> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://help.hoopai.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Store Setup

> Create your first store, connect a payment gateway, and configure essential store settings.

Setting up an online store in the HoopAI platform takes you from a blank canvas to a live, functioning storefront in a few steps. This guide walks through the initial setup process, connecting your payment gateway, and configuring store-level settings before you go live.

## Before you begin

Before creating a store, make sure you have:

* A connected payment integration (Stripe is recommended). Navigate to **Settings > Payment Integrations** and follow the Stripe connection steps. Without a payment integration, your store can be built but cannot accept transactions.
* At least one product created under **Payments > Products**. Products need to be set to visible in the store before they appear on your storefront.
* A domain (custom or the platform-generated subdomain) assigned if you want the customer login and order history portal to work correctly.

## Creating a new store

<Steps>
  <Step title="Navigate to Sites > Stores">
    Click **Sites** in the left sidebar. Select **Stores** from the sub-navigation. Click **+ New Store** in the top-right corner.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Choose a template or start blank">
    Browse the available store templates organized by industry or style, or select **Blank Store** to start from scratch. Click **Create** to generate your store. The platform automatically creates five core pages: Product List, Product Details, Cart, Checkout, and Thank You.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Add products to your store">
    Open **Payments > Products**. For each product you want to display in the store, toggle on **Include in online store**. Only products with this toggle enabled will appear on your Product List page. You can also manage which products appear directly from the store builder by clicking the Product List element and selecting **Manage Products**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Customize your store pages">
    Inside the store builder, click through each page — Product List, Product Details, Cart, Checkout, and Thank You — and use the visual editor to adjust layouts, colors, fonts, and content. You can add sections, move elements, and apply your brand colors.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Configure store settings">
    Click the **Settings** tab at the top of the store builder. Here you will set your store name, meta title, and meta description for SEO, connect a custom domain, add tracking scripts, and configure security settings.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Connect a custom domain">
    In **Settings > Domain**, enter or select your custom domain. Verify the DNS is pointed correctly. A verified domain is required for the customer login portal and OTP-based order access to function properly.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Publish your store">
    When your store is configured and products are ready, click **Publish** to make it live. You can unpublish and republish at any time without losing your configuration.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Connecting a payment gateway

Your store processes payments through whichever payment integration is connected at the account level. The most common setup is Stripe.

To connect Stripe:

1. Go to **Settings > Payment Integrations**.
2. Click **Connect** next to Stripe.
3. Follow the OAuth flow to link your Stripe account.
4. Once connected, your store checkout will automatically use Stripe to process cards, Apple Pay, and Google Pay.

The store also supports buy-now-pay-later options (such as Affirm, Klarna, and Afterpay) when these are enabled in your connected Stripe account.

<Note>
  The store does not support Cash on Delivery for digital product orders. Physical product orders can use any configured payment method.
</Note>

## Store settings reference

Inside each store, the **Settings** tab gives you control over the following:

| Setting              | Description                                        |
| -------------------- | -------------------------------------------------- |
| **Store name**       | The internal name shown in your dashboard          |
| **Meta title**       | The SEO title for the store's root page            |
| **Meta description** | The SEO description used by search engines         |
| **Domain**           | Custom domain or subdomain assigned to this store  |
| **Favicon**          | Browser tab icon for the store                     |
| **Tracking scripts** | Add Google Analytics, Meta Pixel, or other scripts |
| **Payment mode**     | Toggle between test mode and live mode             |
| **Security**         | Fraud detection and bot protection settings        |

## Adding a store to an existing website

If you already have a website and want to add a store to it:

1. Open the website in the Sites builder.
2. Click the **+** icon to open **Add Elements**.
3. Find **Store** in the element list and click **+ Add to site**.
4. The platform generates the five store pages (Product List, Product Details, Cart, Checkout, Thank You) and appends them to your website's navigation.
5. Customize each page to match your site's existing design.

## Multiple stores

You can create multiple stores under a single account. Each store is independent with its own pages, product selection, domain, and settings. This is useful when you have multiple brands, product lines, or geographic markets that need separate storefronts.

<Tip>
  Before going live, use the store's built-in **Test Mode** (toggled in Settings) to simulate purchases without charging real payment methods. Switch to Live Mode when you are ready to accept real transactions.
</Tip>