Squarespace Ecommerce Interface and Editor

Learning Objectives

By the end of this chapter, you'll be able to:

• Navigate the Squarespace ecommerce dashboard with confidence
• Add and manage products efficiently
• Use order management tools to track and fulfil customer orders
• Customise your store design to match your brand

Introduction

Getting comfortable with Squarespace's ecommerce tools is your first step to running a successful online store. This chapter covers the essential interface elements and editor features you'll use daily. We'll walk through each section step by step, so you can start managing products and orders straight away.

The good news is that Squarespace keeps things simple. Once you know where everything lives, you'll find the platform quite intuitive to use.

Lessons

Understanding the Squarespace Ecommerce Dashboard

Your ecommerce dashboard is mission control for your online store. Here's how to get around:

Step 1: Log into your Squarespace account and select your site
Step 2: Look for the Commerce section in the left sidebar
Step 3: Click Commerce to reveal the main sections: Inventory, Orders, Customers, and Settings

The dashboard gives you a quick overview of recent activity. You'll see your latest orders, popular products, and any items that need attention.

Quick tip: The numbers at the top of each section show pending items. If you see "3" next to Orders, you have three orders waiting to be processed.

Adding and Managing Products

Adding your first product is straightforward, but there are a few things worth knowing upfront.

Step 1: Click Inventory in the Commerce section
Step 2: Select Add Product (the plus icon)
Step 3: Choose your product type:

• Physical products (shipped items)
• Digital products (downloads)
• Services (appointments or consultations)
• Gift cards

Step 4: Fill in the essential details:

• Product name and description
• Price (including any variants)
• Images (at least one high-quality photo)
• Inventory tracking (if applicable)

Step 5: Add product options like size, colour, or material if needed
Step 6: Set up shipping details for physical products
Step 7: Preview your product page before publishing

This is the bit most people miss: Always check how your product looks on mobile. Many customers browse on their phones, so make sure your images and descriptions work well on smaller screens.

For bulk updates, use the checkbox feature to select multiple products and edit them together. This saves time when updating prices or categories.

Managing Orders

Order management becomes routine once you know the system. Here's how it works:

Step 1: Click Orders in the Commerce section
Step 2: You'll see all orders listed with their status:

• Pending (payment received, ready to fulfil)
• Fulfilled (shipped or completed)
• Cancelled (refunded or voided)

Step 3: Click any order to see full details
Step 4: Update the status as you process orders
Step 5: Use the built-in email system to notify customers of status changes

The search and filter options help you find specific orders quickly. You can filter by date, status, or customer name.

Quick tip: Set up automatic email notifications to keep customers informed. This reduces support queries and keeps customers happy.

Customising Store Design

Your store design affects how customers perceive your brand. Squarespace makes customisation relatively painless.

Step 1: Go to Design, then Site Styles
Step 2: Choose your template (if you haven't already)
Step 3: Customise the basics:

• Fonts for headings and body text
• Colour scheme for your brand
• Button styles and hover effects
• Spacing and layout options

Step 4: Visit Design > Product Pages to customise how individual products appear
Step 5: Check Design > Checkout for payment page customisation

Always preview changes before publishing. The preview feature shows you exactly how customers will see your store.

This is important: Keep your checkout process simple. Too many design elements can distract from completing the purchase.

Practice

Create a test product in your store to get familiar with the process. Try these steps:

1. Add a simple physical product with at least two photos
2. Create a product variant (like different sizes or colours)
3. Set up inventory tracking
4. Preview the product page on desktop and mobile
5. Place a test order (you can cancel it afterwards)

This hands-on practice will make you much more comfortable with the real thing.

FAQs

Can I track inventory levels in Squarespace?
Yes, you can enable inventory tracking for each product. Squarespace will automatically update stock levels when orders come in and can hide products when they're out of stock.

How do I process refunds?
Go to the specific order in your Orders section, click the three dots menu, and select "Issue Refund". You can refund the full amount or partial amounts as needed.

Can I customise the emails sent to customers?
Yes, go to Settings > Notifications to edit automated emails. You can change the text, add your logo, and match your brand voice.

Is there a mobile app for managing orders?
Squarespace offers a mobile app that lets you view orders, update inventory, and respond to customers on the go.

Jargon Buster

Commerce Dashboard: The main control panel where you manage all ecommerce activities including products, orders, and customer data.

Product Variants: Different versions of the same product, such as different sizes, colours, or materials.

Inventory Tracking: A system that monitors stock levels and updates automatically when products are sold.

Order Fulfilment: The process of receiving, processing, and delivering customer orders.

Mobile Responsive: Design that automatically adapts to look good on different screen sizes and devices.

Wrap-up

You now have the foundation for managing your Squarespace ecommerce store. The interface might feel unfamiliar at first, but with regular use, you'll find it becomes second nature.

Start by adding a few products and getting comfortable with the order management process. As you grow more confident, you can explore the advanced features like abandoned cart recovery, promotional codes, and detailed analytics.

Remember to keep your store design clean and your product information accurate. These basics will serve you well as your business grows.

Ready to take your Squarespace skills further? Join our community of learners at https://www.pixelhaze.academy/membership