Complete Guide Building your Online Shop for Books & Products.
Part of our series: How to Set Up an Online Shop for Your Books & Products →
You’ve chosen your platform. Now let’s build your shop. This guide walks you through the exact steps for setting up on your own website, (our recommended approach), as well as Shopify and Etsy if that’s the route you’re taking, your Online Shop Setup Guide – Books & Products
Prefer to Have It Done for You?
Before diving into the step-by-step, it’s worth knowing that at Worldy-TCP we handle all of this for you — shop design, product and print provider integration, payment configuration, and launch support.
Our fees are accessible for most independent creators and small, medium businesses, and we take no commission on your sales, ever. We also include 3 months of free coaching support after launch so you feel confident managing your shop yourself. After that, we’re available on an ad-hoc basis or via a monthly support plan if you’d like ongoing help.
The hosting provider we recommend to all our clients comes with free AI assistance and free customer service built in — so you’re supported even between our sessions.
Book a Free Shop Setup Consultation →
Prefer to do it yourself? Keep reading — everything you need is below.
Online Shop Setup Guide: Your Own Website — WooCommerce (Recommended)
This online shop setup guide starts with WooCommerce — the option that gives you the most control.
This is the setup that gives you the most control, the best profit margins, and a shop that truly belongs to you. If you have a WordPress site, here’s how to turn it into a fully functioning store.
1. Install WooCommerce
- Go to WordPress Dashboard → Plugins → Add New
- Search for “WooCommerce” → click Install Now → Activate
- Run the setup wizard: enter your store name, location, and currency
2. Add Your Products
- Go to Products → Add New
- Upload product images — use at least 3 angles or views
- Write a clear description focused on benefits, not just features
- Set your price (see the pricing section below)
- Assign a product category
3. Connect Your Print Provider
- Go to Plugins → Add New
- Search for your provider: “Printful“, “Gelato”, or “Teelaunch”
- Install, activate, and log in to your provider account
- Your products sync automatically — no manual fulfilment needed
4. Set Up Payments — On Your Terms
One of the key advantages of your own website is that you choose your payment gateway. No platform forcing you into their system or taking an extra cut.
- Go to WooCommerce → Settings → Payments
- Install the Stripe plugin (search “WooCommerce Stripe Payment Gateway”)
- Paste your API keys from your Stripe dashboard
- Alternatively, connect PayPal or any other provider you prefer
- Run a test transaction to confirm everything works
5. Customise Your Shop
- Choose a WooCommerce-compatible theme
- Add your logo and brand colours
- Write an “About” page — people buy from people they trust
- Add an email signup form (Mailchimp integrates easily and has a free plan)
- Set up your shipping options and return policy
Timeline: +3 days Annual cost: ~$50–100 for hosting — no monthly platform fees Difficulty: Medium (but this is where we can help — see the beginning of this post.
Online Shop Setup: Spotify
1. Create Your Account
- Go to Shopify.com and start your free trial
- Enter your store name and basic business details
2. Configure Your Store
- Upload your logo
- Choose a theme (free themes work well for most shops)
- Set your currency and location
3. Add Products
- Go to Products → Add Product
- Upload images, write descriptions, set prices
- Add variants (sizes, colours) where applicable
4. Install a Print Provider App
- Go to the Shopify App Store
- Search for Printful, Gelato, or your chosen provider
- Connect your account and link your products
5. Set Up Payments
- Go to Settings → Payments
- Enable Shopify Payments or connect PayPal
- Test the checkout flow before going live
6. Choose a Paid Plan and Launch
- Select your plan ($29/month minimum)
- Remove the storefront password
- You’re live
Timeline: 3 + days Cost: $29–299/month Difficulty: Easy
Online Shop Setup: Etsy
1. Create Your Account
- Go to Etsy.com and sign up (free)
- Click Sell on Etsy → Open Your Shop
2. Set Up Your Shop Profile
- Choose your shop name
- Upload a banner and profile image
- Write a short description using keywords your customers would search for
3. Create Your First Listing
- Click Add a Listing
- Upload at least 3 product images
- Write a descriptive title with keywords people actually search
- Set your price and add shipping details
4. Connect a Print Provider (Optional)
- Printful and Gelato both connect directly to Etsy
- Go to your provider dashboard → Integrations → Etsy
- Authorise the connection and sync your products
5. Go Live
- Complete Etsy’s setup checklist
- Your shop is visible to Etsy’s audience
Timeline: 1–2 days Cost: Free to open (fees per sale) Difficulty: Very Easy
Connecting a Print Provider (Any Platform)
Regardless of which shop you use, this is how the print provider connection works:
- Create a free account with your provider (Printful, Gelato, IngramSpark for books, etc.)
- Go to Integrations in their dashboard and choose your platform
- Authorise the connection — this links your shop and provider accounts
- Upload your designs and choose product types (book, t-shirt, mug, etc.)
- Set your pricing — the provider shows you the production cost; you add your profit margin
- Sync products — they appear in your shop automatically
- Place a test order — always do this before going live to check quality and delivery time
Popular Print Providers by Product Type
| Product | Provider |
|---|---|
| Books | IngramSpark, Lulu, Gelato |
| Apparel | Printful, Teelaunch, Gelato |
| Mugs & home goods | Printful, Printigo |
| Notebooks & stationery | Lulu, Printigo, Gelato, Printful |
| Art prints & posters | Lulu, Printful, Gelato |
Online Shop Setup Guide: Pricing Your Products
A common mistake is pricing too low. Here’s a simple formula:
Your Price = Production cost + Platform/payment fees + Your profit
Example for a book on your own website:
- Production cost: $ 6.00
- Payment processing (~3%): $0.20c+0.54 on an $18 sale
-
Your profit: ~$12.28 — and no platform taking a further cut
Compare that to the same book on Etsy:
- Production cost: $6.00
- Etsy transaction fee $18 sale (6.5%): $1.17
- Payment processing: $0.94
- Your profit: ~$11.26 — before any ad spend to get visibility
Compare that to the same book on Shopify
- Production cost: $6
- Selling Price: $18.00
- Shopify Fees (2.9% + $0.30): $0.82
- Total Cost per Sale: $6.82
- Net Profit per Book: less than –$11.18 – monthly fees unless you sell a minimum books a month that covers that. and payment with international debit, credit cards are higher fees
Before You Launch — Checklist
Follow This Online Shop Set Up Guide Checklist Before Going Live
- ✅ Test transaction completed successfully
- ✅ Product images are high quality (minimum 3 per product)
- ✅ Descriptions are clear and include keywords people search for
- ✅ Shipping costs are configured and visible before checkout
- ✅ Return and refund policy is written and published
- ✅ “About” page is live
- ✅ Email signup is on your homepage
- ✅ You’ve placed a sample order and checked print quality
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