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Enabling Your Store Website

Every BookWish store automatically gets a free website to showcase your inventory, programs, and store information online. Your website helps customers discover your store, browse your books, and engage with your community programs.

What You Get​

Your BookWish store website includes:

Store Information​

  • Store name, description, and branding
  • Location and contact details
  • Hours of operation
  • Your custom branding (logo, banner, colors)

Inventory Display​

  • Searchable catalog of your available books
  • Individual pages for each book with details
  • Real-time availability and pricing
  • Book cover images and descriptions

Community Programs​

  • List of your active book clubs
  • Reading challenges you're hosting
  • Program details and participation info
  • Ability for customers to join programs

Visual Customization​

  • Upload your store logo
  • Add a banner image
  • Choose your primary brand color
  • Match your physical store's aesthetic

Your Store URL​

When you create your store, BookWish automatically generates a unique URL:

https://[your-store-slug].bookwish.store

Understanding Your Slug​

Your slug is the URL-friendly version of your store name:

  • Automatically created from your store name
  • Lowercase letters and hyphens only
  • Example: "Main Street Books" becomes main-street-books

You'll see your slug in:

  • Your store URL
  • Store settings
  • API references

Note: Your slug is permanent and cannot be changed after creation. Choose your store name carefully during setup!

How to Access Your Website​

From the App​

  1. Go to Shop tab
  2. Navigate to Store Settings
  3. Your website URL is displayed at the top
  4. Tap to open in browser

Share your full URL with customers:

https://your-store-slug.bookwish.store

Custom Domain (Optional)​

Later, you can set up a custom domain like books.yourstorename.com. See Custom Domain Setup for details.

What's Displayed on Your Website​

Homepage​

  • Store banner image (if uploaded)
  • Store name and description
  • Navigation to inventory, programs, and about pages
  • Store hours and contact information

Inventory Page​

  • Complete list of available books
  • Search and filter functionality
  • Category browsing
  • Direct links to individual book pages

Book Pages​

Each book in your inventory gets its own page with:

  • Cover image
  • Title, author, and publication details
  • Your store's price
  • Availability status
  • Option to check other stores (if out of stock)

Programs Page​

Shows your store's community engagement:

  • Book Clubs - Active clubs, meeting schedules, current books
  • Reading Challenges - Ongoing challenges and participation details

About/Contact Page​

  • Your store's story and description
  • Physical address with map
  • Phone and email contact
  • Business hours

Website vs. App Differences​

Your website and the BookWish mobile app serve different purposes:

Website Advantages​

  • Discovery - Anyone can find you via search engines
  • No Download Required - Customers can browse without installing an app
  • Shareable - Easy to share links to specific books or programs
  • Desktop Friendly - Better for extensive browsing on computers

App Advantages​

  • Full Features - Complete POS, inventory management, and analytics
  • Mobile Optimized - Better experience on phones
  • Notifications - Push notifications for orders and updates
  • Store Management - All owner tools only available in app

Key Difference: Your website is for customers to discover and browse. The BookWish app is where you manage your store operations.

Automatic Updates​

Your website automatically updates when you:

  • Add new books to inventory
  • Update book quantities or prices
  • Upload or change branding images
  • Modify store information
  • Create or update programs

No manual website updates needed - changes in the app appear instantly on your site!

SEO and Discoverability​

Your BookWish website is automatically optimized for search engines:

What's Included​

  • Proper meta tags and descriptions
  • Structured data for books
  • Mobile-friendly responsive design
  • Fast loading times
  • Secure HTTPS

Improve Your Visibility​

To help customers find you:

  • Write a detailed store description
  • Keep your inventory current and accurate
  • Encourage customers to visit your site
  • Share your URL on social media
  • Link to your site from your physical store

Privacy and Public Access​

What's Public​

Your website is publicly accessible to anyone with the link:

  • Store name and description
  • Inventory listings
  • Program information
  • Contact details

What's Private​

The following remains private and not visible on your website:

  • Sales data and analytics
  • Customer information
  • Order details
  • Internal notes
  • Financial information

Getting Started​

Your website is automatically enabled when you create your store. Here's how to optimize it:

1. Complete Your Store Profile​

  • Add a compelling description
  • Verify hours and contact info
  • Upload your location details

2. Add Visual Branding​

  • Upload a logo (see Customization)
  • Add a banner image
  • Choose your brand color

3. Build Your Inventory​

  • Add books to your catalog
  • Keep quantities accurate
  • Update prices regularly

4. Share Your URL​

  • Add it to business cards
  • Post on social media
  • Include in email signatures
  • Display in your physical store

Mobile Responsiveness​

Your website automatically adapts to different devices:

  • Desktop - Full-width layouts with side navigation
  • Tablet - Optimized spacing and touch-friendly buttons
  • Mobile - Single-column layouts, hamburger menus

All features work seamlessly across devices.

Monitoring Your Website​

While analytics are not yet built in, you can:

  • Share your URL and track engagement informally
  • Monitor inventory views through customer questions
  • Ask customers how they found you

Frequently Asked Questions​

Is my website automatically published?​

Yes! As soon as you create your store, your website is live at your BookWish subdomain.

Can I temporarily disable my website?​

Not currently. Your website is always accessible once your store is created. You can set your store as inactive in settings if needed.

Do I need technical skills to manage my website?​

No! Everything is managed through the BookWish app. Update your store info, add books, and upload images - your website updates automatically.

Can customers order directly from my website?​

Currently, the website is informational. Customers can browse your inventory and see availability, then visit your store or contact you to purchase.

Does my website work without the app?​

Yes! Your website is fully functional and separate from the app. Customers don't need the BookWish app to view your website.

Can I have multiple websites for multiple stores?​

If you own multiple stores (enterprise tier), each store gets its own unique website URL.

How do I change my store URL?​

Your bookwish.store subdomain cannot be changed. However, you can set up a custom domain (like books.yourstorename.com) to use instead. See Custom Domain Setup.