If you’re researching Squarespace for ecommerce, chances are that you’re a creative entrepreneur, service provider, or product-based business wondering if this all-in-one website platform can handle your online store. The short answer? Yes, but with a few caveats.

If we haven’t met, HI! I’m Bekah and I am a Shopify, Squarespace and Showit website designer helping you build a high-converting website. Want a designer to set up your Squarespace shop the right way and fast? I’ve helped dozens of entrepreneurs build beautiful, functional online stores that convert. Check out my Website in a Week service to launch with confidence.

As a website designer who has worked with hundreds of small business owners, I’ve built ecommerce sites on both Squarespace and Shopify. And while I love Squarespace for its clean templates and ease of use, it’s not always the right fit (especially if you’re planning to scale).

Let’s dive into what makes Squarespace a great (or not-so-great) choice for selling online.

Why Use Squarespace for Ecommerce?

Squarespace offers a seamless blend of visual design and ecommerce functionality that makes it a solid choice for:

• Service providers who sell a few digital products or templates
• Artists and makers with a limited inventory
• Non-techie business owners who want a beautiful site without a big learning curve
• Entrepreneurs looking for a quick all-in-one solution (hosting, design, and store in one)

What You’ll Love:

• Gorgeous templates that make your products shine
• Built-in inventory, tax, and shipping tools
• Email marketing and blog built into the platform
• No need to integrate third-party apps (unless you want to!)
• You can easily rank on search engines (if you do the work — Learn my exact process HERE)

What Might Hold You Back:

• Limited product filtering and variant options
• No advanced analytics unless you’re on the higher plans
• No multi-currency or complex shipping automations
• You might outgrow it if you’re scaling beyond ~20 products

Squarespace for Ecommerce: A Complete Guide to Setting Up Your Online Store

Step-by-Step: How to Create a Shop on Squarespace

1. Choose a Template with Store Functionality

If you’re starting from scratch, go to the Squarespace Templates page and filter by “Online Store.” Pick a design you like, you can customize it later!

{Already have a Squarespace site? Go to account.squarespace.com, select your site, and add a store page. I recommend placing it under “Not Linked” until it’s ready for launch.}

2. Customize Store Page Settings

Once your store page is created, click the gear icon to access settings. Here’s what to update:

• Page Title + URL Slug: Use SEO-friendly keywords
• Page Description: Write a short paragraph about what you sell and who it’s for
• Social Sharing Image: Upload a branded image for link previews

3. Add and Organize Products

Click the “+” icon to add your first product. You’ll be prompted to choose a type:

• Physical Products (e.g., clothing, art prints)
• Digital Downloads (perfect for service providers)
• Gift Cards or Services

Within each product, you’ll add:

• Product Name
• Description (with SEO-friendly keywords)
• Price
• Images (at least one—use multiple if possible!)
• Inventory quantity
• Variants (sizes/colors)
• Fulfillment details (weight, dimensions)

Organize items into categories like “Books,” “Accessories,” or “Templates” to make navigation easier.

4. Set Up Ecommerce Features

Go to Commerce > Setup and make sure you’ve configured:

✅ Taxes

Squarespace offers auto tax calculation, but make sure your business info is filled in accurately.

✅ Payments

Connect to PayPal, Stripe, or Square for in-person transactions. Squarespace Payments is also available in certain regions.

✅ Shipping

Choose from:

• Flat-rate shipping
• Weight-based shipping
• Carrier-calculated rates (if available)

You can also import settings from Etsy if you’re migrating.

5. Design Your Shop Page

If you’re using Squarespace 7.1, use sections to design the layout:

• Adjust background colors and spacing
• Add a sidebar (great for product categories!)
• Choose layout style: Grid, List, or Slideshow
• Modify product display: title, price, image ratio, etc.

Use the paintbrush icon (Site Styles) to keep fonts, colors, and buttons consistent with your brand.

6. Customize Product Pages

When editing individual product pages, you can choose from layouts like:

• Simple (best for customization)
• Wrap
• Full
• Half

Add spacers, buttons, forms, or even image carousels using the classic editor. Pro tip: stack images vertically for a more editorial feel or use a carousel for mobile-friendly design.

7. Add Essential Features for Selling

Don’t miss these:

🛒 Cart Icon

Toggle on the cart icon from your site header. Show item count to encourage checkouts!

🔥 Waitlists & Preorders

Use waitlists to build hype around sold-out or upcoming items.

✨ Featured Products

Feature bestsellers or new arrivals on your homepage.

💌 Customer Notifications

Customize the emails your customers receive after purchase (order confirmation, shipping, etc.) to match your brand.

🔁 Customer Accounts

Allow repeat buyers to log in, view order history, and manage their info.

📣 Discounts & Promotions

Offer coupon codes during launches or sales (think: Black Friday!).

{Psst… I’m hosting a free summit August 26-28 to help you plan a profitable Black Friday sale, even if you’ve never hit five figures. Click here to learn more.}

FAQs: Squarespace for Ecommerce

Ready to Launch?

Squarespace makes it easy to bring your shop to life, without needing to be a tech genius. Whether you’re selling art prints, digital templates, or eco-friendly candles, the tools are there. Now it’s time to get building!

👉 Sign up for my free training to launch your Squarespace site this weekend.

My Honest Take: When Squarespace Makes Sense (And When It Doesn’t)

Here’s where I’ll get personal. I’ve designed Squarespace ecommerce websites for coaches selling digital downloads, an author selling versions of her book, and even makers selling a small inventory of handmade goods. And it works beautifully for the right business model.

If you’re selling fewer than 20 products, want a clean, beautiful design, and prefer an all-in-one solution, Squarespace is a fantastic choice.

But if you’re planning to:

• Add hundreds of SKUs
• Need detailed filtering or bundling
• Want advanced reporting
• Or run a larger inventory operation

…then I recommend making the leap to Shopify.

👉 Here’s my full blog post comparing Shopify Designers (plus how much you can expect to spend): Shopify Website Designers for All Budgets

Coupon for Squarespace: Save on Your First Year

If you’re ready to try Squarespace for ecommerce, don’t forget to use a promo code!

Here is my personal Squarespace coupon to offer! Save 10%  off your first subscription of a website using the code RRC10

Final Thoughts: Is Squarespace the Right Ecommerce Platform for You?

If your priority is a simple, elegant storefront, and you’re not planning to scale into a full-fledged ecommerce empire, Squarespace might be exactly what you need.

But if you’re selling a higher volume of products or want total control over the shopping experience, Shopify is going to serve you better in the long run.

✨ READ MORE: Shopify Website Designers for All Budgets

Either way, your site should feel aligned, intentional, and ready to convert.

Need help deciding or launching your ecommerce site fast?

Let’s get your store online strategically and stress-free. Explore my Website in a Week service and let’s build a site that does the selling for you.