Start a Shopify Business with AI in 1 Hour—For Just $1!

Ever wanted to start your own business but had zero clue where to begin?

Me too.  See, I used to feel like starting a business was some big, overwhelming thing—that you needed a business degree, $5,000, and a warehouse full of stuff you’d probably never sell. Too many steps. Too much money. Too much stress.  Not for me. 

But here’s the plot twist: it’s actually not that deep.

I recently built a full Shopify business—and I did it in just one hour. Yep, you read that right. Sixty minutes. No fancy equipment. No team. No warehouse. Just my laptop, free AI tools, and one single dollar.

And the wildest part? It worked.

I made real money selling products I don’t even touch. No packing boxes. No printing labels. No stocking shelves. I don’t even see the products. They go straight from the supplier to the customer. I just sip coffee and check my sales dashboard.

At first, I was honestly skeptical. I’ve been deep in the digital product world for years—ebooks, printables, online courses. That’s my comfort zone. But way back—like 20 years ago—I tried dropshipping, and back then it was clunky, confusing, and kind of a nightmare.

Now? Oh, it’s a whole different world. Thanks to AI, building a Shopify business today is a thousand times easier. The tech handles almost everything. I picked a niche, let AI build my store, added some winning products, and I was off to the races.

And how much did it cost me? One dollar.
Not a typo. One. Actual. Dollar.

So let me be real with you: this isn’t some “get-rich-quick” scam. It’s not magic. It’s a real business model that actually works—and you can start it from your kitchen table, even if you’ve never sold a single thing in your life.

No tech skills required. No warehouse needed. No excuses. This blog post is your exact step-by-step guide to building your own Shopify business from scratch—even if you’re a total beginner. Let’s break it down and get you started, one click at a time.

What’s a Shopify Business? (And Why It’s Kinda Genius)

Let’s break it down nice and easy, shall we?

A Shopify business is basically an online store that runs on a platform called Shopify—one of the most popular and beginner-friendly eCommerce tools out there. It gives you everything you need to sell products online, even if you’ve never done it before.

But here’s the super cool part:

You don’t need to make anything. You don’t need to buy products upfront. And you definitely don’t need to ship anything yourself. (Say goodbye to boxes in your living room and endless post office runs!)

That’s because most people who start a Shopify business use something called dropshipping.

Here’s how it works:

• You create your online store using Shopify.
• You choose products from a supplier (using a tool like AutoDS).
• You list those products in your store at your own price.
• When someone places an order, the supplier ships the item directly to your customer.
• You keep the profit from the sale—without ever touching the product.

It’s kind of like running a retail store, but everything happens online, and you don’t need a warehouse or inventory.

Make Money Dropshipping on Shopify

With tools like AI and product automation apps, starting a Shopify business today is easier and faster than ever. You can set everything up in a few hours, work from home (or a beach, if that’s your vibe), and start making money online with very little risk.

So, if you’ve ever dreamed of being your own boss, running a shop, or making money while you sleep – starting a Shopify business just might be your next big move.

Step 1: Use AI to Build Your Shopify Business (No Tech Skills Needed)

Okay, let’s get one thing straight: you do not need to be tech-savvy to start a Shopify business. If you can click buttons and type your name, you’re good to go.

Here’s the tool we’re using:

👉 Build Your Store AI – a free tool that literally creates your Shopify store for you using artificial intelligence.

This is how you start:

1. Go to Build Your Store AI.
2. Click the big button that says “Build My Free Store.”
3. Enter your name, your email, and create a password.
4. Click Next to continue.

Now the magic starts. You’ll be asked to choose your niche—which just means your store’s theme or product category.

Pick from:

• Fashion & Apparel
• Pets
• Electronics & Gadgets
• Home & Garden
• Sports & Fitness
• Or “I’m not sure” (if you want AI to pick for you)

Don’t just choose what you like. Choose something that lots of people already buy. That way, your Shopify business has a lot better chance of making sales ……fast.

For example, I picked Pets because it’s always trending, and people are always spending money on their pets.

Once you pick your niche, click “Done”. Your store skeleton is now ready.

Step 2: Customize the Look of Your Store

Your store needs to look legit if you want people to buy from you. This doesn’t mean you need to be a designer. The AI gives you banner choices—just pick one that matches your vibe and makes sense with your products.

Here’s how to do it:

1. Choose a banner that feels balanced (don’t pick one that only appeals to one gender unless that’s your niche).
2. Avoid any banners that show off products you won’t be selling.
3. Think about what your customers will feel when they first land on your site.

Your banner is like your store’s welcome mat. Make sure it says “Come in, we’re awesome!”

Once you’re happy with the look, hit “Done”.

This is all part of building a Shopify business that feels real and trustworthy. People need to feel like they’re shopping in a real online store—not some thrown-together page.

Step 3: Set Up Your Shopify Account (It’s Free to Start)

Now it’s time to create your actual Shopify account, which powers your entire store.

Shopify is the platform your business runs on. You can think of Build Your Store as your personal designer, and Shopify as the building your store lives in.

Here’s how to do it:

1. Click Access Shopify from the Build Your Store dashboard. A new tab will open.

2. Enter your email address and click Start Free Trial.

3. Set a password and create your store name (you can change the name later).

4. Shopify will ask a few setup questions—skip them by choosing “Skip customized Setup”.

Next, choose your plan. The Basic Plan is perfect for your Shopify business. It’s free for the first 3 days and just $1/month for the first 3 months after that. (Yes, seriously. One dollar. You’ve got this.)

Go ahead and enter your payment info so Shopify can process your subscription when the trial ends. But don’t worry—nothing gets charged today.

Once you’re done, you’ll be taken to your Shopify dashboard.

It might look a little overwhelming, but take a deep breath—you’re not going to be in here long. Most of the work is being done for you by AI, which is exactly how we like it. 😎

Step 4: Connect Your Store and Let the AI Take Over

Almost there! Now it’s time to let the AI build your store for real.

Set-up your AI-powered Shopify business:

1. Go back to Build Your Store.

2. Click Access Shopify again and log in if needed.

3. You’ll see a prompt to Install the Build Your Store app. Click Install.

4. Then, click “Create My Custom Store”.

This is where the real fun begins!

The AI is now building your Shopify business in the background—setting up your homepage, organizing your menu, and prepping the layout. This would normally take hours (or days) if you were doing it yourself. But thanks to AI, it’ll be done in just a few minutes.

Feel free to grab a coffee, scroll TikTok, or just sit back and smile—you just created a business without breaking a sweat.

Once that’s done, your store is technically live, but we’re not done yet. Next up: loading your store with winning products that are already proven to sell. Let’s go!

Step 5: Find Winning Products That Actually Sell

Alright, now that your AI-built Shopify business is live, it’s time to stock it with products people actually want to buy. This step is super important—because the right product can make or break your sales.

To keep things simple and smart, we’re using a tool called AutoDS. It helps you:

• Find hot, trending products that are already selling well
• Automatically upload the product photos and descriptions
• Set pricing for profit
• And even ship products to customers when someone buys

Here’s exactly what to do:

Click here for a Free Trial to AutoDS.

2. Sign up with the same email you used for your Shopify account (this keeps everything linked and tidy).

3. When it asks, “Where will you be selling?” — choose Shopify.

4. Choose the Starter 500 Plan (this is only $0.99 for 30 days and gives you all the tools you need).

5. Pay using PayPal or your card—congrats, you’ve officially spent your $1 startup budget!

Once you’re inside AutoDS, you’ll get access to their Marketplace where you can see the best-selling items.

You can filter by niche, like “Sports & Fitness,” “Home & Garden,” or “Pets.” Stick to the niche you picked earlier so your Shopify business feels consistent and trustworthy.

Now, find 3–5 products you like.

Click “Import Draft”, tweak the titles or pricing if needed, and then publish them to your store.

Done!

Step 6: Tweak and Polish Your Store

Now that your products are live, let’s make your Shopify business look a little more polished and professional.

Here’s a quick checklist:

• Review your homepage. Is it clean and easy to navigate?
• Check that your banners match your product vibe.
• Look at your product pages.
• Make sure that your:
  • Titles are clear
  • Photos look sharp
  • Descriptions make sense (AutoDS usually writes them for you, but you can add some fun emojis or extra details if you want)
• Enable PayPal or other trusted payment options. This builds buyer trust.

*Important*

Remove the “password protected” setting by going to your Shopify dashboard → Online Store → Preferences → and uncheck the box that says “Restrict access to visitors with the password”

Optional (but highly recommended):

Get a proper .store domain name!

Build Your Store gives you one for free, and it looks way more legit than a random string of letters.

For example, instead of “coolpetstuff163.myshopify.com,” you could be “coolpetstuff.store.”

Step 7: Promote Your Shopify Business (Without Breaking the Bank)

Your store is looking amazing. Now it’s time to get people to actually visit it.

Instead of spending a fortune on Facebook ads, let’s use micro-influencers—smaller content creators with 10k–50k followers who charge way less than celebrities but often have stronger, more loyal audiences.

Here’s how to do it:

1. Head to Instagram or TikTok and search for creators in your niche (example: fitness, dog moms, home decor, etc.).
2. DM them with a short, friendly message like:
   
   “Hey! I just launched a new Shopify store with some awesome [insert niche] products. Would you be open to doing a paid story or post with a link to one of our top sellers?”
3. Offer $25–$50 for one post or story. Don’t overthink it. Keep it simple and fun!

Ask them to show off one of your products in action, include your link, and add a quick benefit (like “Boost your cardio with this!”). This strategy is golden for getting fast traffic to your Shopify business.

Step 8: Watch the Sales Roll In

Now comes the exciting part—checking your dashboard to see what’s selling.

Use the Shopify dashboard to view your orders, and AutoDS will handle the shipping and fulfillment for you. It’s totally hands-off from here!

How to track your profit:

Take these numbers for example.

• Product sold: $13.68
• Cost via AutoDS: $6.84
• Your profit (before marketing): $6.84
• Subtract any influencer or ad costs = final profit

Even if it starts small (like $80 in profit from 10 orders), that’s just the beginning! As your Shopify business grows and you add more products or work with more influencers, your income can scale up fast.

You’ve Got This!

You just built a full Shopify business for one dollar. ONE. DOLLAR.

You used free AI tools. You didn’t touch a single product. You didn’t hire a designer or a developer. You didn’t spend hours learning tech stuff.

And now? You’ve got a real, working store that can make real money.  Ahhh what a time to be alive!

O.k., so what’s next?

• Add more products
• Work with more influencers
• Try other traffic strategies like TikTok, Pinterest, or SEO
• Keep tweaking and improving your store based on what sells

Imagine what’s possible if you added more products and promoted more often! Your Shopify business could easily grow into a full-time income. It’s all about scaling your business.

Start Your Shopify Business Today, Make Money Tomorrow

Let’s recap:

✅ You built a store using AI
✅ You spent just $1
✅ You made real money from your laptop
✅ You didn’t need to ship or touch any products

You now know exactly how to build a Shopify business, even if you’ve never done anything like this before.

So, what’s stopping you?  This could be your first step toward a business that earns money while you sleep.