Ultimate Guide to Shopify

Jason R. Rich

Description

Marketing

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Building your business doesn’t have to be hard. Shopify lays the foundation so you can drop the 9-5 and form an empire of your own.

 

Ready to jump in headfirst? Shopify’s low-cost, low-risk solutions means there’s no barrier to entry, no matter the size of the venture. Everything you need to get started is detailed in the Ultimate Guide to Shopify. From hand-selecting the best product, targeting your unique audience, or breaking down the backend, the Ultimate Guide is here for you.

Jason R. Rich and his handpicked team of Shopify experts take you through the ins and outs of opening an Ecommerce business, from the seeds of an idea to launch day. Using nontechnical language and digestible business strategies, this handbook is accessible to the absolute beginner or seasoned business mogul, no frustration required.

You’ll discover how to:

• Build a profitable, e-commerce website using the Shopify platform, following step-by-step outlines for proven success
• Convert website visitors into loyal customers using Conversion Rate Optimization tactics and multifaceted advertising techniques
• Manage and market your inventory for maximum profitability
• Harness the power of social media, including direct purchasing options through multiple platforms.
• Apply themes and apps to differentiate your website and optimize functionality  

Stuffed with tried-and-true techniques to catapult your business to new heights, the Ultimate Guide to Shopify will take you there.

Chapter 1: Introduction to Shopify

Chapter 2: Methods of Selling Online

Chapter 3: What Can be Sold Online

Chapter 4: Establishing Your Business

Chapter 5: Creating Your Online Store 

Chapter 6: Themes and Apps Help to Differentiate Your Website

Chapter 7: Sources of Help

Chapter 8: Advertising and Promoting Your Products and Business

Chapter 9: Top-Notch Customer Service Is Essential

Chapter 10: Fulfilling Your Orders

Chapter 11:Consider Buying an Existing Online Business

Appendix

Glossary

Index

Sujets

• Entrepreneuriat
• Marketing
• General
• Direct
• Business
• Economics
• Electronic commerce
• Microeconomics
• General officer
• Entrepreneurship
• E-Commerce
• Employabilité, métiers et formations
• Small Business

Informations

• Publié par: Entrepreneur Press
• Date de parution: 25 octobre 2022
• Nombre de lectures: 1
• EAN13: 9781613084618
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 1 Mo

Extrait

Entrepreneur ® ULTIMATE GUIDE TO
shopify
Jason R. Rich
Entrepreneur Press ®
Entrepreneur Books, Publisher
Cover Design: Andrew Welyczko
Production and Composition: Eliot House Productions
© 2022 by Entrepreneur Media, Inc.
All rights reserved.
Reproduction or translation of any part of this work beyond that permitted by Section 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act without permission of the copyright owner is unlawful. Requests for permission or further information should be addressed to Entrepreneur Media, Inc. Attn: Legal Department, 18061 Fitch, Irvine, CA 92614.
This publication is designed to provide accurate and authoritative information in regard to the subject matter covered. It is sold with the understanding that the publisher is not engaged in rendering legal, accounting, or other professional services. If legal advice or other expert assistance is required, the services of a competent professional person should be sought.
Entrepreneur Books ® is a registered trademark of Entrepreneur Media, Inc.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Rich, Jason R., author.
Title: Ultimate guide to shopify / by Jason R. Rich.
Description: Irvine : Entrepreneur Press, 2022. | Series: Entrepreneur ultimate guides | Includes index.
Identifiers: LCCN 2022030301 (print) | LCCN 2022030302 (ebook) | ISBN 9781642011494 (trade paperback) | ISBN 9781613084618 (epub)
Subjects: LCSH: Electronic commerce. | Internet marketing. | Business enterprises—Computer networks.
Classification: LCC HF5548.32 .E583 2022 (print) | LCC HF5548.32 (ebook) | DDC 658.8—dc23/ eng/20220805
LC record available at  https:// lccn .loc .gov /2022030301
LC ebook record available at  https:// lccn .loc .gov /2022030302
Printed in the United States of America
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Contents Preface Some Benefits to Operating an Online Business Ecommerce Offers Tremendous Opportunity Shopify Is a Powerful Ecommerce Turnkey Solution 10 Common Issues Related to Running an Online Business It All Starts with a Great Idea! CHAPTER 1 Introduction to Shopify An Ecommerce Turnkey Solution Offers an Easy Way to Launch Your Online Business You Have Numerous Ecommerce Turnkey Solution Options 10 Things to Look for When Choosing an Ecommerce Turnkey Solution Shopify Offers Many Options to Business Operators Establish Realistic Goals for Your Business Avoid the Most Common Misconception About Operating an Online-Based Business The World of Ecommerce Is Looking Brighter Than Ever Before Shopify Expert: Darrell Williams Transform a Shopify Store into a Profitable Business CHAPTER 2 Methods of Selling Online Establish Your Ecommerce Website Using Shopify Shopify’s Theme-Based Store Builder Get the Help You Need When You Need It Shopify Handles Payment Processing Third-Party Apps Can Expand the Functionality of Your Website The Shopify Store Builder Is Chock-Full of Features Shopify Offers Many More Ways to Sell Products Online Shopify Expert: Alexis Jae, Experienced Shopify Merchant CHAPTER 3 What Can Be Sold Online What Types of Products Should You Consider Selling Online? 10 Additional Considerations When Choosing What to Sell Online Selling Intangible Products or Subscription-Based Products Is Also an Option Dropshipping Is an Alternative to Maintaining Inventory Six More Strategies for Achieving Success Using Dropshipping Define Your Product Offerings Inventory Considerations Your Ecommerce Business Needs Business Insurance Be Sure to Research Your Competition Tips for Setting Your Prices and Developing a Premium Brand Identify Your Target Audience Compose Attention-Grabbing and Informative Product Descriptions Creating Professional-Quality Product Photos Is Essential Shopify Expert: Bob Herman, Cofounder of Luv To Laugh You Have Many More Steps to Complete Before Launching Your Business CHAPTER 4 Establishing Your Business Get the Business Guidance You Need, Right from the Start Start by Naming Your Business Create a Professional Company Logo Brainstorm a Company Slogan or Tag Line Set Up Email Addresses and a Phone Number for Your Business Create a Brand for Your Business Compose a Business Plan Develop Your Company’s Startup Budget and Bookkeeping System Register Your Company as a Legal Business Entity Set Up Your Home Office Shopify Expert: Kristin Berry Mastoras, Founder of Miss Design Berry and Kiki and Max The Next Step: Start Creating Your Company’s Ecommerce Website CHAPTER 5 Creating Your Online Store Essential Pages and Content Your Website Should Include Branding Is Essential Putting the Pieces Together Start Creating Product Listings Customize Your Store Design Add Pages Organize Navigation Add Domain Details Set Up Payment Options Set Up and Review Shipping Details Localize Your Store for International Shoppers Make Sure Everything Is Perfect Before Publishing—Shopify Can Help Focus on Your Chosen Theme and Optional Apps Shopify Expert: Zoë Chapman Inventor of the Whizzer and Founder of Shopify-Based Kiddiwhizz CHAPTER 6 Themes and Apps Help to Differentiate Your Website Start by Browsing the Available Themes Optional Apps Can Add More Functionality to Any Shopify Theme and Website Shopify Expert: Sam Wright, Founder and Managing Director of Blink Determine the Help You’ll Need Before Hiring a Bunch of Experts CHAPTER 7 Sources of Help Ways to Learn the Business Skills You’ll Need Pinpoint the Type of Help You Need Gather Your Dream Team The Marketing and Promotion You Do Will Drive Traffic to Your Online Store Shopify Expert: David Wagoner, Cofounder of P3 Media CHAPTER 8 Advertising and Promoting Your Products and Business 10 Things to Consider When Planning Your Advertising and Marketing Efforts Specialized Knowledge May Be Required Take Advantage of a Newsletter, Blog, or Podcast Use Conversion Rate Optimization Techniques on Your Website Email Marketing Will Keep You in Touch with Customers Social Media and Influencer Marketing Are Extremely Powerful Harness the Power of Video on YouTube SEO Marketing and Online Advertising Can Take on Many Forms Word-of-Mouth Advertising Is Extremely Powerful Reach Out to the Media Using PR Techniques Develop Cross-Promotions with Other Merchants and Companies Become Active with a Charity You’re Passionate About Marketing Tools Offered by Shopify Shopify Expert: Claudiu Cioba, Founder of VideoWise Choose Strategies That Are Appropriate for Your Business CHAPTER 9 Top-Notch Customer Service Is Essential Establish Your Customer-Service Policies and Practices 10 More Best Practices for Ecommerce Customer Service Shopify Expert: Andrew “Maff” Maffettone, Founder and CEO of BlueTuskr CHAPTER 10 Fulfilling Your Orders Fulfilling Your Own Orders for Tangible Products Shopify Expert: Jeri Wambeek, Cofounder of WAOConnect There’s Still More to Consider CHAPTER 11 Consider Buying an Existing Online Business The Benefits of Acquiring an Established Business Additional Considerations Before Taking Over an Existing Business Discover What Shopify Exchange Marketplace Offers The Benefits of Using Exchange Marketplace Final Thoughts About the Author Index
Preface
It used to be that if you wanted to start a business selling products to customers, you needed to open a brick-and-mortar retail store. This represented a huge commitment in time and money, not to mention significant risk. Operating a traditional retail store also meant catering to a group of customers from a narrow geographic area while competing with mass-market superstores. In addition to maintaining regular business hours, staffing the store with employees, and typically being required to sign a long-term lease for retail space, if you made any wrong decisions, it could easily lead to the business failing and personal financial ruin.
Now, thanks to the internet, just about anyone can start an online business. An ecommerce business can be operated from virtually anywhere (if an internet connection is available), and just about anything that could be sold at retail can be sold online. Most important, you face significantly lower startup costs, less of a time commitment, and far less risk.
In fact, with today’s technology, you could theoretically create and launch an online business in days or weeks—not months—and depending on what you plan to sell, the startup costs might be in the hundreds or thousands of dollars, as opposed to the hundreds of thousands of dollars (or more) needed to open a traditional retail store.
Ecommerce platform Shopify published a report in January 2022 titled “The Future of Commerce Trend Report: 2022,” which noted that businesses have been forced to deal with more change in the past two years than in the previous 20. For the ecommerce business operator, this represents a potential opportunity, because more consumers than ever are now willing and able to shop online.
However, Shopify’s report also noted that many challenges and changes still lie ahead, especially when it comes to product shortages, increased shipping times and costs, and higher online advertising costs. It stressed the importance of not just creating a website to sell products, but to build an interactive online community for your customers. This can be done using tools offered by Shopify, as well as various social media platforms. This trend is being referred to as “social commerce,” as opposed to “ecommerce.”
One of many important lessons that can be learned from this report is that “People are more willing than ever to buy from brands that resonate with them because of geography, company values, or sustainability.” This makes it more important than ever for an online business operator to build their brand, company, and products around a strong, relatable, and attention-grabbing story that target customers will relate to. We will explore this concept in later chapters of the book. For example, in Chapter 5 “Creating Your Online Store,” the concept of developing a brand around your business is explai