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Build a Shopify store: step-by-step guide 2026

June 18, 2026 · 7 min · zrapp.group

Building a Shopify store is faster than many expect; the difference between "it runs" and "it runs compliantly and sells" is in the details. This guide walks you through the build step by step and shows where taxes and law matter in the DACH region.

Key takeaways

Building a Shopify store takes only a few steps; the pitfalls are in taxes, law and payments.
Prepare a domain, product data and a payment provider up front.
Compliance (imprint, privacy policy, GoBD invoices) belongs in from the start, not after launch.
For a fast, clean start you can also have the store built for you.

What you need up front

Before you start, have these ready:

Your desired domain (or one you want to connect)
Product data: images, descriptions, prices, stock
A payment provider (Shopify Payments, PayPal, Klarna …)
Your tax details (VAT ID or small-business status)

Building a Shopify store: the steps

The rough flow from sign-up to launch:

Create a Shopify account and name your store
Pick a theme and adapt it to brand/logo/colours
Add products and collections
Set up payment methods and shipping
Configure taxes (rates, countries, OSS if shipping within the EU)
Add legal pages: imprint, privacy policy, terms, right of withdrawal
Run a test order and connect your domain
Go live

Don't forget taxes and law

Shopify does not create compliant invoices; you need to solve that separately, see create Shopify invoices automatically. For the full picture, see the Shopify accounting guide.

Selling as a small business? Note the §19 setup; for EU consumers, the OSS scheme.

Do it yourself or have it built?

For a simple start, doing it yourself is fine. Once migration, a custom theme, B2B or a clean tax/accounting connection come into play, an agency saves time and risk. Cost and process: have a Shopify store built.

Still weighing platforms? Then Shopify or WooCommerce helps.