What Is Shopify

What Is Shopify and How Does It Work?

If you own an eCommerce store or have been thinking about launching one for your business, you might have come across Shopify when doing your research and want to know more about it and how it can benefit your business. This blog post will cover the most commonly asked questions about using Shopify and how it can help you scale your business to new heights.

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What Is Shopify?

Shopify is an eCommerce platform that hosts your online store allowing you to have an online shop to sell products locally and globally. Known as a content management system, you will not require any coding knowledge to get a basic eCommerce store open using the platform; however, to create a truly bespoke setup, you will need some coding and design knowledge.  

Like other content management systems for building websites, Shopify has a range of apps to add additional features to your websites, such as email marketing, ads and other features to allow for complete customisation of your online store. Finding which apps work best for your business is vital, as “doing it all” is not always the answer and sticking to what delivers the best results for your niche is always the best approach. 

Is Shopify Suitable For My Business? 

If you want to sell products online, yes, if not, we would probably advise looking into another CMS system such as WordPress or a custom-coded website. You are unlikely to benefit from Shopify if not selling actual products as it is a dedicated eCommerce platform. 

As it is dedicated to eCommerce, the features that online stores most need are built-in or readily available via the app store, making it even easier to access what you need to make your store a success. 

There is one significant caveat to this in that not all businesses can sell on Shopify, in that they have a list of services/products that are not allowed to be on the platform, such as: 

• Firearms and their parts
• Counterfeit or unauthorised goods
• Gambling products
• Regulated products or services
• Adult products
• Drug paraphernalia
• Event tickets
• High-risk businesses such as bankruptcy lawyers, computer technical support, telecommunications equipment, etc.

If your business is in one of these areas, or you are seen to be promoting them, your online store can be closed without warning and taken off the system. 

Can You Customise Your Store? 

Shopify, much like WordPress, has pre-built themes and then more available from third-party sellers on platforms such as Theme Forrest. This allows you to create the look you want for your store, and this will be a templated theme, so the risk is that your site will look the same as another site – or even several hundred other sites. This is where working with a specialist Shopify agency comes in like us, more so if you are looking for a bespoke design. 

Like all content management systems, Shopify allows you to upload your images and add your text, meaning you are entirely in control of what is being used on your website. 

Is Shopify Easy To Use?

Yes, the whole system is designed to be user friendly, well, for the most part anyway! Most people will be able to do the basic tasks needed; however, if you are looking for it to be bespoke and work autonomously, then it might be worth taking some training or hiring an expert. 

If Shopify is easy to use, you might be thinking, why would you hire a Shopify expert such as Morgan Branding? This comes down to two things:

• Time – Hiring an expert saves you time getting to know the platform and keeping up with the required changes and working methods. 
• Expertise – Drawing on experience and knowledge of working with the platform and helping business owners scale their business is what Shopify experts do. 

Shopify experts such as we here at Morgan Branding know the platform inside and out. We know what works and what is to be avoided if you want to succeed online. 

Summary

Shopify is a potent eCommerce tool for your business, but it is important to remember that simply having an eCommerce store hosted on Shopify won’t guarantee success despite its flexibility and eCommerce driven development. You will still need to put the time and effort into making it work and have the knowledge to know what aspects of the platform will benefit your business the best way. 

The best way to know if Shopify will work for you and your business is to give us a call here at Morgan Branding. We can provide you with advice and insights into our expansive knowledge base on the platform and if we think it will benefit your business. You can also sign up for a free 14 day trial with the platform itself, giving you some time to play around with the settings and see how it all works.

Need further advice? Get in touch with us here at Morgan Branding we have a fully dedicated team ready to help you and your business get ahead online. You can get in touch via our contact page or get social with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or LinkedIn! 

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