Keep your good finds.

For new online sellers, makers and small brands

Launch an online store

Go from product idea to a live store with great photos, marketing that brings customers back and support that scales.

Steps
6
Tools
10
Free or free plan
8
Time
~1–2 days to launch

    Your plan

  1. 01Get the backgroundThe Future of Writing: Is AI Going to Replace Copywriters?
  2. 02Name and position itBrand Name Generator
  3. 03Build the storeShopify · Product Description · SEO Title & Meta
  4. 04Make the product photosPhotoroom · Canva
  5. 05Bring customers backKlaviyo · Email Subject Creator · Instagram Captions
  6. 06Support customersGorgias
  1. 1

    Get the background

    A quick read before you start, so you know what good looks like.

  2. 2

    Name and position it

    A memorable name and a clear brand voice make every product page and email easier to write.

    After this step: A store name, product names and a brand voice.

  3. 3

    Build the store

    A hosted platform handles checkout, payments, taxes and hosting so you can focus on products.

    After this step: A live store with product pages that rank.

    E-commerce

    Shopify

    The leading platform for building an online store — themes, checkout, payments, inventory, marketing and the Sidekick AI assistant in one place.

    Free trial · £19/month

    Is it right for me?

    Best for: Anyone starting or growing an online store — from solo makers to large brands — who wants hosting, checkout, payments, inventory and marketing in one platform with room to scale.

    Consider another option if: You only need a simple 'buy' button on an existing website, you want to avoid monthly fees entirely, or you can't use Shopify Payments and don't want a third-party transaction fee on every order.

    Marketing & SEO

    Product Description

    Generate compelling product descriptions that drive sales.

    Freemium · Usage limits may apply· Beginner-friendly

    Marketing & SEO

    SEO Title & Meta

    Create SEO-optimized titles and meta descriptions that rank.

    Freemium · Usage limits may apply· Beginner-friendly

  4. 4

    Make the product photos

    Clean, consistent photos are the biggest driver of trust on a product page.

    After this step: Studio-quality product images and social graphics.

    E-commerce

    Photoroom

    AI product photo editor for online sellers — remove backgrounds, generate studio scenes, AI fashion models and product video ads from a phone photo.

    Freemium · Free

    Is it right for me?

    Best for: Online sellers, Shopify stores, marketplace sellers and small brands who need clean, consistent product photos, lifestyle scenes, on-model shots or simple video ads without paying for photoshoots.

    Consider another option if: You need full professional photo editing (Photoshop or Lightroom fit better), you only edit a few images a year for personal use (the free plan is non-commercial but may be enough), or you need an annual API plan (API plans are monthly only).

    Image Generation

    Canva

    Beginner-friendly design platform with templates, stock media, AI tools, video editing, branding, presentations and social publishing.

    Freemium · Free

    Is it right for me?

    Best for: Creators, small businesses, podcasters, YouTubers, freelancers, marketers, teachers and anyone who needs attractive visual content without professional design experience.

    Consider another option if: Professional illustrators needing advanced vector control, complex branding systems, film editors working on large professional projects, users requiring advanced colour grading or detailed 3D design, and designers who want complete control over every layer.

  5. 5

    Bring customers back

    Welcome and abandoned-cart emails turn one-off visitors into repeat buyers.

    After this step: Automated email flows and social posts.

    E-commerce

    Klaviyo

    Email, SMS and customer marketing built for online stores — deep Shopify integration, segmentation, automated flows and AI that builds campaigns from a prompt.

    Freemium · Free

    Is it right for me?

    Best for: E-commerce brands — especially on Shopify — that want automated, data-driven email and SMS marketing to grow repeat purchases, with segmentation and revenue reporting built in.

    Consider another option if: You're not an e-commerce business (general newsletter tools are simpler and cheaper), you have a large list but low revenue per subscriber (costs climb quickly with profiles), or you only send an occasional newsletter.

    Social Media

    Instagram Captions

    Create scroll-stopping Instagram captions with hooks and hashtags.

    Freemium · Usage limits may apply· Beginner-friendly

  6. 6

    Support customers

    Fast answers to order and returns questions protect reviews and repeat sales.

    After this step: A support inbox with common questions answered automatically.

    E-commerce

    Gorgias

    Customer support helpdesk and AI Agent built for e-commerce — every channel in one inbox, with order data beside each conversation and AI that resolves tickets.

    Free trial · $10/month

    Is it right for me?

    Best for: Shopify and other e-commerce brands with growing support volume that want email, chat, social, SMS and voice in one inbox, order data inside every ticket, and AI to automate repetitive questions.

    Consider another option if: You're not an e-commerce business (a general helpdesk fits better), you only get a handful of support emails a month (a shared inbox is enough), or you need predictable costs at very high volume without ticket and AI overages.

Make the plan yours.

Tell AI Chat about your situation and it can tailor these steps, suggest an order or help with the first task.

Tailor it in AI Chat

Directory listings are made by other companies; pricing and features can change, so check before you buy. Some links are affiliate links.