Shopify course part 1

When you first step into the world of Shopify, the very first thing you need is an account. Think of this as opening the doors to your digital shop. It’s simple, it’s quick, and it doesn’t require any technical knowledge.

You start by going to Shopify.com and clicking on Start Free Trial. Shopify will ask for your email, a password, and of course, a store name. Now, I want you to pause here for a second. Your store name is not just a label — it’s the beginning of your brand identity. Imagine you’re meeting a customer for the first time; your name should make them curious, excited, and willing to remember you.

For example, if you’re selling clothing, don’t call it “BestClothesShop123.” That sounds generic and forgettable. Instead, think of something creative, short, and brandable like “UrbanThreadz” or “LoomLane.” A name that makes people go, “That sounds cool, I want to check it out.”

Once you finish this step, Shopify welcomes you into the Admin Dashboard — your digital headquarters. This is where every important thing happens. On the left side, you’ll see sections like Orders, Products, Customers, Analytics, Marketing, Discounts, Apps, and Settings. Each of these is like a different department in your company. Orders is your cashier’s desk, Products is your warehouse, Customers is your CRM, Analytics is your accountant, Marketing is your advertising team, and Settings… well, that’s your control room.

Now, let’s talk about Shopify’s plans. At first, you get a free trial, but once that’s over, you need to choose a plan. Shopify gives you several options: Basic, Shopify, Advanced, and Shopify Plus. My advice? Don’t overthink this. If you’re just starting out, go with the Basic Plan. It’s affordable, it has everything you need, and you can always upgrade later when your sales grow. The golden rule of business: Don’t spend extra money before you earn it.

Next, your domain. This is your online address — the way people will find your store on the internet. Shopify will give you something like yourstore.myshopify.com. But here’s the truth: that looks unprofessional. Customers trust stores that look real, and a real store needs a proper domain like yourstore.com. You can buy it directly from Shopify for convenience, or from third-party sites like GoDaddy or Namecheap if you want to save a few dollars. But whichever route you choose, keep your domain short, clean, and memorable.

Imagine two websites:

• bestfitnessproducts-2023.com
• FitFuel.com

Which one do you think customers will click on? Exactly — the shorter, cleaner one. That’s branding at work.

So by the end of Part 1, here’s where you should be:

✅ Your Shopify account is live.

✅ You know which plan fits your journey.

✅ And you have a professional domain ready to represent your brand.

This is your foundation. And remember, without a strong foundation, no building can stand tall. Your store is the same — Chapter 1, 2, Part 1 is about laying those bricks.

In the next part, we’ll bring your store to life by setting up payments, checkout, shipping, and all the behind-the-scenes details that make your shop functional. That’s where the real magic begins.