How to Start a
Shopify Store
in India: 2026 Guide
To start a Shopify store in India: 1) Create a Shopify account at shopify.com/in and start the 3-day free trial. 2) Choose a plan - Basic at ₹1,499/month (annual) is sufficient for most new stores. 3) Select and customise a theme. 4) Add your products with descriptions, images, and pricing. 5) Install Razorpay or PayU from the Shopify App Store for prepaid payments. 6) Add Cash on Delivery as a manual payment method in Settings - Payments. 7) Configure GST in Settings - Taxes and duties - enter your GSTIN and apply the correct rate for your products. 8) Set up shipping zones for India and install Shiprocket for courier integration. 9) Connect your domain. 10) Test the complete checkout flow on mobile before going live. A complete Indian Shopify store can be set up in 2-4 weeks if you are doing it yourself, or 3-6 weeks with a professional build.
How to Start a Shopify Store in India - Complete Checklist
- Account and plan: Create account at shopify.com/in, start free trial, choose Basic plan for new stores
- Theme selection: Use a free theme (Dawn recommended) for launch - customise later once the store is generating revenue
- Products: Upload with keyword-rich titles, detailed descriptions, compressed images, correct GST tax settings per product
- Collections: Organise products into keyword-rich collection pages with unique descriptions
- Razorpay: Install official Razorpay app, complete KYC, configure webhooks - critical for Indian UPI payments
- Cash on Delivery: Add as Manual Payment Method in Settings - Payments - not automatic in Shopify
- GST: Enter GSTIN in Settings - Taxes and duties, set correct rate (5%, 12%, 18%, or 28%) per product category
- Shipping: Create India shipping zone, set rates, install Shiprocket for courier integration
- Domain: Buy a .in or .com domain - connect through Settings - Domains
- Pre-launch test: Place test orders on mobile for both Razorpay UPI and COD before launching any advertising
What You Need to Know Before Starting a Shopify Store in India
Shopify is a global platform built for merchants worldwide. Starting a Shopify store in India requires additional configuration steps that are not part of the standard Shopify setup experience - because Indian payment gateways, GST compliance, COD workflows, and courier integrations are specific to the Indian market. As a Certified Shopify Partner in Chennai, BYB Traction has guided many Indian businesses through this process, and the most common mistake is launching before completing the India-specific configuration steps - then discovering payment failures and compliance issues after the store goes live.
This guide covers every step in order - from creating your Shopify account to the pre-launch checklist that confirms your Indian store is ready to accept real orders. The steps are written for a business owner building their first store, not for developers. You do not need coding knowledge to complete any step in this guide.
What you need before you start:
- A business idea with a defined product range and target customer
- Product images (minimum 800x800px, compressed to under 500KB each)
- GSTIN (GST registration number) if your annual turnover exceeds ₹40 lakh for goods or ₹20 lakh for services
- A bank account in the name of your business for Razorpay KYC
- PAN card of the business or proprietor for Razorpay KYC
- A domain name (optional at start - you can use the free Shopify subdomain initially)
Step 1: Create Your Shopify Account and Choose a Plan
Go to Shopify's official India store and click "Start free trial". You will get a 3-day free trial with full access to all features before any payment is required. Enter your email, create a password, and follow the onboarding prompts.
- Enter your store name - this becomes your default Shopify subdomain (yourstore.myshopify.com). Choose carefully as this cannot be changed after creation, though you can connect a custom domain later
- Shopify will ask basic questions about your business type - answer honestly, as this helps Shopify personalise your dashboard
- Set your store's country to India - this is important for currency (INR), tax defaults, and payment gateway availability
- After setup, go to Settings - Store details and verify your store currency is set to INR (Indian Rupee)
Once inside your Shopify Admin, you will see a setup checklist on the dashboard. Work through this checklist alongside this guide - the two complement each other, with this guide providing the India-specific context that Shopify's default checklist does not cover.
Shopify offers multiple plans for Indian merchants. The right plan depends on your revenue level and required features. Always verify current pricing at Shopify's official India pricing page before committing - prices shown here are for reference and subject to change.
For most new Indian stores starting out, the Basic plan is the correct choice. It includes everything needed for a fully functional Indian store - product pages, checkout, Razorpay integration, COD, GST configuration, and standard analytics.
The key India-specific consideration for plan selection is the transaction fee on third-party payment gateways. Because Shopify Payments is not available in India, all Indian merchants use Razorpay or PayU - which are third-party gateways and attract a transaction fee on every order. On Basic plan this is 2% per order. On Grow plan it is 1%. The break-even point where upgrading to Grow saves money is approximately ₹4.1 lakh per month in prepaid (Razorpay) revenue. Below that threshold, start with Basic.
Step 2: Choose and Customise Your Shopify Theme
Shopify's free themes are built to modern performance standards and work well for Indian stores. Do not buy a paid theme for your first store - invest in a paid theme after your store is generating revenue and you have a clearer picture of your specific design needs. The most suitable free themes for Indian D2C stores:
- Dawn - Shopify's flagship free theme. Clean, fast, mobile-first, high PageSpeed scores. Best for fashion, home goods, general merchandise. Supports Online Store 2.0 features including built-in filters and sections everywhere.
- Craft - Minimalist, product-focused. Good for artisan products, handloom, food, and wellness brands where the product photography leads the experience.
- Sense - Works well for health, beauty, and skincare categories. Clean layout with good variant display.
- Crave - Designed for food and beverage brands. Works well for packaged food, snacks, and beverage D2C stores.
To install a theme: Admin - Online Store - Themes - Visit Theme Store (free themes) - Add to library. Customise through the Theme Editor (Admin - Online Store - Themes - Customise) to add your logo, brand colours, and homepage sections without any coding.
India-specific theme customisation to do before launch: Add a trust bar near the top of the homepage with "COD Available", "Free Returns", and "GST Invoice Available" - these three signals address the most common Indian buyer hesitations before they even reach a product page.
Step 3: Add Products and Organise Collections
Each product in Shopify has fields that affect both buyer experience and SEO. Fill every field completely - partial product data is the most common cause of poor organic search performance for Indian Shopify stores.
- Product title: Include the primary keyword buyers search for. "Cotton Kurta for Men - Navy Blue" is better than just "Navy Kurta". Include material, occasion, or size if it is a key differentiator.
- Product description: Write 150-300 words covering fabric/material, dimensions/sizing (in Indian measurements - cm not inches), wash care, occasion suitability, and delivery information. Do not copy manufacturer descriptions.
- Product images: Compress all images to under 500KB before uploading. Add descriptive ALT text to every image - this helps SEO and screen readers. Minimum 3 images per product; aim for 5-8 including lifestyle shots.
- Price: Enter the selling price in INR. If you want to show a crossed-out MRP (original price), enter the higher price in the "Compare at price" field.
- GST tax setting: Check "Charge taxes on this product" for all taxable products. The correct GST rate is configured in Settings - Taxes and duties (covered in Step 6).
- Inventory: Enter stock quantities so Shopify can track inventory and prevent overselling.
- Weight: Enter product weight in grams - required for accurate courier rate calculation in Shiprocket.
- SEO preview: Scroll to "Search engine listing preview" at the bottom of the product page. Write a unique meta title (50-60 characters) and meta description (130-155 characters) for each product.
Step 4: Set Up Indian Payment Methods - Razorpay and COD
Shopify Payments is not available in India. Every Indian Shopify store must use a third-party payment gateway. Razorpay is the most widely used option, supporting UPI (PhonePe, GPay, Paytm, BHIM), credit and debit cards, net banking, wallets, and EMI. PayU is an alternative with similar features.
- Create a Razorpay account at dashboard.razorpay.com. Complete KYC - you will need your PAN, GSTIN (if applicable), business bank account details, and proof of business.
- Once your Razorpay account is activated, go to the Shopify App Store (Admin - Apps - App Store) and search for "Razorpay". Install the official Razorpay app.
- Connect your Razorpay account to Shopify using the Key ID and Key Secret from Razorpay Dashboard - Settings - API Keys.
- In Shopify Admin - Settings - Payments - verify Razorpay appears as your payment provider and is active.
- Configure webhooks (mandatory): In Razorpay Dashboard - Settings - Webhooks, add your Shopify webhook URL and enable the payment.captured and order.paid events. Without webhooks, UPI payments where buyers close the app before the redirect will not be recorded in Shopify - you will collect money but never see the order.
Cash on Delivery is not a built-in Shopify payment option. It must be added manually. In many Indian product categories, COD accounts for 30-50% of orders - not configuring it means you are inaccessible to a large portion of potential buyers, particularly first-time buyers from Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities who prefer to pay on delivery from brands they have not bought from before.
- Go to Shopify Admin - Settings - Payments
- Scroll down to Manual payment methods
- Click Add manual payment method
- Select Cash on Delivery (COD) from the dropdown
- Add buyer instructions in the "Payment instructions" field - for example: "Please keep exact change ready. Our delivery partner will collect payment at the time of delivery."
- Click Activate
Once activated, COD appears as a checkout option alongside Razorpay. COD orders appear in your Shopify Admin with payment status "Pending" until you manually mark them as paid after the courier confirms collection.
Also make COD visible before checkout - add a "Cash on Delivery available" badge near the Add to Cart button on your product pages. Many Indian buyers will abandon if they are not sure COD is available before they reach checkout.
Step 5: Configure GST on Your Shopify Store
GST configuration has two parts: the tax settings within Shopify Admin (which determines what buyers are charged at checkout) and a GST invoice app (which generates compliant tax invoices for your buyers).
Part 1 - Shopify Tax Settings:
- Go to Admin - Settings - Taxes and duties
- Click on India under Tax regions
- Enable tax collection and enter your GSTIN
- Shopify automatically splits the rate into CGST + SGST for intra-state orders and IGST for inter-state orders based on the buyer's delivery state
- Set the default tax rate to your most common product GST rate
- For products with different rates (e.g. apparel under Rs 1,000 at 5%, apparel above Rs 1,000 at 12%), use Tax Overrides to assign different rates to different product collections
Part 2 - GST Invoice App:
Shopify's default order confirmation email is not a GST-compliant tax invoice. Install a GST invoice app from the Shopify App Store - Simpro or Order Printer Pro are widely used. Configure the app with your GSTIN, registered business name and address, and HSN codes for your product categories. This is particularly important for B2B buyers who need a valid GST invoice to claim Input Tax Credit.
Step 6: Set Up Shipping Zones and Integrate Shiprocket
Without shipping zones configured, buyers cannot complete checkout - Shopify will show "No shipping available" and block the order. This is one of the most common reasons for zero conversions on new Indian stores.
Shopify shipping setup:
- Admin - Settings - Shipping and delivery - Manage (next to your shipping profile)
- Under "Shipping to", click Create shipping zone - name it "India - Domestic" and select India
- Add rates: click Add rate. For most Indian stores, start with a flat rate (e.g. ₹50 for all orders) and a free shipping threshold (e.g. Free shipping on orders above ₹499)
Shiprocket integration:
Shiprocket is India's most widely used courier aggregator for Shopify stores, providing access to Bluedart, Delhivery, Ecom Express, XpressBees, and DTDC from one dashboard. Install the official Shiprocket app from the Shopify App Store and connect it to your Shiprocket account. Shiprocket handles AWB number generation, shipping label printing, buyer tracking links, and COD remittance to your bank account.
- Set your default warehouse address in Shiprocket Settings
- Configure product weights in Shopify for accurate courier rate selection
- Set up COD remittance bank account in Shiprocket Settings - Remittance before your first COD delivery
Step 7: Connect a Domain and Set Up Basic SEO
Your store launches with a free Shopify subdomain (yourstore.myshopify.com) which is functional for testing but not appropriate for a live business. Connect a custom domain before going live.
Domain setup:
- Buy a domain from GoDaddy, Namecheap, or any Indian domain registrar. A .in domain is affordable and signals India relevance. A .com domain has broader familiarity.
- In Shopify Admin - Settings - Domains - Add an existing domain - enter your domain and follow the DNS configuration instructions
- DNS propagation takes 24-48 hours. Your store will be accessible on both the custom domain and the .myshopify.com subdomain during this period
Basic SEO setup before launch:
- Admin - Settings - Search Engine Listing Preview: write your homepage meta title (50-60 characters, include your brand name and primary keyword) and meta description (130-155 characters)
- Admin - Online Store - Preferences: set your homepage title and meta description
- Connect Google Search Console: Admin - Online Store - Preferences - Google Search Console - Connect. Submit your sitemap (yourstore.com/sitemap.xml) to Search Console after going live
- Connect Google Analytics 4 through Admin - Online Store - Preferences or through the Shopify Google channel app
- Verify all collection pages and product pages have unique meta titles and descriptions - these have a significant impact on organic click-through rates
Step 8: Pre-Launch Testing Checklist
Never launch a Shopify store or run paid advertising before completing these checks. Test everything on a real Android mobile device - not just a desktop browser or iPhone.
| Test | What to Check | Pass Condition |
|---|---|---|
| Razorpay UPI payment | Place a real test order using UPI on Android | Order appears in Shopify Admin as "Paid" within 60 seconds |
| COD order | Place a test COD order | Order appears as "Pending" tagged COD, confirmation email mentions COD instructions |
| GST at checkout | Proceed to checkout from a product page | Correct GST rate shows as line item - test from both same-state and different-state addresses |
| Shipping rates | Add product, enter delivery address in checkout | Shipping rate appears correctly - test above and below free shipping threshold |
| Mobile speed | Run product page through Google PageSpeed Insights on mobile | Score above 60 - below this, fix speed before running any paid ads |
| Razorpay webhook | Check Razorpay Dashboard - Webhooks - verify status is "Active" | Webhook URL shows Active status |
| Domain and SSL | Visit your custom domain | Store loads on custom domain with https:// and padlock icon |
| Shiprocket order import | Check Shiprocket dashboard after placing test order | Test orders appear in Shiprocket dashboard ready for fulfilment |
The most expensive mistake new Indian Shopify store owners make is launching Meta or Google Ads before testing the complete checkout flow. A broken Razorpay webhook, missing COD option, or shipping zone error means every paid click either fails to convert or creates a compliance issue. Complete all 8 tests first. The cost of a failed checkout test is a wasted ₹1 test order. The cost of running ads to a broken checkout is the entire ad spend.
Common Mistakes Indian Beginners Make When Starting a Shopify Store
- Skipping COD setup - many new store owners assume COD is automatic. It is not. Missing COD can cost 30-50% of potential orders in many Indian categories.
- Not configuring Razorpay webhooks - results in silent order loss where buyers pay via UPI but the order never appears in Shopify Admin.
- Uploading uncompressed images - images over 1MB each significantly slow mobile page loads. Compress all images to under 500KB using TinyPNG before uploading.
- Leaving collection descriptions blank - collection pages with no description text are thin content pages that Google does not rank. Write at least 150 words for each main collection.
- Installing too many apps at launch - each app loads JavaScript that slows your store. Launch with the minimum - Razorpay, Shiprocket, GST invoice app. Add others only when there is a specific need.
- Not testing the mobile checkout flow - most Indian buyers use mid-range Android phones on 4G connections. Test on the device your buyers actually use, not a desktop browser.
- Launching without a domain - selling from a .myshopify.com subdomain significantly reduces buyer trust and conversion rate. Connect a custom domain before going live.
- Incorrect GST rates - applying the wrong GST rate is a compliance risk. Verify your product HSN codes and applicable rates on the GST Council portal or with a CA before configuration.
Want Your Shopify Store Built Professionally? BYB Traction Can Help
This guide covers every step to build your store yourself. If you would prefer a professionally built store with all India-specific configurations handled correctly - Razorpay with webhooks, COD, GST, Shiprocket, and a mobile-first theme - BYB Traction builds Shopify stores for Indian businesses as a digital marketing agency in Chennai and Certified Shopify Partner. Explore Shopify at Shopify's official India store and verify plan pricing at Shopify's official India pricing page.
These are BYB Traction's Shopify store development plans. Your Shopify subscription is paid separately and directly to Shopify. See current Shopify plan pricing at Shopify's official India pricing page.
Launch store, product setup
- Store design and build - up to 50 products
- Product upload and optimisation - up to 50 products
- Basic SEO setup (meta tags, alt text, permalinks)
- Essential app integration - Basic Set
- Payment and checkout setup
- Security setup - Basic (SSL, anti-spam)
- 30-min training and handover
- 15-day post-launch support
- Email support
Custom design, SEO, sales tools
- Store design and build - up to 350 products
- Product upload and optimisation - up to 350 products
- Limited customisation
- Speed optimisation (image compression, code cleanup)
- Essential app integration - Standard Set
- Payment and checkout setup
- Security setup - Standard
- 1-hr training and handover
- 30-day post-launch support
- Email and WhatsApp support
- 1 Month SEO Growth Plan included
Shopify Plus, automation, conversions
- Store design and build - up to 800 products
- Product upload and optimisation - up to 800 products
- Full customisation
- Advanced speed optimisation
- Advanced custom functionality
- Essential app integration - Advanced Set
- Payment and checkout setup
- Security setup - Advanced (SSL, anti-spam, bot protection)
- 2-hr training and handover
- 60-day post-launch support
- Priority support (Email, WhatsApp and Calls)
- 1 Month SEO Premium Plan included
Not sure whether to build yourself or hire a professional? BYB Traction offers a free 30-minute consultation - we will review your product, budget, and timeline and give you a straight recommendation. If DIY is the right path for your situation, we will tell you that. Book your free consultation
Conclusion: Start Right and You Will Not Need to Rebuild
The most expensive mistake in Indian Shopify is launching a store that is not properly configured for the Indian market - then discovering broken payment flows, missing COD, incorrect GST, and zero organic traffic weeks later when the ad spend has already been wasted. The 9 steps in this guide, completed in order, result in a store that is ready to accept Indian buyers from day one.
Take the time to complete the pre-launch checklist before spending a single rupee on advertising. A store that converts at 2% on ₹10,000 ad spend generates ₹40,000+ in revenue. A store that converts at 0.2% because of broken checkout or missing COD generates ₹4,000 from the same spend. The configuration work takes a few days. The revenue impact of getting it right lasts for years.
For stores that need professional help - whether to build from scratch or fix an existing store's India configuration - see our guide to Shopify expert costs in India for a realistic picture of what professional help costs and what it delivers.
4th Floor, 4A, Rashmi Towers, Nungambakkam, Chennai 600034 · +91-9600448666 · contact@bybtraction.com · View Shopify Services
Frequently Asked Questions
The minimum cost to start a Shopify store in India is the Shopify subscription fee - Basic plan at Rs 1,499 per month on annual billing (Rs 1,769 including 18% GST). In addition, you will pay Razorpay's payment gateway fee of approximately 2 percent per transaction, Shopify's transaction fee of 2 percent on the Basic plan for Razorpay orders, and optionally a domain name at Rs 700 to Rs 1,500 per year. Essential apps (Shiprocket, GST invoice app) add Rs 1,500 to Rs 3,000 per month. The total first-year cost for a self-built store is approximately Rs 30,000 to Rs 50,000 including subscription, apps, and domain. If you hire a Certified Shopify Partner to build the store professionally, expect Rs 34,999 to Rs 1,49,999 for the build plus ongoing subscription costs.
A basic Shopify store in India can be set up in 3 to 7 days if you work on it consistently and have all content (product images, descriptions, brand assets) ready. A fully configured store with proper GST setup, Razorpay with webhooks tested, COD configured, Shiprocket integrated, and all products uploaded with SEO-optimised content typically takes 2 to 4 weeks for a self-build. A professionally built store by a Certified Shopify Partner takes 3 to 6 weeks from kickoff to launch depending on the number of products and design complexity. The most common cause of delay is waiting for Razorpay KYC approval, which takes 2 to 7 business days after submitting documents.
You need to register for GST if your annual turnover exceeds Rs 40 lakh for goods or Rs 20 lakh for services. However, businesses selling through online platforms (ecommerce) are required to register for GST regardless of turnover under the current GST framework - this applies to businesses selling through their own Shopify store as well. If you are just starting and your turnover is below the threshold, you may operate without GST registration and should not charge GST on your invoices. Consult a CA to confirm your specific obligation based on your product category, state, and business structure. Even if you are not GST registered, you can set up all other aspects of your Shopify store and add your GSTIN later once registered.
Razorpay is the most widely used and recommended payment gateway for Shopify stores in India. It supports all major Indian payment methods including UPI (PhonePe, GPay, Paytm, BHIM), credit and debit cards, net banking, wallets, and EMI. Razorpay has an official Shopify app maintained by Razorpay themselves, reliable webhook integration, and 24-hour support. PayU is a strong alternative with similar features and is preferred by some merchants. Both charge approximately 2 percent per transaction. Shopify Payments is not available in India, so all Indian merchants must use a third-party gateway. Whichever gateway you choose, configuring webhooks correctly before going live is critical to prevent silent order loss on UPI transactions.
Cash on Delivery is not a default Shopify payment option and must be added manually. Go to Shopify Admin, Settings, Payments, scroll to Manual payment methods, click Add manual payment method, select Cash on Delivery from the dropdown, add buyer instructions explaining that payment is collected at delivery, and click Activate. Once activated, COD appears as a checkout option alongside Razorpay. COD orders appear in your admin with payment status Pending until you mark them paid after the courier confirms cash collection. Additionally, display COD availability on your product pages - add a visible note near the Add to Cart button saying Cash on Delivery available. Many Indian buyers check for COD availability before adding to cart, so visibility before checkout is as important as the checkout configuration itself.
Yes, you can set up a basic Shopify store in India without coding or technical knowledge. Shopify's interface is designed for non-technical merchants and the core tasks - adding products, customising a theme through the visual editor, configuring payments, and setting up shipping - require no coding. The India-specific configurations covered in this guide (Razorpay setup, COD, GST, Shiprocket) involve following step-by-step instructions in Shopify Admin and connecting third-party apps - all doable without developer skills. The tasks that may require developer help are: custom theme modifications beyond what the Theme Editor allows, advanced Liquid code changes, and complex app integrations or custom functionality. For a standard Indian D2C store, a motivated non-technical founder can complete the entire setup following this guide.
Shopify gives you a fully owned, fully controlled online store where you build a brand, own customer data, and keep more margin per sale. Amazon and Flipkart are marketplaces where you list products alongside many competitors with no brand differentiation, pay commission fees of 5 to 25 percent of the sale price depending on category, and have limited ability to communicate with buyers or build repeat business. The key advantages of your own Shopify store are brand building, customer data ownership (email and WhatsApp lists), no per-sale commission, and full control over pricing and promotions. The key disadvantage is that you have to generate your own traffic through SEO, paid advertising, and social media - whereas Amazon and Flipkart provide built-in search traffic. Most successful Indian D2C brands sell on both: their own Shopify store for brand building and margin, and marketplaces for volume and discovery.
Getting traffic to a new Shopify store in India requires a combination of paid and organic strategies. In the short term (first 3 months), paid advertising on Meta (Instagram and Facebook) and Google Shopping are the fastest ways to generate sales from a new store with no organic presence. Target your specific product category, location, and buyer demographics. In the medium term (3 to 12 months), organic search traffic from Google builds through SEO - optimised product pages, collection pages with unique descriptions, and blog content targeting buyer questions. Instagram and WhatsApp community building drives repeat traffic from engaged customers. In the long term (12+ months), a combination of brand search traffic, organic social, email and WhatsApp broadcasts, and word-of-mouth from satisfied customers creates a sustainable traffic mix that reduces dependence on paid advertising.
