Benefits of using the Shopify platform — even if you're just starting out.

Narration: Ana Beatriz Villela

What is e-commerce?

E-commerce is the practice of purchasing and selling goods or services over the internet. It is a convenient, practical and effective way that allows consumers to make purchases from anywhere and at any time.

In recent years, e-commerce in Brazil has experienced notable growth, reaching revenues of R$262 billion in 2022, according to a survey by NielsenIQEbit.

Investing in e-commerce is a promising strategy, and the outlook is for continued growth in the coming years. Increasing digitalization and changes in consumption habits reinforce the robustness of this sector, making it a solid choice for entrepreneurs and investors.

What is Shopify?

Shopify is an e-commerce platform that offers a comprehensive solution for creating and managing online stores. Founded in 2004 by Tobias Lütke, Daniel Weinand and Scott Lake, the platform was born from the need perceived by the founders to have a more effective tool for selling snowboards online.

Initially, they struggled to find a platform flexible enough to meet their needs, which inspired them to develop Shopify as their own solution.

Main benefits of using the Shopify platform

When you choose Shopify for your e-commerce business, you will enjoy a series of benefits that will boost your success. Ease of use is a strong point, allowing the intuitive creation and management of your online store. Additionally, Shopify offers a wide variety of features and tools to make it easier to set up and customize your e-commerce.

With flexible plan and pricing options, you can choose the one that best meets your needs and budget. In short, Shopify is the ideal platform for anyone looking for a complete and efficient solution for their e-commerce business.

Why choose Shopify?

Shopify offers a variety of features that can help drive the success of your e-commerce business. Some of the key features include:

• Secure hosting: Shopify offers secure hosting for your online store, ensuring that your data and customer information are protected;
• Ease of use: The platform is intuitive. You can make the first adjustments without much difficulty;
• Flexible plans and pricing: Shopify offers different plans. It's easy to find a plan that fits your type of business.
• Customizable design: There is a wide selection of themes to customize your store design according to your brand's visual identity;
• Powerful integrations: You can integrate your store with a variety of apps and services, such as payment systems, marketing tools, and more.

Shopify Plans and Pricing

Shopify offers several plans, adapted for different types of businesses. For startups, small businesses, and those in the growth phase, there are customized options, each with specific features and prices.

There is a free trial period with all plans, allowing you to try and choose the plan that best suits your needs.

It's crucial to select a plan that aligns with your goals and budget. Below, we present a table summarizing Shopify's plans and prices:

• Basic Plan

Price: $19/month

Resources: Essentials to get started;

• Shopify Plan

Price: $52/month

Features: Advanced to drive growth;

• Advanced Plan

Price: $399/month

Features: Scalable for large businesses.

With these options, you can choose the plan that best suits your business, ensuring an effective investment in the success of your e-commerce.

Important settings to make in your store

Create an account on the Shopify platform

To start using Shopify, you need to create an account on the platform. The process is simple and quick. Just go to the Shopify website and click “Start your free trial”. Then fill in the requested information, such as store name, email and password.

After creating your account, you will have access to the Shopify admin panel, where you can configure and customize your store according to your preferences.

At first it may seem like a lot of information, but the platform is intuitive. And if there are any questions during the process, you can consult our tutorials and courses.

Choosing a theme for your store

After creating a Shopify account, the next step is to choose a theme for your store. Shopify offers a wide range of customizable themes that can fit your store's style and needs.

There are several free and premium themes, all customizable to make your store look like your business. You can change colors, fonts and layouts. All customization is easy and intuitive, but if you want to do more advanced customization with extra features, you will need to hire a professional to do this service.

Here at Formula E-commerce we have a pool of freelance professionals and agencies that work with Shopify. Just click on this link here.

How to promote your online store efficiently

Marketing strategies for e-commerce

There are several essential marketing strategies to boost the success of your e-commerce. Below, we will detail some of the main ones:

• Paid Traffic:

A highly effective strategy is to invest in paid ads, using platforms such as Google Ads, Facebook and Instagram Ads. This approach allows you to segment your target audience precisely, increasing your store's visibility and directing potential customers to your pages. With the ability to measure results, you can adjust your campaigns to optimize return on investment.

• Content Creation:

Creating relevant content is key to attracting and engaging both new and returning customers. This can include blogs, videos, infographics, and other formats that resonate with your audience.

By providing valuable information, you not only strengthen your brand presence but also establish a more meaningful connection with your consumers.

• E-mail marketing:

Sending newsletters and promotions to your customer base is a crucial practice to keep your business sustainable. Email marketing is a powerful tool for cultivating customer relationships, informing about new products, sharing updates and offering exclusive promotions.

Segmenting your email list based on customer behavior can further increase the effectiveness of these campaigns.

• SEO (Search Engine Optimization):

Investing in SEO strategies is vital to improving your store's organic visibility in search engines. This involves optimizing relevant keywords, creating compelling meta descriptions, and improving user experience on your website.

By positioning your e-commerce effectively in search results, you increase the likelihood of attracting qualified traffic.

By combining these marketing strategies, you will be strengthening your store's online presence, attracting more customers and building lasting relationships.

Conclusion

After following the guidelines shared in this article, you'll be well on your way to starting your Shopify store. At this initial point, it is essential to absorb quality content and apply what has been learned. Remember, significant results don't happen instantly; Promises of quick success can be misleading.

Before establishing your store, it is crucial to have a well-structured business plan. Something complex is not necessary, but it is essential to have a solid understanding of your business, target audience and the strategies you intend to implement to achieve your goals.

With dedication and solid planning, Shopify proves to be an ideal platform to boost your online business.