How to Start an Online Store in 2019 (Step by Step)

By WP Saviour •  Updated: 03/04/21 •  12 min read

Do you wish to begin your personal on-line retailer? We all know that constructing a web-based retailer generally is a terrifying thought particularly when you’re not a techy. Nicely, you’re not alone. After serving to lots of of customers begin their on-line retailer, we’ve got determined to create essentially the most complete information on tips on how to construct your on-line retailer with WordPress (step-by-step)

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What Do You Have to Begin an On-line Retailer?

There had by no means been a greater time to start out a web-based enterprise than in the present day.

Anybody with a pc can get began inside a matter of minutes and with out buying any particular expertise.

The three issues you have to begin a web-based retailer are:

  1. A website identify thought (this would be the identify of your on-line retailer i.e wpsavoiur.com)
  2. A webhosting account (that is the place your web site lives on the web)
  3. Your undivided consideration for 30 minutes.

Yep, it’s actually that easy.

You’ll be able to setup your personal on-line retailer with WordPress in lower than 30 minutes and we’ll stroll you thru every step of the method.

On this tutorial, we are going to cowl:

Prepared? Let’s get began.

For those who don’t just like the video or want extra directions, then proceed studying.

Step 1: Organising Your On-line Retailer Platform

The most important mistake most customers make shouldn’t be choosing the proper platform for his or her on-line retailer.

Fortunately you’re right here, so that you received’t be making that mistake.

There are two well-liked eCommerce platforms that we advocate: Shopify or WordPress + WooCommerce.

Shopify is a totally hosted eCommerce answer that begins at $29 / month. It’s a hassle-free answer the place you simply login and begin promoting. The draw back to Shopify is that it will get fairly costly, and your cost choices are restricted until you pay extra charges.

That is why most customers select WordPress + WooCommerce due to the flexibleness it gives. It does require some setup, nevertheless it’s price doing it for the long term. WooCommerce is the world’s largest eCommerce platform (see: Shopify vs WooCommerce comparability).

On this tutorial, we are going to stroll you thru tips on how to setup a web-based retailer in WordPress utilizing WooCommerce.

To setup your retailer, you have to have a area identify, webhosting, and a SSL certificates.

A website identify is your web site’s tackle on the web. It’s what customers will sort of their browsers to succeed in your web site (for instance: google.com or wpsavoiur.com).

Hosting is the place your web site lives on the web. It’s your web site’s home on the web. Each web site on the web wants webhosting.

SSL certificates provides a particular safety layer in your web site, so you possibly can settle for delicate data similar to bank card numbers and different private data. That is required so that you can settle for bank card funds in your web site.

Usually a site identify prices round $14.99 / 12 months, webhosting prices round $7.99 / month, and SSL certificates prices round $69.99 / 12 months.

That’s loads of startup value.

Fortunately, Bluehost, an official WordPress and WooCommerce really useful internet hosting supplier, has agreed to supply our customers a free area identify, free SSL certificates, and a reduction on webhosting.

Principally, you will get began for $6.95 / month.

Bluehost is without doubt one of the oldest webhosting firms, began in 1996 (that’s earlier than Google). They’re additionally the biggest model identify in relation to WordPress internet hosting as a result of they host hundreds of thousands of internet sites together with our personal.

NOTE: At WPsavoiur we imagine in transparency. For those who enroll with Bluehost utilizing our referral hyperlink, we are going to earn a small fee at no additional value to you (in reality, you’ll lower your expenses and get a free area). We’d get this fee for recommending nearly any WordPress internet hosting firm, however we solely advocate merchandise that we use personally use and imagine will add worth to our readers.

Let’s go forward and buy your area + internet hosting + SSL.

Open up Bluehost in a brand new window utilizing this hyperlink and comply with alongside.

Very first thing you have to do is click on on the inexperienced Get Began Now button to get began.

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On the following display, choose the plan that you simply want (starter and plus are the preferred).

After that, you can be requested to enter the area identify to your web site.

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Lastly, you will have so as to add your account data and finalize the package deal information to finish the method. On this display, you will note non-compulsory extras that you could buy.

It’s solely as much as you whether or not or not you buy these, however we typically don’t advocate buying these. You’ll be able to at all times add them afterward, should you determine that you simply want them.

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As soon as accomplished, you’ll obtain an e mail with particulars on tips on how to login to your webhosting management panel (cPanel). That is the place you handle all the pieces from assist, emails, amongst different issues.

Go forward and login to your cPanel. You’ll be greeted with a popup informing you that WordPress with WooCommerce is pre-installed in your web site.

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You simply have to click on on ‘Login to your website’ button, and it’ll take you to your WordPress website’s dashboard.

Congrats, you will have completed establishing internet hosting and area half.

The subsequent step is to setup your WordPress website after which your on-line retailer.

Step 2. Organising WordPress

Bluehost has robotically put in WordPress and WooCommerce in your web site.

Whenever you first login to WordPress, you will note a welcome message. You’ll be requested what sort of web site you wish to arrange.

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Go forward and click on on ‘I don’t need assistance’ hyperlink. Don’t fear we are going to stroll you thru all the required steps.

Closing the setup wizard will present your WordPress admin dashboard which seems to be like this:

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First, you have to go to Settings » Basic web page to setup your WordPress website title and outline.

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Organising HTTPS to Use SSL

Your WordPress internet hosting package deal got here with a free SSL Certificates. This certificates is pre-installed to your area identify. Nonetheless, your WordPress website must be configured, so it hundreds as https vs http.

On the Settings » Basic web page, you have to change your WordPress Deal with and Web site Deal with to make use of https as a substitute of http.

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Don’t overlook to scroll right down to the underside of the web page and click on on the save adjustments button to retailer your settings.

Your fundamental WordPress setup is full. Now it’s time to setup your on-line retailer.

Step 3. Organising Your WooCommerce Retailer

Earlier than you can begin promoting, there are some things like forex, funds, and transport data that you have to arrange.

You’ll be seeing a ‘Welcome to WooCommerce’ notification in your WordPress admin pages. Go forward and click on on the ‘Run setup wizard’ button within the notification.

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This can launch the WooCommerce setup wizard the place you have to click on on the ‘Let’s go’ button to get began.

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WooCommerce wants few important pages for cart, account, store, and checkout. You’ll be able to click on on the proceed button to robotically create these pages.

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This can convey you to the following step.

Now you will have to inform WooCommerce the place your retailer is positioned and which forex and unit measures to make use of.

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After deciding on your location and forex, click on on the proceed button to maneuver on.

Subsequent, you have to enter transport and tax data.

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WooCommerce can be utilized to promote each digital downloads and bodily items that want transport.

You’ll want to test the field if you can be transport items, or you possibly can go away it unchecked if you’ll solely be promoting digital items.

Subsequent you have to reply the tax query. WooCommerce will help you robotically calculate and add taxes to your costs.

In case you are undecided, then you possibly can go away it unchecked. You’ll be able to at all times add tax data later from WooCommerce settings.

Click on on the proceed button to maneuver on.

Subsequent, you can be requested to decide on a cost methodology to your on-line retailer.

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By default, WooCommerce comes with assist for PayPal, PayPal Normal, and Stripe cost gateways. There are various different cost strategies out there for WooCommerce which you’ll set up later should you want.

The best approach to settle for cost is utilizing PayPal Normal.

Merely enter your PayPal e mail tackle and click on on the proceed button.

Lots of people together with us, use each PayPal and Stripe. By utilizing Stripe, you permit your customers to enter their bank card data on the checkout web page with out having to depart your website and going to PayPal.

You’ll be able to setup Stripe by following the directions on the WooCommerce display.

When you’re completed, your WooCommerce on-line retailer is all setup.

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You’ll want to click on on the ‘Return to WordPress dashboard’ hyperlink to exit the setup wizard.

After ending the WooCommerce setup, you at the moment are prepared so as to add merchandise to your on-line retailer.

Step 4. Including Merchandise to Your On-line Retailer

Let’s begin with including the primary product to your on-line retailer.

You’ll want to go to Merchandise » Add New web page so as to add a brand new product.

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First, present a title to your product after which some detailed description.

On the best hand column, you will note the ‘Product Classes’ field. Click on on the ‘+Add New Product Class’ to create a class for this product. This permits you and your prospects to type and browse merchandise simply.

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Scroll down somewhat and you’ll discover the Product Information field. That is the place you’ll present product associated data like pricing, stock, transport and so on.

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Under product information field, you will note a field so as to add product quick description. This quick description will likely be used when customers are viewing a number of merchandise on a web page.

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Lastly, in your proper hand column you will note bins so as to add a major product picture and a product gallery.

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As soon as you’re glad with all of the product data you will have added, you possibly can click on on the Publish button to make it reside in your web site.

Repeat the method so as to add extra merchandise as wanted.

Step 5. Choose and Customise WordPress Theme

Themes management how your WordPress websites look to the customers once they go to it. For a WooCommerce store, in addition they management how your merchandise are displayed.

There are millions of paid and free WordPress themes out there.

Your Bluehost internet hosting account, robotically installs the Storefront theme to your web site. You will have to customise it to satisfy your wants.

Head over to Look » Customise web page. This can launch theme customizer the place you possibly can change totally different theme settings.

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For those who don’t just like the Storefront theme, then you should use one other theme by visiting Look » Themes web page.

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For those who need assistance deciding on a theme, then please discuss with our information on 9 issues it’s best to contemplate when deciding on an ideal WordPress theme.

Step 6. Lengthen Your On-line Retailer With Plugins

Now that you’ve got your on-line retailer prepared, you in all probability wish to get began with including different ordinary components in your web site similar to a contact kind, about web page, and extra.

To additional customise WordPress and add options like contact kinds, galleries, sliders, and so on, you have to use WordPress plugins.

WordPress plugins are apps that permit you to add new options to your web site.

There are over 46,000 WordPress plugins out there. At WPsavoiur, we function the most effective WordPress plugins that will help you add the performance that you simply want.

We’ve a step-by-step information on tips on how to set up a WordPress plugin.

Typically readers ask us which plugins do you employ in your web site. You’ll be able to try our Blueprint to see the listing of plugins and instruments that we use.

Studying WordPress to Develop Your On-line Enterprise

WordPress is extremely highly effective and WPsavoiur is the biggest free WordPress useful resource website for savoiurs.

At WPsavoiur, our major purpose is to supply cutting-edge useful WordPress tutorials which can be simple to know even for non-techy WordPress web site homeowners.

You can too subscribe to WPsavoiur’s YouTube Channel the place we usually share video tutorials that will help you study WordPress.

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WP Saviour

I am a WordPress specialist. My mission is to help you create beautiful websites with ease!