For anyone who wants to open a small, home-based business to sell something, Shopify is definitely one of the best options. That’s because Shopify by itself is very famous among people searching for unique stuff online.
Let’s explore what makes Shopify so famous.
Shopify Facts and Figures
As of January 2024, there were some 4.8 million online stores selling through Shopify. Furthermore, Shopify has some 2.1 million daily active users. All marketplaces on Shopify account for a combined over $444 billion in sales each year, according to statistics available from various reliable sources online.
That’s not all. Shopify allows you to sell stuff in over 175 countries around the world. This means, your home based small business can get a global presence and exposure through the Shopify ecommerce platform.
Shopify is the best online platform to run your small businesses. Shopify sellers are earning thousands of dollars every month just by offering products that people want to buy.
What are the products that your customers would most likely buy from your Shopify shop? Answering this question is my next task.
What to sell on your Shopify Store
You can sell nearly anything from your Shopify shop, provided it is legal in the US or the country where you are targeting customers.
The list of banned items is long and includes drugs, narcotics, psychotropic substances, all types of medicines, including abortion pills, and pornographic material, such as books, CDs, and DVDs. It also includes weapons of any kind, flags with hate speech, banners or posters that target any group, animal parts and skins, and seeds for export, which must be approved by the competent authorities.
Some goods may require clearance from federal or regional authorities before they can be sold online, especially in countries that are subject to US sanctions.
This is not a cause for concern. Shopify still has millions of products that you can sell and make money. Here is a list of items you can sell through your Shopify store.
- Electronics and Gadgets: Electronics and gadgets are Shopify’s hottest sellers. You can sell electronics and gadgets from well-known brands, as well as lesser-known ones. Shopify is home to countless dropshippers who sell gadgets and electronic products from unknown brands. These new brands are offered at low prices compared to the large brands.
- Handcrafted Accessories & Dresses: Shopify is the perfect place to sell your dress accessories or if you are a talented dressmaker. Shopify is home to thousands of sellers who display and sell unique creations. Shopify allows you to accept orders from customers for the creation of dresses and accessories according to their specifications. You would need to be careful about the terms and conditions when accepting custom orders.
- HandicraftsIf your craft is amazing, you could be a big success with Shopify. Others import handicrafts and sell them at a premium to customers. Many handicraft collectors search the globe for unique pieces to decorate their homes and add to their collections. Importing from countries where the items are cheap but unique is another way to try them.
- Homemade beauty products:Homemade beauty products, particularly herbal varieties, are another major hit on Shopify. Most people today prefer to use herbal products over chemical-based beauty and body care products. If you have tried and tested recipes for creams, oils, and lotions that work, then sell them in your Shopify store. You can also sell your products under your own label.
- Gardening Stuff Gardening items such as saplings and plants, homemade fertilizers and mulch, and other similar products, are very popular on Shopify. These items are only available locally and cannot be shipped outside the US. There is a large market for gardening products in the US, particularly because Americans love to have beautiful and well-landscaped gardens at their homes.
More Products that Sell on Shopify
What else is available on Shopify? What else is sold on Shopify?
You can also sell other collectibles like stamps and coin, matchboxes, wallets, purses, and bags. Dropshipping suppliers offer wires and cable for home use as well as gift baskets and subscription boxes.
Your location and skills will determine the type of products you can sell. Shipping can be expensive, so customers will prefer to buy from Shopify shops that offer low shipping rates.
Shopify: Selling on Shopify
Let’s start selling on Shopify. It is a simple process, but it can take a while. Your chances of attracting customers will increase the better your online shop is. You should make your online shop as attractive as an offline store.
The product description should also be clear and precise, leaving no room for ambiguity. When you sell clothing in different sizes, such as XS and S, it can be a problem. These classifications are not helpful for determining the size that would be best for a person. It’s therefore best to include a size chart.
It’s important to note that you need to update and upgrade the overall look and feel of your Shopify shop quite often and add new products in your niche. Shopify customers are always looking for something unique and new. You need to make sure that your design and product are appealing enough to attract customers. Email and social media can be used to do this.
Tips and Tweaks for Getting More Customers
Try a few tried-and-true tips and tweaks that have been proven to work in the past. Shopify is no different from any other online shop, whether it be Amazon, eBay or Walmart, or even a local seller in Facebook Marketplace.
You will also need to employ some marketing techniques that are both common and unusual to attract more customers.
Selective Discounts
You can offer specific discounts to your customers once you have their email addresses. Open a virtual guestbook where customers can leave their email addresses and suggestions. Offer special deals to these people to entice them to become customers.
Seasonal Sales
You can also launch seasonal sales to bring in more customers or sell off unsold stock. During these times, you can offer many specials and discounts. You can choose to run your seasonal sales when other online retailers are doing so. In general, the festive season is best.
Innovate your Stuff
Peter Drucker is a management expert who believes that a company has two functions: marketing and innovation. It’s true, because without innovation in your product, customers will lose interest. They may even move on to other products. Customers are always looking for new products in their stores. Market your innovations online in different ways.
Wrap up
Doing market research is one of the first things I recommend before selling on Shopify. This would give you a good idea of what sells, and at what price. You can also learn a great deal about your competitors. Price wars are not a good idea. This means you should never lower your prices to compete with competitors. This can backfire and lead to heavy losses.