Squarespace Store Customization: Enhance Your Online Shop with Custom CSS

This Squarespace Store customization tutorial shows you how to hide default store title text, prevent image cropping, and align text descriptions with simple CSS.

When setting up a Squarespace store, the platform’s default settings can be incredibly helpful for getting started quickly. However, as your store grows, you might find yourself needing more control over its appearance and functionality. Whether you’re an artist, photographer, or small business owner, customizing your Squarespace store can help you create a unique shopping experience that aligns with your brand. In this guide, we'll walk you through some essential Squarespace store customizations, focusing on how to use custom CSS code to achieve your desired look and functionality.

Timestamps

0:00 Intro to Squarespace Store Customization
1:15 How to Hide Default Store Title Text
2:30 Prevent Product Image Cropping
4:00 Align Product Descriptions with Images
5:30 Additional Tips & Tricks


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    Why Customize Your Squarespace Store?

    The default settings in Squarespace are designed to be versatile and user-friendly, but they might not always align with your specific needs. For example, Squarespace automatically adds your store’s title text to the top of your store page, which might not match the styling you’ve applied to the rest of your website. Additionally, Squarespace crops product images to a uniform size, which can be frustrating for those who sell artwork or photography, where the integrity of the image dimensions is crucial.

    By learning how to customize your Squarespace store, you can overcome these limitations, creating a more polished and professional-looking online store. Let’s dive into three key areas of customization that can make a big difference in your store’s appearance and user experience.


    1. Hide the Default Store Title Text

    One of the most common issues users face is the default store title text that Squarespace automatically places at the top of your store page. While this might seem like a small detail, it can significantly impact the overall look of your site, especially if the title text doesn’t match your other headers or if you want to place the title in a different section.

    With a simple piece of custom CSS code, you can hide this default title text and replace it with a more consistent header style that matches the rest of your site. Here’s how to do it:

    /* Hide the default store title */
    
    .sqs-block-store-block .sqs-block-title {
        display: none;
    }

    After hiding the default title, you can manually add your store’s name using the Header 1 tag (`<h1>`), ensuring that your title text is consistent across your website. This small adjustment can go a long way in creating a cohesive look for your brand.

    2. Stop Squarespace from Cropping Product Images

    If you’ve uploaded images to your Squarespace store only to find them cropped in ways that detract from their original appearance, you’re not alone. Squarespace’s default settings automatically crop all product images to the same size, which is great for consistency but can be a nightmare for those selling products like art or photography where the full image is essential.

    Fortunately, you can override this default cropping behavior with custom CSS code. This customization will prevent Squarespace from cropping your images on both the storefront page and individual product pages:

    /* Prevent image cropping in the product list */
    .sqs-gallery-design-autocolumns .sqs-gallery-block .thumb-image img {
        object-fit: contain;
        width: auto;
        height: auto;
    }
    
    /* Prevent image cropping on individual product pages */
    .sqs-block-product .sqs-gallery-design-autocolumns .sqs-gallery-block .thumb-image img {
        object-fit: contain;
        width: auto;
        height: auto;
    }
    

    This code ensures that your product images are displayed in their original dimensions, preserving their artistic integrity. Whether you’re showcasing paintings, photographs, or any other visual products, this customization is essential for making sure your products look their best.

    3. Align the Product Description with the Top of the Product Image

    Another common Squarespace store customization involves the alignment of product descriptions. By default, the product description may appear lower on the page than your product images, creating a disjointed look. This is particularly problematic if you’re aiming for a clean, professional aesthetic.

    Using custom CSS, you can align the product description with the top of the product image, ensuring that your product pages look balanced and well-organized:

    /* Align product description with the top of the product image */
    
    .sqs-block-product .sqs-block-content {
        margin-top: -50px; /* Adjust this value as needed */
    }

    This code adjustment helps your product descriptions and images align perfectly, offering a more streamlined appearance that’s pleasing to your customers.

    Bonus Tips for Squarespace Store Customization

    Customizing your Squarespace store doesn’t stop at these three tweaks. Here are a few additional tips to take your store to the next level:

    • Experiment with Fonts and Colors: Your brand’s visual identity is crucial, so don’t hesitate to customize fonts and colors across your store. Use custom CSS to maintain consistency with your brand’s guidelines.

    • Improve Navigation: Consider customizing your store’s navigation to make it easier for customers to find what they’re looking for. This can include adding dropdown menus, featured product sections, or even a search bar.

    • Optimize for Mobile: Always check how your customizations appear on mobile devices. Squarespace is mobile-responsive, but custom CSS may require adjustments to ensure a seamless experience across all devices.

    Conclusion

    Customizing your Squarespace store is a powerful way to create a unique shopping experience that reflects your brand. From hiding the default store title text to preventing image cropping and aligning product descriptions, these custom CSS tweaks can make a significant difference in the look and feel of your store. As you become more comfortable with these adjustments, you’ll discover even more ways to tailor your Squarespace store to meet your needs.

    Whether you’re an artist, photographer, or entrepreneur, taking the time to learn and apply these Squarespace store customization techniques will help you stand out in a crowded market. Remember to experiment, test your changes, and most importantly, have fun creating a store that truly represents your brand. Happy customizing!


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    Katherine Forbes

    Katherine Forbes is the founder of Nashville based website and brand design company, Designing the Row. Her client roster has grown to include GRAMMY Nominated & Award Winning Artists, New York Times Best Selling Authors, Film Composers, Reality TV Personalities, & many more! She is known for her clean and simple design style and is recognized as a Squarespace Expert and Squarespace Authorized Trainer. She is also the creator of music community, Music Biz Besties, and teaches digital music marketing as an adjunct professor at ETSU.

    Her work has been featured on Forbes.com and she’s spoken on panels hosted by YELP, the Music Business Association, Women in Music, and many others.

    Katherine believes that "your success depends on you taking action" and she's passionate about motivating and encouraging others to do just that!

    https://www.designingtherow.com
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