The world is shopping online. Your customers are using their phones to buy everything. If you don’t have an online store, you’re losing money every single day.
We at Truehost have helped thousands of people start selling online. Today, I’m going to show you exactly how to do it. You’ll have your store ready in less than an hour.
What You’ll Need Before Starting
Let’s get your tools ready. You need just three things to start. Your smartphone, an internet connection, and about 60 minutes of free time.
That’s it. No coding skills needed. No expensive software required.
I)Step one: Choose Your Hosting Provider
First, you need a home for your e-commerce shop. Think of hosting like renting space in a mall. Your store needs somewhere to live on the internet.
We at Truehost offer the perfect hosting solution for beginners. Our plans start small and grow with your business.
Why Hosting Matters
Bad hosting means your store runs slow. Customers leave slow websites. You lose sales and money.
Good hosting keeps your store fast and secure. Truehost’s e-commerce hosting gives you everything you need in one package.
II)Step Two: Pick Your Domain Name
Your domain name is your store’s address. It’s what people type to find you. Choose something short and easy to remember.
I recommend using your business name. Add words like shop, store, or market if your name is taken.
Domain Name Tips
Keep it under 15 characters. Avoid numbers and hyphens. Make sure it’s easy to spell out loud.
You can register your domain through Truehost when you sign up. We make it quick and simple.
3)Step Three: Install Your Store Platform
Now comes the fun part. You’ll install WooCommerce or Shopify on your hosting. These platforms power millions of online stores.
WooCommerce works with WordPress and gives you total control. Shopify is easier but costs more monthly. I’ll show you the WooCommerce method since we include it free at Truehost.
Installing WooCommerce on Mobile
Log into your Truehost account from your phone. Find the one-click installer in your dashboard. Select WordPress and click install.
Wait about two minutes for installation. Then add the WooCommerce plugin from your WordPress admin area.
4)Step Four: Choose Your Store Theme
Your theme controls how your e-commerce shop looks. Pick one that matches your products. Mobile-friendly themes are essential since most people shop on phones.
Go to Appearance, then Themes in WordPress. Search for e-commerce or shop themes. I like Astra and OceanWP because they’re fast and free.
Customizing Your Theme
Click Customize to change colors and fonts. Upload your logo in the header section. Add your business information in the footer.
Keep it simple at first. You can always improve the design later.
5)Step Five: Set Up Payment Methods
You can’t sell without accepting payments. WooCommerce supports many payment options. PayPal and Stripe are the most popular.
Both work great on mobile phones. They’re trusted by millions of buyers worldwide.
Adding Payment Gateways
Go to WooCommerce Settings. Click the Payments tab. Enable PayPal and enter your email address.
For Stripe, you’ll need to create an account first. Then connect it using your API keys.
6)Step Six: Add Your First Products
Time to fill your store with products. Click Products, then Add New. Give your product a clear name and description.
Write descriptions that sell the benefits. Tell customers why they need this product.
Product Details That Matter
Add high-quality photos from multiple angles. Set your price clearly. Include shipping weight and dimensions.
Categories help customers find products faster. Create categories like Men, Women, Electronics, or whatever fits your store.
Inventory Management
Enable stock management in product settings. Set your quantity for each item. WooCommerce automatically updates when someone buys.
This prevents overselling. You’ll never sell something that’s out of stock.
7)Step Seven: Configure Shipping Options
Shipping settings confuse many beginners. Don’t worry, I’ll make it simple. Go to WooCommerce Settings and click Shipping.
Create shipping zones for different locations. Set flat rates or calculate costs by weight.
Free Shipping Strategy
Consider offering free shipping on orders over a certain amount. This increases your average order value. Customers love free shipping.
We’ve seen stores double their sales with this simple trick.
8)Step Eight: Add Essential Pages
Your e-commerce shop needs certain pages by law. Create an About Us page explaining your business. Add a Contact page with your email and phone.
Write a Privacy Policy using a free generator. Include Terms and Conditions explaining your rules.
Why These Pages Matter
Legal pages protect your business. They also build trust with customers. People buy from stores they trust.
Add these pages to your main menu. Make them easy to find.
9)Step Nine: Install Security Features
Security keeps your store and customers safe. Install an SSL certificate through your Truehost dashboard. This encrypts all data on your site.
Add a security plugin like Wordfence. It protects against hackers and malware.
Regular Backups
We at Truehost automatically backup your store daily. But you should also use a backup plugin. UpdraftPlus is free and works great on mobile.
Schedule weekly backups to cloud storage. You’ll sleep better knowing your store is protected.
10)Step Ten: Optimize for Mobile Shopping
Over 70% of online shopping happens on phones. Your e-commerce shop must work perfectly on mobile. Test every page on your smartphone.
Make buttons big enough to tap easily. Keep forms short and simple. Use large, clear product images.
Mobile Speed Matters
Slow sites lose customers fast. Compress your images before uploading. We recommend using TinyPNG for this.
Install a caching plugin like WP Rocket. It makes your pages load much faster.
11)Step Eleven: Set Up Email Marketing
Email marketing brings customers back to buy again. Install Mailchimp for WooCommerce from the plugin directory. It’s free for up to 500 subscribers.
Create a signup form on your homepage. Offer a discount code for new subscribers.
Welcome Email Series
Set up automatic welcome emails for new customers. Thank them for their purchase. Suggest related products they might like.
Email marketing generates huge returns. Every dollar spent makes about $40 back on average.
12)Step Twelve: Add Social Proof
People trust other people’s opinions. Add a review system to your products. Enable ratings in WooCommerce settings.
Ask happy customers to leave reviews. Display these prominently on product pages.
Trust Badges
Add trust badges near your checkout button. Include security seals and payment logos. Show money-back guarantees clearly.
These small elements increase conversion rates significantly.
13)Step Thirteen: Launch and Test Everything
Before going live, test your entire e-commerce shop. Place a test order using each payment method. Check that confirmation emails arrive correctly.
Browse your store as a customer would. Make sure all links work. Verify that the mobile experience is smooth.
Launch Checklist
Remove any coming soon pages. Double-check all product prices. Verify shipping calculations are correct.
Announce your launch on social media. Tell friends and family. Start driving traffic to your new store.
Growing Your E-commerce Shop
You’ve built your store in under an hour. Now it’s time to grow it. Focus on getting your first ten customers.
Offer special launch discounts. Share your products on Instagram and Facebook. Join relevant groups and communities.
Marketing on a Budget
You don’t need big advertising budgets. Start with organic social media. Post regularly about your products. Engage with potential customers.
We at Truehost offer marketing resources on our blog. Learn SEO, social media, and email strategies for free.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Don’t add too many products at launch. Start with your best 10-20 items. Add more as you grow.
Never skip the legal pages. They protect you from lawsuits. Always be honest about shipping times and product details.
Getting Support When You Need It
Building an e-commerce shop is exciting but sometimes challenging. Questions will come up. Don’t get stuck trying to figure everything out alone.
We at Truehost provide 24/7 support to all our customers. Our team knows e-commerce inside and out. We’re here to help you succeed.
Join Our Community
Connect with other store owners in the Truehost community. Share tips and ask questions. Learn from people who’ve been where you are now.
Success comes faster when you have support.
Your Next Steps
You now have everything you need to build your e-commerce shop. The tools are simple and the process is straightforward. You can do this in under an hour starting today.
Take action right now. Don’t wait for the perfect moment. The best time to start selling online is today.
Get started with Truehost and launch your e-commerce shop this afternoon. We’ll provide the hosting, tools, and support you need. Your online business journey starts here.
