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DIY E-commerce Basics: Adding Your First Product in Shopify Wix Squarespace

February 1, 2026
E-commerce, Web Design
4 min read

For many Hawaii entrepreneurs, the moment you transition from “hobbyist” to “business owner” is when you list your first product for sale online. Whether you are selling handmade jewelry from Kauai, coffee roasted in Kona, or art prints from Kaka’ako, the process of adding a product is similar across platforms, but the strategic details are what determine your profitability. A product listing is not just a picture and a price; it is a contract with your customer regarding quality, shipping costs, and tax expectations.

Phase 1: Preparation (The “Mise-en-place”)

Before you log into your dashboard, gather these four critical assets. Trying to create them while you are building the page is a recipe for frustration.

  • High-Resolution Photos: You need at least three angles: a hero shot (the product alone), a detail shot (texture/quality), and a lifestyle shot (the product in use in a Hawaii setting).
  • Accurate Weights and Dimensions: This is non-negotiable for Hawaii businesses. Because shipping to the Mainland is expensive, guessing your product’s weight will lead to you undercharging for shipping and eating the cost. Buy a digital scale.
  • SEO-Friendly Title: Do not just call it “Blue Shirt.” Call it “Men’s Aloha Shirt – Vintage Blue Tapa Print.”
  • Storytelling Description: Visitors buy the “Hawaii dream” as much as the product. Describe the scent, the origin of the materials, or the inspiration behind the design.

Adding a Product in Shopify

Shopify is built for volume and inventory management. Its product flow is logical and data-heavy.

  1. Navigate: Go to your Shopify Admin and click Products > Add Product.
  2. Details: Enter your Title and Description. Use the “Media” section to upload your photos.
  3. Pricing & Inventory: Set your price. critical step: Enter the “Compare-at price” if the item is on sale. Under “Inventory,” ensure you track quantity so you don’t oversell.
  4. Shipping (Crucial): scroll down to the “Shipping” section. Check “This is a physical product.” Enter the exact weight. This data connects to your shipping zones to calculate live rates for USPS or UPS.
  5. Hawaii Tax Tip: In your general settings, ensure you have set up your tax rates. Shopify handles most calculations automatically, but you must ensure your “Location” is verified as Hawaii to trigger the correct nexus settings.

Adding a Product in Wix

Wix uses a more visual approach, which is helpful if you want to see how the product looks as you build it.

  1. Navigate: Go to your Dashboard and select Store Products > Products > + New Product. Choose “Physical Product.”
  2. Product Info: Add your “Name” and “Ribbon” (e.g., “New Arrival” or “Made on Maui”).
  3. Custom Text Fields: This is a powerful Wix feature. You can add a text field for “Personalization” if you offer custom engraving or sizing, which is popular for local artisans.
  4. Manage Variants: If your product comes in different colors or sizes, add them here. Wix allows you to manage inventory separately for each variant (e.g., if you have 5 Small but 0 Large).
  5. Hawaii Tax Tip: Wix allows you to display tax information next to the price. For clarity, many Hawaii businesses choose to display a note like “Plus HI GET” to manage local expectations.

Adding a Product in Squarespace

Squarespace focuses heavily on aesthetics. The product input form is clean, but don’t let the simplicity fool you—you need to fill out the hidden tabs.

  1. Navigate: Go to Selling > Products > + Add Product. Select “Physical.”
  2. The Editor: Squarespace opens a simplified editor. Upload your images first—they are the centerpiece.
  3. Visibility: Check the “SEO” tab within the product editor. Edit the “SEO Title” and “SEO Description.” This is often different from your on-page description and is what Google shows in search results.
  4. Checkout Customization: Use the “Custom Button Label” if you want to change “Add to Cart” to something more brand-aligned like “Take Me Home.”

The “Hawaii Reality Check” for All Platforms

Regardless of the software you use, two specific issues trip up new Hawaii e-commerce merchants.

1. The General Excise Tax (GET) Configuration

Hawaii does not have a standard “Sales Tax”; we have a General Excise Tax (GET) which is levied on the business, not the customer. However, you are allowed to pass this on. You must configure your platform’s tax settings to collect 4.712% (for Oahu) or the appropriate rate for your island. Do not simply select “US Sales Tax” and hope for the best; verify the specific percentage in your platform’s tax settings to ensure you cover your liability.

2. The “Mainland vs. Inter-island” Shipping Problem

A flat-rate shipping fee rarely works for Hawaii businesses. It costs significantly more to ship a heavy package to New York than to a neighbor island.
Solution: In your platform’s shipping settings, create two distinct “Shipping Zones”:
Zone 1: Hawaii. Offer cheaper, faster rates (or free shipping).
Zone 2: Rest of World (Mainland). Use “Calculated Rates” connected to USPS so the customer pays the actual cost based on the weight you entered.

Conclusion

Adding your first product is a milestone. By taking the time to input accurate weights, write compelling “island-style” copy, and configure your tax and shipping settings correctly from day one, you build a foundation that can scale from a side hustle to a full-time export business.