Before I begin, I must disclose that I DO in fact have a website. You are most likely reading this article on said website. However, I am writing this for those of you who are torn between a website and a Shopify store.
As a business and marketing coach for many years, I run into people all the time who get completely stuck when it comes to building their own or having someone build their website. So much so, that they tend to avoid having one for years. I want to help ease that pain a bit if I can and I want to add that if I didn’t have my website for all these years, I would be taking my own advice below and only have a Shopify store as my the primary showcase for my business.
Let it be known that I am not a professional web designer or an expert in website building at all. Yet, I did build the site you are viewing this on and a few others. That being said, even though I can build a mediocre website, I don’t love it. I do however, LOVE, LOVE helping people build an online presence with a Shopify Store. For me it’s fun and you get a bigger bang for your buck! I’ll explain why.
First, no offense to webmasters who love their trade. You are most likely amazing at it. I am speaking to those who are confronted by what they don’t know about launching websites for their business and so they don’t take action and end up going without an online presence.
I was afraid and intimidated by my first webmaster. I was pulled into a chaotic time-sensitive demand list where I had to provide so much information I wasn’t prepared for and got completely overwhelmed with jargon and a presumption that I knew what they were talking about. LOL, Maybe others feel the same. All I know is that I took years to build a site that really personified my brand, my personality and expressed what I wanted it to.
That’s why I offer the opportunity for a gentler approach to those who want to build or co-create their Shopify Store. It’s not for everyone mind you. With this gentler approach, I can walk you through the experience, soften the requests and even help take on some of the tasks needed. Sure I could build a store more quickly alone, but that’s not the service that sings to me. I wanted to fill a need for those who want to be proactive and learn to operate their own store. Those who want to be fully engaged and choose for themselves every step of the way. I set myself apart from those who do it without you because I know there are people who want handholding, want to learn the ropes and want to be a part of the real-time fulfilling experience.
Here are ‘some’ of the reasons I promote having a Shopify Store over having a website. Feel free to add your own thoughts in the comments section below.
- Ready built shopping cart – One of the main reasons I like the Shopify platform more than having a website is that one of the main reasons people have trouble with their site (from my perspective and experience ) is when they try to put their products on their site. Either the shopping cart looks cheezy or they don’t have one at all, just a few ‘pay here’ buttons. With Shopify, you walk into a fantastic shopping cart right from the start. The pay portal is sophisticated and can manage sales, discounts, bundling and so much more. Want to post products for a short time and then have them remove themselves when the sale is over? Want to allow only the first 10 people to get a discount? DONE. Shopify IS a shopping cart first and foremost. You can accept multiple payment options and you don’t have to have a separate merchant account.
- Versatility – Another reason I love Shopify is because of how versatile it is. You can have basically everything you have on a website with Shopify. Want a blog, done, want pages, landing pages, opt-in forms, popups, multiple theme options? Done. And most of this is very user-friendly and for the more experienced designer, you can do coding. But you don’t have to.
- User-friendly – I think once you go through the initial orientation of Shopify, it becomes a system to follow. Your store may not become a ‘SET IT AND FORGET IT’ type store but it can become a ‘SET IT AND MANAGE IT’ type store. Put in some elbow grease in the beginning and then a few hours a day or less and you can create a well-oiled machine.
- 24/7 Support – Shopify has the most amazing 24/7 support system. Call at any time to get a Guru who most likely has their own shop and can help you from personal experience, not just training.
- A Self Contained Eco-system – Shopify is an ecosystem within itself. You can access training, (Shopify Partner like I am) and educational systems along with communities and access to so much more.
- OMG – The APPS! – I can’t say enough about the Shopify Apps. Ever since my first shop, I am an app freak. I personally keep an app wishlist for when I am ready for a particular app. MANY of the apps are free. Some are very inexpensive and then there are others that do cost. The majority are affordable and save so much time, that they pay for themselves. I can spend an hour just shopping apps to improve my store or dream about an app that will grow it to a HUGE store.
- Growth Potential – With Shopify, you can have multiple levels of subscriptions depending on your needs. Just need a simple store? There are prices starting from $29.00 per month. As you grow and your needs become more sophisticated, Shopify grows with you with the ability to support multimillion-dollar enterprises.
- Flexibility – Interested in selling your own products, someone else’s products, affiliate products, print on demand products? How about your own digital products? Shopify can manage all of that and more. You may even feel your existing business grow, just from all the options you have to increase revenue. One of my recent Shopify Partner clients started out as a shop to house her many digital products (courses, meditations, podcasts, etc). Within a day or so, she incorporated print-on-demand and dropshipping products to increase her revenue.
- Multiple Stores – It is incredibly common for people to have multiple Shopify stores. Why? Because once you learn the ropes, it’s simple to duplicate and create different themed stores. Want a pet theme, a health product theme? How about a shoe theme? You don’t’ have to stop at one store, and many people do NOT!
- A Refreshing Feeling of Fun & Freedom! – I’m not saying this is TRUE for everyone, but for me, it feels like a website is more of a serious task to take on while launching a Shopify Store feels like a fun adventure. It feels like the kind of income stream that supports someone’s desire to travel, explore and be on the go all while hearing a Ka-Ching in the middle of the night. So, if that’s what you’re looking for, then Shopify may be your best choice.
As I mentioned, these are just a few of my reasons that Shopify is a better choice for entrepreneurs and big businesses alike to skip the website. If you already have a website and yet still want to incorporate a Shopify store, fine, just connect them. At one time when I promoted a lot of products, I attached a Shopify store to my website and listed all my products. I went years without a shopping cart, then had an adequate one for awhile. When I created one from Shopify, it was a work of art!
If you are being stopped by creating your own website or toggling back and forth between a website and a Shopify Store, contact me and let’s brainstorm together. The first consultation is Free
Fran Asaro is a Shopify Partner who offers private one-on-one training and development sessions. Want to become well-versed in Shopify? Let Fran show you the ropes. Call for more information or visit her site to find out more.
As a Shopify Partner, I love helping people find the right store for their personality, lifestyle, and budget. I also like to help people have fun creating and running their store. If you or someone you know is interested in learning more about working with a Shopify Partner, take a peek here. If you’re the type that loves to work side by side (via video call) with a partner to get things done, then a partner may be right for you. Here’s a testimonial from one of my partners
Ready to become a Shopify Store Owner but don’t want to do it alone? No problem, Fran Asaro offers Private One-on-One video training to get you up and running. Start Today! Learn more here