Get Your Store Up and Running with Shopify – The Definitive Review

If you are a business owner, maybe you have already heard the word eCommerce. Decades had passed and innovations are continuously innovating. If your physical product business is not online, you’re losing customers to those who are online. One of which is eCommerce wherein business owners were given an opportunity to transform their physical store into an online store. Different eCommerce platforms are launched for business owners to accelerate their operations. And one example of it is Shopify and you will find out more as you read on this Shopify review.

Why Should You Be Going Into Ecommerce?

In today’s digital world, eCommerce became the talk of the town. With the sudden turn of events caused by the pandemic, business owners are looking for something innovative to still reach customers without that will help their business survive amidst the disastrous pandemic. In the business world, being wise is not enough, you also need to be competitive to keep up in the progressive world. And that is the reason why you should be going into eCommerce.

What is Shopify?

Shopify is a web development platform created by Shopify Inc. Initially it was only for eCommerce stores, but now it’s open to any business with an online presence. It has everything you need to get started, whether you’re building a Shopify store from scratch or upgrading an existing website. From design templates, marketing tools, and payment processing options to shipping services and eCommerce security, Shopify has everything you need to get your online store up and running in no time at all.

Shopify was founded in October 2006 by Daniel Weinreb, Jonathan Crombie, and Terry Stephan. The company originally developed a platform that allowed small businesses to easily create online stores. Shopify quickly gained a following among entrepreneurs, as the platform made it simple to create an online store without any prior experience. In 2014, Shopify acquired BigCommerce, Inc., which gave the company a stronger foothold in the eCommerce space. The acquisition made Shopify the largest digital commerce platform in North America and around the world.

How does Shopify Make Money?

Shopify makes money through two primary ways: subscription services and ads. Subscription services allow a store owner to access a range of features and tools for free, while ads enable the company to generate revenue from its users. The basic Shopify plan, Shopify Lite which gives you the basics of what you need to get started. Subscription services include Shopify Plus, which is an advanced Shopify plan that provides extra features such as unlimited storage space, priority support, and access to new releases before they are available to the general public. Ads enable the company to generate revenue from its users. Not to mention Shopify Pay, a payment solution for customers to make purchases with is a revenue generator for Shopify.

Why Should You Sell On Shopify?

Over the years, Shopify has become one of the progressive eCommerce platforms that give business owners the to accelerate their operation and reach a wider audience around the world. 16 years since Shopify was first launched, and they had already proven its excellence and expertise when it comes to eCommerce. So if you are still undecided, here are some advantages that Shopify has.

Easy to Use

Shopify is a simple, user-friendly ecommerce platform with powerful features. You don’t need any coding or design experience to set up a Shopify store. The intuitive Shopify admin interface makes it easy to manage products, process orders and accept payments. Simply choose a Shopify theme, upload your products, set up your shipping and Shopify payment and you’re ready to start your online store. Shopify has their app on iOS and Android. If you are using Shopify POS, you can also use the POS app to collect payment from customers on the go.

Reliable Hosting and Payments

Your Shopify plan comes with reliable and secure hosting, so you don’t have to worry about maintaining your store and keeping it up and running. Even with your basic Shopify plan, you get access to Shopify Pay, a trusted payment method for customers to make purchases with while Shopify Plus is an advanced Shopify enterprise solution that comes with a merchant success program, to help you with any integrations as well as 24/7 support. Shopify pricing for the enterprise plan is steep, but you can have massive savings from hiring web developers to maintain your online store. Your Shopify online store is hosted on Google Cloud, which is a scalable web hosting solution, which is why many Shopify store owners do not have to worry about running paid traffic such as Google Ad and having their online store load speed and experience of customers to suffer.

Shopify App Store

Shopify App store has hundreds of free and premium apps that add new features and integrations to your store. This makes it easy to customize your store’s functionality without needing any coding experience. One such type of app is product reviews app as many customers look at your Shopify reviews before making a purchase. Product review app such as Rivyo Product Review, LAI Product Review, ALI Review or Judgeme Product Reviews which is possibly the best review app, to help you acquire Shopify product reviews, collect reviews, combat fake reviews or import reviews from other platforms like Amazon or send out Shopify review requests to acquire a customer review. You can also embed review widget on your online store to showcase the best reviews. This is a must have advanced Shopify review app in your store especially when Shopify product review is one of the biggest factor customers consider when purchasing from your online store.

SEO Friendly

While not as powerful as WordPress in terms of Google Search traffic, Shopify SEO feature including custom page titles, meta descriptions and URL redirects to help you get found on search engine results pages (SERPs). Shopify also provides you with a product catalog feed to upload to Google Merchants to feature your online store products on Google Shopping to reach more potential customers.

Affordable Pricing

Shopify pricing starts at just $29 per month, making it one of the most affordable ecommerce platforms on the market. You can also choose the higher-tier plans if you need more advanced features. If Shopify pricing of $29 is too much for you, you can even go with the Shopify Starter plan(previously known as Shopify Lite) at just $7 per month for a simple online store.

Online and Offline

Shopify also has Shopify POS, which is an offline point of sales system fully integrated with the online Shopify store. With the basic Shopify POS Lite plan, it makes retail sales easier by managing your inventory and sales. You can keep track of what you have in stock, accept payments in-person, create orders and send receipts. Shopify POS is available on both iOS and Android devices, so you can accept payments, manage orders and view reports no matter where you are. If you need the in-store analytics feature, staff roles and permissions control feature or more store staff, you can also upgrade to Shopify POS Pro. Purchases from Shopify POS can also be verified Shopify reviews if your customers leave you one. If you are on Shopify Plus, you get access to the Shopify Plus POS terminal, a much more powerful solution than what you get with the standard Shopify POS plans.

Works with Non-Shopify

If you use WordPress, Wix, Weebly or any other website builders, you can still make use of Shopify Buy Button. It allows you to embed products on non-Shopify websites and still have customers purchasing from you through Shopify Pay. This gives you the flexibility to use the website builders you like, while still able to have Shopify handle customer payments for you. Purchases from Shopify Buy Button can also be converted into Shopify reviews if your customers leave you one.

List of Products That You Can and Can’t Sell on Shopify

Here is the list of products that you CAN sell on Shopify:

1. Food Products– packaged snacks, coffee, tea, spices, chips, bread
2. Health and Fitness– yoga mat, resistance band, waist trainer, jumping rope, dumbbells
3. Gadgets– laptop, cellphones, desktop, tablet, watch
4. Apparel– dress, skirts, shorts, t-shirts, suits, gowns
5. Skincare Products– serum, toner, lotion, moisturizer, makeup remover, sunflower oil
6. Footwear– runner shoes, sneakers, boots, sandals, flipflops
7. Jewelry– necklace, earrings, rings, anklets
8. Mobile and Laptop Accessories– mobile case, pop socket, keychains, laptop/cellphone stand

Here is the list of products that you CAN‘T sell on Shopify:

1. Alcohol– vodka, brandy, tequila, whiskey, beer
2. Fireworks-rocket, sparklers, firecrackers, fountains
3. Tobacco and E-cigarettes– cigarettes, vapes, e-juices, pipes, bongs,
4. Firearms and Weapons– knives, guns, bombs
5. Pharmaceuticals– chemicals, nutraceuticals, peptides
6. Drug paraphernalia-smoking masks, syringes, cocaine pipes
7. Gaming Restrictions- internet gaming, video games, online game credits
8. Certain High-Demand Items– surgical masks, isopropyl alcohol, sanitizers

Getting Started with Shopify

Below is a step-by-step guide to help you set up your account as a seller on Shopify.

How to Create Shopify Account?

On your desktop

To get started, go to Shopify to sign up for a 14-days free trial.

1. Input your email address and then click the Start Free Trial button.

2. After entering your email address, you will be redirected to another page to fill in some details such as your email address, password, and your store name.

3. Once you start your free trial, you will be required to fill in some important details about yourself. Then click Next to proceed.

4. You will also be redirected to another page to input your business’ complete address. After filling up the necessary details, click  Enter My Store. 

On your mobile phone

1. Install the Shopify App Store from your mobile phone.

2. Open the Shopify App after installing then click the Get Started Button and you will be asked to fill in some important details. If you already have an existing account, you can just click Login to enter our Shopify email address and password.

Note: Please be reminded that Shopify charges a monthly or yearly subscription. Below is the price list of their plan subscription.

How to Set Up Your Store in Shopify?

1. After you are done answering some questions and filling in important details to create your Shopify account, you will find yourself inside your account. Here is what it looks like.    

2. To set up your store, find the Products Section from the dashboard on the left side then click Add Product to access the Shopify product page and create your first product listing.

3. Scroll down to fill in the required details before you launch your first product listing.

4. Add pictures of your products and fill in the important details.

 5.  Then add the price of our item and how many stocks you have.

How to Secure Your Payment in Shopify?

With Shopify, you can enable different payment options.

1. To set up your payment method, go to Settings ( you can find it on the left side menu) and click the Payments section.

2. Click Choose Provider from the payments section to explore different payment providers.

How to Manage Your Orders in Shopify

If you have already launched your product list, customers will start ordering from your store. To manage your orders, below are the step by steps to guide you.

1. Once you start receiving orders, you can access them in the Orders section.

2. After opening the orders section, you can now arrange it by clicking each order number. Below is a sample of what it will look like once you start receiving orders.

How to Ship Your Products in Shopify?

Shipping is one of the crucial parts of eCommerce because you have to make sure that it will be delivered to the right location to avoid complaints. Here is the step-by-step guide to set up your shipping option.

1. Start by filling up the necessary details from the Shipping and Delivery section found in the settings.

2. Proceed to Manage Rates. From there you can now set your own standard rate for domestic delivery or international. (see the picture above to know where manage rates are located) Then click either Save or Discard.

Your decision in setting a standard rate should depend on the actual shipping rates of the delivery service company and product weight. You may also give free shipping considering the condition that a customer’s order reaches a certain value.

How to Cancel Customer’s Order?

To cancel an order, follow these steps:

1. Go to the Admin Section of our Shopify and click the Orders tab in the dashboard. From there, you will see the number of orders you have.

2. Now, find the order that you need to cancel from the order list.

3. Click More Actions, then click Cancel Order.

4. A Cancel Order dialogue will pop up. You can choose the reason from the drop-down list. Then click Cancel Order.

How to Refund a Customer’s Order?

After cancellation of an order, if the customer already paid the item then you need to refund their money. Here’s how:

1. Open your Shopify then from the dashboard click the Orders tab.

2. Click the order number on the list of order that needs to be refunded. You can only Refund if the customer already paid.

3. Then type the quantities of items you want to refund and click the Refund button.

Goal setting

Setting achievable goals can help with motivation and productivity. When goals feel challenging but still within reach, individuals are more likely to persevere. Furthermore, having specific objectives leads to better performance because it provides a focal point for effort. Goals can also be used as indicators of success, helping people measure their progress and adjust their strategies accordingly.

Some businesses thrive when they have a clear goal in mind and an overarching strategy to achieve it. Setting realistic goals and specifying how you plan to achieve them can help you stay on track, improve your productivity, and meet or exceed expectations. When you have specific targets in mind, you’re able to measure your progress and adjust your tactics as necessary. This helps you to reach your business objectives more quickly and easily.

Also, goal setting can be very useful in helping eCommerce businesses achieve targets. A goal can represent something that the business wants to achieve, such as increasing sales or growing its customer base. Once a goal has been set, it can be divided into smaller goals that can be worked on in a specific way in order to achieve the main goal. By breaking down the goal into manageable chunks, businesses are more likely to reach their target and continue to work towards future goals.

As a marketer, goal setting had helped me tremendously to improve my mindset. Being in the business world is not as easy as playing games. You have to consider a lot of things and weigh the pros and cons of the risk you want to take.  And when are talking about “risk” it means uncertainty, whether you will succeed or you will fail but whichever happens, we should think positively. Failures are normal, especially in the industry where we belong but the good thing about it is you are given a chance to improve. Instead of giving up easily, why not take all those failures as your motivation to succeed. This is the reason why we should always have a goal because it will guide us to the right path.

Routine and activities

Managing a business is very hard, you have to be efficient with your time. So to guide with this, let me share some tips you might want to include in your routine and activities in being an effective and efficient online business owner.

Create Timetable- A timetable will help you to organize your day and week, as well as keep track of your goals. It will also give you a better idea of what type of work is required to achieve your objectives. Break things down- when it comes to time management, breaking down tasks into smaller parts can make them seem less daunting and more manageable. This is especially helpful if you have a lot on your plate at the same time you will be guided on which task are you going to do first.

Learn Everyday– Learning is very essential to our existence. And the world is not a stagnant place, especially in the business world where there is constant change, and new information is essential in order to stay ahead of the competition. You need to be able to read industry trends, stay up-to-date with technology changes, and understand what customers want. If you can keep up with the latest trends and learn new information quickly, you will be well on your  way to achieving success.

Evaluate your Business Standing-There are many reasons why a business might need to assess its standing in order to create effective goals. A business might need to evaluate whether it is viable or growing. A company might need to decide which areas of its operation warrant increased focus and investment in order to remain competitive. Ultimately, an evaluation of a business’s standing can help identify crucial areas for improvement and underscores the importance of creating effective goals for achieving success in a business.

Spot Opportunities– Spotting opportunities in business is an essential part of creating effective goals. Opportunities are everywhere- you just have to discover where they are. By doing this, you can take advantage of these opportunities to improve your business. Also, opportunities can provide you with new and innovative ways of doing things, they can give you an edge over your competitors, and they can lead to greater profits. It can help ensure that your company remains competitive and keeps up with the latest trends in the industry.

What’s Next?

Shopify has been around for more than a decade already and they had proven its excellence in the eCommerce industry. They have two different versions which are desktop and mobile phone, you can just choose which one suits your comfortability. Shopify is a popular eCommerce platform that allows businesses to set up your own online store. It has a user-friendly interface and can be customized to fit the needs of each business. They also offer entrepreneurs the ability to easily design and develop their websites in a number of different languages, making them accessible worldwide If you are still undecided whether you will use it or not, then don’t think twice because Shopify has a lot of benefits that will help your business to flourish. So if I were you, grab the opportunity, start setting up your Shopify, start selling and your business will prosper more.