How Do You Use Shopify To Build Your Own Online Marketing Store?

Opening an eCommerce store has become easier than ever thanks to the invention of platforms like Shopify. Merchants use Shopify to build a marketing store without costing much time or money. Moreover, they constantly provide upgrades that make it easy to customize your store and customer experience.

However, you should have your eCommerce marketing plan, items, and suppliers ready before you start building a Shopify store. You shouldn’t start building a store right once, and if you’ve already finished organizing those items, this post is for you. We’ve put up a guide on building a Shopify store step by step.

The best thing is that it just takes around half an hour to complete the process. Who knows, the next 30 minutes may be a watershed moment in your life as you begin on your eCommerce entrepreneurial path. Let’s get this ball rolling.

How Much Does It Cost to Open a Shopify Store?

Shopify is famous for having the most affordable rates for building an eCommerce store. Unlike other platforms, Shopify focuses on a broad spectrum of businesses, from small to large enterprises.

The price to start a Shopify store setup depends entirely on your requirements and budget. So, let’s take a look at the various plans they offer.

1. Lite Plan: Priced at just $9 per month with a Buy button, this is the best for companies on trial periods or any entrepreneur who wants to start small.

2. Basic Shopify: At $29/month, this is the perfect package for new eCommerce businesses that do not have much capital. Even in this plan, you get to list unlimited products/services in your store. The only downside is the transaction fees, which is around 2%.

3. Shopify: Priced at $79/month, this package is the perfect one for those looking to expand their small eCommerce business into a more comprehensive platform. There are additional options like Gift cards which usually attract customers to opt for your service. Moreover, the transaction fee is just 1% for all payment methods.

4. Advanced Shopify: At $299/month, this plan is suitable for full-fledged online stores that require in-depth reporting tools. Furthermore, the real-time third-party shipping rates display option during the checkout further enhances the customer experience in your store.

5. Shopify Plus: Pricing plans start around $2000 per month plus 2.15% per transaction to build a high converting Shopify store. This is great for full-blown businesses. With 70+ responsive, customizable themes intended for conversion, you can create remarkable experiences.

Apart from the above-listed plans, you can also go for the Shopify Plus package with several enterprise-level features. If you are still unsure whether Shopify is the right platform for you, you can opt for the 14-days free trial program that Shopify runs.

How Much Does It Cost to Create a Shopify Website?

If you do not wish to use Shopify to build a marketing store on your own, you can seek the help of Shopify store developers. Professional Shopify store development agencies help you create a Shopify store according to your requirements quickly. On average, an agency might charge you a minimum of $500 to build a simple Shopify store.

How to Build a Shopify Store?

Step #0: Choose A Business Name

It’s important to choose a business name, but don’t spend too much time on it. Consider something simple and random.

Because you’ll need a domain name, I recommend adding store or shop because it’s simpler to obtain one when the word contains numerous syllables.

Business Name Generators are a helpful tool for coming up with eCommerce shop names. You can enter one or two keywords that you’d like to see in the name of your eCommerce business, and it will generate options. Then all you have to do is go through the possibilities and choose your chosen business name before launching your company.

Make a list of 12 to 15 brand name suggestions. Also, check sure the name you choose isn’t already used and that the.com domain address is accessible. Most professional brands choose the dotcom extension since it is more likely to rank well in search engines. To look for available.com domains, utilize Shopify’s Domain Name Registration tool. You may also check the price of a domain and purchase and install one in your store.

Step #1: Create an account

No matter the kind of products/services you sell on Shopify, the first step is to create an account. Go to the Shopify website and click on the ‘Get Started’ button. Now, just like any registration process, fill all the necessary fields. Before you start that process, make sure you have a unique business name. Only then will Shopify let you buy a domain for your business.

Click on ‘Next.’ On this page, you will have to enter more details about yourself. Like specifying if you are already selling or just starting to sell your products/services for the first time. Click on ‘Online Store’ in the next window, as we will build a Shopify store to sell your online marketing services.

The next page will prompt you to enter your address to configure currencies and tax rates (they do all the math for you!). Then, you can click on ‘Enter my store’ to go to the admin screen of your new eCommerce store.

Step #2: Add a Product/Service

Your Shopify store setup isn’t complete without adding the product(s) you intend to sell on your online store. For this tutorial, we will be setting up a marketing store that sells virtual products, and hence, we will customize the product description accordingly.

First, you have to uncheck the ‘This is a physical product’ checkbox under the Shipping section. This will let your customers understand that you are selling an intangible product and not a physical one. For selling a service, the promise you deliver is essential. You have to write a compelling description that positively influences the customer’s decision-making process.

After you enter the titles and description, you have to enter the price of your service. When it comes to selling services, determining the perfect price is vital. For example, you offer marketing services. Under digital marketing, there are many subcategories. So, be sure to mention the cost for each service.

You can also categorize your services. Say, social media marketing services under one category and website development services under another category.

Step #3: Customize the visuals

When you first create a Shopify store, it might seem insignificant to focus much of your time on visuals. But, the more you make your store look unique, the better the chances of your store getting recognized. Online selling is not an easy feat, and customers expect you to be creative. Especially if you are selling marketing services, you have to show yourself as an able marketer through your store’s visuals.

In the dashboard, click on the ‘Customize the Look of Your Store’ button. You can then add a logo and color for text, background, and many such aspects. The easiest way to customize your storefront is to select a theme. You can either buy premium themes or make use of the free ones available. It’s OK if you didn’t plan for a premium theme. It’s always possible to update your theme at a later time.

For more customization, you’d have to seek the help of agencies that offer Shopify store management services. They usually have developers who can access the CSS and HTML codes to make your website look unique. With such a service, you can also perform Shopify store optimization.

Step #4: Set up your domain

As a marketer, you must know the importance of having the right domain name for your business. In the dashboard, click on the ‘Add a Domain’ button. If you already have a domain name registered, you can just transfer it onto Shopify or buy a new one through the Shopify prompts itself.

Step #5: Activate the payment processor

By clicking on the ‘Payments’ section on the dashboard, you can choose a payment processor. This is the method that your customers will take when paying you for your marketing services. Many third-party solutions are easy to implement on your online store.

Before selecting the payment gateway, make sure you understand the fees associated with different modes. Whether the gateway you choose lets your customers pay with different cards and different online payment methods. To determine the best option, start with analyzing your target audience’s preferred online shopping payment methods.

Step #6: Know the taxes

Depending on the service you provide and the area you serve, taxes differ. Hence, fill out every column appropriately for accurate taxation. Under the product section, you can also mention the additional taxes for the selected service, thus enabling you to provide transparency on your prices.

Step #7: Test your order system

To ensure that customers can order from your store without any issues, you must test the order system. The Shopify platform lets you do that using something called the Bogus Gateway. In which you place an order for your service and make a payment. Now, check your seller account to see if you received the payment. Cancel the order in time so that you get a refund. This way, you can check whether the payment gateway works fine on your online store.

Step #8: Remove password protection

As soon as you complete all of this, your store is already up and running. But, only you could access it because of the default password protection. After you have completed developing the whole website, you should remove the password protection so that your customers can access your site.

Congratulations! You now have a fully functional Shopify online store.

For proper growth of your store, you have to invest in regular maintenance and conduct periodical tests. Furthermore, you should also update your theme regularly. Because theme developers update intending to bring better performance for your eCommerce website.

Conclusion

Before you build a Shopify store, make sure you understand your audience thoroughly. If you aim to deliver marketing services for a specific set of businesses, you have to design your Shopify store that addresses their pain points. Opting for a professional service to maintain your website regularly is always appreciated.