Build a free online store from ChatGPT, step by step

Why this isn’t the usual “ChatGPT ecommerce” advice

Most guides on this query tell you to ask ChatGPT for HTML, or for a Shopify to-do list. That leaves you with code to host, no checkout, and all the actual work still ahead. The difference here is a real MCP connector: SitesPlaced hands ChatGPT the same builder tools its own dashboard uses — create a store, add products, edit copy, publish. Your conversation ends with a working store URL, not homework. Authentication is OAuth: you sign in to your SitesPlaced account once and can revoke access anytime.

Step 1 — Connect SitesPlaced to ChatGPT (2 minutes)

1. Create a free account at sitesplaced.com/start if you don’t have one.
2. In ChatGPT: Settings → Apps & Connectors → enable Developer mode → Create connector.
3. Paste https://sitesplaced.com/api/mcp as the connector URL.
4. Sign in to SitesPlaced when prompted and approve access. No API keys to copy.

Using Claude instead? Settings → Connectors → Add custom connector → paste the same URL. The rest of this guide is identical — the dedicated Claude walkthrough is here.

Step 2 — Describe your store in one message

Create an online store on SitesPlaced called Kala Threads. We sell hand-block-printed cotton kurtas from Jaipur. Add these products: Indigo Trellis Kurta ₹1,299, Rose Jaal Kurta ₹1,199, Mustard Buti Kurta ₹1,349 — each with a short description mentioning hand-block printing. Earthy, artisanal look. WhatsApp orders on +91 98XXXXXXXX. Take it live.

ChatGPT picks a storefront theme from the SitesPlaced catalog, writes your hero headline, about text and product descriptions, creates the product records, and builds the store in one call. If you paste image URLs (from your Instagram, Google Drive links, anywhere public), the images are rehosted onto SitesPlaced automatically — that step can take a minute. The store auto-publishes on the free plan, and ChatGPT replies with your live link.

Step 3 — Manage products by chatting

From here your catalog is conversational. All of these work as plain messages:

• “Add a product: Kota Doria Dupatta, ₹899, with this photo: [URL].”
• “Add a 20% off sale price to every product in my store.”
• “Rewrite the Indigo Trellis description to mention it’s natural-dyed.”
• “Move the kurtas into a ‘Festive’ category and put it first.”
• “Remove the Mustard Buti Kurta.” (ChatGPT confirms with you before deleting anything.)

Behind the scenes these map to real catalog tools (add_product, update_product, delete_product, update_store_config), so every change appears in your dashboard too — chat and dashboard edit the same store. Plan limits are enforced server-side; if you ever hit one, ChatGPT is told and shares the upgrade link instead of failing silently.

Step 4 — What your free store includes

UPI and cash on delivery are the payment methods Indian buyers expect; if your customers are elsewhere, card payments and WhatsApp ordering carry the store globally. Either way, the free plan is a real store — not a demo with checkout behind a paywall.

Step 5 — When (and why) to upgrade

Upgrade only when the free tier’s two honest limitations start to matter: the yourname.sitesplaced.site address and the small badge. The Ecommerce plan (₹499/month, $14.99) gives you a custom domain (yourbrand.com), removes the badge, and adds in-builder AI plus higher product and storage limits. Commission stays 0% on every plan — upgrading buys identity, not permission to sell. Until orders are steady, keep the free plan; nothing about checkout improves by paying.

What ChatGPT can’t do to your store

The connector is deliberately scoped: it only sees stores owned by the account you signed in with, and it cannot touch billing, plan changes, custom domains, tracking scripts, or your customers’ order data. Deleting a store or product requires your explicit confirmation in the chat. If you want a feel for what the day-to-day prompts look like beyond commerce, these 7 copy-paste prompts cover portfolios, business sites, edits and publishing.

Frequently asked questions