How to Set Up a Shopify Site & Store: Complete Step-by-Step Guide 2026

To set up a Shopify site: 1) Create a Shopify account at shopify.com (14-day free trial), 2) Choose a store name and set your store details, 3) Complete store setup questionnaire (products, revenue goals), 4) Select a theme from the Shopify Theme Store, 5) Add your products (manual upload or CSV import), 6) Configure payment settings (Shopify Payments or third-party gateways), 7) Set up shipping zones and rates, 8) Configure taxes, 9) Customize your store design, 10) Add essential apps, and 11) Launch your store. The process typically takes 1-3 days for a basic store.

To set up a Shopify account: Go to shopify.com and click 'Start free trial', Enter your email address and create a password, Choose whether you're selling already or just starting, Enter your store name (can be changed later), Provide basic information (business type, products you'll sell), Verify your email address, Complete the setup questionnaire about your business goals, and Start your 14-day free trial. No credit card required for trial. You can set up your store during the trial period and only pay when you're ready to launch.

Setting up a Shopify store takes: Basic store (template, few products): 2-4 hours, Complete store (customization, products, apps): 1-3 days, Professional store (custom design, many products): 1-2 weeks. The quick setup includes: Account creation (10 minutes), Basic configuration (30 minutes), Theme selection (15 minutes), Product upload (1-2 hours), Payment/shipping setup (30 minutes), Essential apps (30 minutes). More complex setups with custom design, many products, or integrations take longer. Shopify provides excellent documentation and support to speed up the process.

To set up a Shopify store you need: A Shopify account (14-day free trial available), Email address, Business information (name, address, tax ID if applicable), Product information (images, descriptions, prices, variants), Payment method (credit card for Shopify plan, bank account for Shopify Payments), Domain name (included free .myshopify.com or custom domain), and Basic business knowledge. You don't need technical skills - Shopify's interface is user-friendly. Optional but recommended: Professional product photos, business logo, custom domain name, and essential apps to enhance functionality.

To design your Shopify website: 1) Choose a theme from the Shopify Theme Store (free or paid), 2) Customize the theme using the theme editor (colors, fonts, layouts), 3) Add your logo and branding elements, 4) Customize homepage sections (hero, featured products, testimonials), 5) Configure product page layout, 6) Set up navigation menus, 7) Add content pages (About, Contact, Privacy Policy), 8) Optimize for mobile (themes are responsive), 9) Test on different devices, and 10) Consider custom design if you need unique branding. Most themes offer extensive customization without coding. For advanced customization, consider hiring a Shopify developer or using Shopify's theme development tools.

Shopify offers a 14-day free trial with no credit card required. During the trial, you can fully set up and customize your store. After the trial, Shopify plans start at $29/month for Basic Shopify, $79/month for Shopify, and $299/month for Advanced Shopify. Shopify Plus (enterprise) starts at $2,300/month. The free trial lets you: Create your store, Add products, Customize design, Set up payments and shipping, Test the checkout process, and Install apps. You only start paying when you're ready to launch and accept real orders.