Shopify Guides and UpdatesShopify Store Creation Checklist (2026)

Shopify Store Creation Checklist (2026)

This Shopify Store Creation Checklist walks you through every step needed to set up a Shopify store properly — from backend basics to products, theme customisation, payments, shipping, apps, and going live.

Developed by Jessica Bong, founder of Shopify development studio Soodo & brand owner of Patch&Bagel based in Singapore. Used in real client builds and professional Shopify training workshops.

A. Shopify Backend Basics

Logging in

  1. Go to shopify.com/login
  2. Or admin.shopify.com if using a development store

Dashboard overview

  • Home
  • Orders
  • Products
  • Content
  • Customers
  • Analytics
  • Marketing
  • Discounts
  • Sales Channels (Online Store)

B. Adding Products & Collections

Add a product

  1. Products → Add product
  2. Fill in:
    • Title
    • Description
    • Media
    • Pricing
    • Inventory (SKU, stock)
    • Shipping
    • Options (variants)
  3. Set Product Status to Active
  4. Save

Create a manual collection

  1. Products → Collections → Create collection
  2. Collection type: Manual
  3. Add products
  4. Add collection image
  5. Save

Create an automated collection

  1. Products → Collections → Create collection
  2. Collection type: Automated
  3. Set conditions (tag, title, vendor, type, price)
  4. Save

Tags & product organisation

  1. Products → All products
  2. Select a product
  3. Scroll to Organisation
  4. Set Product Type, Vendor, Tags

Bulk tagging: Products → Select multiple → More actions → Add tags

C. Pages, Menus & Policies

Create pages

  1. Online Store → Pages
  2. Add page
  3. Add title & content
  4. Set visibility to Visible
  5. Save

Set up menus

  1. Content → Menus
  2. Edit Main Menu
  3. Add menu items (Page, Collection, Product, URL)
  4. Drag to reorder
  5. Save

Store policies

  1. Settings → Policies
  2. Add or generate:
    • Refund
    • Privacy
    • Shipping
    • Terms of Service
  3. Save

Add policies to Footer Menu under Content → Menus.

D. Theme & Design Customisation

Theme editor

  1. Online Store → Themes → Customize
  2. Edit header, homepage, product pages, collections, footer

Homepage setup

  • Add / remove sections
  • Rearrange sections
  • Save changes

Edit product page

  1. Customize → Products → Default product
  2. Edit media, buy button, description, reviews
  3. Save

Edit collection page

  1. Customize → Collections → Default collection
  2. Edit banner, filters, layout
  3. Save

Update branding & SEO

  1. Theme settings → Colors, Typography, Buttons
  2. Online Store → Preferences
  3. Set Store Title
  4. Write Meta Description (150–160 characters)

E. Discounts, Shipping & International

Discount codes

  1. Discounts → Create discount
  2. Select type (percentage, fixed, free shipping)
  3. Set usage limits
  4. Save

Shipping

  1. Settings → Shipping and delivery
  2. Edit General Shipping Rates
  3. Configure flat or price-based rates
  4. Save

International markets

  1. Markets → Create market
  2. Add regions (MY, US, AU, EU)
  3. Configure currency & shipping
  4. Save

F. Settings & Analytics

Key settings

  • Payments
  • Checkout
  • Taxes
  • Users & permissions
  • Apps
  • Files

Analytics

  1. Analytics → Dashboard
  2. Monitor:
    • Total sales
    • Sessions
    • Conversion rate
    • Returning customers

G. Domain & Apps

Custom domain

  1. Settings → Domains
  2. Buy or connect domain
  3. Verify
  4. Set as primary

Installing apps

  1. Apps → Shopify App Store
  2. Install app
  3. Approve permissions
  4. Enable via Theme → App embeds

H. Orders, Fulfilment & Security

Fulfil orders

  1. Orders → Open order
  2. Add tracking
  3. Mark fulfilled
  4. Send notification

Test order

  1. Settings → Payments → Activate Bogus Gateway
  2. Place test order
  3. Fulfil & archive

Maintenance

  • Remove unused apps
  • Clean up files
  • Export backups (products, customers, orders)

I. Pre-Launch Checklist

  • Domain connected
  • Payment gateway tested
  • Shipping rates working
  • Taxes set
  • Policies added
  • Test order completed
  • Menus working
  • Product images optimised
  • Homepage complete
  • Footer complete
  • Email notifications working

Go live

  1. Online Store → Preferences
  2. Remove password
  3. Save — your store is live

This is the same checklist followed by a professional Shopify developer in Singapore when setting up stores properly.

Shopify Developer: When to DIY vs Hire Help

If you’re learning Shopify, DIY is a great start. But if you’re building a store that needs to look premium, load fast, and convert well, working with a Shopify developer in Singapore can save you weeks (and prevent expensive rework).

DIY is usually fine if you:

  • Have 1–10 products and a simple catalog
  • Are using a standard theme with minimal custom changes
  • Don’t need complex shipping, markets, or custom integrations yet

Consider hiring a Shopify developer if you:

  • Need a conversion-focused homepage/product page layout (not just “pretty”)
  • Want custom sections, advanced theme edits, or speed improvements
  • Are migrating from another platform (Wix/WooCommerce) and need SEO preserved
  • Need clean setup for payments, shipping rules, markets, and app integrations
Want help from a Shopify developer?
If you’d like me to review your store setup and point out the highest-impact fixes, contact me directly to schedule a call.
What does a Shopify developer in Singapore help with?

A Shopify developer can help with theme customization, custom sections, speed optimization, SEO-friendly migrations, app integrations, and building pages that convert better.

How do I choose a Shopify developer in Singapore?

Look for real Shopify builds, clear scope and timelines, strong UX/CRO thinking (not just design), and a setup process that includes testing (payments, shipping, emails, and a full test order).

Shopify Checklist

Free Shopify Optimization Checklist ($1,200 Value)

For new & experienced store owners who want more sales.

Updated monthly. Forever accessible.

Drag View