The main reason to set up a Shopify store
So why Shopify? There are plenty of alternatives available — some specialized, some general. Some are household names, while others have a small but loyal following.
One of the leading contenders is WooCommerce. It’s not a standalone system like Shopify but a plug-in WordPress. There are more parts to it, hence more complexity.
Not the best choice for the e-commerce novice. Frustration will be inevitable. If you can’t resist, try it out when you have more experience.
Etsy is another name that’s well-known in the e-commerce community, and for good reason. It is a specialized platform for craft and handmade products. Etsy is another name that’s well-known in the e-commerce community, and for a good reason. It is a specialized platform for craft and handmade products.
Amazon and eBay are also hard hitters that pretty much everyone has used at some point.
The thing with Amazon, Etsy, and eBay is that they are already stores. You are just renting space in them. It’s like hiring a spot at a craft fair.
It isn’t easy to stand out on these selling platforms. Customers search for a product and may or may not choose yours. You are one seller in a sea of many.
With Shopify, you can write your own product descriptions, and these will come up when customers search for these keywords on Google (and other search engines). Learn how to create a Shopify store, and potential customers will soon see that your store means business.
That’s not to say you should avoid marketplaces like Amazon or eBay.
They are very lucrative sales channels. But think of them as an extension of your main store. A Shopify store is 100% yours. You choose to set it up and brand it any way you see fit.
That’s why it is the choice for over 800,000 vendors.
Many manufacturing and craft businesses have gone from zero to hero with Shopify. Shopify is here to stay. It’s the established gold standard of independent online stores.
How to set up a Shopify store
You don’t need to hire Shopify setup experts. At least not yet. You can get the advice you need for free.
Think about hiring a Shopify expert for the complicated stuff. Using one for basic setup is money down the drain. Use the expertise of real people who had gone before you and decided to put their experience into this blog post for you.
Let’s get straight into how to set up Shopify.
You’ll have a functioning store in no time — about 15 minutes or less.
Go to Shopify’s home page and click on the “Get Started” button at the top right of the screen. This takes you through to a simple form. Enter your email address, password, and store name in the appropriate boxes.
A couple of things to note: