Tutorial: Create and Launch Your Shops-dz Store, Step by Step

This tutorial takes you from creating your account to your first test order. It follows the order of the admin screens, so you never have to go back. For the legal background and choosing a carrier, see the guide to starting an online store in Algeria.

Before you start: gather these items

Save time by preparing:

• your logo and brand colors;
• photos of your first products (a neutral background and a sharp picture are enough);
• for each product: name, description, price in DZD, stock;
• your delivery rates by wilaya, requested from your carrier;
• which payment methods you can actually honor.

Step 1 — Create your account

From the home page, click Apply for the Starter offer (or open the pricing page to compare plans). The form asks for:

• the store name;
• the subdomain: 3 to 40 characters, lowercase letters, digits and hyphens (for example my-shop). A subdomain that is already taken or reserved is refused;
• your first name, last name, email and a password.

Once the account exists, sign in to the admin with that email. You can reset your password at any time with Forgot password.

Step 2 — Give the store an identity

Open Storefront → Templates. Pick the template, then fill in the name, logo, colors and basic content. This is what customers see first, so do it before adding products.

Step 3 — Create categories

Go to Catalog → Categories. Create parent categories first, then subcategories if needed. Give each a clear name and a short description. A category must exist before you can file a product in it.

Step 4 — Import your images

In Catalog → Media library, upload your images (or add an external or YouTube URL). Add a descriptive alt text to each image, for example "Black foldable headphones, front view": it helps accessibility and search ranking.

Step 5 — Add your products

In Catalog → Products, click New product and fill in:

• name, description and category;
• sale price (the optional crossed-out price must be higher than the price);
• main image and gallery;
• stock, SKU and weight, useful for delivery;
• active or inactive status.

Save the product first, then reopen it to add variants (for example "Black · M" or "128 GB"). Each variant can have its own SKU, price, stock, image and weight. With variants, the customer must pick one before adding to the cart.

Many products? The screen offers a CSV import. Export your current catalog first so you have a backup.

Step 6 — Set up shipping

This step and the next two are reserved for the owner. Open Payments & shipping → Shipping and define your zones, methods and rates. If you use a carrier, connect it here: see the guide to integrating Yalidine.

Step 7 — Enable payments

In Payments & shipping → Payments, enable only the methods that are ready to collect money. Cash on delivery is the mode most Algerian customers expect: details in the cash on delivery guide.

Step 8 — Domain and search visibility

In Storefront → Templates, open the Domain tab to finalize your store address, then the SEO & Marketing tab for indexing and public information.

Step 9 — Place a test order

Before announcing your store, open it as a customer and order a product with cash on delivery. Then, in the admin:

1. Go to Sales → Orders and open the order.
2. For a cash on delivery order, open Sales → Order confirmation and confirm it: an unconfirmed order cannot be shipped.
3. Check the shipping fees, total and address.

If everything is correct, your store is ready.

Track your progress

The Dashboard shows a "Get your store ready to sell" card while the catalog, a payment method or shipping is missing. Click a step to jump straight to the right screen.

Common mistakes

• Launching without shipping fees defined, then shipping at a loss.
• Enabling a payment method you cannot honor.
• Not testing an order end to end.
• Sharing the owner account: create one account per team member under Account → Team instead, so actions stay traceable.

Once the store is open, protect it from fake orders with the guide to avoiding fake COD orders.