Launching your Shopify store on a tight budget? No worries! With Shopify’s free templates, you can create a professional-looking online store without hiring a developer or spending extra on design. This guide will walk you through selecting, customising, and optimising Shopify’s free themes to build a successful online store.
 

Step 1: Sign Up for a Shopify Account

If you don’t already have a Shopify account, head to Shopify’s website and Sign Up for a free trial. This will allow you to explore the platform and set up your store.

Step 2: Choose a Free Shopify Template

1. Navigate to Online Store > Themes > Visit Theme Store in your Shopify dashboard.
    

2. Filter the themes by Free to explore Shopify’s available free templates. Click on a theme to view its demo and features. Choose a template designed for your niche, whether it’s fashion, electronics, or handmade crafts:

• Dawn: Minimalist and versatile for various industries.

• Trade: Optimised for wholesale and B2B businesses.

• Spotlight: A sleek theme focused on showcasing products.

• Craft: Best for handmade or artisanal products with a storytelling approach.

• Sense: Bright and modern, ideal for beauty and wellness brands.

• Refresh: Clean and fresh, perfect for health and lifestyle stores.

• Studio: A visually appealing theme for creative brands.

• Origin: A simple yet elegant theme for beginners.

• Ride: Designed for sports and outdoor gear.

• Publisher: Ideal for digital products and content-driven brands.

• Taste: A refined theme suited for food and beverage stores.

• Crave: A bold and energetic theme for trendy products.

• Colorblock: A vibrant theme with striking design elements.
   

3. Once you’ve selected a theme, click Try Theme to add it to your Theme Library.
    

Step 3: Customise Your Shopify Template

After that, personalise the chosen theme to reflect your brand:

Homepage

• Header: Customise the navigation menu, logo placement, and announcement bar.

• Template: Adjust the layout of product pages, collection pages, and homepage sections.

• Footer: Add links to policies, social media icons, newsletter signups, and contact information.
   

Theme Settings

• Logo: Upload your brand’s logo and set its size and position.

• Colours: Choose a colour scheme that matches your branding.

• Typography: Select fonts for headings, body text, and buttons.

• Layout: Adjust spacing, grid arrangements, and content width.

• Animations: Enable hover effects, fade-ins, and scroll animations for dynamic interactions.

• Buttons: Customise button shapes, colours, and hover effects.

• Variant Pills: Style product variant selectors for size, colour, and other options.

• Inputs: Adjust input field styles for forms and search boxes.

• Product Cards: Modify product thumbnails, titles, and pricing displays.

• Collection Cards: Customise the layout and styling of category images and descriptions.

• Blog Cards: Configure how blog post previews appear on the homepage.

• Content Containers: Adjust spacing, padding, and background settings for text sections.

• Media: Set image aspect ratios, video autoplay settings, and hover zoom effects.

• Dropdowns and Pop-ups: Configure drop-down menus and promotional pop-ups.

• Drawers: Adjust mobile navigation and side cart display.

• Badges: Add "New," "Sale," or "Best Seller" labels to products.

• Brand Information: Display company mission, values, and brand story.

• Social Media: Link to social profiles and customise social sharing buttons.

• Search Behavior: Adjust predictive search options and layout.

• Currency Format: Set up multi-currency options for international sales.

• Cart: Customise cart drawer, side cart, and checkout button styles.

• Checkout: Modify checkout page colours, fonts, and logo display.

• Custom CSS: Add custom code for advanced styling and design flexibility.

• Theme Style: Choose between preset theme styles or create a custom one.
   

App Embeds

Shopify allows you to integrate third-party apps directly into your theme using the App Embeds feature. This enhances your store’s functionality without heavy coding. For example, if you want to embed it into BigSeller, simply open the Shopify App Store, search for BigSeller > Install > Sign In to your account to complete the integration.
 

Step 4: Add Essential Pages

Make sure your store has all the necessary pages to provide a smooth shopping experience:

• Home Page: Showcase your brand and highlight featured products.

• Product Pages: Upload high-quality images, descriptions, and pricing.

• About Us Page: Build trust by sharing your brand story.

• Contact Page: Provide contact details or a contact form.

• FAQ Page: Answer common customer inquiries.
   

Step 5: Optimise for Mobile and SEO

To maximise conversions, consider these additional steps:

• Preview your store on both desktop and mobile to ensure responsiveness.

• Edit page titles, meta descriptions, and alt texts to improve search rankings.

• Check for broken links, typos, and missing images.

• Use compressed images to improve site speed.
   

Step 6: Launching Your Shopify Store

Before making your store live, check:

• The payment gateway is set up.

• Shipping and return policies are clear.

• Legal pages (Privacy Policy, Terms of Service) are added.

Once everything is in place, remove the password protection and start marketing your store!
 

Streamline Your Shopify Operations with BigSeller

Using Shopify’s free templates, you can quickly set up an attractive and functional online store without extra costs. But to scale your business effectively, integrating BigSeller can help you manage operations more efficiently, saving time, and boosting sales. Whether you sell on multiple platforms or want to improve efficiency, BigSeller makes operations easier and helps you focus on selling. Sign up today for free and enjoy a 7-day VIP trial to experience the benefits firsthand!