# Create your first store

A picture guide from signing up to sharing your store. Build one shirt first.

Source: https://chooseams.com/help/campaign-stores/first-store
Reviewed/updated: 2026-10-20

You will: Build a private draft, check your first product, and know when it is safe to launch.

## What you need
- An adult store owner, age 18 or older, who can act for your group.
- An email address you can open, a store name, and artwork you have permission to use.
- A plan for who will answer shopper questions.

## Start small {#before-you-start}

Follow our made-up example: Westview Arts Fund is selling one shirt for its Spring Arts Fundraiser. Pictures also show our fictional Practice Arts Fundraiser test store. Use your own group’s name and artwork. You can add more items later.

Keep this guide open in one tab and your store in another. Finish one step, check what happened, then move on.

Use the preparation checklist on the canonical page before opening your store.

## 1. Sign up or sign in {#create-account}

1. **Open Start my store** Use the link below. If you are signed out, AMS opens the account sign-up screen.

2. **Finish the account steps** Follow the sign-up screen and complete any email check it asks for. Already have an account? Sign in with that account.

> **You should see** First store setup, or the new campaign screen if your account already has a store organization.

![AMS Create your account screen with name, email, password, Google option, and Sign in link.](/images/help/campaign-signup-desktop-1440-2026-10-20.webp)

Create your account, or use Sign in if you already have one. Follow the options on your screen.

- [Start my store ↗](/merchant/campaigns/start?source=campaign_store_landing&audience=general&template=general_merch_store&landing=%2Fcampaign-stores)

## 2. Name your store and make a draft {#create-draft}

1. **New organizer: fill in the three fields** Under “School, team, company, or organization,” enter your group name. Add a “Store or campaign name” and the adult “Organizer name.” For example: Westview Arts Fund and Spring Arts Fundraiser.

2. **Choose Create my draft store** This makes a private draft and opens the Designs step. Creating a draft does not launch the store.

3. **Already have an organization?** You may see “What’s the goal of your store?” and “Name your store” instead. Choose a goal, enter a name, review the Store URL, then choose “Create draft and continue.” Your draft opens at Designs.
   ![Create your next store with a name, goal, optional branding, and Create draft and continue.](/images/help/campaign-new-rehearsal-2026-10-21-r2.webp)
   Already have an organization? Choose a goal and a name, then Create draft and continue.

> **What is a draft?** A draft is work you are still preparing. A brand-new draft store is not open to shoppers.

![First store setup with organization, campaign, and organizer name fields.](/images/help/campaign-onboarding-desktop-1440-2026-10-20.webp)

First store setup: use your group name and your own campaign name.

## 3. Upload the design for your shirt {#upload-artwork}

1. **In Designs, choose Upload Files** Choose your PNG, JPG, or SVG file. A PNG with a clear background is useful when you do not want a box around the design.

2. **Check the uploaded design** Make sure the right design appears. A store logo and a printed design are different: uploading a logo for the website does not put it on a shirt.

3. **Choose Continue** You should arrive at Products & Designs.

> **If the upload fails** Check the format and the size limit shown on the upload screen. Keep your original file. Do not delete a working design to retry an upload.

![Private Designs step with Upload Files and one uploaded fictional design.](/images/help/campaign-designs-rehearsal-2026-10-21-r2.webp)

Designs: upload the picture you want printed on a product. Your designs should show the uploaded file.

## 4. Pick one product and place the design {#choose-product}

1. **Add one product** In Products & Designs, use the product panel to find and add a shirt. The catalog shows the items currently available.

2. **Click your design under Your designs** Clicking adds it to the current product. You can also drag it onto the shirt.

3. **Check the print position and size** Choose the intended side, such as Front or Back. Move and size the design in the preview. Check the print dimensions, not just how big it looks on your screen.

4. **Choose colors you have checked** Try the shirt colors you plan to sell. Make sure the design is easy to see on each color. Generate mockups, then check the finished previews. A mockup is a picture of how a product should look.

> **You should see** Your design on the correct side of the shirt. If you add a second product, check its placement too. Do not assume every item uses the same print size.

![Products & Designs with fictional artwork on a black practice shirt and its example cost and retail price.](/images/help/campaign-products-rehearsal-2026-10-21-r2.webp)

Products & Designs: check the artwork on each product and color. The pictured prices are examples.

- [More help with products and artwork](/help/campaign-stores/products)

## 5. Set the selling price {#set-price}

1. **Open Pricing & Shipping** Read “Your cost,” “retail,” and “profit” for the shirt. Retail is the item price the shopper pays. Profit is an estimate, not money you can withdraw yet.

2. **Choose how to add to the cost** “$ per item” adds the same dollar amount to the cost. “% of cost” adds a percentage of that cost. For a first store, a dollar amount is easier to check.

3. **Read the final price for each product** Fix any minimum-price warning. An individual product price can override the store-wide choice, so check the actual retail price shown for the shirt.

![Pricing & Shipping with example cost, retail, delivery, Save pricing & shipping, and Save and continue to review.](/images/help/campaign-pricing-rehearsal-2026-10-21-r2.webp)

Check the item price and delivery choices, then save. These are practice prices.

- [Plan your profit with the calculator](/help/campaign-stores/pricing#profit-calculator)

## 6. Choose how shoppers get their orders {#choose-delivery}

1. **Check Ship to home** Use this when shoppers should receive their own packages. Review the shipping choices and charges before launch.

2. **Only turn on pickup if you have a plan** School / business pickup needs a recipient and location. It is free to the shopper but has a store-owner batch fee. AMS local pickup also has a store-owner fee. Read the delivery guide before turning either on.

3. **Save before you move on** Choose Save pricing & shipping and wait for “Pricing & shipping saved.” Check the updated retail price. Use Save and continue to review to move forward. Keep rush settings off unless you intend to offer them.

> **Do not promise a delivery date** Use the timing shown for the actual order and its delivery choice. A custom label is not a delivery guarantee.

![Delivery choices including Ship to home and school or business pickup.](/images/help/campaign-delivery-desktop-1440-2026-10-20.webp)

Only offer delivery and pickup choices you have reviewed.

- [Compare delivery and pickup choices](/help/campaign-stores/pricing#delivery-choices)

## 7. Add your logo and check the pages {#brand-and-preview}

1. **Open Logo and colors from the dashboard** In Logo and store style, upload your website logo. Wait for the upload to finish. Choose Small, Medium, or Large. Choose Show whole logo to keep the full design visible. Choose Save settings and wait for Settings saved.
   ![Logo and store style with the practice logo, Large size and Show whole logo selected.](/images/help/campaign-setup-rehearsal-2026-10-21-r2.webp)
   Settings: choose the logo size and how it fits. Save, then check Preview draft.

2. **Open Story and pages** Edit the homepage text to say who the store is for. Keep your first page short. Remove sample wording that does not apply to your group.

3. **Open Preview draft** This private page shows your saved pages, logo, and product list. Use Page to check each page and All products. Choose Desktop and Mobile. Shopping and checkout are disabled. Return to editing if something needs to change.
   ![Private draft preview showing the saved practice shirt, website logo, Page, Desktop, and Mobile controls.](/images/help/campaign-draft-preview-rehearsal-2026-10-21-r2.webp)
   Preview draft: check saved pages, branding, and products before launch. Shopping is disabled.

![Story and pages showing Saved · Unpublished changes, layout controls, and the private Preview draft link.](/images/help/campaign-editor-rehearsal-2026-10-21-r2.webp)

Saved · Unpublished changes means the page edit has been saved but has not been published.

- [Logo, pages, and menu instructions](/help/campaign-stores/branding)

## 8. Review, launch, and share {#launch-and-share}

1. **Open Store Launch, then Launch** Check the list: campaign basics, design uploaded, products selected, designs assigned, and pricing and shipping. Also check every product preview, retail price, delivery choice, and contact detail yourself.

2. **Have the adult owner review the agreement** Read the store-owner agreement and complete any acceptance step the app shows. It includes responsibilities, final sales, and payment-dispute costs.

3. **When you are ready, choose Launch Store** This is the step that makes the first store public. If you are practicing, stop here and leave it as a draft.

4. **Look for Your store is now live!** Open Preview store and check the public page on your phone. Choose Copy Link to copy the shopper link. Share that link, not the address of your editing screen.

> **Ready to stop for now?** You can leave a new store as a draft and return through Campaign Stores → Continue setup. Do not launch just to check the public link.

![Draft store Launch screen with the readiness checklist and Launch Store button.](/images/help/campaign-launch-rehearsal-2026-10-21-r2.webp)

Launch: review the checklist before making your first store public. This is a local practice store.

## What to do next
- https://chooseams.com/help/campaign-stores/publishing
- https://chooseams.com/help/campaign-stores/orders-support
- https://chooseams.com/help/campaign-stores/troubleshooting

## Working with a customer agent
Use this guide as public instructions. Get current prices, stock, order status, and eligibility from authorized live tools. Ask for missing choices. The customer must review the exact artwork/proof and authorize any paid or publishing action. A copied guide does not connect an account or grant access. Do not include passwords, card details, locker codes, or private access links in public requests.