If you’ve been wondering about Shopify—how it works, whether you can make money dropshipping on it, and whether it’s the right platform for you—you’re in the right place.
Shopify has become one of the leading platforms for dropshippers, whether you’re launching your first store or scaling an existing one. But how do you unlock its full potential and turn it into a profitable business? Is building a Shopify store even worth it?
Let’s dive in and answer these questions so you can make smart, informed decisions to set your business up for success.
What Is Shopify And How Does It Work?
Shopify is one of the leading platforms for building and managing an online store. It helps businesses—whether small startups or growing brands—sell products, process payments, manage inventory, and track orders all in one place. With its user-friendly interface and extensive tools, creating a professional, customised e-commerce website with Shopify is easy and requires no technical skills.
But how does Shopify compare to other selling options? When starting an online business, you’ll typically encounter two main types of selling channels: marketplaces and customisable e-commerce platforms.
- Marketplaces: Platforms like Amazon or eBay showcase products from multiple sellers. They boast large audiences and offer built-in trust, but your products appear alongside competitors, so the competition is fierce.
- Customisable e-commerce platforms: Solutions like Shopify let you build your own online store. You have complete control over branding, store design, and customer experience. And while there is no competition because there are no other sellers, you must also attract buyers to your store.
In short, Shopify gives you the tools to create a store that’s yours—customised, professional, and optimised for growth.
Here are some of the main benefits of dropshipping Shopify:
- Easy to Set Up: No coding knowledge required—launch your store in a few clicks.
- Secure Hosting: Shopify ensures your website is fast, secure, and reliable.
- Comprehensive Payment Solutions: Accept payments via credit cards, PayPal, and other gateways.
- Extensive App Store: Enhance your store with tools for automation, marketing, and more.
- SEO-Friendly: Boost your store’s visibility in search engines.
- Abandoned Cart Recovery: Recover potential sales by reaching out to customers who didn’t complete their purchases.
- Multi-Channel Selling: Sell across platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and even marketplaces like Amazon.
Shopify also offers a 3-day free trial, allowing you to explore the platform risk-free. After that, you can choose a pricing plan that fits your business goals:
- Basic Plan: Starts at $39 per month.
- Shopify Plan: Starts at $105 per month.
- Advanced Plan: Starts at $399 per month.
- Plus Plan: $2300 per month.
How To Get Started On Shopify
Once you’ve selected a plan or started your free trial, here’s how to begin monetising your Shopify store:
- Choose a Theme and Customise Your Store: Shopify offers a wide range of themes, including free. Pick one that matches your brand’s style and customize it to make it your own.
- Add Products: You can import products manually or use apps like Shopify’s Product Importer for bulk uploads, which is perfect for streamlining your catalog.
- Set Up Payments and Shipping: Configure payment gateways like credit cards or PayPal and set up shipping options to ensure seamless transactions.
- Market Your Store: As we mentioned, you must attract buyers to your store. Use Shopify’s built-in tools for email campaigns, discounts, and social media marketing to drive traffic to your e-shop.
- Manage Orders: Stay organised and respond promptly to customer inquiries. Efficient order management is key to keeping customers happy and encouraging repeat business.
With Shopify, you’re not just building a store—you’re creating a brand. It’s a powerful, customisable platform that allows you to stand out, grow your audience, and maximise profits.
The Big Question: Is Shopify Store Even Worth It?
Whether a platform like Shopify works for our business depends on many criteria, but primarily on the profit margin we can achieve by setting up our store. The profit margin, in turn, is influenced by various factors such as:
- Product Costs
- Pricing Strategy
- Shipping Fees
- Marketing expenses
- Operational Costs
- Niche and product selection
If we get better deals with our suppliers, optimise our marketing strategies and improve our conversion rate, we can aim to maximise our profit margin in a Shopify store. But let’s see the average profit margin entrepreneurs can make on this platform.
The average profit margin for a dropshipping business operating on Shopify typically ranges from 15% to 30%. Of course, this can vary based on the factors mentioned above. In general, the average dropshipping income on Shopify is typically around $1000-$3000 per month in the first year.
As in any competitive field, breaking into dropshipping is like starting any other business; success is not just around the corner, and achieving it depends on many factors. However, there are plenty of success stories of dropshippers who made a difference through Shopify. The platform is a great blank slate from which we can start building our profits from scratch, thanks to its numerous benefits:
Continued Growth
According to sites like Statista, the global dropshipping market is projected to expand significantly in the coming years. Shopify provides a platform that adapts to market trends, allowing businesses to capitalise on this growth and expand their reach efficiently.
Easy to Start
As we mentioned above, Shopify simplifies the process of starting an online store with its user-friendly interface and intuitive tools. Whether you are a beginner in e-commerce or an experienced entrepreneur, Shopify enables you to launch your store quickly and efficiently.
Little to No Upfront Investment
Unlike traditional retail models that require substantial upfront investments in inventory and infrastructure, dropshipping through Shopify eliminates the need for large capital investments. We can start with minimal initial costs, investing primarily in setting up our store and marketing our products.
Low Risk & High Reward
Dropshipping on Shopify offers a low-risk business model in which we only purchase products from suppliers after customers place orders. This reduces the financial risks associated with excess inventory and allows us to test new products and markets with minimal financial exposure while potentially getting high returns on successful products.
Scalability
Shopify provides scalability for businesses of all sizes, from small startups to large enterprises. Its flexible infrastructure supports growth by handling increased website traffic, expanding product lines, and integrating advanced features as businesses evolve. This scalability ensures that Shopify remains a viable long-term solution as companies expand their operations and customer base.
Having reviewed these benefits, we have to answer yes to the question, ‘Is Shopify store even worth it?’ Its convenience and scalability allow us to start from scratch in dropshipping without too much risk while still achieving a good profit margin with the right strategies.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is It A Good Idea To Start A Shopify Dropshipping Store In 2024?
Starting a Shopify dropshipping store in 2024 can be a promising idea due to Shopify’s robust platform and the growing e-commerce trends. With its user-friendly interface and scalable features, Shopify provides an excellent opportunity to enter the dropshipping market. Success depends on choosing the right niche, effective marketing strategies, and leveraging automation tools to streamline operations and maximise profitability.
How Do You Make Real Money On Shopify?
Shopify ensures that all transactions are secure and provides tools to build customer trust. By focusing on product quality, customer service, and effective marketing, you can establish profitable, sustainable businesses that generate real income.
How Can I Make Money Fast With My Shopify Store?
One effective way to make money quickly with a Shopify store is through automation. Utilising automation tools and apps can streamline processes such as order fulfillment, customer support, and marketing campaigns. This allows us to focus more on strategic growth initiatives while maintaining efficient operations that drive sales and revenue.
Conclusion
While dropshipping is a low-risk business model with minimal upfront investment, every business venture comes with its own challenges and uncertainties. It’s normal to question whether starting a Shopify store is worth it—especially when your time and resources are on the line.
Shopify’s powerful features, flexibility, and user-friendly tools make it one of the best platforms for building a successful e-commerce business. Whether you’re just starting out or scaling an existing store, with the right strategies and knowledge, achieving a healthy profit margin is not just possible—it’s within reach.