Creating an online store is a great way to generate a side income or start your own business. PrestaShop is a free and open source e-commerce platform that enables you to easily create your own store.
To use PrestaShop, you will need web hosting, which will provide the server infrastructure and software you need to run your online store. In this guide, we explain how to set up your own ecommerce store with PrestaShop, and provide important information to help you get started.
Run Your Own Ecommerce Platform With PrestaShop: Preparation
Before you start building your online retail empire, you must purchase hosting. We were Hostinger (Opens in a new tab) For this how-to guide, an industry-leading host offering affordable yet powerful hosting solutions. A solid hosting subscription is a good idea if you plan to build a large online store.
Once you have your hosting plan in place, install PrestaShop on your hosting server. If you’re using Hostinger, you have access to a simple, easy-to-use automatic installer that enables you to install PrestaShop (and many other scripts) with a single mouse click.
You’ll find the auto-installer in Hostinger’s hPanel. Click it, search for PrestaShop, and follow the instructions to install it. You can easily manage the installation and access the PrestaShop dashboard from the automatic installer.
If you need more help, Hostinger has posted a comprehensive dossier Guide to installing and setting up PrestaShop (Opens in a new tab).
Step 1: Choose a topic
First, you must choose a theme for your store. You can start from scratch and design your own site from the ground up, but we recommend starting with a theme from the PrestaShop Addons Marketplace. This is where you will find over 2,000 designs carefully categorized according to their primary use. Selling fashion items? Take a look at our fashion and shoe templates. You can also filter by theme language, built-in functionality, layout, and customer rating.
All PrestaShop Marketplace templates are available for a one-time license fee. However, there are free template options elsewhere on the web if you’re on a tight budget.
Step 2: Add and customize pages
For the next step, head over to the Pages menu under the Design tab of the main dashboard. Here, you can add and customize the pages you require. The default PrestaShop theme includes some pre-added pages like About and Legal, but you’ll likely need to add others.
To customize your pages, select the edit button and follow the instructions.
Step 3: Secure your store
Next is security. Since you will be handling sensitive personal data and customer payment information, it is critical to maintain a high level of security. We suggest checking your hosting’s security setting to make sure it’s weatherproof, and to add a Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) Certificate (Opens in a new tab) to your store. This is accomplished via your hosting account rather than PrestaShop itself.
Step 4: Configure payment methods
Before you can start accepting payments, you must configure at least one payment gateway. Bank transfer and check payment are the only default methods, and you’ll have to install modules for other gateways like Stripe and Amazon Pay.
Head to Module Catalog to install it before configuring it via push menu.
Step 5: Add Products
Your online store should start to look together, so it’s time to add your products. Head to the product listing under the Catalog tab. This is where you add new products and manage existing listings. Your inventory and pricing information is clearly listed, and you can unpublish items with a click of the mouse.
Selecting the Add New Product button will reveal a set of useful tools to help you create a new product listing. You can configure everything from pricing and shipping options to your SEO settings and general information.
Under the International > Localization menu, you will find the Currencies tab which enables you to add additional currencies if needed. Selling in US dollars is usually an acceptable method, but adding local currencies such as Euros, Australian dollars, or Canadian dollars can help you attract more international customers.
To add a new currency, select Add a new currency, choose the currency you want, and then click Save. There is a useful option to add live exchange rates, which requires an additional module to install.
Step 7: Test, test, and test some more!
By this point, your store should be almost ready to launch. However, it must undergo rigorous testing, to ensure that there are no bugs or glitches that could detract from the customer experience.
Spend some time clicking through to your site using different devices with different web browsers. It’s often a good idea to ask friends or family members to test it, too. Sometimes an extra set of eyes will catch something you might have missed.
summary
Anyone can create an online store with PrestaShop. It’s easy to set up and use, and you won’t have to pay more than a few dollars a month to get started. In this how-to guide, we’ve outlined everything you need to know about setting up your store, so jump right in!
Check out our guide to Best PrestaShop hosting (Opens in a new tab) If you are still looking for a host, give it to us PrestaShop website builder review (Opens in a new tab) Read on to know more about this versatile platform.
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