Matt Murphy

For shops that sell in person and want to sell online

Shopify store setup, from someone who runs one

A Shopify store in your own account, with your products, shipping and tax set up and a test order placed before launch.

Store setup Three to four weeks

Not sure where to start? Site & search check-up

Book a 20-minute callWhere we start

A store set up to sell: your products in collections, a cart, and an email signup. Placeholder products, not a client’s.

What you get

  • A theme set up to look like your shop
  • Products, photos and collections added
  • Shipping, tax and payments configured
  • Email capture for new customers
  • Search basics for every product page
  • A guide to adding products yourself

The store is in your Shopify account from the first day. I’m added as a collaborator, and you can remove me any time.

How it works

  1. List

    What you sell, and how you ship it.

  2. Set up

    Theme, products, shipping, tax, payments.

  3. Test

    A real order, start to finish.

  4. Open

    Live on your domain; you add the next product.

Proof

  • Operating business

    Corridor Cards

    My trading-card business in Coralville, Iowa. I run card vending machines, an eBay store and a web shop, selling sealed product and singles to sports and Pokémon collectors.

    Read the story

  • Publishing experiment

    GroomJobs

    I started it as a job board for the pet-grooming trade. Today it’s free career and hiring guides, plus calculators that run in your browser, for groomers and salon owners.

    Read the story

Where we start

Store setup

Timeline Three to four weeks

Included

  • A theme set up with your logo, colours and photos
  • Your first products and collections added
  • Shipping, tax and payments configured and tested
  • An email signup for new customers
  • A guide to adding and editing products

Not included

  • Product photography
  • Custom apps
  • Shopify’s own subscription and fees (yours, and they stay yours)

Not sure where to start? Site & search check-up

Book a 20-minute callOr send a note and I’ll reply with a time.

Where

Remotely anywhere in Iowa; in person across the Cedar Rapids–Iowa City corridor when it helps.

Questions people ask

Is Shopify right for a small shop?

Usually, if you ship products. If you only take bookings or sell a handful of items, a simpler site may do.

Can you fix a store I already have?

Yes. A refresh covers the theme, product pages, shipping settings and whatever is confusing customers at checkout.

Who owns the store?

You do. It’s your Shopify account, your domain and your customer list. I’m a collaborator you can remove.

What does Shopify itself cost?

Shopify charges a monthly plan and a fee on each sale. Those are paid to Shopify, not to me.

Can I add products myself afterwards?

Yes. The handover guide shows how to add a product, change a price and mark something sold out.

Other ways to work together