--- title: "Your First Week on Fourthwall" shortDescription: Go from sign-up to your first sale with a day-by-day onboarding checklist covering account setup, product design, payments, samples, and shop launch. articleType: Setup Guide primaryTopic: first-week-onboarding categories: - Account Management - Creator Dashboard tags: - onboarding-checklist - first-week - getting-started - quick-launch - shop-setup - new-creator - launch-timeline - account-setup tasks: - Set up your Fourthwall account - Upload your first design - Customize your shop appearance - Connect your payout method - Order product samples - Launch your shop to customers - Create your first product listing - Understand Fourthwall platform fees terms: - first week fourthwall - how quickly can I launch - onboarding checklist - how to get started - new shop setup - how fast can I sell - next steps after signup - getting started guide - how long does it take to launch - quick start fourthwall - set up my store - does fourthwall take a cut - platform fees - shop credit - sample credit labels: - onboarding - getting-started - new-creator - shop-launch contextString: Available on all plans. For new creators who just signed up or are planning their first week on the platform. breadcrumbPath: "Getting started > General Information > Your First Week on Fourthwall" path: getting-started/general-information/your-first-week-on-fourthwall last_updated: '2026-10-26' --- # Your First Week on Fourthwall You can launch a Fourthwall shop in as little as one 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 a day-by-day checklist covering account setup, product design, payments, samples, and shop launch. There are two paths to launch a Fourthwall shop: 1. **Quick-start path.** If Stripe is available in your country, pick a product, upload a design, connect your Stripe account, 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**](https://admin.fourthwall.com/?redirectPath=/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**. 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, see 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**](https://admin.fourthwall.com/?redirectPath=/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 You can't apply for PayPal or bill.com payouts until your balance reaches the minimum: $25 for PayPal (including Brazil) and $25 for bill.com ($35 for creators in Brazil). Applications sent before then are NOT processed, and support does not reply to them. Asking whether a method is available in your country is not an application. Payout methods depend on your country, so start by checking [Which payout methods are available in my country?](/frequently-asked-questions/payments-and-pricing/payout-methods-by-country). Stripe Connect is the standard payout method where Stripe is available. Where it isn't, Fourthwall offers PayPal, bill.com or both, depending on the country. Some countries have no payout method. If Stripe is available in your country, connect it so you can get paid once orders start coming in: 1. Go to [**Settings**](https://admin.fourthwall.com/?redirectPath=/settings/) > **Billing and payouts** > **Set up your payouts**. 2. Connect your Stripe account. Only a team member with the shop owner role sees **Set up your payouts**. If you don't see the button, ask a team member who has that role. [How you get paid](/frequently-asked-questions/payments-and-pricing/how-you-get-paid) covers the other checks. **Set up your payouts** starts Stripe Connect only. PayPal and bill.com payouts don't use it. If your country uses PayPal or bill.com, both use the same application. Once your balance reaches the minimum, email [support@fourthwall.com](mailto:support@fourthwall.com) with your shop's URL. Support replies with a link to a form where you enter your payout details. Do NOT send payout or bank details by email. PayPal needs no other setup after you submit the form. Add a payment method under **Payment methods** on the same **Billing and payouts** page. This is your own billing method, not how customers pay. Fourthwall charges it when an order would take your shop balance below zero (for example, a promo code on a product priced near base cost), and for a paid plan or inventory storage fees if you have them. See [Add and manage your payment methods](/getting-started/setting-up-your-shop/get-started/add-and-manage-your-payment-methods). Fourthwall handles shipping and fulfillment for on-demand products automatically. You don't need to configure shipping rates for catalog items. 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 customers see it. 1. Click the **Cart** icon in your dashboard top bar, or go to [**Orders**](https://admin.fourthwall.com/?redirectPath=/contributions/orders/) and click **Place order**. 2. Add the products you want to test. 3. If you're on Fourthwall Pro, apply your shop credit at checkout. Samples ship to you at cost. For details on credits, see Shop credit. Hold the sample in your hands before you launch. Showing real product photos in your announcement builds trust with customers 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](/create-and-sell-products/how-to-guides/create-promo-code) for your launch to drive early sales. For promotion ideas, see Promote the Launch of Your New Shop. ## Quick-start checklist The quick-start checklist is for creators in countries where Stripe is available. If you're taking the quick-start path with Stripe payouts, 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 your Stripe account - Set your shop to **Public** - Share your link Everything else (site customization, samples, soft launch) can happen after you're live. For other countries, see [Which payout methods are available in my country?](/frequently-asked-questions/payments-and-pricing/payout-methods-by-country). ## How quickly can I launch my shop? In countries where Stripe is available, you can go from sign-up to live in a single day. Create an account, add a product, connect your Stripe account, and set your shop to public. For other countries, see [Which payout methods are available in my country?](/frequently-asked-questions/payments-and-pricing/payout-methods-by-country). ## Do I need to pay anything upfront to start selling? Fourthwall is free to start on the Free plan, so you don't need to pay anything upfront to start selling. Platform fees depend on what you sell: - **Physical products**. No platform fee. - **Digital products**. 5% platform fee on the Free plan, 0% on Fourthwall Pro. - **Membership revenue**. 5% platform fee on both the Free plan and Fourthwall Pro. Payment processing fees are separate from platform fees and still apply. For details, see [Transaction fees](/frequently-asked-questions/payments-and-pricing/transaction-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.