Quick Start Guide

Get your Brave theme store up and running in 15 minutes. This guide covers the essential setup steps to launch a professional-looking store.

Before You Begin

Make sure you have:

  • ✅ A Shopify store (free trial or paid plan)
  • ✅ The Brave theme installed (Installation Guide)
  • ✅ Some products added to your store
  • ✅ Access to the Theme Editor

Step 1: Configure Theme Settings

Start by setting up your global theme settings that apply across all pages.

Access Theme Settings

  1. 1. Go to Online Store → Themes in your Shopify admin
  2. 2. Click Customize on the Brave theme
  3. 3. Click Theme settings (gear icon) at the bottom left

Essential Settings to Configure

Logo
Theme Settings → Logo — Upload your logo (SVG or PNG recommended)
Colors
Theme Settings → Colors — Set your brand colors
Typography
Theme Settings → Typography — Choose your fonts
Social links
Theme Settings → Social — Add your social media URLs

Step 2: Set Up Your Header

The header appears on every page—make it count.

Configure Header

  1. 1. Click on the Header section in the sidebar
  2. 2. Upload your logo (and optionally a light version for dark backgrounds)
  3. 3. Add navigation links or megamenus
  4. 4. Configure sticky behavior

Recommended Header Settings

  • Logo width: 120-180px for most logos
  • Sticky header: "Always" for best UX
  • Enable country/region selector if you sell internationally

📖 Full Header Documentation

Step 3: Build Your Homepage

Create an engaging homepage with these essential sections:

Homepage Structure

🎬

1. Hero Banner / Slideshow

First impression, brand statement

⭐

2. Featured Collection

Show your best products

✅

3. Benefits

Build trust with key features

🔥

4. New Releases / Best Sellers

Highlight trending items

📱

5. Social Highlights

Social proof from customers

📧

6. Newsletter Popup

Capture email leads

Add a Hero Section

  1. In the Theme Editor, click Add section
  2. Choose Hero Banner or Slideshow
  3. Upload a high-quality hero image (2000×1200px minimum)
  4. Add your headline and CTA button

📖 Hero Banner | Slideshow

Add Product Sections

  1. Click Add section
  2. Choose Best Sellers or New Releases
  3. Select your collection
  4. Configure card display options

📖 Best Sellers | New Releases

Step 4: Configure Collection Pages

Your collection pages are where most shopping happens.

Recommended Setup

  1. Navigate to a collection page in the Theme Editor
  2. Add/configure the Editorial Grid or Product Grid section
  3. Set up filters and sorting options
  4. Adjust product card display

Key Options

  • Columns: 3-4 on desktop, 2 on mobile
  • Enable swatches: Show color options on cards
  • Quick add: Allow adding to cart without visiting product page
  • Aspect ratio: Portrait (3:4) works best for most products

📖 Editorial Grid | Product Grid

Step 5: Set Up Product Pages

Product pages drive conversions. Configure them carefully.

Essential Product Page Sections

🛍️

Main Product

Core product info, images, add to cart

🔗

Product Recommendations

'Complete the look' upsells

⭐

Reviews

Social proof and trust

❓

FAQ

Answer common questions

Key Settings

  • Layout: Choose between Runway, 50/50, or 60/40
  • Enable zoom: Let customers see product details
  • Show reviews: Display ratings and testimonials

📖 Product Recommendations | Reviews

Step 6: Configure Footer

The footer is often overlooked but important for navigation and trust signals.

Footer Essentials

  1. Click on the Footer section
  2. Add navigation link lists
  3. Include your newsletter signup
  4. Add social media icons
  5. Include payment method icons

📖 Footer Documentation

Step 7: Final Touches

Enable Newsletter Popup

  1. Go to the Popups section group
  2. Configure Newsletter popup
  3. Set trigger type (time delay recommended)
  4. Add an incentive (10% off first order)

📖 Newsletter Popup

Test Your Store

Before going live:

  • [ ] Test on mobile devices
  • [ ] Check all links work
  • [ ] Test add to cart and checkout
  • [ ] Review on different browsers
  • [ ] Ask friends for feedback

Launch Checklist

✅ Pre-Launch Checklist

  • ☐ Logo uploaded and displaying correctly
  • ☐ Brand colors configured
  • ☐ Navigation menu set up
  • ☐ Homepage sections configured
  • ☐ Collection pages looking good
  • ☐ Product pages configured
  • ☐ Footer links and content added
  • ☐ Mobile responsiveness tested
  • ☐ Newsletter popup configured
  • ☐ Social links working

Next Steps

Now that your store is set up:

  1. Explore more sections — Browse our full documentation
  2. Optimize for conversions — Fine-tune product pages and checkout
  3. Add more content — Blog posts, about page, policies
  4. Monitor performance — Use Shopify Analytics

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