How To Create An Online Store

Creating your store is easy when you know how to do it. It is also fast, but please take time to learn this before you start. We have made many resources available. Start by reading this page and we'll show you how to setup an online store step-by-step. Study and prepare, then take action.

But first a word of wisdom (IMPORTANT!). Before you start; Plan and Prepare! 1) Do market research, make sure that there is a good market and you have a unique selling proposition. 2) Study, read all you can and learn from others. 3) Set goals, what you want to achieve. 4) Plan the structure of your store, the design, flows for order processing, what payment methods to accept, coordinate with shipping (and other) providers, etc etc. 5) Prepare the material and content for your online store so that you have everything ready.

With that said, let's take a look on how to create your store. This is how you do it:

Use the Store Creator

Once you have opened an account with redtienda, you start directly with the 10-Step Store Creator to quickly create the "basic setup" of your online store in 10 easy steps – the design (logo/theme), add a few categories (menu), insert a couple of products, etc. This only takes minutes.

Preview of Themes

After that you can continue to complete that information, add more products, contents, and fine tune all the elements of your online store in the redtienda store manager:

Create more Categories

When the basics are done, it's time to continue working on your Product Catalog. Create the entire structure by adding more Categories (departments = sections = groups). Just add the Names for now, you can edit them later. The Names should be short and easy to understand.

Insert Your Products

Insert ALL of your Products, one by one – each one with its unique and specific Name, a high-quality Image, a rich text Description, an attractive Price (and maybe Options such as colors or sizes). You can even include product videos. Connect each Product with one or several Categories, so that your visitors can find them. When you are done, your Product Catalog is complete.

Add more Other Pages

Your clients will also be interested to learn more about your business, history and references, where you are located and how to contact you, policies, how to buy, guarantees, etc etc. Insert static information pages with all this in order to help your customers and to build confidence.

Improve the Home Page

The Home page is what most visitors first see. It should be a summary of your store and business. The perfect Home page has a selling headline, a short welcome text, maybe a nice image, and be sure to connect a couple of your best Products here.

Visit & Review Your Store

Think as a customer and visit your store... would you buy from yourself? Make sure the menu is well organized, the design looks good, the store is easy to use, and that there is a good balance between all elements. Each page should have a purpose. Make changes with the content until you are satisfied.

Configure Your Store

Lastly, there are tons of other things to configure for your store behind the scenes. You can edit and customize the texts for the general pages and automated email messages. Also change currency and other basic store settings, as well as the integrated services from others.

How Customers Pay

You decide which payment methods to accept. Try to offer as many as possible. Select the ones you want to accept inside of redtienda, and then give payment instructions in your store and/or email receipt. GOLD users can further accept credit cards and/or online payments.

Shipping and Sales Tax

You decide if and how much to charge for shipping. Ask local providers for their pricing, then insert it in redtienda. Sales tax works the same. Normally you charge a sales tax for sales in the same state or country. Ask a local authority or chamber of commerce for advice.

It's Time to Open You Store

It is finally time to "Open Your Online Store to the Public", so that anyone can enter and start using it. It is time to start manage it, promote it, and start selling. Always see how you can improve it. Test, test, and test to see what works best and gives results. Click here to learn how to manage your online store.

All the Help You Need

Use the "Support" area in redtienda if you need any help and support. There you will find the redtienda manual, videos and guides, with specific help and step-by-step actions to take. Also use this Web site and especially El blog de redtienda (see menu) that is constantly being updated with helpful and useful content for the success and growth of your store and business.