So youâre going to make a website, and maybe you want to try to sell something online. But which of the dozens of site builders are you going to choose? Well this month, we decided to take a look at Shopify, a giant in the eCommerce world, which is celebrating its 10th birthday this year.
Shopify was founded in Canada by three entrepreneurs who had been trying to set up an online store for snow sports gear. Frustrated by the available eCommerce resources (or lack thereof), one of the founders decided to build his own online store, and so Shopify was born. The company, headquartered in Ottawa, now has over 200,000 merchants using the platform and a gross merchandise volume of over $10 billion.
Shopify really sets itself a part from other site builders in the game with its focus on online stores. By zeroing in on eCommerce, it's a one-stop shop for any kind of online store and will help you start selling in no time at all. In 2009, Shopify launched its app store, making it possible for other developers to market their apps easily for the platform. The app store has made thousands of different apps available at the fingertips of merchants everywhere, including the full slate of POWr Plugins.
Shopify is like finally hiring a competent manager for your store. It makes it very easy for anyone to sell just about anything. And they unroll new, fabulous features quite often. Like one of the most recent offerings Shopify has to offer â same day delivery in your area with Postdates (learn how to up your delivery game and start having the happiest customers in town.)
Shopify offers all potential users a 14-day free trial, so they can get used to the platform and see how it works before they have to hand over any money. Once your two weeks are up, you can choose from one of their three plans, which range from $29 a month to $299 a month, depending on your specific needs.
Getting started on Shopify is really easy, thanks to their straightforward, intuitive dashboard. You can set up your store right from the dashboard, and choose from hundreds of different professionally designed themes in their Theme Store. You can browse by price, popularity or by industry. This is a great way to get a jumpstart on your online store, but also an excellent way to get inspired by your peers.
Once you choose your theme, you can check out a demo to see how you like it, or hit Publish and get started. Then you can customize your theme, adding your images and content to the page. By clicking on Add a Product, you can start advertising the goods you have for sale. Include snappy product descriptions, and make sure to include beautiful images of your items before you add the product to your online store.
Adding plugins and different apps from the extensive Shopify App Store is really easy. All you have to do is click on Apps in the panel on the left of the dashboard, and click Discover. If you visit the App Store, you can look through the different categories of plugins, or you can search for what youâre looking for.
Once youâve found the app youâre looking for, simply click the Get button. Youâll be redirected to a page which will give you a snippet of short code to paste on your website, where you want your new plugin.
Copy and paste and there you go! Your POWr plugin will be live on your website, ready for you to customize and start using right away.
Shopifyâs focus on eCommerce makes it really an obvious choice for anyone trying to tap into the global market. Simple navigation makes it easy to apply discounts, track orders, and keep track of your inventory.
There are so many beautiful ways that Shopify users choose to use POWr plugins to sell more products and grow their bases. For example, Brazilian Juice Company, Amazonia Juice, uses a POWr Popup containing a POWr Form to get interested visitors to sign up to their mailing list.
Swimwear brand Le Mar has a very attractive, easy-to-navigate Shopify store where you can by some of their products online. Le Mar uses POWr Map to show off their 30+ store locations, for those who wish to do their shopping in a physical store.
The Henna Guys, who sell hair and skin products on their online store, use POWr Comments as their medium of support on their FAQ page. Users can leave reviews or ask questions, and an admin from the Henna Guys is quick to respond with helpful suggestions.
There are so many different ways to use POWr and Shopify together. Do you? Please let us know in the comments! Weâd love to visit your store.