The Journey: How To Set Up a Shopify Account (My Experience)

My Previous blog post on my journey can be found HERE

How To Set Up a Shopify Account - My Experience

Today marks a significant milestone for me - the day I created my Shopify account. It's been a culmination of hours of research and preparation. I delved into various resources, including step-by-step YouTube tutorials such as:

(These Individuals can explain the standard set up much better than I can)

(https://www.youtube.com/@Nathannazareth), [Ac Hampton](https://www.youtube.com/@AcHampton), and [Metics Media](https://www.youtube.com/@MeticsMedia),

Ensuring I understood the process thoroughly before diving in.

Domain Set Up

One of my primary considerations was selecting a suitable domain name for my Shopify store. While I already owned domains through Google Domains, I opted to streamline the process by purchasing one through Shopify. This decision not only simplified the setup but also eliminated the need for intricate DNS matching and updates. With domain hosting pricing ranging from $15 to $35 CDN per year, I found it worthwhile to invest in a seamless experience.

Utilizing the services of NameCheap for domain lookup. Research revealed the growing popularity of "dot" extensions like ".SHOP," even among prominent influencers like MrBeast. With this reassurance, I proceeded confidently.

After going through a few, I chose www.HealthHQ.shop

Going through the youtube step-by-step guides, I made sure to look at a few areas of the Shopify settings especially the one that asks you which currency will your store be in.  I wanted to be sure to set up my currency my store would be listed in was USD and that i was collecting payments in USD.

Taxes

There was some other good information on some YouTube videos to set up the taxes and set up the shipping pricing. I used Canadian tax pricing so that Shopify would automatically charge this (there is exception, see below).  For USA sales, there is no tax that needs to be charged.  As a Canadian until you have revenue over $30,000cdn for your side business or side hussle you do not have to collect GST/HST.  

Shipping

I changed Canada and US to free shipping to start and charged around $8 to $10 for international shipping. This should be good to start out just to test and see where I need to adjust. i’m aiming to have the pricing such that I don’t have to charge shipping so it looks like it’s free. Individuals don’t want to come to a website and have to pay for shipping. It’s just a mental note where they think they’re paying alot more because of the shipping, so the goal is to work it into the price of the product.

Shopify Price Plan

Once this was all done, I also went into the shopify pricing plans to verify which plan I was going to select so I could get my 33 day free trial instead of just 3 days, which you get before choosing a pricing plan.  I chose the basic plan which is $51cdn a month. 

sometimes it’s deceiving when I look at YouTube videos and I do research and people say it’s $29 a month or $35 a month that’s typically US dollars so when I see $51 I really have to think back and say oh yes, it was US dollars so just one thing to make sure you are thinking about if you are Canadian or any other country than the US when you were reviewing research, YouTube videos and blogs.

That was the whole reason of going to the bank and opening up a USD bank account so that the exchange rate does not impede on my profit calculations.

Upon setup completion, I reviewed the domain and I tried to get to the website and it said it was a high-risk. I did some more research and found that the SSL for the domains take a little bit of time up to 48 hours to clear Within three hours. The SSL was verified on one of the domains, but not on a couple others, but it was good enough to send the collaborative code number to my freelancer.With the domain secured, I seamlessly onboarded my freelancer, granting access and initiating collaboration.

It was pretty simple -> log in to shopify -> on the left go to “settings” -> then on the left go to “users and permissions” -> then on the right scroll down to “collaboration”

You will find a code you can send your collaborator and this code will allow them to “request access” to your store.

There is a few things here you want to make sure you don’t allow them access to (see below image). There is a section for financials, which allows them all financial information. You don’t want them to have access to that and there’s a few other areas where you may not want them to have access to please ensure you review each section to make sure that it matches what you were looking for and what you need from your collaborator.

Collaborators

Managing collaborators was another aspect I addressed early on. Setting up collaborative accounts for freelancers involved navigating through Shopify's settings, and granting selective access while safeguarding sensitive information. There are a few things here you want to make sure you don’t allow them access to (see below image). There is a section for financials, which allows them all financial information. You don’t want them to have access to that and there’s a few other areas where you may not want them to have access to please ensure you review 

each section to make sure that it matches what you were looking for and what you need from your collaborator.  I made sure to review permissions meticulously, ensuring my collaborator had the necessary access without compromising financial data or critical settings.

Collaborator & Apps

I logged into Upwork and luckily they were available.  I promptly shared the necessary information, and they quickly submitted a request for access, which I promptly granted. It was a straightforward process. Since then, my freelance collaborator has been proactive, reaching out periodically to suggest installing specific apps like CJ Dropshipping and AI chatbots to optimize sales and service. When granting access, it's crucial to consider the cost implications of these apps. Whether you're familiar with the individual or not, it's wise to either preemptively address app purchases or disable their ability to make such transactions. 

One item that concerned me is, For CJ drop shipping. I had to create an account and give the freelancer the account information so when you do this ensure that the password that you’re using is unique to CJ Dropshipping, as you will have to give access to your CJ drop shipping account to the freelancer so they can connect all your products back-and-forth and bring in the information.

While seasoned veterans might expect a more extensive list of apps, it's worth noting that my collaborator is just starting out. I anticipate expanding the app repertoire as we progress further along this exciting journey. Stay tuned for updates on our evolving toolkit.

Continue On

As my journey unfolds, there's still much to accomplish. My freelance partner has begun integrating essential apps like CJ Dropshipping and AI chatbots to enhance sales and customer service. While there's a long road ahead, I'm excited about the possibilities and eager to see my Shopify venture flourish.

The adventure continues, and I look forward to sharing more updates soon. Stay tuned!

 [UPDATE]

So i started and here are my links

I’ll see you in the next blog post!

MY YOUTUBE ► HERE

MY IG ► HERE

MY FITNESS BRAND ► HEALTHHQ