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Creating your online store: the first step
One step brings the store to life — but the URL name you choose cannot be changed afterwards.
How do I set up my online store?
Open Commerce from the sidebar. If you have no store yet, you get a single screen asking for your shop URL name. Enter it and click Initialize store.
Before you start
- The online store is a subscription feature — it has to be enabled for your company.
- You need
shop:viewto open it andshop:manageto administer it. - Ideally you already have items and item groups on file, because the catalog is seeded from them.
The shop URL name
The only field on the setup screen. It becomes your store's address on the platform.
The rules:
- Lowercase English letters, numbers and hyphens only.
- No spaces and no Arabic characters.
- Must not start or end with a hyphen.
- At most 63 characters.
As you type, a preview of the resulting address appears. The initialize button stays disabled until the name is valid.
⚠️ This name cannot be changed after provisioning. Choose it carefully. If you want a nicer address later, connect your own custom domain — that is always available.
Pick something short, clear and close to your brand name.
What happens when you initialize
The system does all of this for you:
| Step | Details |
|---|---|
| Store warehouse | Creates a warehouse named Online Store Warehouse, code ONLINE, and links it to the store |
| Platform subdomain | Prepares your store's address on the platform |
| Catalog | Seeds your items as store products |
| Categories | Turns your item groups into store categories |
The screen then changes from the setup screen to the full store setup wizard.
The store is not ready to sell yet
Provisioning builds the structure only. To actually be ready:
- Put stock in the store warehouse — without it every product shows out of stock.
- Publish your categories from the Store Categories screen.
- Publish and enable your products from the Store Catalog.
- Set up the look — colours, logo, footer.
- Choose a design from the template library.
- Create your pages — About, Contact, shipping policy.
- Connect your domain if you have one.
Store status and publish state
There are two separate switches:
- Store enabled — when off, the store exists but is unavailable to visitors.
- Publish state — Internal · Review · Published.
Use them to get everything ready quietly before opening to the public.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I change the shop URL name after provisioning?
No. The URL name locks after creation because it becomes part of your store's web address, and changing it would break every link already shared. If you want a different address, connect your own custom domain.
What format does the shop URL name have to be?
Lowercase English letters, numbers and hyphens only, with no spaces or Arabic characters, not starting or ending with a hyphen, and at most 63 characters. The system blocks saving if it does not comply.
What happens automatically during provisioning?
Quite a lot: the system creates a warehouse named Online Store Warehouse with the code ONLINE and links it to the store, prepares the platform subdomain, and seeds your items and item groups into the store catalog and categories.
Is the store live for shoppers straight away?
No. After provisioning you still need to publish products and categories and put stock into the store's warehouse. Without those steps, visitors find an empty store or products all showing out of stock.
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