Launch an online store with Shopify

Intro to Shopify

Setting up your Shopify free trial
Before we can do anything we need to setup a free trial with Shopify. Click here to go to the Shopify home page which is where you will find the sign-up for their 14-day free trial.

You don't have to enter any billing information to start your trial of Shopify. Once they setup your store you will be prompted to enter your address and then you are done!

Setting up your Shop

Edit your General Settings
Your general settings include the basic formatting for your shop like description, address, currency, etc. Follow along with the video and make sure to update the sections below.
- Store Description
- Store Address
- Standards & Formats
- Google Analytics
Since you are currently on the trial version your storefront is password protected. To make your site live and remove the storefront's password you will need to pick a paid plan.

Make sure to note the url of the backend of your site. The site will be viewed at yourstoresname.myshopify.com with the password given to you. To edit your site you will go to yourstoresname.myshopify.com/admin
Accepting Payments
There are multiple options for payment gateways and depending on the one you choose it may take a few days to verify. This is why it is important to get it setup in the beginning.

Choose your payment gateway and proceed with setting up your financial information and account setup.

Don't forget to setup your different order processing settings below.
- Customer accounts
- Order processing
- Policy Statements
- Language Preference
Setting up Shipping
To be able to start fulfilling orders you need to setup your shipping address along with your shipping rates.

Shipping rates can be setup by country and then can be adjusted for each individual region if you want. Your shipping will be calculated by either weight or price.

If you choose the Unlimited Shopify plan you can activate Real-time carrier shipping for a carrier like UPS or FedEx. Carrier calculated shipping will calculate the exact price of the shipping based on weight and exact location instead of doing flat-rate shipping.

You also have the option to activate fulfillment or dropshipping for your store if you have that setup with your products already.

For this section complete the different items below.
- Setup standard shipping by country/region
- Setup heavy goods shipping by country/region
- Setup international shipping by country/region
- Create free shipping for orders over a certain amount
Setting up Taxes
You are required to charge taxes for the state your business is located in. For example, I am located in North Carolina but if I also have an office in Tennessee I would need to setup taxes for both locations.

In the shipping area you can setup shipping rates for each area you are located and Shopify will automatically calculate the taxes for each order.

To complete this step setup the tasks below.
- Setup your tax rates or check the box that taxes are included in your pricing already
Get to Know Other Areas of your Shop
Most of the areas of the backend of Shopify I will walk you through in this class. The only areas I really won't talk about very much are listed with descriptions below.

Dashboard View
When you log into your site's backend this is the first area you will see. It is very bare when you are getting started but as you get orders this area will fill out. The main information on your Dashboard includes recent orders, total sales and site traffic.

Files
The files area is located under settings. It stores all your images for your site like product images, collection images and blog images. You can either upload your image here or upload it on your individual item's page. You can also copy the link for an image here.

Account

The account area is located under settings. The account page let's you manage your account items such as your current plan, credit card information, staff members and a listing of all your invoices. You can also close your store here.

Creating Collections & Products

Create your Collections
Collections are how you will group your items together on your site. For example an online boutique may have the following collections: dresses, shirts, pants, shoes, etc. You can also break down the collections even more so instead of just shoes you could have your collections be boots, high-heels, sandals, etc.

You will add all the actual products in the next step but we need to go ahead and start setting up your grouping.

Create all the collections you anticipate needing for your store and include descriptions and images if you want.

My online store, Jam + Toast, actually uses the collection image, title and description for the collection pages.
Add in your First Product
Products are of course a very essential part of your site and will require the most work setting up especially if you have a lot. If you are already using another eCommerce system like Magento, eBay or Wordpress you can import them using the importer app. You also can import a CSV file or of course you can manually enter them.

Start with one product and try and fill it in as much as possible. Then if you have similar products you can duplicate the major details and the process goes faster.

Fill out the areas below to complete your first product.
- Project details
- Inventory & variants
- Images
- Tags
- Add to a collection
- SEO title and description
Note that not all these areas may be shown on your site depending on which theme you chose. (More on themes and site styling in section 5)
Share your Current Progress on your Project Page
Skillshare allows you to create a project for this class so that you can share your shop and give feedback to others.

Go to the Student Gallery section of this class and create a project to share with me and your fellow students. Sharing your project can not only help market your shop but can also give you valuable feedback to help improve it.

*Make sure to include a screenshot of your site so that we can see all your hardwork!

Creating Pages & Menus

Create an About page
An about page is a great page for every site to have because it builds a foundation and establishes trust with your customer.

Write out your page and include any visuals you want with the editor.
Setting up your Menu
So your site is still looking pretty bare but we are going to start pulling everything together by adding a menu. Shopify creates a main menu and footer menu for you automatically but we are going to go in and update it with our pages and collections.

In the main menu link list start by adding the collection pages you want and linking them up.

Don't worry about the blog because we will do that in section 4.

Edit the menu to include your items and create any additional link lists for dropdowns.

Setting up a Blog/News Feed

Naming your Blog
Shopify sets up a blog named News automatically for you. We are going to change the name to make it more dynamic.

Follow the steps in the video to rename the current blog or you can create a completely new one. Make sure to fill in the items below for your blog.
- Blog details
- Comments
- SEO details
Adding the Blog into your Menu
Similar to editing the menu in section 3, now we are going to make sure our blog is added in correctly.

Add in your blog and edit the name how you want it to appear in your menu.
Adding in your first Blog Post
Now add your first blog post by filling out the areas below.
- Blog title, content and details
- Add an excerpt (optional)
- Tags
- SEO details
- Visibility
You can also manage comments and approve them from the main blog post area.

I suggest creating a test comment so you can approve it and see how that process works plus how the comment is styled in your theme. Just make sure to delete the test comment before you make the site live.
Update your Project in the Student Gallery Area
Now that you have created a blog, added it to your menu and added in your first blog post make sure to update your project in the student gallery section of this class.

If you didn't setup a project for this class in step three make sure you take the time to do it now. Also while you are there make sure to give feedback on your fellow student's work.

*Make sure to include a screenshot of your site so that we can see all your hardwork!

Styling your Site with Themes

Shopify's Options for Themes
Themes are a way you can customize your store to make it more stylish and better match your branding. Shopify has a theme store that has both paid and free themes that you can add to your store and configure. There are a couple things you want to keep in mind while checking out themes and they are listed below.
- responsive (website adapts according to the device in use)
- same image configuration (very horizontal vs very vertical images)
- general layout you want (logo above navigation vs next to it)
- functionality you want (do you want a slideshow or email newsletter signup)
You can also hire a Shopify Expert to create a custom design for you or edit your current site's styling and layout.

You can also have a separate site design for mobile users only which gives you even greater control of how your customers see your content on their devices.

Start thinking about the design and elements you want for your site and create a wish list. The wish list will help you choose the right theme for you.

Being mindful of the design and features you are looking for will save you from purchasing multiple themes and spending extra money.
Choose a Theme for your Store
Now that you have created your wish list you can start narrowing down the right themes for you.

I suggest even picking out your favorite two or three designs and doing some market research by asking a few of your current or ideal customers what they prefer.

Once you have decided on your final theme you can click the big "Get Theme" button and confirm that you want to add it to your store. In the next step we will start customizing it to better match your branding.

Pick your theme and add it to your store.
Editing your Theme's Settings
Theme settings are what you can use to change the main styling aspects of your site like colors, fonts, logo etc.

The settings will be different for every site so it's always helpful to look at the theme documentation to see how to properly customize the theme. A few of the normal settings you can change are below.
- Theme Presets
- Logo, Images and Colors
- Typography
- Navigation
- Footer
- Home Page
- Product Page
- Collection View
- Blog Page
- Cart
- Additional Layouts
Start working your way through your theme's settings so that your site is looking more like how you want.
Share your Recent Project Updates
Your site is really starting to come together now that you have added in some site styling. Showcase your recent work by updating your project screenshots in the Student Gallery section.

I can't wait to see how your site is coming along so make sure you continually update your project so that your fellow students and I can give feedback and see your progress!

*Make sure to include a screenshot of your site so that we can see all your hardwork!

Adding Functionality with Apps

Shopify's Options for Apps
Shopify comes with a lot of features already but you can also add on apps to your store to really customize it to fit your needs.

There are a lot of apps in the App Store and you can also contact a Shopify Expert about developing certain functionality for you.

Since there are a lot of apps available I wanted to share with you the apps I am currently using for my site to give you a starting place.

Check out the app store and make a list of other functionality that you would like to see in your shop.
Adding an App to your Store
Now that you have your wish list for functionality go to the App Store and start sorting by category to try and find an app that matches your needs.

When deciding on your final app make sure to look at the reviews to see other people's experience with it. When you are ready to add it to your store hit the "Get App" button and confirm that you want to add it in.

The app will now walk you through the steps of setting it up which are completely different for each app.

*Note: Most paid apps have a trial period first but after the trial has expired the total monthly fee for the app is added to your monthly Shopify bill.

Start adding in the apps that you want and set them up to work with your store.
Share Which Apps you Chose
Did you find some cool apps in the Shopify App store that you think others will love too? Head over to your project in the Student Gallery section of this class and update your project screenshots. Make sure to also share which apps you decided to use for your store.

The Shopify App store is huge and expanding daily so help your fellow students by sharing which apps have worked well for you!

*Make sure to include a screenshot of your site so that we can see all your hardwork!

Launching your Shop

Setting up a Custom Domain
Having a custom domain for your site is a great idea because it makes it easier for your customers to type in and find you online.

Shopify gives you two options for domains: register a domain name through them or add in a domain name you already own.

If you are registering a new domain you can check availabilty of domains through the domain settings page. If you are adding in a domain name you already own it will prompt you with steps to validate your domain and have it pointing to your site.

Setting up a domain name through Shopify will be the easiest and quickest route but if you already have a domain name purchased then follow the steps below.
1. Add domain to account
2. Set your A Record to point to their IP address.
Click here for instructions on configuring your A Record for the top domain providers.

*Note it will take anywhere from 24-48 hours depending on your domain provider to set it up.
Setting up Order Notifications
Before you start accepting orders you want to make sure you have order notifications setup so you know when you get a new order.

Head over to the Settings main area and then to the Notifications tab to see all the notifications in place. You can click on each notification individually and adjust the text or enable HTML formating.

You can also add multiple email addresses or phone numbers for people you want notified of a new order.

You can also create a WebHook to pull additional information for an order like adding it into your accounting system or creating license keys for software sales. We aren't going to get into WebHooks in this class but you can find out more information about them and setting them up on the Shopify Documentation.

Customize your email templates and order notifications so you make sure you don't miss a single order.
Choosing a Paid Plan
To make your site go live and take off the password protection on your storefront you will need to purchase a paid plan with Shopify. Thankfully though they have a few different options to fit businesses of all sizes.

Check out their pricing structure below and activate the right plan for your business. The Shopify POS system is available on all plans for an additional $49 a month.

Yo can add on a paid plan by either setting it up in your account settings or by clicking the pop-up towards the bottom of your screen that has been keeping up with your trial period.

*Note: You will not be charged for your plan till your free trial runs up.
Setting up Discount Codes
Depending on the plan you have choosen you may be able to use discount codes to market your store.

You can either have Shopify generate your code automatically or you can create a more descriptive code to make it easier to track.

Setup your code by filling out the steps below. Make sure you remember your code so you can test it in the next step.
- Code details
- Discount type
- Date Range
Run a Test Order
Before you start marketing your site and accepting orders you want to make sure that the ordering process is working correctly!

First go to the Checkout settings area and change your payment method to "Bogus Gateway" so that you aren't charged while making the test.

Then head to the front-end of your shop and run a test purchase.

It's always a good idea to walk through the purchase process so that you can assist your customers with it if they have any questions.

Managing Orders

Fulfilling Orders
The final unit in this class is walking through managing your store and this all takes place in the orders section. The Orders area is where you will see a feed of all your orders and quickly be able to identify which have been fulfilled and which have not.

By clicking on an individual order you can get all the information for that order like the product, quantity, total price and shipping location. You can also easily fulfill the order or refund a payment which will both send an automatically generated message to the customer.

You can also print the order and cancel the order for the individual order page. If you go back to the orders main page you can actually export your tootle order history which is really helpful and manage abandoned carts.

Play around with fulfilling your test order and get acquainted with the orders area.

*NOTE: Make sure you have taken off the test payment in the Checkout area and have now enabled real payment processing.
Get to Know the Customers Area
Keeping track of customers and potential opportunities can be a big bonus for your success online. In the customers area you can see an ongoing feed of all your customers and can filter them by the tabs at the top. You can also export your customer's information which can be really helpful if you are manually adding them to your email marketing service.

Its really helpful to see all your "Prospects" which are people who abandoned their cart and all your "Repeat Customers" because you can then send them target emails with discount codes to hopefully close the sale or get more repeat business.

Play around with the customer profile created by your test order and get acquainted with the customers area.
Marketing your Store
Congratulations! Your store is now live and you have your systems in place to fulfill orders and create tons of happy customers!

Now it's time to start marketing your store and products to start driving sales and traffic online to you.

Below are just a few apps and resources I recommend for growing your business.
1. Plug in SEO app- Great for checking in on possible ways to improve your search engine ranking.
2. Fliptabify app- Quickly pull your online store into Facebook to start selling from inside Facebook.
3. Heyo- Great company that helps you build your social media presence through their software.
4. Outright- Simple online bookkeeping that helps you keep everything automated and painless.
5. B-School by Marie Forleo- Online coaching and brand positioning course to help you grow your business.
**NOTE: Make sure to share your store in the Project Gallery area of this class to get feedback from me and other students.
Share your Final Store
I'm so excited that you have been able to create an online store with my class and I can't wait to see the final site!

Head over to the Student Gallery section of this class and update your project screenshots one last time to showcase all your hardwork!

*Make sure to include a screenshot of your site so that we can see all your hardwork!

Nichole Williamson

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