Opening a Shopify store is thrilling—but success will depend on how well you get it set up. If you desire rapid growth, you’ll require a good foundation, savvy tools, and a sales-boosting strategy. This entire Shopify Store Setup Checklist will guide you in creating a professional store, optimizing for sales, and getting it ready for sustainable growth.
Select the Proper Shopify Plan
Begin with a plan that suits your objectives:
Basic Plan – Perfect for newbies
Shopify Plan – Perfect for expanding brands
Advanced Plan – Best for scaling and insights
Try out 3-day free trial before committing.
Choose a Profitable Niche and Product
Pre-launch research:- Utilize Google Trends, TikTok, and Amazon to identify trending products.
- Ensure your niche is low competition and high demand.
- Verify profit margins and shipping charges before making the final decision.
Purchase a Domain Name
Your name should:
Be short and memorable
Be easy to recall
Contain your niche or brand keyword (optional)
You can purchase directly from Shopify or link from GoDaddy, Namecheap, etc.
Select and Personalize a Theme
- Select a speedy, mobile-responsive theme:
- Basic themes such as Dawn or Craft are good for newbies.
- For more professional customization, use paid themes available in the Shopify Theme Store.
- Personalize your store’s typography, color scheme, and logo to reflect your brand.
Set Up Must-Have Pages
All stores require the following pages:
Home Page – Simple value proposition and highlighted products
Product Pages – Good photographs, descriptions, and reviews
About Us – Establish trust with your brand history
Contact Us – Have a form, email, or phone number
Privacy Policy, Refund Policy, and Terms of Service – Legal protection and transparency
Utilize Shopify’s free policy generator to make this faster.
Include High-Converting Products
Winning product page tips:- Utilize HD images and videos
- Optimize product descriptions for SEO
- Include urgency triggers such as limited quantity or countdown timers
- Utilize apps such as Loox or Judge.me for social proof (reviews)
Install Payment Gateways
Configure payment options your audience has faith in:
Shopify Payments (no transaction charges)
PayPal
Cash on Delivery (optional in some regions)
Manual options such as Bank Transfer if required
Ensure you test a transaction to ensure everything functions!
Set up Shipping and Taxes
Establish shipping zones and rates (free, flat, or real-time)
Add estimated delivery times
Use Shopify Shipping for discounted labels (in regions that support it)
Set up tax settings by your country’s regulations
Install Must-Have Apps
Apps can turbocharge your store’s performance:
Marketing & SEO: Plug in SEO, Klaviyo, Omnisend
Reviews: Loox, Judge.me
Upsell & Cross-Sell: ReConvert, Frequently Bought Together
Urgency: Sales Pop, Countdown Timer
Analytics: Lucky Orange, Google Analytics
Don’t load up—begin with apps of necessity only.
Set Up Email Marketing
Capture and convert your traffic:- Add welcome discount popups
- Create abandoned cart and thank-you emails
- Begin collecting subscribers from day one
- Utilize tools such as Klaviyo or Shopify Email
Connect Sales Channels
Go multichannel to grow quickly:- Add Facebook/Instagram Shop
- Sync with Google Shopping
- Sell on TikTok or Pinterest
- Look at Amazon or Etsy integrations (if applicable)
More channels = more customers.
Optimize for SEO
Grow traffic without ads:- Use keywords in titles, URLs, meta descriptions
- Renaming image files with keywords
- Adding alt text on each image
- Blog regularly on product subjects
- Submit sitemap to Google Search Console
Launch with a Bang
Before going live:
- Test mobile and desktop versions
- Create a test order
- Check page speed (use tools like GTMetrix or PageSpeed Insights)
- Add Facebook Pixel and Google Analytics
- Create hype on social media (countdown, teaser, pre-launch signup)
Track, Learn, and Optimize
- Post-launch:
- See how things are going with Shopify analytics
- Watch out for conversion rates and bounce rates
- Split-test product pages, prices, and calls-to-action
- Refine based on customer feedback
- Continuously test ads and organic marketing
