---
title: "Getting Started with J2Commerce"
description: "This guide walks you through setting up your first J2Commerce store."
url: "https://docs.j2commerce.com/v6/getting-started/getting-started-guide"
markdown_url: "https://docs.j2commerce.com/v6/getting-started/getting-started-guide.md"
last_updated: "2026-10-23T02:33:38+00:00"
version: "J2Commerce 6"
breadcrumbs:
  - title: "Home"
    url: "https://docs.j2commerce.com/"
  - title: "J2Commerce 6"
    url: "https://docs.j2commerce.com/v6"
  - title: "Getting Started"
    url: "https://docs.j2commerce.com/v6/getting-started"
  - title: "Getting Started with J2Commerce"
    url: "https://docs.j2commerce.com/v6/getting-started/getting-started-guide"
---

# Getting Started with J2Commerce

This guide walks you through setting up your first J2Commerce store. Whether you're migrating from another platform or starting fresh, you'll have a functioning store ready to sell in under 15 minutes.

## Prerequisites

Before you begin, make sure you have:

- **Joomla 6.x** installed and running
- **PHP 8.3** or higher
- **J2Commerce** installed (see [Installation](https://docs.j2commerce.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=277&catid=22))

## The Setup Wizard

When you first open J2Commerce, the **Setup Wizard** appears automatically. This guided onboarding walks you through configuring your store in six simple steps:

1. **Store Info**: Name, address, and contact details
2. **Currency**: Your default currency and measurement units
3. **Tax**: Tax inclusion preferences and rates
4. **Product Type**: What you're selling (physical, digital, or service)
5. **Payment**: Payment method setup
6. **Ready**: Final review and sample data option

For detailed information about each step, see the [Onboarding documentation](https://docs.j2commerce.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=5&catid=50).

> **Tip:** You can re-run the Setup Wizard anytime from the Dashboard by clicking the **Setup Guide** button in the toolbar.

## Quick Start Checklist

### Configure Basic Store Information

Go to **Settings -> Global Configuration**

![Joomla System Dashboard with System in the sidebar and the Setup section's Global Configuration link highlighted](https://docs.j2commerce.com/images/docs/shared/store-systems.webp)

Go to **J2Commerce -> Store tab** and start filling in your store information

Enter your store name, email, and address

Set your default currency and measurement units

> **Tip:** **Helpful Tip:** When you *click on the **Toggle Inline Help** button, it will show a description below each section. See image below*

![J2Commerce Configuration, Store tab: Toggle Inline Help button highlighted and the help text Enter your store name outlined under Store Name](https://docs.j2commerce.com/images/docs/shared/store-toggle.webp)

### Create Your First Product

There are multiple ways to navigate to the location for creating a new product.

**Option A:** Go to **Content** **-> Articles -> New**.

![Joomla Articles list with Content, Articles and the New button highlighted in the sidebar and toolbar](https://docs.j2commerce.com/images/docs/shared/simple.webp)

**Option B:** Or go to **J2Commerce -> Catalog -> Product -> New**

![Products list opened via the J2Commerce menu, with the J2Commerce button, Catalog and Products items highlighted](https://docs.j2commerce.com/images/docs/shared/simple-product1.webp)

### Creating a New Product

![Joomla Articles: Edit, Content tab highlighted, with Title, Status Published and Category Chocolate Balls outlined beside the article text editor](https://docs.j2commerce.com/images/docs/shared/simple-content.webp)

- Enter a product **title** and **description**.
- Assign the article to a **category** (the category determines which J2Commerce category listing it appears in).
- Make sure the **Status** is '**Published'**. Published means it's viewable on the frontend

### Configuring the Product

![Article edit J2Commerce tab highlighted: Use As Product Yes and the Product Type dropdown open (Configurable, Downloadable, Flexible Variant, Simple, Variable)](https://docs.j2commerce.com/images/docs/shared/simple-product2.webp)

Click on the **J2Commerce** tab to start configuring the product details

**Use As Product:** Set this to '**Yes**' to set the product type

**Product Type:** Set to **Simple** for a single-item product with one price and no variants.

Click **Save and Continue**

> **Tip:** **Fill in the product details:** For more help setting up a standard Simple product, go to [https://docs.j2commerce.com/v6/catalog/product-types/simple_product](https://docs.j2commerce.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=570&catid=69) and follow the steps.

### Set Up Payments

J2Commerce includes several payment plugins ready to enable:

Go to the **J2Commerce** tab in the top right corner **-> Setup -> Payment Method**

![Payment Methods list opened via the J2Commerce menu: Setup and Payment Methods highlighted, listing Authorize.Net and Bank Transfer plugins](https://docs.j2commerce.com/images/docs/shared/getting-started-payment.webp)

Click on a payment method to configure it:

- **Stripe**: Enter your API keys
- **PayPal**: Enter your business email
- **Kustom**: Configure your account settings

Set one as the **Default Payment Method** by going to **J2Commerce -> Setup -> Configuration -> Checkout** tab **-> Default Payment Method**

![J2Commerce Configuration, Checkout tab: Shipping Required, Auto Select Shipping and Hide Shipping Until Address Yes, with Default Payment Method outlined as Authorize.Net](https://docs.j2commerce.com/images/docs/shared/getting-started-payment-checkout.webp)

### Configure Shipping (if selling physical products)

Go to the **J2Commerce** tab in the top right corner **-> Setup -> Shipping Method**

![Shipping Methods list opened via the J2Commerce menu: Setup and Shipping Methods highlighted, listing the AtoShip Multi-Carrier Shipping plugin](https://docs.j2commerce.com/images/docs/shared/getting-started-shipping.webp)

Enable one or more shipping methods:

- **Free Shipping**: Set a minimum order amount
- **Flat Rate**: Fixed price per order
- **UPS/FedEx/USPS**: Enter your carrier credentials

Set up shipping zones to control where you ship

### Create Categories

Categories help organize your products:

Go to the **J2Commerce** tab in the top right corner **-> Content -> Categories**

Click **New**

![Joomla Articles: Categories list with Content, Categories and the New button highlighted in the sidebar and toolbar](https://docs.j2commerce.com/images/docs/shared/getting-started-categories.webp)

Enter a category name and description

Assign a parent category, if needed, in the **Category** tab

Upload a category image under the **Options** tab

Click **Save & Close**

### Set Up Taxes

> **Info:** Before you can set up a **Tax Profile**, you need to set up the **Geozone** first, then the **Tax Rate** and then the **Tax Profile.** You can find all three of them by going to the **J2Commerce** tab in the top right corner **-> Localization ->**

![Tax Profiles screen opened via the J2Commerce menu: Localization expanded with Geozones, Tax Rates and Tax Profiles highlighted](https://docs.j2commerce.com/images/docs/shared/getting-started-tax.webp)

Go to the **J2Commerce** tab in the top right corner **-> Localization -> Tax Profiles**

Create a new tax profile or edit the default

Add tax rules for your regions

Associate products with tax profiles

## Understanding the Admin Interface

### Navigation Bar

![J2Commerce navigation bar highlighted: Dashboard, Catalogue, Sales, Localisation, Design, Setup, Analytics and Apps menus](https://docs.j2commerce.com/images/docs/shared/getting-started-navigation.webp)

The navigation bar at the top of every **J2Commerce** page provides quick access to:

**Products:** Manage your product catalog

**Orders:** View and process customer orders

**Customers:** View customer accounts and history

**Catalog:** Categories, filters, options, manufacturers, vendors

**Shipping:** Configure shipping methods and zones

**Payments:** Manage payment gateways

**Apps:** Install and configure app plugins

**Reports:** Sales, product, and customer analytics

**Settings:** Global configuration and store settings

### Dashboard

![J2Commerce Dashboard reached via Components, J2Commerce, Dashboard (highlighted), showing the Setup Wizard button, date filter and Store Stats cards](https://docs.j2commerce.com/images/docs/shared/getting-started-dashboard.webp)

The J2Commerce Dashboard is your home base. It shows:

- **Today's revenue** and order count
- **Sales trends** over time
- **Recent orders** needing attention
- **Low stock alerts** for inventory

For detailed dashboard information, see the [Dashboard documentation](https://docs.j2commerce.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=194&catid=50).

## What's Next?

- [**Onboarding Guide**](https://docs.j2commerce.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=5&catid=50) -- Deep dive into the setup wizard
- [**Product Types**](https://docs.j2commerce.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&id=69) -- Learn about all product types
- [**Store Setup**](https://docs.j2commerce.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=197&catid=50) -- Full configuration reference
- [**Dashboard**](https://docs.j2commerce.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=194&catid=50) -- Master the admin dashboard