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Your First Week on Fourthwall

Updated September 4, 2026

A day-by-day checklist to go from sign-up to your first sale, on your schedule

You can launch a Fourthwall shop in as little as a day. Most creators take about a week to set everything up, test their products, and go live with confidence. This guide breaks your first week into clear daily milestones so you always know what to do next.

There are two paths to launch:

  1. Quick-start path. Pick a product, upload a design, connect payouts, and go live the same day. Best if you have an audience ready to buy.
  2. Polished launch path. Spend a few days customizing your site, ordering samples, and building buzz before you open. Best if you want a strong first impression.

Both paths follow the same steps. The difference is how much time you spend on each one.

Day 1: Create your account and add your first product​

Start by creating your Fourthwall account and getting your first product listed.

  1. Create your Fourthwall account if you haven't already.
  2. Go to Products and click Create new product.
  3. Choose a product from the catalog and upload your design artwork.
  4. Set your price, write a product name and description, then click Save.
tip

Don't overthink your first product. Many creators start with a single t-shirt or hoodie and expand from there. You can always add, edit, or remove products later.

For artwork guidelines, check out Artwork Best Practices.

Day 2: Customize your shop​

Make your shop feel like yours by adding branding and adjusting the layout.

  1. Go to Store Design to open the website builder.
  2. Choose a theme that fits your brand.
  3. Upload your logo and set your brand colors and fonts.
  4. Edit your homepage sections to highlight your products.
  5. Update your header and footer with navigation links.

For a full walkthrough, see Build Your Website.

Day 3: Set up payments and shipping​

Connect your payout method so you can get paid once orders start coming in.

  1. Go to Settings > Billing and payouts > Set up your payouts.
  2. Connect your Stripe account. Fourthwall uses Stripe Connect for all payouts.
  3. Review your payment methods to make sure supporters can pay the way they prefer.

Fourthwall handles shipping and fulfillment for on-demand products automatically. You don't need to configure shipping rates for catalog items.

note

Fourthwall acts as the Merchant of Record (MoR), so sales tax and VAT are calculated and collected for you.

Day 4: Order samples​

Ordering samples lets you check print quality, packaging, and the unboxing experience before your supporters see it.

  1. Click the Cart icon in your dashboard top bar, or go to Orders and click Place order.
  2. Add the products you want to test.
  3. If you're on Fourthwall Pro, apply your sample credits at checkout.

Samples ship to you at cost. For details on credits, see Sample Credits.

tip

Hold the sample in your hands before you launch. Showing real product photos in your announcement builds trust with supporters and leads to more sales.

Day 5: Soft launch​

A soft launch means sharing your shop with a small group before you announce publicly. This lets you catch any issues and gather early feedback.

  1. Share your shop link with a few trusted friends or community members.
  2. Ask them to browse, add items to cart, and report anything that looks off.
  3. Place a test order yourself to experience the full checkout flow.
  4. Fix any product descriptions, pricing, or site layout issues they flag.

For more soft launch strategies, see First Launch Tips.

Day 6-7: Full launch​

Once you're confident everything looks and works the way you want, announce your shop to your full audience.

  1. Set your shop to Public in Settings > Site status if it's still password-protected.
  2. Announce on your primary platform (Twitch, YouTube, TikTok, Discord, or social media).
  3. Pin the shop link in your bio, channel description, or profile.
  4. Consider creating a promo code for your launch to drive early sales.

For promotion ideas, see Promote the Launch of Your New Shop.

Quick-start checklist​

If you're taking the quick-start path, here's the minimum to go live in one day:

  • Create your account
  • Add at least one product with a design
  • Set your price
  • Connect Stripe for payouts
  • Set your shop to Public
  • Share your link

Everything else (site customization, samples, soft launch) can happen after you're live.

Frequently asked questions​

How quickly can I launch my shop?​

You can go from sign-up to live in a single day. Create an account, add a product, connect Stripe, and set your shop to public. That's all you need.

Do I need to pay anything upfront to start selling?​

No. Fourthwall is free to start. You only pay when you make a sale. Fourthwall takes a platform fee on each transaction. Fourthwall Pro is available if you want additional features like sample credits and lower fees.

Can I change my products and shop design after launch?​

Yes. You can add, edit, or remove products at any time. Site design changes go live instantly when you save in the website builder.

Do I need to handle shipping myself?​

Not for on-demand products. Fourthwall handles production, packaging, and shipping for all catalog items. If you sell self-fulfilled products, you're responsible for shipping those yourself.

What if I'm not ready to launch publicly yet?​

Keep your shop password-protected until you're ready. You can share the password with a small group for a soft launch, then remove the password when you want to go public.

If you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact us at support@fourthwall.com.

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