Creating an online store with Shopify is a great way to launch your business. But before you dive into the technical creation of your store, it’s essential to lay the right foundations.
The first steps to create your Shopify store
Identify your target audience
The success of your online store largely depends on your ability to target the right people. Who are your ideal customers? What are their needs, desires, and problems that your products can solve?
- Create customer personas: Imagine typical customers. What are their names, ages, interests, buying habits?
- Analyze the competition: Who are your direct and indirect competitors? What products do they offer? Who do they target? Use analysis tools such as Google Trend, Semrush, Similar web, etc.
Why is it important to identify your target audience?
Identifying your target audience is essential to success, especially when selling online on Shopify, where competition can be fierce. Understanding your audience will help you :
1. Create and market products adapted to their real needs
Once you’ve identified your audience, it will be easier for you to develop or choose products that meet their exact needs. This increases your chances of capturing their interest and convincing them to buy from you.
2. Customize your communication and eCommerce marketing strategy
Nobody likes to receive generic messages or soulless marketing pitches. Today, personalization must be at the heart of your marketing strategy. It’s important to deliver the right message, at the right time, to the right person, on the right platform. That’s what makes your communication so much more effective.
3. Differentiate your brand from the competition
Why choose your product over so many others on the market? If you know your audience well, you already have the answer. Understanding what they expect and value will enable you to highlight specific elements that will set you apart from the competition.
4. Retain your future customers
When you understand your audience, you can anticipate their needs and offer them appropriate solutions. This creates a relationship of trust and fosters loyalty to your brand. A satisfied, well-understood customer is not only more likely to return, but also to recommend your store to others.
5. Maximize your marketing budget
Knowing your audience also means knowing where they spend most of their time and how they buy. For example, are they active on TikTok, Facebook or Instagram? This information helps you focus your marketing efforts on the right platforms.
- Why is this important?
It allows you to avoid wasting money. Instead of promoting your products everywhere, you can invest in the right platforms and target the right audience. The result: a better return on investment (ROI).
Find the right product to sell on Shopify
Once you have identified your target audience, it’s time to find the products that will appeal to them. This is probably the most crucial step in creating your Shopify store. After all, an online store cannot succeed without an attractive product.
Here are some tips to help you choose the ideal product:
- Analyze trends: Check Google Trends, social media, or marketplaces to identify popular products.
- Research the competition: Study the products offered by your competitors and find a way to stand out.
- Check demand: Use tools like Keyword Planner to identify keywords related to your product.
- Evaluate profitability: Assess the purchase cost, profit margins, and shipping fees for each product.
- Leverage your passions: Selling products you are passionate about will help you create an authentic store and better convey your enthusiasm to your customers.
Once you have a clear idea of the type of product you want to sell on Shopify, it’s time to start thinking about how to source them.
Here are 4 ways to source your products:
Create Your Own Products: If you have specific skills, you can craft handmade items. These products, often unique or personalized, attract customers looking for exclusive or high-end pieces.
Buy from Wholesalers: Working with wholesalers allows you to purchase inventory in bulk, ensuring a consistent stock and regular product availability.
Collaborate with a Manufacturer: If you want to offer original items or products under your own brand, you can work with a manufacturer to design and produce them.
Choose Print-on-Demand: This model involves customizing items with your own designs. Print-on-demand providers handle production and shipping, simplifying inventory management.
Ready to launch your Shopify store? Let’s go!
Now that you have a clear vision of your audience and the products you want to sell, it’s time to take action and create your Shopify store! Follow this step-by-step guide to set up your own online sales space.
Step 1: Create your Shopify account
The first thing to do is to visit the Shopify website and create an account. It’s free for 14 days, giving you plenty of time to test the platform and get familiar with its features.
Step 2: Set up your store’s basic information
- Store Name: Choose a name that reflects your brand and is easy to remember.
- Domain: Select a domain name that aligns with your store. Shopify will offer you various options.
- Theme: Choose a theme that matches your brand’s aesthetics and is easy for your customers to navigate. Shopify offers a wide selection of free and paid themes.
Sounds complicated? Need some help?
Step 3: Add your products
It’s time to showcase your products! For each product, you will need to provide the following information:
- Title: A clear and descriptive title that specifies exactly what you are selling.
- Description: A detailed description highlighting the features and benefits of your product.
- Images: High-quality photos from different angles to showcase your product.
- Price: The selling price of your product.
- Variants: If you offer different sizes, colors, or options, you can create product variants.
Step 4: Configure your payment methods
To make it easy for your customers to pay, Shopify supports multiple payment methods:
- Shopify Payments: An integrated solution that accepts credit cards.
- PayPal: Very popular among online shoppers.
- Alternative Payments: Integrate options like Google Pay, Apple Pay, or even cryptocurrency payments if they suit your audience.
Ensure the checkout process is simple and intuitive!
Step 5 :Configure your shipping options
Define your shipping policies to meet your customers’ needs:
- Flat or variable rates: Choose a simple pricing model or one based on weight/distance.
- Shipping zones: Decide on the regions where you want to deliver.
- Partner carriers: Shopify integrates with popular carriers for real-time shipping calculations.
Step 6: Test your store before publishing it
Before officially launching your store, perform the following checks:
- Place a test order to ensure everything works properly (payment, shipping, etc.).
- Check your store’s appearance on both mobile and desktop.
- Proofread your product descriptions and settings to avoid any mistakes.
Step 7: Launch your store!
Once you’re satisfied with your store, it’s time to make it accessible to the public. Simply click the “Publish” button, and your store will go live!
Congratulations, you’ve created your first online store!
Which Shopify package should you choose for your store?
Now that you have a good understanding of how to create your store, let’s focus on a crucial aspect: choosing the Shopify pricing plan that best suits your needs. Shopify offers several plans, each with its own features and costs.
Why is it important to choose the right plan?
The plan you choose will depend on the size of your business, your projected sales volume, and the features you need. A plan that is too basic could limit your growth, while a plan that is too expensive might be unnecessary if your store is still small.
The different Shopify plans:
Shopify offers several plans, ranging from the simplest to the most comprehensive:
- Shopify Starter: Ideal for beginners and small businesses looking to sell on social media or through a link in their bio. This plan is very affordable but comes with limited features.
- Shopify Basic: This is the most popular plan for small and medium-sized businesses. It includes all the essential features needed to create a professional online store.
- Shopify: Designed for rapidly growing businesses that require more advanced features, such as managing multiple stores or accessing more detailed reports.
- Shopify Advanced: This plan is tailored for large businesses with high sales volumes. It offers advanced features such as custom report creation and API access.
What are the main criteria to consider when choosing your plan?
- Your budget: What is your monthly budget for your e-commerce platform?
- The number of products you want to sell: Some plans have limits on the number of products you can add.
- The features you need: Do you require advanced features such as multi-channel sales management or custom reporting?
- Your expected sales volume: If you anticipate rapid growth, it might be wise to choose a plan that allows for easy scaling.
Need help selling on Shopify or creating your online store with Shopify?
Creating and managing a Shopify store may seem simple, but optimizing every step to ensure success requires time and in-depth expertise. Whether you need to create your store, redesign an existing one, or implement a marketing strategy to boost your sales, our specialized Shopify agency is here to support you.
We work with you to turn your vision into a high-performing and attractive online store. By combining design, strategy, and the right tools, we help you maximize your potential and achieve your business goals on Shopify.
Want to sell on Shopify?
