How to Start a Salla Store Step-by-Step

Registering on Salla is incredibly simple and completely free to start. You can begin with the free tier (Salla Basic) to explore the platform.

• Click the registration button to visit Salla's official site.
• Enter the Merchant Name, Email, Phone Number, and Password.
• Verify your phone number with the OTP sent via SMS.
• Answer a few quick onboarding questions about your business type.

Once inside the dashboard, your first goal is making the store look professional. Salla allows deep customization through its "Theme Store".

• From the sidebar, navigate to "Store Design".
• Upload your store logo (preferably a PNG with a transparent background).
• Select your brand's primary colors.
• Browse Salla Themes: Start with the default free theme, or purchase a premium theme for enhanced UX.

The product is the hero of your store! Salla supports physical goods, services, digital downloads (files/books), and even gift cards.

• Go to "Products" and click "New Product".
• Write a clear, descriptive title.
• Add high-quality photos (excellent photography is the secret to e-commerce success).
• Write a detailed description focusing on the "benefits" to the customer, not just specs.
• Set the price, available quantity (inventory), and add variants (like sizes or colors).

To legally process payments in Saudi Arabia, you must activate electronic payment methods. Note: Enabling local networks like 'Mada' requires upgrading to Salla Plus or Pro, and completing formal business verification (Commercial Registration or Freelance Certificate).

• Navigate to "Store Settings" > "Payment Methods".
• Enable core payments: Mada, Credit Cards (Visa/Mastercard), and Apple Pay.
• To boost sales, we highly recommend integrating BNPL (Buy Now, Pay Later) services like Tabby and Tamara (via the Salla App Store).
• Enable Bank Transfer or Cash on Delivery (COD) if it fits your business model.

Salla provides heavily discounted pre-negotiated "Salla Waybills", saving you from contracting individually with courier companies.

• Go to "Store Settings" > "Shipping and Delivery Options".
• You will find a long list of pre-integrated companies (SMSA, Aramex, SPL, Naqel, Fastlo, etc.).
• Activate the ones that suit you. A standard waybill costs around ~25 SAR per order.
• Set up promotional rules, such as "Free Shipping on orders over 300 SAR".

To ensure your store appears in Google search results, you must configure the fundamental SEO settings provided by the platform.

• In Store Settings, go to "SEO Settings".
• Write a "Store Title" that is catchy and contains your main keyword.
• Write a "Store Description" explaining exactly what you sell to both the customer and Google's algorithms.
• Ensure every single product has its own unique SEO title and meta description.

Don't rush to publish before ensuring the Customer Journey is completely flawless.

• Crucial: Perform a test order yourself. Add an item, enter an address, and test the checkout flow (you can cancel the order afterward).
• Browse your store from a mobile phone (over 80% of buyers use mobile). Are images clear? Are buttons accessible?
• Ensure your social media links are active in the footer.
• Verify that policy pages (Refunds, Privacy Policy) are clearly visible.

Before going live, capture clear screenshots of each key setup screen. This gives you a simple audit trail and helps you catch missing settings fast.

• Screenshot of the account creation success screen after phone verification.
• Screenshot of Store Design after uploading logo and choosing brand colors.
• Screenshot of the New Product page showing title, price, and stock.
• Screenshot of Payment Methods after enabling core options.
• Screenshot of Shipping and Delivery after enabling at least one carrier.
• Screenshot of SEO Settings after adding store title and description.
• Screenshot of the test order confirmation after checkout succeeds.

The goal is to verify your full order flow with a realistic order value, not only a tiny symbolic amount.

• Create a test product priced close to 100 SAR (for example, 99 or 109 SAR).
• Open your storefront in an incognito/private window to simulate a real customer session.
• Add product to cart, enter shipping details, and select your enabled shipping carrier.
• Complete checkout with at least one electronic payment method (Mada or card).
• Confirm the order appears in Salla admin with the correct order status.
• Confirm both customer and merchant notifications are delivered (SMS/email).
• If any step fails, fix it and repeat the same test before launch.

Use this as your final launch gate. If one item is incomplete, delay launch and close the gap first.

• Domain is connected correctly and SSL is active with no browser security warnings.
• At least 5 core products are published with clear photos and descriptions.
• At least one electronic payment method is enabled and tested.
• At least one shipping method is enabled and tested.
• Policy pages (returns/refunds/privacy) are published and visible.
• A clear contact channel is visible in the header or footer.
• Mobile version is checked: readable text, tappable buttons, smooth checkout.
• All previous items are documented in your screenshot evidence folder.