Shopify Store Setup Guide

Summary

Simon led a step-by-step tutorial on designing and launching a Shopify store, covering theme selection, store customization, product and collection setup, menu and footer configuration, payment and shipping settings, policies, domain connection, and publishing.
The session emphasized using the Dawn theme, organizing homepage content, and ensuring essential business settings are correctly configured prior to launch.
Key areas included store branding, navigation, mobile optimization, and compliance with policies and payment processors.
The walkthrough was comprehensive for first-time Shopify users aiming to establish a professional, functional online store.

(No dated or owner-specific tasks were assigned as this was an instructional video rather than a collaborative meeting.)

Sign up for a Shopify account using a referral link to access an extended free trial.
Choose a plan (basic plan recommended for beginners at $1/month for the first 3 months).
Complete registration with business address and payment method.

Explore and choose a theme via the Shopify theme store, considering free vs. paid options; the Dawn theme is highlighted as a strong starting point.
Learn how to install, activate, and switch between themes.
Overview of how Shopify store pages are structured: header, footer, and main content sections.

Demonstrated adding, removing, and rearranging homepage sections such as slideshows, featured products, and collection lists.
Detailed steps for configuring a slideshow, including uploading images and adjusting slide content and buttons.
Guidance on content organization (drag-and-drop editing) and mobile vs. desktop views.

Step-by-step on adding products: name, description, images, pricing, variants, inventory, and shipping details.
Creation of manual collections (e.g., Men's, Women's, New Arrivals) and the process for assigning products to these collections.
Showcased how to feature selected collections and products on the homepage.

Instructions for uploading a logo and adjusting its size and placement in the header.
Customizing the main menu by adding, deleting, and reordering links for clear navigation (e.g., linking to men’s and women’s collections, removing default links).
Options for menu style (dropdown vs. hamburger drawer).

Configuring the footer: adding/removing email signup, linking social media accounts, enabling country/region and language selectors, and displaying payment method icons.
Setting up business policies (shipping, returns, privacy, terms of service) using Shopify templates and adding them to the footer for customer transparency.
Alternative method for centering policy and contact links via a custom footer menu.
Removing “Powered by Shopify” branding from the footer.

Adding a favicon for browser branding.
Options to adjust color schemes and typography.
Encouragement to use default theme optimization, with the option to further personalize styles.

Review and update store details (name, billing, currency, units) as needed.
Set up payment processing with Shopify Payments (credit card, Google Pay, Apple Pay, Shop Pay) and optional PayPal.
Configure shipping rates and profiles for domestic and international customers.
Set up tax collection based on location and sales regions.
Connect or purchase a custom domain for branding and credibility.
Enable additional sales languages if targeting international markets.
Ensure all major policies are created and accessible to comply with e-commerce requirements.

Remove password protection to publish the store and make it publicly accessible.

Dawn theme selected as default — Chosen for simplicity, reliability, and wide adoption by successful Shopify stores.
Manual collections approach — Manual product assignment for initial setup simplicity; automations and tags can be used as the catalog grows.
Policy links via custom menu — Used to achieve improved visual alignment and control within the footer.

None noted; all steps provided were instructional with no unresolved issues or pending follow-ups.