How to make an online store for free in South Africa

You may think that you need to be a clever coder to create your own online store, but all you need is 5 minutes! Best of all, you can sign up for a free 30-day trial to see if you like the service. There are no strings attached and you don’t even have to fill in your credit card details to get going. If that sounds too good to be true, keep reading for a step-by-step guide on how to make your free online store with Shopstar:

Step 1: Sign up

Head to the Shopstar site and click on “Get Started”. This will take you to a registration page, where you’ll set up your login details and pick a name for your store. Don’t stress too much about what you call it though – you can always change your mind later on.

Step 2: Choose your URL

This is the unique address where your shop will live online. Ideally, it should be your brand’s name. If you already have a website and domain, then we can help you link your online store to your site for a smooth shopping experience.

Don’t stress if you don’t have a website – you can still have a unique name for your store that ends in shopstar.co.za. For example, if your shop’s name is Fresh Fashion, your store would be freshfashion.shopstar.co.za.

If you’re at all unsure about which option is best for you, we’re here to help! Get in touch and we’ll walk you through the pros and cons for your business, helping you figure out the best solution for your online store.

Step 3: Stock your shop

Now that you’ve got the store front, you can start adding your products. The stock management tools are designed to make dealing with multiple stock items smooth sailing so you have more time to grow your business.

With step-by-step instructions, it’s easy to add descriptions and pictures showing off the best angles to tempt people into buying your wares. We’ll guide you through the process from beginning to end and help make your products easy to find online.

Step 4: Make it pretty!

You know the value of distinguishing yourself from the crowd, so designing a shop that matches your brand is key. Shopstar offers a lot of freedom for you to create a store that fits your look from scratch, or you can opt for one of the design templates. This is an easier option, giving you the chance to tweak things with no design skills required.

As a bonus, these design sets are optimised for all device types, which means your shop will look great on mobile phones, tablets and computers without you having to do a thing.

Step 5: Pick your payment option

Offering a variety of convenient and secure payment options for your customers is key to online success. That’s why we support a range of payment methods. Shopstar is compatible with both Payfast and Paypal – offering local and international credit card users the channels they know and are comfortable with. We also work with SnapScan, making mobile payments easy as pie!

There’s no time like the present – you can create your online store in less than 5 minutes with Shopstar backing you all the way. Soon you’ll have conquered the online shopping world and be rolling in the Randelas!