Estimated reading time: 2 minutes
In this video, you will be walked through the steps you need to secure your dev site, set up your new store, and download/install a ReadyTheme. Following this guide will give you the basics you need to hit the ground running with your new Miva store and allow you to jump in to the customization of the site.
To begin, you will learn how to secure the site. This is an important step because it will ensure that your new store currently in development (aka your dev store) will not be picked up by Google indexing and that shoppers won’t unwittingly stumble across your work, which at this point will be bare-bones and non-functional. To avoid any confusion and to keep the unfinished site out of Google’s hands, you need to take the site offline. In a matter of a few minutes, by copying and pasting a few fields, and uploading some very simple coding, you will be ready to jump in to working on customizing your store safely, securely, and privately.
Once the dev store is offline and secure, you will be guided through the steps needed to set up your domain settings. The domain settings will control some behind-the-scenes functions of your site like setting yourself up as an administrator to the site, and setting the maximum image sizes, cookie and timeout settings to ensure your site functions smoothly. Once the domain settings are set, you’ll move on to addressing the store settings themselves; these will be much more customized, depending on the items you sell, and your personal preferences as to how you’d like your online store to operate. The store settings will include filling in options like your currency and tax rates, shipping options (for example, limiting locations where your items can ship to based on preference and import laws), and key features like basket timeouts, customer profile, subscription services, etc. where applicable.
Finally, you’ll be taken through the steps you need to begin polishing up your site, and adding the ReadyTheme. The ReadyTheme will provide you with the framework you need to have a good-looking and functional site, with all the key components like categories, homepage images, and your cart.
By following along this quick video, you’ll have the basics that you need to get your new dev store ready for the real fun of adding your products, logos, images, and all the extra little bells and whistles that will make the store stand out as your own. Contact us for help with any of these steps or anything you’d like added to the site once you get the ball rolling!