Shopify is a user-friendly e-commerce platform designed to help small businesses establish an online presence and manage sales through one streamlined dashboard. With Shopify, merchants can create a modern online store and sell on social media, marketplaces, other websites, via email, text, and chat. Shopify also supports in-person sales through its integrated point-of-sale (POS) system, ideal for retail stores, pop-up shops, market sales, and more.
What is Shopify?
Technically, Shopify is a subscription-based software-as-a-service (SaaS) platform, offering three standard store subscription plans starting at £19 per month. These plans support branded online stores and a range of online and in-person selling tools. A “Starter” plan at £5 per month, though without an online store, enables mobile POS sales and a Buy Button for selling on other websites and social media.
Every Shopify plan includes a suite of business management tools, such as product sourcing, sales and inventory tracking, payment processing, shipping, customer accounts, marketing, and reporting. Additionally, you can expand your Shopify capabilities with hundreds of available apps. Launched in 2006, Shopify hosts over 180,000 e-commerce stores in the UK and 1,750,000 globally, holding about 21% of the market share, just behind WooCommerce.
How Does Shopify Work?
Shopify centralises product data, customer information, and operational tasks in one system that seamlessly connects all sales channels. Here’s a step-by-step look at how Shopify operates, from initial setup to managing sales:
1. Sign Up for a Free Trial: Test Shopify risk-free for three days without needing a credit card.
2. Connect Your Sales Channels: Use the setup wizard to connect initial sales channels, which can be modified and expanded later.
3. Shopify Shipping Costs: Shopify provides competitive shipping rates with carriers like DPD and Evri, with charges based on shipping volume. Alternatively you can ship through a 3rd party fulfilment company like Blue30 Fulfilment who specialise in Shopify fulfilment and will store your items in their warehouse and dispatch your orders directly to your customers.
Shopify’s Features
- Products and Inventory: Unlimited product listings and easy inventory management.
- Checkout: Customisable checkouts for a seamless customer experience.
- Payment Options: Accepts PayPal, Stripe, Apple Pay, Amazon Pay, and more.
- Marketing: Facilitates email marketing, social media sales, and SEO optimisation.
- Website Design and Content Management: Offers over 120 responsive themes and a user-friendly interface.
- Apps: A vast catalogue of free and paid apps to enhance site functionality.
- International Selling: Supports foreign language checkouts for global sales.
- Analytics: Provides insights into website performance and customer behaviour.
- Security: Ensures secure transactions and data protection.
- Support: 24/7 live chat, phone, and email support.
Where Can I Sell Using Shopify?
Shopify offers extensive omnichannel sales reach, including:
- Online Store: Build your brand and reach customers.
- Social Media Sites: Integrate with Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, WhatsApp, and TikTok.
- Marketplaces: List products on Amazon, Walmart, eBay, Etsy, and more.
- In-Person Sales: Use Shopify POS for mobile and retail store sales.
- Non-Shopify Websites and Blogs: Add shop features using the Buy Button.
- Email and Chat: Turn emails and chats into sales opportunities.
- Wholesale Buyers: Reach retail buyers through the Handshake marketplace.
- International Marketplaces: Expand globally with apps like Shopify Markets.
Shopify Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Ease of use for beginners.
- Competitive monthly fees.
- Secure, managed technology.
- Seamless in-person and retail sales integration.
- Built-in product sourcing.
- Effective email marketing tools.
- Support for unlimited growth.
Cons:
- Cost can be high for those on a budget.
- Transaction fees with third-party payment providers.
- Basic themes and limited advanced features.
- Fewer SEO options compared to other platforms.
- Simplistic blogging tools.
Is Shopify Good for Beginners and Start ups?
Yes, Shopify’s setup wizard guides you through each step, making it possible to start selling quickly. Its user-friendly store builder and access to dropship vendors and wholesale marketplaces make it ideal for beginners.
Can I Sell My Own Products on Shopify?
Yes, you can sell your own products directly to customers and offer them at wholesale prices through Shopify’s Handshake marketplace.
How Good is Shopify’s Customer Support?
Shopify offers robust customer support, with 24/7 live chat and email support available to all users, and phone support included in paid plans. Customer reviews generally praise Shopify’s support, though some have noted occasional inconsistencies in service quality.
Blue30 Fulfilment UK
Blue30 is a UK based Fulfilment Service UK offering a number of services to ecommerce sellers and brands. We support Shopify sellers of all sizes and offer D2C and B2B solutions. You can also book in a free call to discuss your requirements and what we have to offer here. Alternatively get a free quote here.
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