Shopify is a web-based platform for online retailers to sell their products. It’s an eCommerce software that allows you to set up your own store, manage inventory and customers, accept payment from customers, and even ship orders to customers. There are also various tools available on the Shopify website such as analytics, shipping options, coupons, marketing, and more. The platform has been around since 2007, and it’s very popular.
What Is Shopify?
Shopify is a cloud-based platform with many features for online sellers. It was developed by Shopify Inc., which is based in Ottawa, Ontario. The company offers two types of plans: the basic plan and the enterprise plan. Both come with different levels of service, pricing, and functionality. The basic plan costs $9/month while the enterprise plan costs $29/month. You can sign up for either plan using PayPal or Stripe.
The first thing that comes to mind when people think about Shopify is Amazon.com. The platform has some similar features, but it also offers a lot of unique features, too. To make your shopping experience a little easier, there are three main sections: storefront, accounts, and themes. Storefronts allow you to create virtual storefronts that you can access through a URL, whether that be www.yourstore.shop or something else. This is where you add your products, manage your inventory, and display information such as your contact details and logo. Accounts are where you manage customer data, including shipping addresses, billing contacts, and order history. Themes are the templates that you can use to customize your storefront.
Features
There are plenty of features available on Shopify. Here are some highlights:
– Automated Product Uploads: You don’t need to manually upload each product onto your store; this feature does all the work for you. If your product requires additional files such as photos or videos, you can attach them to your product automatically.
– Customer Support: Customers who have questions or issues regarding your store will receive instant email support.
– Shipping Options: You can choose how you want to ship your customers’ packages, including free shipping and flat rate shipping (which is the default).
– Inventory Management: You can track what’s sold and what isn’t, keep track of any shortages, and see detailed reports for your inventory.
– Payment Processing: Your customers can pay you securely using any major credit card or debit card. You can process payments in real time or schedule recurring payments.
– Analytics: You can get insight into your sales and your competitors’ sales on a monthly basis. You can also view these statistics in graphs and charts.
– Coupons: You can set up coupons on your store and share them with customers.
– Marketing Tools: You can advertise your store on social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter.
– Multiple Stores: You can create multiple stores within your account. These stores can be completely separate from one another, or they can be linked together.
– Mobile Apps: You can build mobile apps for Apple iOS devices and Android devices so that your customers can shop on the go.
There are several other features available, but they’re not necessary for most businesses. It really depends on the type of business you run and what you’d like to offer to your customers.
Getting Started In Shopify
Signing Up
To start building your store on Shopify, you simply need to visit the website and click “Create new Shop”. Once you do, you’ll be taken to a form that asks you for some information. First, you’ll input your name, then you’ll enter your phone number and email address. After that, you’ll select a domain name (such as yourname.shop) and provide other personal details such as your location and address. You can also pick a slogan for your business if you’d like.
After you complete the form, you’ll be asked to verify your email address, which will take a few minutes. Once that’s done, you’ll be ready to proceed to the next step.
Creating A Profile
Once you’ve created an account, you’ll be redirected to your profile page, which looks somewhat similar to a resume. You can edit your personal information here, but you won’t get much customization besides that. At this point, you should also check out your profile settings. You can change your user name, password, and security question. You can also add a picture of yourself and link it to your profile.
You can also add a description of your business and add links to your social media profiles.
Building An Online Store
Now that you have everything in place, you’re ready to begin creating a store!
You’ll be able to customize your storefront at any time during the setup process. When you open your dashboard, you’ll see a blank space where your store will appear. Click the “Add products” button on the top right corner, and you’ll be presented with a list of categories. Add your products to your store by clicking the “+” symbol.
When you finish adding your products, you’ll be prompted to choose a theme. Shopify has hundreds of themes available, ranging from simple ones to highly customized ones. Once you have your theme selected, you’ll be given instructions on how to install it.
If you’re planning to add multiple stores within your account, you’ll need to go through this process again for each store.
Adding Products And Pricing
You can add a product to your store anytime after you’ve created it. To add a product, click the “+” icon on the left side of your screen. Then, you’ll be presented with a list of categories and subcategories for your products.
At this stage, you can change the price of your items, set up any custom attributes, and add images and descriptions.
Shipping And Receiving
When it comes to shipping, Shopify comes standard with free shipping for domestic orders. For international shipments, Shopify charges a flat fee of $10 per item.
Payment processing works just as you would expect it to. You can collect payments directly from your customers, or you can set up recurring payments. Customers can pay via credit cards or debit cards.
Customers can easily purchase from your store using Paypal or Stripe. You can also integrate with third party services such as ShipStation, ShipWorks, and Braintree.
Conclusion
Shopify is a great option for anyone looking to open an online store. It provides lots of features to help you grow your business. Its interface is easy to navigate, and its prices are competitive. All told, it’s a good choice for those looking to establish a presence on the internet.