Shopify Store Setup Tutorial: Launch Your First Store Step by Step

Shopify makes it possible to open a real online shop without writing code, but the admin has dozens of settings and it’s easy to launch with a broken checkout or a missing refund policy. This Shopify store setup tutorial walks you through the order that actually works, from a blank account to your first test order, with notes for sellers in India. Shopify setup is part of Month 1 in the Omebly E-Commerce Architecture course.

Quick answer: To set up a Shopify store, create an account and fill in store details, choose and customise a theme, add products and collections, connect a payment gateway (in India, a third-party option such as Razorpay, PayU or Cashfree), set shipping zones, taxes and policies, connect a domain, then place a test order before you remove the password page and launch.

Before you open Shopify: prepare these first

Setting up is much faster when the content is ready. Gather:

• Brand basics: store name, logo, two or three brand colours and a font pairing.
• Product photos: clean, consistent images, ideally square, on a plain background.
• Product details: title, description, price, compare-at price (if on sale), SKU, weight and variants such as size or colour.
• Business details: legal name, address, GSTIN if registered, support email and phone.
• Policies: refund and return rules, shipping times and areas.

If you’re still choosing a platform at all, our guide on how to build an online store compares the main options.

Step 1: Create your account and store details

Sign up on Shopify and start the trial (trial terms change, so check the current offer). In Settings > Store details, add your store name, contact email, billing address and store currency. For an Indian store, choose INR. Set the time zone correctly; it affects order times and reports.

Step 2: Choose and customise a theme

Go to Online Store > Themes. Start with a free theme. You can always switch later, and free themes are fast and well maintained.

In the theme editor:

1. Upload your logo and set brand colours and fonts.
2. Build the homepage: a hero banner with one clear message, featured collections, a short brand story and trust points (delivery times, returns, payment options).
3. Check the mobile view. Most shoppers in India browse on phones, so preview every section on the mobile toggle.

Keep the homepage short. Shoppers want to reach products quickly.

Step 3: Add products properly

In Products > Add product, fill in:

Field	Tip
Title	Clear and searchable: “Handmade Soy Candle, Sandalwood, 200 g”
Description	Benefits first, then details: size, material, care, what’s in the box
Media	4–6 photos: front, back, detail, in use, scale
Price and compare-at price	Use compare-at only for a genuine previous price
Inventory and SKU	Track quantity so you don’t sell what you don’t have
Weight	Needed for accurate shipping rates
Variants	Size, colour or scent, each with its own price and stock
Search engine listing	Edit the page title, meta description and URL handle

Rename image files and add alt text before you upload. The same rules from our on-page SEO checklist apply to product pages.

Step 4: Organise collections and navigation

Collections group products, such as “Candles”, “Gift sets” or “Under ₹999”. Shopify lets you create manual collections (you pick the products) or automated collections (products join based on rules such as tag or price).

Then go to Online Store > Navigation and build the main menu: Home, Shop (with collections underneath), About and Contact. Add the policy pages to the footer menu.

Step 5: Set up payments (with notes for India)

At the time of writing, Shopify Payments isn’t available for India-based stores, so you’ll connect a third-party payment gateway in Settings > Payments. Popular choices for Indian sellers include Razorpay, PayU and Cashfree, which support UPI, cards, net banking and wallets. Each gateway has its own sign-up, KYC and fees, and Shopify may add its own transaction fee on third-party gateways depending on your plan. Compare both before choosing.

You can also add Cash on Delivery as a manual payment method. COD increases trust for first-time buyers but brings returned parcels, so some stores add a small COD fee or limit it to certain pin codes using apps.

Step 6: Shipping, taxes and checkout

Shipping

In Settings > Shipping and delivery, create shipping zones (for example, “India” and “International”) and rates: free shipping above a cart value, flat rates or weight-based rates. Shipping apps from Indian courier aggregators can automate labels and tracking once orders start.

Taxes and GST

In Settings > Taxes and duties, set up taxes for India. Decide whether your prices include tax, and add your GSTIN in store details if you’re registered so it can appear on invoices. GST rules are specific to your products and business, so confirm rates with your accountant rather than guessing.

Checkout

In Settings > Checkout, choose whether customers need an account (guest checkout usually converts better), collect phone numbers for delivery updates, and turn on order status notifications.

Step 7: Policies, pages and legal basics

In Settings > Policies, add refund, privacy, terms of service and shipping policies. Shopify offers templates, but edit them to match what you actually do. Then create About, Contact and FAQ pages under Online Store > Pages. Clear policies reduce support messages and build trust.

Step 8: Connect a domain

Buy a domain through Shopify or connect one you already own in Settings > Domains. A short brand domain (yourbrand.in or yourbrand.com) looks far more trustworthy than the default myshopify address. Set it as the primary domain.

Step 9: Test everything before launch

1. Place a test order using your gateway’s test mode, or Shopify’s test gateway.
2. Check emails: order confirmation, shipping update and refund messages.
3. Test on a phone over mobile data, not just office Wi-Fi.
4. Try a COD order and a refund, if you offer them.
5. Ask two friends to buy something and tell you where they hesitated.

Shopify’s Help Center manual has detailed guides for every screen if anything doesn’t match.

Step 10: Launch

Choose a paid plan, then remove the password page in Online Store > Preferences. Connect Google Analytics 4 and submit your sitemap in Google Search Console so search engines find your products. Announce the launch on WhatsApp and social media, and keep an eye on the first orders personally.

Planning for a festive season? Our Diwali e-commerce website checklist covers speed, stock and offers before peak traffic.

Common beginner mistakes

• Launching without a test order. A broken gateway costs real sales.
• Too many apps. Each app can slow the store. Install only what you need.
• Thin product descriptions. “Nice candle” doesn’t answer a buyer’s questions.
• Copied policies. Policies must match how you actually ship and refund.
• Ignoring mobile. Check every page on a phone before launch.
• Fake discounts. Compare-at prices should be real previous prices.

Shopify launch checklist

• Store details, currency and time zone set
• Theme customised and checked on mobile
• Products with photos, alt text, weights and SEO fields
• Collections and navigation menus
• Payment gateway connected and tested
• Shipping zones, taxes and checkout settings
• Refund, privacy, terms and shipping policies
• Custom domain set as primary
• Test orders, emails and refund checked
• GA4 and Search Console connected

How Omebly can help

The Omebly E-Commerce Architecture course is live and mentor-led, with recordings and weekly one-on-one reviews. Core ($699, 3 months) covers e-commerce models, Shopify and WooCommerce setup, catalogues and themes, then payments, shipping, basic taxes, checkout optimisation and apps, then custom storefront basics with Next.js, store SEO and analytics. Professional ($1,199, 6 months) adds headless commerce, inventory sync, multi-currency, performance and security. Career ($1,999, 12 months) adds marketplace integrations, automation, a full client-style store build and placement assistance. Tools include Shopify, WooCommerce, Next.js, Stripe/Razorpay, GA4, Figma and Postman. You get an Omebly certificate of completion, with no job promise.

Would you rather have a team build the store for you? See Omebly’s e-commerce website service. For questions, message us on WhatsApp or use the contact page.

Pick ten products, follow the ten steps above, and place your first test order this weekend.