Steps to Create Your Shopify Store for Artwork
1. Sign Up for a Shopify Account
The first thing you need to do is visit
Shopify.com & sign up for an account. It’s a pretty quick process. Just enter your email, choose a password, & pick a store name.
Remember: Your store name can be anything, but you might want it to reflect your artistic style or brand!
2. Design Your Store
Once you’re signed up, you’ll enter the Shopify admin panel. This is like the command center for your store. Here’s where you’ll select a theme. Shopify offers customizable themes that help showcase your artwork effectively. one popular theme for artists is the
Highlight Theme, which focuses on visual storytelling. You can check it out
here.
3. Set Up Your Product Pages
Next, you’ll want to create product pages for your original artwork. Click the “Products” tab, then “Add product.” Here are the essential elements to include:
- Title: Clearly name your artwork.
- Description: Tell the story behind the piece, including dimensions & materials used.
- Photography: Use high-quality images that showcase your artwork. Consider using different angles or close-ups to highlight details. 📸
4. Pricing Your Artwork
Pricing your original pieces can be tricky. You’ll want to account for:
- Material Costs: Think about the paint, canvas, or paper.
- Time Spent: Consider how many hours you spent creating the piece.
- Market Comparisons: Check pricing for similar art in your niche.
A helpful formula to adopt is:
> Cost of materials + Time spent + Desired profit = Retail price.
5. Customize the Look of Your Store
Your artwork is your brand! So, it’s critical to make a great first impression. You can customize colors, fonts, and layout through the “Online Store” tab in your admin panel. Ensure your store’s aesthetics reflect your artistic style. Feel free to dive into the theme settings for a deeper customization!
6. Set Up Payment Options
To sell your art, you need a way to get paid! Shopify offers various payment gateways to process transactions, including Shopify Payments, PayPal, & Stripe. You’ll access this in the “Settings” section of the admin panel. Choose the gateways that suit your needs.
7. Add Shipping Details
You’ll also want to faff about with your shipping details. Since you’re selling original artwork, it’s essential to consider how you’ll package & send each piece. Here are a couple of tips:
- Flat prints: Use rigid mailers, envelops, or cardboard to prevent bending.
- Framed art: Wrap carefully with bubble wrap & use sturdy boxes for shipping.
Shopify allows you to set shipping rates & options, which is SUPER handy.
8. Create Policies
Having transparent policies regarding shipping, refunds, and privacy builds trust with your customers. Use templates provided by Shopify, or create your own based on your needs. It’s a good idea to check out
Shopify's guidelines for creating effective store policies.
9. Launch Your Store!
At this stage, everything should be ready to go! Make sure to preview your store to see how it looks live, check every link, and do one last look-over to double-check everything before launching your online art gallery!
Once your store is live, it's time to shout it from the rooftops! Leverage social media platforms like Instagram, Pinterest, or Facebook to spread the word & engage your audience. Share pictures, stories, and behind-the-scenes peeks at your work process to connect with potential customers on a personal level.
Consider offering limited-time discounts or running contests to generate interest in your artwork. Renting a digital space in someone's heart isn’t so bad, right?
11. Optimize Your Store for Search Engines
To ensure your art reaches the right audience,
SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is a key step. Incorporate relevant keywords related to your artwork throughout your site. This includes titles, descriptions, alt tags for images, & more. Ultimately, organic traffic can increase your visibility! For more tips on SEO, check out this comprehensive
Shopify SEO guide that can help you optimize your art store.
Once you start making sales, it’s vital to analyze how your store is performing. Use Shopify’s built-in analytics tools to track your sales, traffic, and customer behaviors. This insight can help you identify trends & adjust your marketing strategies to improve your store.
BONUS: Use Arsturn to Enhance Engagement!
Looking to take your online store to the next level? Consider integrating a chatbot using
Arsturn! With
Arsturn, you can easily create a conversational AI chatbot tailored to your art store’s needs. The chatbot can answer questions, provide instant information, and even guide customers through your artworks. Plus, it’s a no-code solution, so even if you’re not a techie, you can still boost engagement & conversions. Don’t forget you can start with a
FREE trial today and see how it can help your selling strategies!