Skip to content
The ultimate guide to starting an online store

The ultimate guide to starting an online store

Welcome to The ultimate guide to starting an online store, presented by Pixel Union and Out of the Sandbox. Below you will find articles from both brands that are packed with helpful tips, tricks, and best practices for starting an online store. 

This resource is designed to guide you through starting a Shopify ecommerce store, from concept to your first sale and beyond. Whether you choose to read every article or dive into the topics that pertain to where you are now in your ecommerce journey, how you use this tool is completely up to you. 

Let’s get started!

 

You want to start an online store but don’t know where to begin.

You’ve decided to create your own online store. How exciting! So, what now?

Before we can get into the nuts and bolts of setting up an online store, there are a few details to iron out. Check out these articles to make sure you’re laying the right foundation for your ecommerce business. 


    You have a business model, now you need an ecommerce theme. 

    Building an online store from scratch requires time and specialized experience in ecommerce development. Luckily, brands like Pixel Union and Out of the Sandbox are here to do all the heavy lifting for you with beautiful, high-performance Shopify themes that give you the foundation for a great online store. 

    There are a lot of ecommerce themes out there, so here’s some information about finding one that works for you. 


    You’ve purchased a theme but need help setting it up for success. 

    It can be hard to know where to start when you’re setting up an online store for the first time. Not to worry, we’ve compiled these articles to get you started on the right foot. 


      Your store is set up and now you need to price your products. 

      How to price products in an online store is a common query among new ecommerce business owners. As a store owner, your product pricing is ultimately decided by you but there are best practices that will help you find a balance between making a profit and making your customers happy. 


        Your store looks great! Time to set up your logistics. 

        Shipping rates, return policies, terms and conditions, product liability, accounting, and more! These things may not be the most exciting aspects of your new ecommerce business, but they are extremely important. Managing customer expectations and protecting your business right from the start will help keep things running smoothly and might prevent disaster in the long run. 

        The following articles cover things that every ecommerce business should address before making their first sale. 


          Improve your customer experience and boost sales with apps. 

          Your online store is all set up and now you might want to add some extra functionality with the help of an app or two. Here are some of our favourites.


            You’re ready to make your first sale. How can you get the word out about your online store?

            Getting the word out about your ecommerce business involves using multiple marketing tools. These days email and social media marketing are must-haves, so below we’ve rounded up everything you need to know to get you started with both. Plus, you’ll find some additional marketing tactics that might fit your online store’s branding. 


              People are shopping in your online store! Time to run a sale?

              If your online store has been getting traffic and converting shoppers for awhile now, you might want to run a sale. So, how do you go about running a successful promotion? 


                Automated marketing techniques to help you sell more. 

                Setting up automated marketing tools in your online store is one of the easiest ways to passively keep customers engaged and shopping. Here are the most common ways to do just that. 


                  Keep growing by connecting with others in the ecommerce community. 

                   

                   

                  We’re continually making improvements to this guide in an effort to give new merchants like you the information they need. Is there a topic that you think is missing? Do you have a question that wasn’t answered in the articles above? We’d love to hear it. Reach out to us with any content suggestions you have.

                  Previous article Single-product ecommerce: Turn your small store into a big success
                  Next article How to design large, full-width hero images for landing pages