E-commerce, short for electronic commerce, refers to the process of conducting business activities over the internet. In this digital paradigm, businesses engage in buying and selling products or services through various online platforms. These platforms can include dedicated e-commerce websites, mobile applications, social media platforms, and online marketplaces.
Here are some well-known e-commerce platforms:
- Shopify
- WooCommerce
- Magento
- Amazon
- E-bay
- OpenCart
- Wix
- BigCommerce
- PrestaShop
In this article we will talk about the most popular not only in Australia but in a lot of countries around the world.
What Is Shopify?... and how does it work?
Shopify is a software-as-a-service (SaaS) sales platform that operates on a subscription-based model. It enables individuals to easily establish an online store and effectively sell their products. Furthermore, Shopify provides a point-of-sale (POS) application called Shopify POS, along with accompanying hardware, which allows store owners to engage in physical sales at brick-and-mortar locations.
For merchants who utilise both online and physical store channels, Shopify offers the convenience of syncing inventory and stock. This synchronisation enables seamless management of all store(s) from a single account, accessible on any device.
In Australia, Shopify is a very popular E-commerce platform. There are 111,619 live Shopify stores in Australia as of Oct. 2023
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Brief step-by-step guide on how to use Shopify:
- Sign up for Shopify
Upon signing up, you get a FREE 14-day trial period. Try Shopify risk-free for two weeks with no upfront credit card required. Experience the platform and explore its features before making any commitments.
- You need to connect your sales channel
Easily connect and configure your initial sales channels using the account setup wizard, with the flexibility to modify and expand them whenever needed.
You can also connect your social media accounts thru the setup wizard if you want to sell using your account as a sales channel in Shopify.
- Effortlessly Enter Product Data or find Items for Selling
Effortlessly input product details, pricing, and images for your own sourced or handmade items, or leverage Shopify's Handshake wholesale network and dropship vendors to discover a wide range of products for selling.
Discover the potential of combining self-made or sourced items with complementary dropship products to curate a comprehensive collection as a seller. Explore further insights on initiating a dropshipping business and unlocking its benefits.
- Effortlessly Set Up Your Payment Methods
Activate Shopify Payments with a simple click to begin accepting payments immediately, or seamlessly connect your preferred payment processor to your Shopify dashboard. With support from over 100 external payment processors, you can explore the best credit card processing companies to find the ideal solution for your business.
You can check out the other payment providers if you prefer other payment methods.
- Effortlessly Configure Shipping and Taxes
Configure your shipping methods, fees, and applicable sales tax information conveniently within the Settings tab.
Begin selling immediately while simultaneously building your Shopify online store. With Steps 1 through 5 completed, you have everything you need to sell through social media, marketplaces, and in-person using the Buy Button tool and the POS card reader.
- Effortlessly Establish Your Shopify Online Store
Take the next step towards selling through your own branded website by setting up your Shopify online store. With a range of plug-and-play themes available, Shopify simplifies the process, requiring minimal setup and content customisation to create a unique and personalised online store.
- Efficiently Manage Orders: Process, Ship, and Track with Ease
Streamline your order management process within the Shopify dashboard as incoming orders are received. With built-in tools, you can effortlessly establish efficient workflows for handling self-shipped items, dropship products, and even virtual goods like e-books and music downloads. Additionally, Shopify automatically sends order status updates and shipment tracking information to your customers via email. Once your setup and workflow essentials are in place, you can explore Shopify's sales-boosting features such as email marketing, abandoned cart remarketing, and blogging.
Understanding Shopify Subscription Pricing
With Shopify's range of online store plans, you can enjoy unlimited products, orders, and customers, along with essential features for data security, Payment Card Industry (PCI) compliance, and 24/7 support. Each plan provides a comprehensive suite of sales and business management tools to help you run your online store effectively.
In addition, Shopify offers cost-saving opportunities when you choose to pay in advance. By opting for an annual payment, you can save 10% on your subscription, while a biennial payment allows you to enjoy a 20% discount. Take advantage of these payment options to optimise your budget and maximise your savings with Shopify.
What Can You Sell on Shopify?
Shopify empowers sellers to offer a wide range of goods and services, covering virtually all types of products.
Shopify accommodates various types of goods and services, including:
- physical products for self-shipping
- digital products like e-books and music files that are delivered through downloads
- dropship items shipped directly from vendors
- retail store merchandise
- in-person sales at mobile locations
- online booking for services
- subscription boxes and memberships with recurring payments
- online courses, workshops and tutorials
- event tickets and passes
- equipment rentals
- and the facilitation of donations and fundraisers.
Maintaining a policy to ensure compliance and safety, Shopify prohibits the sale of certain items such as alcohol, cigarettes, firearms, explosives, fireworks, live animals, and medical devices, among others. In adherence to their seller terms of service, Shopify actively removes such prohibited items from product pages and reserves the right to terminate accounts that do not comply with these guidelines.
Unlocking Potential for Startups: Is Shopify the Right Choice for Beginners?
Shopify is an excellent choice for beginners and startups due to its user-friendly nature and comprehensive account setup wizard. With this wizard, you are guided through each step of the process, allowing you to set up your online store quickly and efficiently. You can start selling within minutes, even if you have minimal technical expertise.
One of the standout features of Shopify is its online store builder, which is designed with simplicity in mind. It provides an intuitive interface that makes it easy for beginners to navigate and customise their store. You can choose from a variety of attractive themes and templates to give your store a professional look and feel without the need for extensive design skills. Furthermore, Shopify offers extensive support resources, including documentation, tutorials, and a helpful community, ensuring that beginners have the necessary guidance to get started and succeed.
In addition to the ease of store setup, Shopify offers the advantage of accessing a wide range of products to sell. Through Shopify's dropship vendors and its Handshake wholesale marketplace, you can explore and source products for your store without the need for inventory management. This simplifies the process for startups, as it eliminates the challenges associated with manufacturing or storing products. With drop shipping, you can focus on marketing and growing your business while the suppliers handle the order fulfilment.
Overall, Shopify provides a user-friendly platform that caters to the needs of beginners and startups. Its account setup wizard, intuitive online store builder, and access to dropship vendors make it an ideal choice for those looking to enter the e-commerce space with ease.
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