In this guide, I demonstrate how to set up an online store using WooCommerce—a cost-effective alternative to Shopify. We register an affordable .store domain with Namecheap (around €2 annually for the first year) and set up a WooCommerce instance on Linode for just €5 per month. Additionally, we configure custom name servers at the registrar, add an SSL certificate via the LISH console, and within about 30 minutes, we have a first look at the demo shop mjmrozek.store.

WooCommerce is a good and affordable alternative to Shopify. You can find a detailed comparison on hostpress.de/blog/der-e-commerce-vergleich-woocommerce-vs-shopify.

I recommend WooCommerce for small and medium-sized shops, provided you are willing to invest a bit more time in the setup. With a .store domain, SSL, backups, and scalable hosting near customers, my solution costs about 9 EUR per month (domain long-term 1 EUR, email 1 EUR, hosting 5 EUR, backups 2 EUR). If the shop grows, performance can be adjusted quickly, though with additional costs.

  • Domain

    • Register a domain with a registrar like namecheap.com
      • .store TLDs are currently on sale and are suitable for online stores
      • Use discounts, disable automatic renewal, and initially book for only one year; decide later about extensions depending on success
      • After successful registration, switch to Linode

  • Hosting

    • Linode (Akamai) is comparable to AWS but cheaper and more user-friendly
      • You can implement many different projects via the Marketplace
      • Linode offers a $100 startup credit, which allows you to try almost everything for 60 days
      • Costs are calculated hourly, so you can experiment without worry
        • If a project is canceled after one day, costs only incur for that day
      • Create an account and switch to the MARKETPLACE
      • Search for “woocommerce”
      • Fill in the fields (my suggestion: xx_YOUR INITIALS instead of “mjm”)
        • Email: Your email address for the SSL certificate
        • Stack: LEMP (Linux, Nginx, MySQL, PHP) for online stores
        • Admin username: au_yourinitials
        • WordPress database user: wdbu_mjm
        • WordPress database name: wdbn_mjm
        • Limited sudo user: lsu_mjm
        • SSL: Deactivate, as later access will be through the LISH console
        • Image: Ubuntu 22.04 LTS or newer
        • Region: Close to the expected customers
        • Plan: Initially, a Nanode 1 GB (Shared CPU) for $5 per month is sufficient
        • Details:
          • Linode Label: Prefix the shop name (e.g., “myshop.store_woocommerce…”)
          • Tags: Use any tags for organization
          • Root Password: Remember a unique, secure password (e.g., “hit-apple-clearout-943!”)
        • Save everything via screenshot or notes
        • Enable backups at your discretion
        • CREATE LINODE and wait until the status changes to “running”
      • Switch to DOMAINS in the dashboard
        • Primary
        • Domain: Your domain (e.g., “mjmrozek.store”)
        • SOA Email: Your email address
        • Insert Default Records: Select the label used earlier
        • Copy the first entry under “NS Record,” e.g., “ns1.linode.com”

  • Domain

    • Select your acquired domain
    • Custom NS: Change the nameservers to:
      • ns1.linode.com
      • ns2.linode.com
      • ns3.linode.com
      • ns4.linode.com
      • ns5.linode.com
    • A Google search for “Registrar (your registrar) + change nameserver / custom name server” might be helpful
    • Changes may take several hours

  • Browser - New Tab

    • Access the domain
    • Ignore security risks (we lack SSL, hence no https and warning, but we know we are accessing our own site)
    • myshop.store/wp-login.php

  • Linode

    • Select the instance
    • LISH Console
    • Log in as “root”
    • Use cat /home/lsu_mjm/.credentials (replace “lsu_mjm”) for the WordPress admin password
    • Use the password for myshop.store/wp-login.php

  • Browser

    • Address: myshop.store/wp-login.php
      • User: au_yourinitials
      • PW: Output from the LISH console
      • WordPress Dashboard: Change settings

  • SSL

    • Linode
      • Select the instance
      • LISH
        • Log in as root
        • Run the following commands:
          • sudo apt update
          • sudo apt install certbot python3-certbot-nginx
          • sudo certbot --nginx -d mjmrozek.store -d www.mjmrozek.store (replace “mjmrozek.store” with your domain)
        • exit and close the console

  • Visit https://myshop.store in the browser; if issues arise, clear the cache or use incognito mode

    • WordPress Dashboard
      • Appearance
        • Change the theme to Twenty Twenty-One for further customization
      • Click the house icon on the top left and “Shop” for a first look at the store
  • In Part 2/2:
    • Configure WooCommerce
    • Add products
    • Set up payment systems
    • Security
    • Design
    • Workflow
    • Email