your store in Online Store > Preferences.

2. Begin the marketing of your store on any social media, through emails or by buying ad spaces.

3. Ensure that you check your store’s statistics to note all the sales, traffic and behavior of the customer.

Conclusion

To create a Shopify store as a beginner is easy provided you get some directions or help. This is a step by step guide which can be followed to get a platform ready for the creation and customization of an online store. 

It is also vital to mention that the store should be updated and improved from time to time as you expand your company using the opportunities that Shopify offers for improving customers’ experience and increasing sales. For any help, contact Web Panel Solutions. We’re known as the best custom shopify development services provider.