Posts Tagged ‘Shopify Website’

Hiring Shopify Website Development Company Vs. Manually Setting Up Shopify Online Store

Wednesday, April 6th, 2022

Shopify has many ready-made features and economical templates, but does that mean they can help you succeed as a Shopify store developer? Would it be better to hire a Shopify website development company that specializes in eCommerce?

There are many factors to consider when choosing a website for your business, no matter what situation you find yourself in. If you want to stand out from the competition, using the same design as hundreds of other retailers is not ideal.

As of June 2021, Shopify had about 2.3 million clients. Having a Shopify website gives you access to millions of clients worldwide. Business owners, however, are unsure about the overall cost of Shopify website development because they are not informed.

Hence, this article aims to offer tips on evaluating the cost and the setup of your Shopify store.

Let’s get rolling now!

  • Setup your Shopify Store Manually 

If you have some spare time and want to learn as much as you can about your Shopify store’s back end, doing set up yourself can be a lot of fun. This is because you will learn new things and gain new skills.

Starter plans for Shopify start at $29.99 per month, including a free domain and hosting. You should consider purchasing your domain name if you want your customers to have an outstanding experience when visiting your online store.

While it is true that Shopify’s e-commerce website development can be time-consuming and involve many steps, the ease of use of Shopify is a key reason for its enormous success.

With Shopify, you can set up your Shopify store in minutes, and here’s how.

Note: If your website has already launched and you want to switch to Shopify, you can do this in three ways. However, use Shopify’s migration service to prevent data loss. With BSS’s Shopify migration, everything will be handled appropriately and securely for a safe Shopify conversion.

Step 1# Create a Shopify Account

Visit the Shopify website. Depending on your location, you will then be directed to Shopify.com’s local edition where you can start your free trial. Click the icon in the top-right corner of your webpage. After completing that, you will be asked to fill out a few basic details before choosing a name for your store.

Remember, your Shopify store name will be your company’s identification, so choose a name that matches. However, the store’s name must be unique, so select carefully.

Step 2# Tailor Your Shopify Store

If you plan to open an online business, you should pay attention to its interior to maximize customer traffic and the shopping experience.

You can start by choosing one of Shopify’s many store themes, then tailor it to suit your brand’s design and appearance.

There are over 100 free themes in the Shopify Theme Store. The latter is especially useful for beginners who may not have the funds to purchase more expensive themes. Whether you use the free or paid version, the themes are customizable, allowing you to create the exact look you want for your e-store.

If you want to use premium themes, you will almost always need some coding since they tend to be more complicated and require development.

Picking the right free Shopify template theme will help you save money in the long run. Ensure that you’ve chosen the most appropriate method of presenting your products to your target audience by testing as many as possible.

If you’re creating your website yourself, choose from several free Shopify themes, including Debut and Brooklyn.

If you have a greater budget to spend, work with “Shopify Experts,” who can help with more delicate customization aspects. For instance, Hexa Origin Technologies is an expert development agency with years of experience, and hundreds of clients across the world can develop your store on Shopify. Additionally, make sure your storefront is responsive, user-friendly, and engaging.

Step 3# Add Products on Shopify Store

Find a bar named “Products” on the left side of your admin dashboard. You can add new products here or choose from your existing inventory. The product description, images, and pricing can all be included in this section.

In addition, Shopify lets you list any versions of a product you might have on hand. Other options include SEO and shipping information. Customers can even view inventory, so they know what’s still available.

Then, make sure all your products are appropriately categorized. Let’s say if you offer more than just garments, you may want to specify either the sex, age group, or more together with other relevant information. If you also provide homewares, create a distinct category for that too.

You can access this option from the same admin page that is behind the products dropdown.

Step 4# Add Payments Gateway in Shopify 

Adding a payments gateway is the most crucial step in the Shopify store. Once your products are uploaded, and your site is up and running, you’ll have to find out how clients will pay you and how you’ll receive money. Aside from Shopify’s payment gateway, you can leverage third-party payment solutions.

Basically, you need to understand the costs that you would like to charge for every transaction, together with the types of payment channels, like cards accepted and more. Start by prudently inspecting your customer base and demographics. Then, if necessary, conduct a poll to determine which payment methods clients use the most. So, it’ll be easy for you to select an appropriate option.

Step 5# Test Orders from Your Online Store

Lastly, there is a “Bogus Gateway” feature on Shopify, which enables you to test your order system, so you can know if it’s smoothly up and running.

To test that your payment gateway and order systems are working correctly, place a few orders with authentic payment information, just as one does on any other e-business website. Make a purchase, but cancel the transaction in advance to ensure your funds are returned. The next probable step is to test your order system from the back end of the payment gateway. This way, you can be sure that everything is in working order.

Option 2: Hiring Shopify Website Development Company 

Manually setting up an e-commerce store involves numerous steps. Hiring a Shopify website development company is faster and simpler. Though Shopify is a user-friendly platform, developing a professional online store from scratch is never easy. So if you think you can save a few bucks for other things, you can’t be more wrong. No matter how well you’re running your ad campaigns and how good your SEO is, all your efforts go down the drain when target customers visit and don’t get a good experience.

Moreover, it’s not just big corporations that hire a Shopify website development company. Even emerging online brands and new stores can benefit from their services. But, of course, they can provide a broad array of services, from basic to advanced Shopify website development. With the best Shopify website developers, make your store look professional and user-friendly, even if you have the most basic store. 

Below are the other benefits of engaging a professional agency for Shopify development:

  • You won’t have to spend time learning how to use the technology.
  • These companies can aptly meet the needs of every business. 
  • They will ensure you get a professional website that portrays your business and brand in the best light, something you will be proud of.
  • On mobile, desktop, and tablet, the incredible visitor experience will be replicated.

Most of all, they can suggest the best way forward that will help you avoid pitfalls you wouldn’t have considered on your own.