Setting Up Your Online Store

You've learned how to create digital products, design print-on-demand merchandise, and produce AI-generated art. Now it's time to put those products in front of buyers. In this lesson, you'll learn the strengths and weaknesses of each major platform, walk through store setup step by step, and use AI to write product listings that convert browsers into buyers.

Choosing Your Platform

The platform you choose shapes your entire business — how customers find you, how you present your products, and how much you keep from each sale. There's no single "best" platform. The right choice depends on your products, your goals, and how much control you want.

Etsy — Built-In Traffic

Etsy is the go-to marketplace for digital products, printables, and handmade items. Its biggest advantage is traffic: millions of buyers are already searching Etsy for exactly the types of products you're creating.

• Pros: Massive built-in audience, strong search engine, buyers trust the platform, easy to set up, established review system builds social proof.
• Cons: $0.20 listing fee per item, 6.5% transaction fee, 3% + $0.25 payment processing fee, high competition, limited branding customization.
• Best for: Printables, digital art, templates, planners, and anyone who wants access to an existing audience without building their own traffic.

Etsy is where most digital product sellers start, and for good reason. The learning curve is gentle, and you can have products listed within an hour.

Gumroad — Simple and Creator-Friendly

Gumroad is built specifically for creators selling digital products. It strips away the complexity of running a full e-commerce store and lets you focus on what matters: creating and selling.

• Pros: No monthly fee on the free plan, simple setup, clean checkout experience, built-in email marketing, supports pay-what-you-want pricing, direct customer relationship.
• Cons: 10% fee on the free plan (drops to 5% on paid plans), no built-in marketplace traffic — you have to drive your own customers, limited storefront customization.
• Best for: Ebooks, courses, software, music, and creators who already have an audience (social media following, email list, blog).

Gumroad is the simplest way to start selling digital products. You can literally go from zero to a live product page in 15 minutes.

Shopify — Full Control

Shopify is a full e-commerce platform that gives you complete control over your brand, storefront, and customer experience. It's more complex and more expensive than Etsy or Gumroad, but it's the professional choice for scaling a real business.

• Pros: Full brand control, custom domain, professional storefront, powerful analytics, thousands of apps and integrations, supports both digital and physical products.
• Cons: Monthly fee starting at $39/month, steeper learning curve, you're responsible for all your own traffic, requires more setup and maintenance.
• Best for: Sellers who want to build a brand, those with multiple product lines, anyone planning to scale significantly, and sellers who want full ownership of their customer data.

Most beginners don't need Shopify right away. Start on Etsy or Gumroad, validate your products, and move to Shopify when you're ready to invest in building your own brand.

Setting Up Your Etsy Shop

Let's walk through the Etsy setup process, since it's where most digital product sellers begin:

1. Create an Etsy account at etsy.com. Click "Sell on Etsy" and follow the prompts to set up your shop.
2. Choose your shop name. Pick something memorable and relevant to your niche. Use AI to brainstorm: "Give me 10 shop name ideas for a store selling [your product type]. The names should be short, memorable, and communicate [your brand vibe]."
3. Set up your shop preferences: currency, country, language.
4. Create your first listing (we'll cover this in detail below).
5. Set up payment: Connect your bank account for deposits.
6. Set up billing: Add a credit card for Etsy fees.
7. Customize your shop: Add a banner, profile photo, shop announcement, and About section. Use AI to write compelling copy for each.

Setting Up on Gumroad

Gumroad's setup is even simpler:

1. Create an account at gumroad.com. No approval process needed.
2. Set up your profile: Add your name or brand name, a bio, and a profile image.
3. Create your first product: Click "New Product," upload your files, write your description, set your price, and publish.
4. Connect payment: Link your Stripe account (Gumroad walks you through this).
5. Share your product link: Each product gets a unique URL you can share on social media, in emails, or on your website.

That's it. You can be live and selling within 15 minutes of creating your account.

Writing Product Listings with AI

Your product listing is your salesperson. It needs to grab attention, communicate value, and convince someone to click "Buy." AI is exceptionally good at writing product listings because it can generate multiple variations quickly and optimize for search keywords.

The Listing Title

Your title is the most important element for both search visibility and click-through rate. On Etsy, you get 140 characters. Make every word count.

Use this AI prompt: "Write 5 Etsy listing titles for a [describe your product]. Each title should include relevant search keywords, describe the product clearly, and be under 140 characters. Prioritize the most important keywords at the beginning."

A good title follows this pattern: [Primary Keyword] [Product Type] [Key Feature] [Use Case] [Style/Format]

Example: "Budget Planner Printable, Monthly Finance Tracker, Expense Log, Savings Goal Worksheet, A4 and Letter Size, Instant Download"

The Description

Your description should answer every question a potential buyer might have. Use AI to generate a structured description:

"Write a detailed Etsy product description for [your product]. Include: a compelling opening paragraph, a bulleted list of what's included, file format and size details, how to use the product, and a brief closing that encourages purchase. Use a friendly, professional tone."

Key elements every description should include:

• Hook: A compelling opening sentence that speaks to the buyer's need or desire.
• What's included: Exact list of files, sizes, formats, and quantities.
• Features and benefits: Not just what the product is, but how it helps the buyer.
• How to use it: Clear instructions for downloading and using the product.
• FAQ answers: Address common questions preemptively (Can I print at home? What software do I need? Can I use this commercially?).

Tags and Keywords

Etsy allows 13 tags per listing. These are critical for search visibility. Use AI to generate relevant tags:

"Generate 13 Etsy tags for a [describe your product]. Each tag should be 2-3 words, relevant to what buyers would search for, and cover different aspects of the product (type, use, style, audience, occasion)."

Pricing Psychology

How you price your products signals their value to buyers. Here are proven strategies:

• Anchor pricing: Show a "regular price" next to a "sale price." Buyers perceive they're getting a deal, even if the sale price is what you intended to charge all along.
• Bundle discounts: "Buy 3 for $12" feels better than "$4 each" even though it's the same price. People love feeling like they're saving money.
• Price tiers: Offer a basic, standard, and premium version. Most buyers will choose the middle option, which is where you should place your target price.
• Free + paid strategy: Offer one product for free to build reviews and social proof, then upsell buyers to your paid products.
• Round vs. charm pricing: $10 feels premium. $9.99 feels like a deal. Choose based on the perception you want to create.

Product Photography and Mockups

Even though you're selling digital files, visual presentation is everything. Buyers can't touch or try your product — your listing images are the entire shopping experience.

• Use mockup templates: Show your digital product in context. A planner template displayed on an iPad on a clean desk is far more compelling than a flat file screenshot.
• Create mockups with AI: Use AI image generators to create lifestyle mockup scenes. Prompt: "A bright, airy home office with a framed botanical print on the wall, minimal decor, natural light, lifestyle photography style."
• Show multiple views: For a template or planner, show the cover, interior pages, and the product in use. More images = more confidence for the buyer.
• Use Canva for quick mockups: Canva has thousands of free mockup templates. Drop your product image into a frame and export a professional-looking listing image in minutes.