Shopify Theme Setup Guide

If you’re new to Shopify, you can use our Shopify link to start for free and keep building for $1 a month during the promotional period shown at signup.

Shopify controls the availability, duration and terms of its trial and promotional pricing, so review the current offer before creating your account.

If you already have a Shopify account, you do not need to create another one. Log in to Shopify and select the store where you want to install your Islanova theme.

Enter your email address and follow the signup prompts to create your Shopify account.

Shopify may ask questions about your business. Answer the questions that apply to you. Depending on the signup screen, you might also be able to skip optional questions and complete them later.

Use an email address you check regularly. Shopify will use it for security alerts, billing notices and important account information.

Once signup is complete, Shopify will take you to the admin dashboard.

The Shopify admin is where you will:

• Upload and customize your theme
• Add products and collections
• Create pages and menus
• Manage orders and customers
• Configure payments and checkout
• Set up shipping and taxes
• Connect your domain
• Prepare your store for launch

Bookmark your Shopify admin or visit admin.shopify.com whenever you need to access your store.

Locate the theme ZIP file included with your purchase. 

The file name will be something like this: 1-THEME-UPLOAD-TO-SHOPIFY
Your purchase will arrive as a larger download containing instructions, license information and additional files, unzip that main package first. Inside, locate the separate theme ZIP file. Do not unzip the theme ZIP itself.

Sign in to your Shopify admin.

From the navigation menu, select: Online Store

This page displays your current published theme and any unpublished themes saved to your store.

Scroll to the Draft themes section.

Select: Import theme → Upload zip file

A window will open where you can select the theme file from your computer.

Select Choose File, locate your Islanova theme ZIP file and select it.

Confirm that you selected the ZIP file—not a PDF, folder or individual theme file, then select Upload.

Keep the browser window open while Shopify processes the file.

After the upload is complete, the theme will appear under Draft themes.

The uploaded theme is not live yet. Your current published theme will remain visible to customers until you choose to publish the new one.

You can use the theme’s action menu to rename it. A useful naming format is:

Theme name — Working Copy — Date

Select Edit Theme to open the theme editor.

You can now add your branding, products, images and content without affecting the live version of your store.

Do not publish the theme yet. Continue to the Navigate the theme editor section to learn how sections, blocks, templates and theme settings work.

Shopify says the ZIP file does not contain a valid theme

You may have selected the complete purchase package instead of the theme file. Unzip the main download and look for a separate ZIP file containing the theme.

A valid theme ZIP normally contains folders such as:

• Assets
• Blocks
• Config
• Layout
• Locales
• Sections
• Snippets
• Templates

The file was unzipped accidentally

Locate the original ZIP in your Downloads folder or download a fresh copy from your purchase email or customer account. Avoid recompressing the folder yourself when the original theme ZIP is available.

The theme does not include your products or pages

This is normal. Products, collections, pages, menus and customer information belong to your Shopify store rather than the theme file. You will add or connect this content during the next parts of the guide.

The uploaded theme is not visible on the storefront

Newly uploaded themes are saved as drafts. They will not replace your live website until you deliberately publish them.

From your Shopify admin, go to:

Online Store → Themes

Find the Islanova theme you uploaded under Draft themes, then select Edit theme. Depending on your Shopify interface, this button might be labeled Customize.

Make sure you open the Islanova draft theme rather than your currently published theme. Changes made to a draft theme will not affect the website customers currently see.

The theme editor contains three primary areas:

• The menu bar contains your theme name, status, page-template selector, preview tools, undo and redo controls, and Save button.
• The sidebar contains the sections and blocks for the page you are viewing.
• The preview window shows how the selected page currently looks.

On wider screens, section settings may open in a second panel on the right. On smaller screens, the settings appear in a stacked panel. Both layouts contain the same options.

Your theme name will display either a Draft or Live status. Continue editing the Draft version until your store is ready to launch.

Shopify pages are created using sections and blocks.

A section is a larger area of a page, such as:

• Image banner
• Featured collection
• Image with text
• Newsletter signup
• Frequently asked questions

A block is an individual piece of content inside a section, such as:

• Heading
• Text
• Button
• Image
• Product card
• Icon

Select a section or block in the sidebar to open its settings.

Some sections contain many customization options. The settings panel might be longer than your screen, so scroll through the entire panel to see everything available. Options for spacing, colors, mobile layout and Custom CSS are often located near the bottom.

The settings panel can scroll separately from the page preview and section list. If the preview moves but the settings do not, place your cursor over the settings panel before scrolling.

Some options only appear after another setting is enabled. For example, choosing Image instead of Video might reveal an image picker and image-position settings.

You can also:

• Drag sections and blocks to reorder them
• Select Add section or Add block to add content
• Use the visibility icon to temporarily hide content
• Open the item’s menu to duplicate or remove it
• Expand or collapse sections to make the sidebar easier to navigate

Use the template selector near the top of the editor to move between different areas of your store.

You can edit templates for pages such as:

• Home page
• Products
• Collections
• Pages
• Blogs and blog posts
• Cart
• Search
• Password page

Changes made to a template affect every product, collection or page assigned to that template.

For example, changing the Default product template changes the layout for every product using that template. If certain products require different layouts, you can create additional templates and assign them separately.

Always check the template name before making changes.

Select Theme settings from the left side of the menu bar to control styles used throughout your store.

Depending on the theme, these settings may include:

• Colors and color schemes
• Heading and body fonts
• Font sizes and styles
• Page width and spacing
• Buttons
• Product cards
• Cart behavior
• Animations
• Social media links
• Search
• Currency and localization
• Custom CSS

Theme settings are different from section settings. A section setting usually affects one section, while a theme setting can affect multiple pages across the entire website.

You will configure the most important theme settings in the Customize your theme portion of this guide.

Use the controls in the upper-right corner of the editor to review and save your work.

• Select the mobile button to view the mobile layout.
• Select it again to return to desktop.
• Use the preview inspector to select sections from the preview.
• Use Undo and Redo for unsaved changes.
• Select Save to keep your changes.
• After saving, select the three dots → View to open your storefront preview in a new tab.

Before finishing:

• Confirm that you are editing the correct theme.
• Confirm that you are viewing the correct page template.
• Review your changes on desktop and mobile.
• Open the storefront preview to check the saved version.
• Save your work regularly.
• Duplicate the theme before making major changes.
• Avoid editing code when the option is available in the visual editor.

Once you are comfortable using the editor, continue to Add your products.

From your Shopify admin, go to:

Products → Add product

Shopify will open a new product page where you can enter all the information customers need before purchasing.

Start with one product and use it to learn how your theme displays product information. You can edit or duplicate it later.

New products are normally set to Active by default. If the product is not ready to appear in your store, change its status to Draft before saving.

Enter a clear product title and description.

Your description should explain:
• What the product is
• Who it is designed for
• What is included
• Important features or benefits
• Materials, dimensions or file formats
• Delivery or access information
• Any important purchase requirements  

Use the description editor to add paragraphs, headings, lists and links. Keep the formatting simple so it displays consistently with your theme.

In the Media section, upload your product images or videos.

For the best presentation:
• Use high-quality images
• Keep image dimensions and ratios consistent
• Place the strongest image first
• Include multiple views when appropriate
• Add image alt text for accessibility
• Avoid placing important details too close to an image’s edges  

The first image is normally used as the featured image on product cards and collection pages.

Enter the product’s regular price in the Price field.

If the product is on sale, enter the original price in Compare-at price and the discounted amount in Price.

Depending on what you sell, you can also configure:
• Cost per item
• SKU
• Barcode
• Inventory tracking
• Available quantity
• Physical-product shipping
• Product weight  

If your product is available in different options, such as size, color, style or license type, add those options in the Variants section.

Shopify creates a variant for each available combination. Review the price, inventory, SKU and image for every variant.

For digital products, disable the physical-product or shipping setting when appropriate and configure the app or system that will deliver the files after purchase.

Use the product organization settings to keep your catalog organized.

Depending on your Shopify admin, these settings can include:
• Product category
• Product type
• Vendor
• Collections
• Tags  

Use consistent product types and tags. They can help with store searches, filters and automatic collection conditions.

In the Publishing section, confirm that the product is available to the Online Store sales channel.

Choose the appropriate product status:
• Draft: The product is still being prepared.
• Active: The product is ready to sell.
• Archived: The product is no longer being offered.
• Unlisted: The product can be accessed using its direct URL but is not normally discoverable.  

Scroll to the Search engine listing to review the product’s SEO title, meta description and URL.

Select Save, then use Preview to check the product page. Review the title, description, images, price, variants and purchase buttons on desktop and mobile.

The product page contains many settings, so scroll through the entire page before finishing.

From your Shopify admin, go to:

Products → Collections → Add collection

Add a clear collection title, description and featured image.

Shopify is introducing a new collection system, so the options displayed in your admin may differ slightly.

Depending on your Shopify interface, you may be able to add products using:

• Specific products selected manually
• Product conditions
• Specific variants
• Another collection
• An app source  

In the older collection interface, you might see Manual and Smart or Automated collection types.

Use a manual collection when you want to choose each product yourself. Use conditions or an automated collection when products should be added automatically based on details such as their tags, type, vendor, price or inventory.

Choose the collection method carefully. In the older collection interface, Shopify does not allow an existing manual collection to be converted directly into an automated collection.

Add the products or conditions that should be included in the collection.

For a manually managed collection, search for and select the products you want to include.

For an automatic collection, create conditions that determine which products qualify. When using multiple conditions, choose whether products must match:
• All conditions
• Any condition  

Select a sorting method to control how products appear on the collection page. Depending on your settings, you can sort by:
• Featured
• Best selling
• Product title
• Price
• Date
• Manual order  

Review the collection’s:
• Featured image
• Product order
• Online Store availability
• Theme template
• Search engine listing  

Select Save when finished.

Creating a collection does not always make it visible in your storefront navigation. You will connect collections to your header and other menus in the Menus and pages section of this guide.

From your Shopify admin, go to Online Store → Pages.

This area contains the informational pages you create for your store. It does not contain product pages, collection pages, the cart, or checkout.

Click Add page to create a new page.

Enter the page title, such as About, Contact, or Frequently Asked Questions.

If the page uses a predesigned Islanova theme template, you can leave the Content area blank. The page content will be added later through the theme editor.

On the right side of the page editor, find the Template box. Open the menu and select the matching template for the page.

For example:

• About page → about template
• Contact page → contact template
• FAQ page → faq template

Also choose whether the page should be Visible or Hidden. Keep it hidden while you are still building it, or make it visible when it is ready.

Review the page title, template, visibility, and search engine listing. Then click Save.

Choosing the template is important. Creating a page does not automatically connect it to the designed page layout included with your theme.

Go to Online Store → Themes and click Edit theme beside your Islanova theme.

Open the page selector at the top of the theme editor. Select Pages, and then select the same template that you assigned to the Shopify page.

For example, if the page is assigned to the FAQ template, open:

Pages → FAQ

Use the sections and blocks in the theme editor to add the page’s headings, images, questions, text, buttons, and other content. Click Save when finished.

Changes made to a template apply to every page assigned to that template. Use separate templates when pages need different layouts.

Creating and designing a page does not automatically add it to your website navigation.

From your Shopify admin, go to Content → Menus. Open the menu where the page should appear, such as the Main menu or Footer menu.

Click Add menu item. Enter the name customers should see, and then select the page in the link field.

For example:

• Name: FAQ
• Link: Pages → Frequently Asked Questions

Click Add, and then click Save menu.

You can also add products, collections, blog posts, policies, and external links to a menu.

Drag the menu items into the order you want.

To create a drop-down menu, drag an item underneath another menu item until it becomes indented. The top item becomes the drop-down heading, and the indented items appear beneath it.

If the heading should only open the drop-down and should not lead to another page, use # as its link.

Click Save menu, and then preview your storefront.

Check that:
• Every menu link opens the correct page
• Custom pages display the correct theme template
• Drop-down menus work on desktop and mobile
• Main-menu links fit comfortably in the header
• Footer links are organized clearly
• Policy links open the correct policies
• No unfinished or hidden pages appear in the navigation

Remember that creating a page, connecting it to a theme template, and adding it to a menu are three separate actions. Complete all three before considering the page finished.

Download the updated .zip file without unzipping it. In Shopify, go to Online Store → Themes → Import theme → Upload zip file.

The update installs as a new, separate theme. Your products, collections, pages, and orders will remain, but your theme design will not transfer automatically. You would need to re-add your images, section content, colors, fonts, theme settings, and any custom code to the updated version.

Preview the updated theme before publishing it, and keep your current theme as a backup.

You may customize the theme for your own store, but you may not share, resell, redistribute, duplicate, or claim the theme as your own work.

A separate theme purchase is required for each additional Shopify store. Images, fonts, and other third-party assets may have separate licensing requirements, so only use assets you own or have permission to use.

If you are moving the theme to a different store or are unsure whether your use is covered, contact us before transferring it.

Go to Online Store → Themes and click Edit theme.

Open Theme settings using the gear icon, and then select Logo.

Under the logo settings:

• Upload or select your main logo
• Adjust the logo width until it looks balanced
• Add separate logo versions if the available settings request them
• Upload a square image under Favicon image

Shopify recommends a favicon size of 32 × 32 pixels.

Preview your logo on desktop and mobile, and then click Save. Open your storefront in a new browser tab to check the favicon, because it might not appear inside the theme editor.

Go to Online Store → Themes and click Edit theme.

Open Theme settings using the gear icon, and then select Colors. Click each color in the palette and choose a new color or enter its hex code.

Set your main background, text, accent, and contrasting colors. Make sure text and buttons are easy to read against their backgrounds.

Changing a palette color also changes every area of the theme currently connected to that color.

Some sections and blocks include their own color settings.

Select the section you want to customize and find its color options. Choose a color from your theme palette or enter a custom color where available.

A color selected directly inside a section overrides the main palette color for that section only. Use this when you want one area, such as the header, footer, or image banner, to have a different background or text color.

Preview the changes on desktop and mobile, and then click Save.

Go to Online Store → Themes and click Edit theme.

Open Theme settings → Typography. Choose the fonts used for body text, headings, subheadings, and accent text.

You can also adjust the native paragraph and H1–H6 styles, including their size, weight, line height, letter spacing, and capitalization.

Preview your typography on desktop and mobile, and then click Save.

In Theme settings → Typography, open the paragraph or H1–H6 style you want to change.

Depending on the style, you can adjust:
• Font
• Desktop and mobile size
• Weight
• Line height
• Letter spacing
• Capitalization

These are native text styles. When a section or text block is set to use H2, for example, it automatically uses the H2 typography settings configured here.

Use H1 for the main page title, followed by H2, H3, and the remaining heading levels in order.

Only use a font you own or have a webfont license for.

You can upload a .woff2, .woff, or .ttf font file. WOFF2 is recommended because it normally has the smallest file size and loads faster.

Go to Content → Files, click Upload files, and upload the font file. Copy the font’s Shopify file link after it finishes uploading.

Return to Online Store → Themes → Edit theme, then open Theme settings → Custom CSS.

If there is already code in the Custom CSS box, do not delete or replace it. Scroll to the bottom and add the code below under your existing code.

@font-face {
  font-family: "YOUR FONT NAME";
  src: url("YOUR SHOPIFY FONT FILE LINK");
  font-weight: 400;
  font-style: normal;
  font-display: swap;
}

:root {
  --font-heading--family: "YOUR FONT NAME", serif;
  --font-subheading--family: "YOUR FONT NAME", serif;
  --font-accent--family: "YOUR FONT NAME", serif;
}

Replace the placeholders

You will need to replace both placeholders throughout the code:

1. YOUR FONT NAME

Replace this with the name of your font. Use the exact same font name everywhere it appears in the code.

For example, if your font is called Canela, every instance of YOUR FONT NAME should become Canela.

2. YOUR SHOPIFY FONT FILE LINK

Replace this with the complete font file link you copied from Content → Files in Shopify.

Choose the correct font type

At the end of each font family line, you will see serif:

--font-heading--family: "Canela", serif;

If your font is a serif font, leave serif as it is.

If your font is a sans serif font, change serif to sans-serif:

--font-heading--family: "Canela", sans-serif;

Make the same change on all three font family lines.

Example

For a serif font named Canela, your finished code would look like this:

@font-face {
  font-family: "Canela";
  src: url("YOUR SHOPIFY FONT FILE LINK");
  font-weight: 400;
  font-style: normal;
  font-display: swap;
}

:root {
  --font-heading--family: "Canela", serif;
  --font-subheading--family: "Canela", serif;
  --font-accent--family: "Canela", serif;
}

Once you have replaced the font name and font file link, click Save.

Then preview your storefront and check the headings, subheadings, and accent text to make sure the font is displaying correctly.

Important: The custom font will not appear in Shopify’s font menu, and the selected font shown under 

Typography will not change. The custom CSS overrides that font on your storefront. You can still use the existing paragraph and H1–H6 settings to adjust the size, line height, letter spacing, and capitalization. Font-weight changes require the matching font-weight file to be uploaded.

If you have any problems uploading or applying your custom font, contact us and we will be happy to help.

Go to Online Store → Themes and click Edit theme.

Open the Header area in the sidebar and select the Header section. Use its settings to adjust the logo and menu positions, header layout, colors, spacing, and other available options.

You can also enable a transparent header separately for the homepage, product pages, and collection pages. When using a transparent header, choose a logo and text color that remain readable over the first section.

Expand the Header section and select the Menu block.

Choose the menu you created under Content → Menus. Adjust the available menu style, typography, spacing, submenu, and mobile navigation settings.

Return to the main Header settings to control available elements such as search, customer accounts, localization, and the cart.

Preview the header on desktop and mobile.

Open the Footer area in the theme editor and select the Footer section.

Add, remove, or rearrange the available footer blocks. Depending on your layout, these can include:
• Menus
• Text
• Logo or brand information
• Newsletter signup
• Social media icons
• Country or language selectors

Select the correct footer menu and adjust the layout, alignment, background color, width, spacing, and padding.

Select the Policies and links section underneath the main footer.

Choose which available information should appear, such as policy links, copyright information, payment icons, and other store links.

Your policies must first be added under Settings → Policies before they can appear in the footer.

Preview the completed header and footer on desktop and mobile, and then click Save.

Go to Online Store → Themes and click Edit theme.

Open Theme settings → Product cards. From here, you can control:

• Quick add
• Quick add on mobile
• Quick-add colors
• Second image on hover
• Product-card image carousel

To change the movement that appears when someone hovers over a card, open Theme settings → Animations and choose a card hover effect such as none, lift, scale, or subtle zoom.

These settings apply to product cards throughout the theme.

Open a collection template or a section that displays products, such as a featured collection.

Expand the section and select the Product card block. Inside it, you can add, remove, or rearrange available blocks such as:

• Product image
• Product title
• Price
• Reviews
• SKU
• Color swatches
• Buy buttons

The information shown by these blocks is pulled from each product. Edit the actual product title, images, price, and other details under Products in your Shopify admin.

Select the main Product card block to adjust its vertical gap, background color, border, corner radius, and padding.

Select the Product image or Media block to choose an image ratio:

• Auto
• Portrait
• Square
• Landscape

You can also adjust the image border, corner radius, and padding. Use the same image ratio throughout a product grid for a clean and consistent layout.

Select the section containing the product cards.

Adjust the number of desktop and mobile columns, horizontal gap, vertical gap, product count, and mobile carousel setting where available.

Preview the cards on desktop and mobile. Check the image cropping, text spacing, quick-add button, and distance between products before clicking Save.

Open Theme settings → Badges.

Here you can change:

• Badge position
• Corner radius
• Typography and text case
• Sale badge colors
• Sold-out badge colors

Preview the badges on a product card, and then click Save.

To display a Sale badge, open the product under Products and enter:

• The current sale price in Price
• The original, higher price in Compare-at price

To display a Sold out badge, the product must be unavailable for purchase. If Shopify tracks its inventory, set the quantity to zero and make sure Continue selling when out of stock is turned off.

If the product has variants, update the pricing and inventory for each relevant variant.

Open Theme settings → Cart.

Under Cart type, choose:

• Drawer to open the cart from the side without leaving the current page
• Page to send customers to a full cart page

If you select Drawer, you can also enable Automatically open cart drawer after a product is added.

In the same Cart settings, choose which features to display:

• Product title text case
• Price font
• Seller note
• Open seller note by default
• Discount-code field
• Installment information
• Accelerated checkout buttons
• Empty-cart button link

You can also change the border, width, opacity, and corner radius of the product images shown in the cart.

If you are using a cart drawer, open Theme settings → Drawers to adjust its background, text, and border colors.

Use the page selector at the top of the theme editor and open Cart.

Select the Cart section to customize:

• Cart title, item count, typography, and alignment
• Product image ratio, spacing, dividers, and vendor name
• Cart summary border and appearance
• Section width and spacing

You can also customize, replace, or remove the recommended-products section below the cart.

Preview the cart on desktop and mobile, and then click Save.

From your Shopify admin:

1. Go to Settings → Checkout.
2. Find Configurations.
3. Click Edit beside the configuration you want to customize.
4. Use the page selector to open Checkout.

You can also preview the Thank you, Order status, and Customer accounts pages from this editor.

If Configurations is not visible, you may need to select a Shopify plan and create your first product.

Open the Settings sidebar inside the checkout editor. Use the available options to customize:

• Logo, width, and alignment
• Font
• Color palette
• Background and text colors
• Buttons and form fields
• Favicon

Keep the design simple, easy to read, and consistent with the rest of your store. Click Save when finished.

Return to Settings → Checkout and review:

• Customer contact method
• Customer information fields
• Marketing options
• Order-processing preferences
• Customer-account requirements

Open the Footer in the theme editor.

Select the existing Social media links block or click Add block → Social media links.

Paste the complete link to each profile you want to display, such as:

• https://instagram.com/yourusername
• https://tiktok.com/@yourusername
• https://pinterest.com/yourusername

The block supports platforms including Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, YouTube, Pinterest, Threads, LinkedIn, Bluesky, Snapchat, Tumblr, Vimeo, and X. Leave platforms you do not use blank.

You can also select a color for the social-media icons.

From your Shopify admin:

1. Go to Products and open the product.
2. Under Category, select the most accurate product category.
3. Find Category metafields → Color.
4. Select each color used by the product.
5. If needed, create a custom color entry with its name, color value, or pattern image.
6. Under Variants, click Add options like size or color.
7. Select the connected Color category metafield and choose the product’s colors.
8. Review the created variants and click Save.

If the product already has a Color option, open it and use the dynamic-source icon to connect it to the Color category metafield. Review every variant carefully after connecting it.

Open the product template in the theme editor.

Under Product information, select the Variant picker block. Choose the Buttons style and enable Show swatches.

To display swatches on collection or featured-collection product cards:

1. Open the collection or product-list section.
2. Expand the Product card block.
3. Add or select the Swatches block.
4. Adjust its alignment and spacing.

Repeat this for any additional templates where you want swatches to appear.

Open Theme settings → Swatches.

Here you can change:

• Whether variant images appear inside the swatches
• Swatch width and height
• Corner radius
• Border style
• Border width
• Border opacity

Preview the product on desktop and mobile. Click every swatch to confirm that the correct image, price, and availability appear, and then click Save.

From your Shopify admin, go to Settings → Metafields and metaobjects.

Under Metafield definitions, select Products.

Click Add definition and enter a name for the metafield.

Select the type that matches the content you will add:

• Rich text for formatted descriptions or lists
• URL for links
• File for images, videos, or downloadable files
• Single-line text for short information
• Multi-line text for longer plain text

Confirm that the name and type are correct, then click Save.

If your theme instructions provide a specific metafield name or key, enter it exactly as shown.

Go to Online Store → Themes → Edit theme and open the template where the information should appear.

Add or select a compatible block, such as:

• Text
• Image
• Collapsible row
• Button
• Rich text

Click the dynamic source icon beside the block’s content setting, then select your metafield and click Save.

The same template will now display the correct metafield information for each product, collection, or page.

Preview several products or pages to confirm that the correct information appears.

Do not type product-specific information directly into a shared template block. That would display the same information on every product. Connect a metafield whenever the content needs to change between products.

If a metafield does not appear in the dynamic-source list, check that:

• You are editing the correct template type
• The block supports dynamic sources
• The metafield’s content type is compatible with the block
• A value has been added to the product or page

From your Shopify admin, go to Settings → Payments and select Activate Shopify Payments or choose another available payment provider.

Shopify will guide you through entering your business details, verifying your identity, connecting your payout bank account, and selecting your available payment methods. Follow each prompt and complete any outstanding verification requests before launching your store.

Payment options and requirements vary by country.

For physical products, open each product and make sure Physical product is enabled. Add an accurate product weight if you plan to use weight-based or carrier-calculated rates.

Go to Settings → Locations and confirm that your shipping address is correct. Shopify uses this location as the origin for shipping calculations and order fulfillment.

For digital products or services, deactivate Physical product so customers are not charged for shipping.

Go to Settings → Shipping and delivery.

Under Shipping profiles, select General profile. Confirm that your physical products and the correct fulfillment location are included.

Open the shipping zone or add a new zone for the countries and regions where you plan to ship. Add the shipping options and prices you want customers to see at checkout.

You can offer:

• A flat shipping rate
• Free shipping
• Order value or weight-based rates
• Carrier-calculated rates

Only create a custom profile if certain products need different shipping rates from the rest of your store.

If you use carrier-calculated rates, also review the Packages and Carrier accounts sections on the Shipping and delivery page.

Visit your storefront, add a physical product to the cart, and continue to checkout.

Test addresses from each area where you ship and confirm that the correct rates appear. If a rate is missing, check the product’s physical-product setting, weight, inventory location, market, shipping zone, and rate conditions.

From your Shopify admin, go to Settings → Policies.

Add the policies that apply to your business:

• Return policy
• Privacy policy
• Terms of service
• Shipping policy
• Subscription policy, if applicable
• Legal notice, if required

Shopify may provide the option to insert a policy template. Use these templates as a starting point, then review and customize them for your products, location, and business practices.

You are responsible for ensuring that your policies are accurate and comply with the laws that apply to your business. Consult a legal professional if you are unsure.

Click Save after completing each policy.

Shopify automatically adds your policies to the checkout footer. To make them accessible throughout your storefront, add them to your footer menu as well.

Go to Content → Menus and open your footer menu. Click Add menu item, enter the policy name, and select the corresponding policy under Policies.

Repeat this for each policy, arrange the links in your preferred order, and click Save menu.

Preview your storefront and checkout to confirm that every policy link opens correctly.

From your Shopify admin, go to Settings → Domains.

Depending on your account, select one of the following options:

• Select Buy new domain to purchase and manage a domain through Shopify
• Select Connect existing domain if you already purchased one from another provider

If you connect an existing domain, enter the domain name without www and follow Shopify’s instructions. Some providers can connect automatically, while others require you to update the DNS settings inside your domain-provider account.

Connecting a domain does not transfer its billing or renewal to Shopify. You will continue managing those details through the original provider.

Return to Settings → Domains and confirm that the domain displays a Connected status.

Domain changes can take up to 48 hours to finish. Shopify will also automatically create a security certificate for the domain.

If Shopify displays an error, open the domain to review which connection or DNS setting needs attention.

Your primary domain is the address customers see while browsing your store.

From Settings → Domains, select the connected domain. Beside Type, click Change, select Primary domain, and save the change.

Visit the domain in a new browser window and test several pages to confirm that the storefront loads correctly.

From your Shopify admin:

1. Go to Online Store → Preferences.
2. Find Social sharing image and SEO.
3. Enter a descriptive Homepage title.
4. Enter a short Meta description explaining what your business sells.
5. Click Add image or Change image to upload a social sharing image.
6. Click Save.

Keep the homepage title under approximately 60 characters and the meta description under approximately 160 characters. Use clear, natural wording that includes the main phrase customers may use to find your business.

Product pages, collection pages, and blog posts normally use their own featured images when shared. Their titles and meta descriptions are edited separately in each page’s Search engine listing area.

For website pages such as About, FAQ, or Contact, go to Online Store → Pages and select the page you want to update.

Scroll to Search engine listing and click the edit icon or Edit website SEO. Review and update:

• Page title
• Meta description
• URL handle  

Products, collections, and blog posts also have this section inside their individual editing pages.

Give every important page a unique title and description. Only change a published URL when necessary, and make sure Shopify creates a redirect from the previous address.

Use clear page titles and headings that describe the content underneath them. Add relevant search terms naturally to your product descriptions, collection descriptions, pages, and blog posts.

Add descriptive alternative text to important images so search engines and customers using screen readers can understand them.

Avoid copying the same title, description, or body text across multiple pages.

Before launching, place a test order to confirm that:

• Products and prices are correct
• Discount codes work
• Shipping and taxes display correctly
• Policies are linked
• Order-confirmation emails are received
• The thank-you and order-status pages display correctly

You can use Shopify Payments test mode or Shopify’s Test payment gateway. Turn test mode off when you finish so customers can place real orders.

Preview the store on your phone and your computer. Confirm that:
• Your logo, favicon, colors, and typography are correct
• Images and videos load properly
• All buttons and links open the correct destination
• Header, footer, and mobile menus work correctly
• About, Contact, FAQ, and policy pages are complete
• Contact forms and social-media links work
• Spelling, pricing, and product information are accurate

Check several products and confirm that:
• Prices and compare-at prices are correct
• Product images, descriptions, and variants are complete
• Products are assigned to the correct collections
• Inventory settings are correct
• Product metafields display the correct information
• Physical and digital products have the correct shipping settings
• Products are active and available through the Online Store sales channel

Before accepting orders, confirm that:
• Your business name, address, email, currency, and time zone are correct
• Your payment provider is active and payment test mode is disabled
• Shipping zones, rates, locations, and packages are correct
• Your tax settings have been reviewed for your business and location
• Store policies are complete and linked in the footer
• Your custom domain is connected and set as the primary domain
• Homepage and page SEO titles and descriptions are complete

Consult a qualified tax or legal professional if you are unsure about your tax obligations or store policies.

Place a test order and confirm that:
• Products can be added to the cart
• Discount codes apply correctly
• Shipping rates and taxes display correctly
• Checkout works on desktop and mobile
• Order and customer email notifications are received
• Inventory updates after an order
• The order can be fulfilled, cancelled, or refunded correctly

After testing, disable payment test mode.

Shopify requires an active subscription plan, a business address, and a configured payment method before the store can be launched.

When you are ready, go to Online Store and click the Private access setting. Select Public, then click Launch store.

You can also go to Online Store → Preferences and deactivate Private mode under Store access.

After launching, visit your primary domain in a private browser window and complete one final check of the storefront and checkout.

Included theme support covers:

• Clarifying instructions in the setup guide
• Helping you locate or use an existing theme setting
• Troubleshooting a built-in feature that is not working as demonstrated
• Investigating possible issues with the original theme files
• Providing available theme updates and important instructions

Standard theme support does not include:

• Installing or setting up your store for you
• Adding products, pages, images, or written content
• Custom design or layout changes
• Creating new sections or features
• Custom code added by you or another designer
• Third-party app setup or troubleshooting
• General Shopify account, billing, payment, shipping, or tax support

These services may be available separately through our paid setup and customization services.

GET THEME SUPPORT↗ 

Setup services may include:

• Installing your Islanova theme
• Adding your logo, favicon, colors, and fonts
• Setting up pages, products, collections, and menus
• Arranging and styling theme sections
• Adding your images and written content
• Connecting product metafields
• Configuring theme settings
• Preparing the store for launch
• Completing a final storefront review

Customization services may include:

• Adjusting existing layouts
• Creating custom sections or features
• Adding custom code
• Styling compatible third-party apps
• Creating alternate product or page templates
• Making design changes beyond the theme’s existing settings

REQUEST A QUOTE↗ 

After reviewing your request, we will confirm availability and provide a project scope, estimated timeline, and price.

Services are quoted separately and are not included with a theme purchase.

Never send your Shopify password. Secure collaborator access will be requested if your project requires store access.