Shopify is the fastest way to get an online store live, which is why so many Indian sellers start there. This guide shows how to set up a Shopify store step by step — and, just as importantly, the running costs to understand before you commit, because Shopify is a subscription you pay for as long as you use it.
1. Sign Up and Pick a Plan
Start a Shopify trial and choose a plan once you are ready to sell. For a new Indian store the Basic plan is usually the starting point. Remember this is a monthly fee that continues for as long as the store is live — unlike a WooCommerce store you build once and own outright. If long-term cost matters to you, weigh that early with our WooCommerce vs Shopify comparison.
2. Choose and Customise a Theme
Shopify has free and paid themes. Pick a clean, fast one and customise it with your logo, colours, and fonts. Resist the urge to over-decorate — a simple store that loads fast and is easy to navigate on a phone sells more than a flashy, slow one. Most of your visitors will be on mobile, so preview everything on a phone as you go.
3. Add Your Products
Add each product with clear photos, an honest description, a price, and stock quantity. Group products into logical collections (categories) so shoppers can browse. Good product photography matters more than almost anything else here — it is the single biggest thing that makes an online store feel trustworthy.
4. Set Up Payments and COD
In Settings → Payments, connect a gateway — Razorpay and others work for India. Be aware Shopify may charge its own transaction fee on top of the gateway unless you use an integrated option, so check the total cut per sale. Crucially, enable Cash on Delivery: a large share of Indian orders are COD, and a store without it loses many buyers. Our guide on the best payment gateway options helps you choose.
5. Configure Shipping and Taxes
Set your shipping zones and rates (or free shipping if you build it into pricing), and configure GST correctly from the start. Getting tax right at setup avoids a mess later when orders are flowing.
6. Test, Then Launch
Before removing the store password, place a full test order — add to cart, check out, pay, and confirm you receive the order notification. Only when that works cleanly should you launch and start promoting. A store that takes an order but fails to record or notify it is worse than no store.
The Running Cost to Understand First
This is the one thing to be clear-eyed about before you commit. Shopify is a subscription: you pay every month, forever, for the store to stay online — and if you ever stop paying, the store goes down. On top of the plan fee, Shopify may take a small cut of each sale unless you use its own payments, and premium themes or apps add more. None of this makes Shopify a bad choice — the speed and polish are real — but for a store you expect to run for years, add up the monthly cost over three years and compare it honestly against a WooCommerce store you build once and own. For some sellers Shopify still wins on convenience; for others the long-term maths favours ownership. Decide with your eyes open.
Useful Apps to Add Later
Once the basics work, a few Shopify apps genuinely help an Indian store: a COD-management app to cut fake orders, a shipping-integration app for your courier, and a simple reviews app to build trust on product pages. Resist installing dozens — every app adds cost and can slow the store down. Add one when you have a real problem it solves, not because it exists.
Do It Yourself, or Have It Built?
Shopify is genuinely DIY-friendly for a simple store. The point at which people call us is when they want a properly designed store, custom features, or a migration from another platform. If that is you, our Shopify development service handles the setup and design for you.
Want a Shopify store set up and designed properly — payments, COD, and all — without the trial-and-error? Our Shopify development service gets you live and selling. Message us on WhatsApp.