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How to Set Up Your Shopify Account and Store Basics

Thinking about launching your online store with Shopify? One of the most common questions we hear is:

“How do I set up my Shopify store from scratch?”

In this post, we’ll walk you through the foundational setup steps for your Shopify account, focusing on the key basics every merchant should handle before customizing their theme or adding products.

1. Create Your Shopify Account

One of the most effective ways to create a Shopify account is to contact a Shopify Partner. Why? Simple…we can offer a longer free trial, walk you through the basics and help get things started. Contact us today!

2. Choose a Store Name and Domain

Your Shopify store starts with a temporary domain (like mystore.myshopify.com), but for professionalism and branding, buy a custom domain through Shopify or connect one you already own.

Before you select a domain name or store name you should do some research! These steps are key to ensuring your business starts on the right foot.

  • Target Audience: Who are you trying to reach? What do they value in a brand?
  • Pronunciation: Is it easy to say out loud?
  • Future Scope: Will the name limit you if you expand into new products, markets, or services?
  • Avoid Confusion: Avoid names that sound or look too similar to competitors or unrelated brands.
  • Exact Match Domain: Is the .com available? It’s still the most trusted extension.
  • Keyword Potential: Does the name include a relevant or niche keyword? (Optional but helpful.)
  • Social Media Handles: Can you get consistent handles across major platforms (IG, FB, TikTok, X)?
  • Trademark Search: Check USPTO (in the U.S.) or your local trademark office to ensure it’s not already in use.
  • Business Name Registration: Check your state/country business registry.

➡️ Shopify Docs: https://help.shopify.com/en/manual/domains

3. Set Currency, Time Zone, and Store Details

Head to Settings > Store details to set your legal business name, address, email, currency, and timezone. These are essential for tax settings and checkout consistency.

➡️ Shopify Docs: https://help.shopify.com/en/manual/intro-to-shopify/initial-setup/setup-checklist

4. Enable Payments

Go to Settings > Payments and activate Shopify Payments (recommended) or connect PayPal, Stripe, etc. This allows you to accept credit cards and express checkout methods.

➡️ Shopify Docs: https://help.shopify.com/en/manual/payments

5. Customer Checkout & Order Notifications

Within Settings > Checkout, you can customize your checkout branding, enable or disable customer accounts, and control what happens after an order is placed (like email confirmations and thank-you pages).

➡️ Shopify Docs: https://help.shopify.com/en/manual/checkout-settings

The wrap up!

Laying the groundwork now means fewer headaches down the road. With your Shopify account and key settings in place, you’re ready to focus on what your customers will actually see—your storefront. In our next post, we’ll walk you through choosing and customizing a Shopify theme that looks great and converts.

Need help along the way? Our Shopify experts are here to guide you through every step, from setup to scaling.