Thinking about selling online? With over 1 billion global shoppers and counting, it’s definitely worth considering.
Shopify is a great option to consider if you want the customization and control of developing your own online store, while leveraging the digital presence of the Shopify brand (one of the best e-commerce providers out there).
With Shopify, you’re really able to make your shop your own. Getting set up with Shopify might seem overwhelming, but once you break it down it’s a snap.
Shopify let you customize your theme so your store will really stand out just as you want it to; here’s how to get it done.
Customizing Your Shopify Store’s Theme
When you set up your Shopify store, you’ll start with the default theme preloaded. It’s an easy-to-use theme that’s fully featured and will enable you to hit the ground running.
What you’ll then need to do is load your products, add your information, and create some minor customizations, and voila!
You’re ready to launch. To make your store really pop, however, it’s crucial to find a theme that best fits your brand.
Finding the Perfect Theme for Your Brand
There are a few ways to decide what theme is the best fit. If you like the look of a particular Shopify store, you can find out what theme they use and try it out yourself – although don’t be too much of a copycat.
You can also look at the Shopify Theme Store or check out third-party themes.
The Shopify Theme Store has a collection of both paid and free themes that have been checked by Shopify to ensure that they function properly.
These pre-built premium themes make for fast customization when applying it to your store.
If you can’t find a theme that fits your vision in the store, there are other places you can look – for example, shopify themes created by third-party developers can be found on sites like ThemeForest.
While they haven’t been officially vetted, they will likely have reviews you can check.
One last option, if you’re comfortable with Shopify development, is creating your own theme or working with a developer to create a unique theme.
Leveraging The Power of Shopify’s Ecommerce Tools
Let’s break it down further; because, let’s face it, shopify is much more than just a pretty face.
There are a range of powerful e-commerce tools that are designed to help you in building and promoting your store.
Because you’re creating your own shop, you’re also creating a theme and brand that suits your business, and it’s easy and accessible to create your online shop.
The custom themes we’ve spoken about truly are amazing and assist in creating your own unique brand.
You won’t find better sales features from other ecommerce sites, and there is a multitude of built-in tools.
There are no transaction fees when you’re using the Shopify Payment gateway, and all other fees are transparent and clearly listed. Speaking of payments, there are more than 100 payment options supported.
In case you’re still a bit overwhelmed or have hit a snag somewhere along the way, Shopify also offers support! There’s 24/7 phone support, as well as live chat available via their help center.
The one thing that you need to do yourself is online marketing and SEO. Shopify provides all the tools you’ll need to be successful, but it’s up to you to utilize them and bring in the customers.
Shopify offers a three day free trial, and when you decide to continue, you’ll have the option of three price plans ranging from $29 to $299 per month; if you’re still not convinced, there’s the option to pay $1/month for the first 3 months on the Basic plan until you find your feet.
Invest In Killer Inventory Management Software
To keep things simple and ultra-organized, you might want to consider investing in some top-notch software for managing and tracking your Shopify inventory.
Opting for an inventory management system that integrates e-commerce, accounting, reporting, and CRM software, you’ll never run out of stock or miss a delivery deadline – there’s little point in optimizing your Spotify store if it’s bedlam behind the scenes.
Crafting Your Brand Story and Engaging Content
Okay so you’ve got your product, your theme and your plan – what’s next?
Have you thought about your brand story? Having a catalog of products is great, but why are they better than the competition?
A good brand story is all about you, and should include elements such as what makes your products unique, why you started the business, and how you’ll improve people’s lives with your brand – a compelling story is critical to successfully promoting a new business.
You’re also going to want to make sure that your impressive virtual store has engaging copywriting and high-quality content.
Your content needs to be more than just promotional, but also helpful and relevant.
If your content is engaging and answers questions potential customers may have about your product, then you’re on the right track; better still, if you’re able to include testimonials or reviews from customers you’re really off to a solid start.
Keeping Your Shopify Store Running Smoothly
Now you’ve got your Shopify store looking amazing, the next question is how to keep it running smoothly. It’s vital to keep track of your Shopify inventory and sales orders.
Ensuring on-time manufacturing and shipping will keep your customers happy and you’ll need to ensure there are accurate quantities of stock – both for your customers and for yourself when it comes to knowing when to update manufacturing orders.
