![\"HitFilm](\"https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0070/7032/files/hitfilm-express.jpg?v=1639528146\")
It’s no secret that great video editing software can help you produce professional grade videos for platforms like Instagram, TikTok, Vimeo, or YouTube.
\nIf you’re a content marketer, you’ll know that well-produced product videos are a more engaging form of media than photographs alone and can reduce a customer’s hesitation in making a purchase.
\n\nBelow, we’ve compiled a list of the best free video editing programs from around the web, as well as a few with affordable paid versions. Each videographer has their own specific needs, so we’ve run down some of the most useful features, as well as pros and cons of each tool.
\nBest overall free video editing software program
\nIf you don’t have a lot of experience with video editing, HitFilm may feel a little advanced at first. It’s used to produce Hollywood-style films, but it’s worth the learning curve, as it’s one of the best all-in-one free video editors available. (HitFilm does ask you to share a social media status update when you download the software, but that’s a small price to pay.)
\nHitFilm includes animation tools that let you create and edit audio and video transitions without the need for composite shots, which is a huge time saver when editing. It also offers cool 3D effects for films, music videos, and even YouTube videos, plus features you’d find in a paid video editing software, like 4K video, 360-degree editing, and a library of special effects.
\nFeatures include:
\nG2 ⭐ rating: n/a
\nAvailable for: Mac and Windows
\nPrice: Free; $12.99 per month for the Pro version
\nWatermark: No
\nBest for powerful features, with limited free version
\n![\"Lightworks](\"https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0070/7032/files/lightworks-editor.jpg?v=1639528057\")
Lightworks includes a simple and intuitive interface, so it’s easy to pick up. It also offers a collection of detailed video tutorials, making it one of the more accessible and easy to learn Linux video editing software options on this list.
\nLightworks has a suite of original stock videos and music clips licensed for use in any videos you edit on the program, letting you give a polished look to any marketing video.
\nFeatures include:
\nG2 ⭐ rating: 3.5/5
\nAvailable for: Windows, Mac, and Linux
\nPrice: Free; $23.99 per month for Pro version
\nWatermark: No
\nBest free video editing software for Mac users
\n![\"iMovie](\"https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0070/7032/files/imovie.jpg?v=1639528595\")
Popular standby iMovie comes bundled with Mac OS. Like many native Apple apps, iMovie is uncomplicated and uses a simple drag-and-drop interface for moving files from your drive to your workstation. It’s an easy way to build powerful videos to boost your YouTube marketing efforts.
\nA big advantage to iMovie is that files are saved on Apple’s cloud, meaning you can work on your project interchangeably on an iPhone, iPad, or Mac. iMovie is constantly being updated as well, so you can always look forward to new features and improvements.
\nFeatures include:
\nG2 ⭐ rating:4.3/5
\nAvailable for: Mac
\nPrice: Free
\nWatermark: No
\nBest free video editor for beginners
\n![\"Screenshot](\"https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0070/7032/files/video-pad-editing-software.jpg?v=1655487454\")
VideoPad is a great option for anyone who wants to create high-quality videos without spending a dime. With VideoPad, you’ll find all kinds of simple and easy-to-use features—such as 3D video editing and a sound effects library—to try different video compositions and styles.
\nYou can edit your videos with special effects, overlays, texts, and transition, as well as use color adjustment and sound effects. Then export your finished video to YouTube, Facebook, Google Drive, and other mobile devices, quickly and easily.
\nThe only drawback is that it may be too simple for advanced video editors. It doesn’t come with as many advanced features as some of the other free video editing software on this list, but with options to add light effects, fine tune colors, and overlay text and images, there’s enough here to make it worth the free download.
\nFeatures include:
\nG2 ⭐ rating:4/5
\nAvailable for: Mac, Windows
\nPrice: Free
\nWatermark: No
\nTop free video editor for advanced editors
\n![\"DaVinci](\"https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0070/7032/files/davinci.jpg?v=1639528198\")
DaVinci Resolve combines professional 8K editing, color correction, visual effects, and audio post-production in a single production tool, which is why it’s the software of choice for many professional editors of films, television shows, and commercials.
\nDaVinci allows for both offline and online editing, and its high-performance playback engine saves time when editing and trimming—even for processor-intensive file formats like H.264 and RAW. DaVinci Resolve’s complex features may be too extensive for some users, but it’s free version is perfect for more advanced projects.
\nFeatures include:
\nG2 ⭐ rating:4.7/5
\nAvailable for: Windows, Mac, and Linux
\nPrice: Free; $295 for the full Studio version
\nWatermark: No
\nBest no watermark editor for Windows
\n![\"VSDC](\"https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0070/7032/files/vsdc_editor.jpg?v=1639528266\")
VSDC’s desktop video editing software is available as both a free and a paid version. Although the free version has reduced features, it still comes with VSDC’s full video editing suite—including a mask tool and chroma key functionality for green-screen video effects. VSDC is a popular editing software for GoPro footage.
\nIf you have the funds to spring for the full version, the suite of tools expands to include video stabilization, robust post-production effects, slideshow/presentation capabilities, 3D diagram templates, and direct social media publishing.
\nFeatures include:
\nG2 ⭐ rating: 4/5
\nAvailable for: Windows
\nPrice: Free; $19.99 for Pro version
\nWatermark: No
\nThe easiest free video editing software for intermediate editors
\n![\"OpenShot](\"https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0070/7032/files/openshot.jpg?v=1639528380\")
OpenShot’s easy-to-use user interface makes it a great video editing program for intermediate editors. While more complex tools may offer more editing components, OpenShot’s intuitive interface and minimal design are perfect for simple editing.
\nOpenShot is an efficient option for small businesses and is best for clip resizing, scaling, trimming, snapping, and rotation. It also offers credit scrolling, frame stepping, time mapping, audio editing, and real-time preview.
\nFeatures include:
\nG2 ⭐ rating:4.4/5
\nAvailable for: Windows, Mac, and Linux
\nPrice: Free
\nWatermark: No
\nBest open-source movie maker for audiophiles
\n![\"shotcut](\"https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0070/7032/files/shotcut_beb8ec93-366b-4f75-a677-a29cb18bda62.jpg?v=1639528428\")
Shotcut is an open-source, cross-platform video editor with a vast collection of tutorial videos. It also supports a wide range of formats, including FFmpeg, 4K, ProRes, and DNxHD. A warning, however: Shotcut was originally designed for Linux, so some may find the interface a little quirky. Despite this, it’s still a top-notch editor.
\nShotcut also provides extensive audio editing options, making it ideal for audiophiles. Its host of fine-tuning audio tools allows users to make bass and treble adjustments, create bandpass filters, adjust gain, add dynamic compression, and much more.
\nFeatures include:
\nG2 ⭐ rating: 4.2/5
\nAvailable for: Windows, Mac, and Linux
\nPrice: Free
\nWatermark: No
\nBest video editing software for Windows 10
\n![\"windows](\"https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0070/7032/files/windows_video_editor.png?format=webp&v=1639528541\")
Microsoft’s built-in editor, Windows Video Editorм, is a convenient software for people looking to go back to basics. It’s great for making quick edits to short video clips you need ready right away.
\nWindows Video Editor is more a photo editor, but offers the basic editing tools like cropping, trimming, and including text or audio. Included with Windows 10 and up, Video Editor is completely free and is good for basic video enhancement.
\nFeatures include:
\nG2 ⭐ rating: n/a
\nAvailable for: Windows
\nPrice: Free
\nWatermark: No
\nBest AI video editing software app
\n![\"Vimeo](\"https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0070/7032/files/vimeo_createw.png?format=webp&v=1639528713\")
Vimeo Create, a free editing software you can connect directly to your Shopify store, automatically turns your existing product images and text into polished ecommerce videos. No video experience needed.
\nAll you have to do is answer a few questions about your product, add your footage and logo, and choose style customizations. Vimeo Create then automatically edits your video in minutes (though you can also choose your own styles or start from scratch). The AI software even suggests colors, themes, music, and fonts.
\nIt’s especially useful for creating videos at scale (if you, say, start a channel for your business in an effort to make money on YouTube and want to streamline the creation process). Vimeo is a popular video software solution with more than 200 million users. Because Vimeo is an all-in-one solution, you can also manage, host, and distribute all your videos from one place, streamlining your workflow.
\nFeatures include:
\nG2 ⭐ rating: 4.2/5
\nAvailable for: iOS and Android
\nPrice: Free; Plus subscriptions start at $7 per month
\nWatermark: No
\nThe best free video editing app for mobile
\n![\"kinemaster\"](\"https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0070/7032/files/kinemaster.jpg?v=1639528848\")
If you’re a video editor on the go, consider KineMaster for your go-to software. This free (subscription model optional) yet powerful video editing app is perfect for mobile devices. With KineMaster, you can easily shoot footage, edit it, and upload it all from your phone or tablet. Mobile editors usually sacrifice advanced tools to simplify video creation, but KineMaster does the opposite.
\nWith KineMaster, you can cut, splice, crop, and combine videos easily, with more than 2,500 downloadable transitions and effects. Use color filters and adjustments to correct and enhance videos so they stand out. And when you’re finished, quickly share them to YouTube, TikTok, Reels, Stories, and more.
\nFeatures include:
\nG2 ⭐ rating: n/a
\nAvailable for: iOS, Android, Chromebook
\nPrice: Free; $3.99/month for paid plan
\nWatermark: Yes
\nBest free video editing program online
\n![\"Screenshot](\"https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0070/7032/files/image7_e6565885-d9bc-4e11-8cc4-c691cf2abb7e.jpg?v=1655487370\")
\n
Movie Maker Online is the best browser-based video editor to date. It’s a cost-effective tool for people that want to create videos, but there are some drawbacks. The tool is supported by ads, so you’ll have to navigate around them to edit your videos. It also has a 10-minute maximum duration, which should be sufficient for the standard free user.
\nThe interface also has some quirks. The video and audio timelines are positioned vertically, instead of horizontally like traditional video editors. It’s a bit challenging to get used to at first. However, it’s easily accessible on multiple devices because it’s completely browser based.
\nMovie Maker Online gives you all the basics you need to make a video for free. You also get access to free music, videos, and photos, which is a nice bonus.
\nFeatures include:
\nG2 ⭐ rating: n/a
\nAvailable for: Browser
\nPrice: Free
\nWatermark: No
\nBest for social media influencers
\n![\"movavi](\"https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0070/7032/files/movavi_e1734d00-a992-49ba-a58c-a807524b8031.png?format=webp&v=1685054240\")
With Movavi Video Editor, you can make polished, professional videos with an array of dynamic features. With its easy-to-use interface and intuitive features, this software is great for beginners, but it also has advanced features that will appeal to more experienced editors.
\nWith the software, you can work with virtually any file format. This is another reason why Movavi Video Editor is a great choice for people who want to create high-quality videos without spending a lot of time learning how to do it.
\nFeatures include:
\nG2 ⭐ rating: 4/5
\nAvailable for: Windows and macOS
\nPrice: Free trial; paid plan starts at $79.95 per month
\nWatermark: Yes
\nBest for editing screencasts
\n![\"15](\"https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0070/7032/files/activepresenter.png?format=webp&v=1685054273\")
ActivePresenter is a comprehensive, all-in-one screen recording and video editing software that offers both a free and a paid version. Developed by Atomi Systems, it has carved a niche for itself in video editing, especially for instructional and e-learning videos.
\nFrom screen recording to complex video editing, ActivePresenter offers a wide range of editing tools. A powerful suite of features makes it a preferred tool for those who want to create engaging video content.
\nFeatures include:
\nG2 ⭐ rating: 4.5/5
\nAvailable for: Windows, macOS, iOS, Android
\nPrice: Free; paid version starts at $199
\nWatermark: No
\nBest for editing short clips in your browser
\n![\"video](\"https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0070/7032/files/video-grabber.jpg?v=1685054306\")
Video Grabber is a powerful free online video editor and downloader that caters to a wide range of users, from video hobbyists to professionals. You can navigate the platform’s features with ease because of its simplicity and intuitive design.
\nVideo Grabber is not only a video downloader but also a converter, screen recorder, and basic video editor, making it one of the most versatile video creation and editing tools. With the same platform, you can download videos, convert them into different formats, record screen activities, and even perform some basic editing.
\nFeatures include:
\nG2 ⭐ rating: n/a
\nAvailable for: Browser
\nPrice: Free
\nWatermark: No
\nThere’s a lot of desktop-based editing software available for businesses looking to create promotional videos. The biggest advantage of free video editing software for desktops is that they tend to have more features than most mobile video editing apps.
\nWhether you’re editing videos for YouTube or TikTok, here are some considerations to keep in mind:
\nNow that you know your options in finding the best free video editing software, you can start testing them out. While each option comes with its own advantages and disadvantages, hopefully you now have a better idea of which option is best for your level of video production.
\nVideos consistently are proven to receive more engagement on average across all social media platforms than pictures or text posts. A professional, well-made video will help capture the attention of your audience and develop your brand’s personality.
\nWith so many options to choose from, there’s no limit to the creative potential of your video content.
\n\nAdobe Express is Adobe’s free video editor. With it you can trim your video and add music and messaging to it. You can also merge video clips and resize your videos for dozens of destinations.
\nhttps://www.shopify.com/blog/best-free-video-editing-software
\nOn August 11, 1994, a compact disc exchanged hands during the first ever online sale. This transaction would mark an important shift in the way we shop and do business. It was the birth of ecommerce, the buying and selling of goods and services online.
\nToday, ecommerce is powered by a massive ecosystem of technologies and digital platforms from website builders to payment gateways to social media sales channels. It continues to grow, with global ecommerce sales projected to reach $8 billion and account for 23.6% of all retail activity by 2026. It’s no wonder that new technology emerges every day, enabling businesses and creators to more easily sell products to customers online.
\nAhead, explore the ins and outs of ecommerce: how it works, types of ecommerce models, online shopping trends, and the benefits of selling online. Plus, learn how to start an ecommerce business and launch your own big idea.
\nEcommerce (short for electronic commerce) is the process of buying and selling goods or services via the internet. Through websites, online marketplaces, and social media, individuals and businesses can sell goods and services using digital means to accept payment and collect customer data.
\n![\"Three](\"https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0070/7032/files/themes_cce77bd4-ce50-49a7-9b7f-83760ad01205.png?format=webp&v=1685124067\")
After a customer makes a purchase, the online retailer delivers the order via shipping, store pickup, or local delivery (in the case of physical products), or digitally (for digital products like PDFs, virtual courses, or online consultations).
\nEcommerce transactions happen across a variety of devices and platforms, using a number of different payment methods. Other applications and businesses support this ecosystem, from ad platforms like Google Ads to third-party logistics companies to ecommerce store apps. Let’s explore a few of the technologies powering online sales.
\n![\"Example](\"https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0070/7032/files/shopify-ecommerce-platform.jpg?v=1685124116\")
There are many ways to reach and sell to consumers online, including owned channels like an online store and through third-party platforms. There are pros and cons to each and many online sellers choose an omnichannel approach, selling through multiple channels.
\nAn ecommerce platform is a service that allows you to make money online through your own website. Shopify is an example of an ecommerce company that enables individuals, creators, and businesses of all sizes to sell online and in person through a brick-and-mortar store.
\nBenefits: These ecommerce companies generally offer everything you need to build a website, create product listings, and accept payments online, making them an easy way to build a brand and start selling.
\nChallenges: Selling on your own website requires active marketing efforts to drive traffic and make sales.
\n\nOnline marketplaces are ecommerce sales channels that allow you to sell products and services to an active audience. Marketplaces like Amazon or Etsy are also powerful search engines, as they are often the first point of discovery for consumers looking for products.
\nBenefits: You can sell on marketplaces in tandem with your Shopify online store using integrations to sync sales. Marketplaces often have discovery built in, meaning you benefit from traffic with less active marketing.
\nChallenges: Marketplaces make it difficult to build a brand versus a standalone ecommerce store. You often don’t own your customer lists and you have limited control over the look and feel of your store or brand.
\nMany social media platforms offer in-platform buying and selling features, enabling small businesses or personal brands to sell directly to audiences without an online storefront. Facebook and Instagram both offer native shopping features. You can also sell to social audiences with a Shopify Starter plan, an economical alternative to a full ecommerce website.
\nBenefits: You can easily sell to existing audiences on channels you already manage without building an ecommerce website.
\nChallenges: The audiences you build on social media sites areoften not owned. If you lose your account or the platform shuts down, you will need to rebuild from scratch.
\nReach customers everywhere they are with Shopify
\nShopify comes with powerful tools that help you promote and sell products on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Google, and YouTube from one back office. Make sales on multiple channels and manage everything from Shopify.
\nExplore Shopify’s sales channels
\n![\"Demo](\"https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0070/7032/files/payments-2.png?format=webp&v=1685124152\")
Consumers can make online purchases in a number of ways from digital wallets to credit cards processed through a payment gateway in an online store. Ecommerce platforms usually include integrations with payment processing services and sometimes offer their own digital payment platforms. These services are the liaison for online transactions between a merchant and a customer’s bank. Payment options are often bundled in the checkout to offer the customer choice.
\nA few types of payment methods for ecommerce stores include:
\nBoost sales with buy now, pay later
\nShop Pay Installments gives customers flexibility at checkout by letting them pay in 4 interest-free payments or monthly installments up to 12 months. Increase average order values, reduce abandoned carts, and turn more browsers into buyers today.
\nDiscover Shop Pay Installments
\n![\"Two](\"https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0070/7032/files/ecommerce-entrepreneurs.jpg?v=1685124184\")
There are many ecommerce types, defined by who you are and who you’re selling to. Some helpful ecommerce terms to know are as follows.
A business that sells goods or services to an individual consumer (e.g., An ecommerce footwear store sells individual pairs of shoes directly to its customers).
\nA business that sells goods or services to another business (e.g., A software company sells licenses for its technology to a small business).
\nAn individual who sells goods or services to another individual (e.g., A person sells a single used sofa to another person on a buy-and-sell marketplace). Note: Once a person begins selling multiple items in this way (a vintage reseller using channels like Depop), their business model could be considered B2C.
\nAn individual sells their own products or services to a business or organization (e.g., A business pays an independent influencer to promote the brand on social media).
\nYou may also encounter a few other terms to describe types of ecommerce businesses. Direct-to-consumer (DTC or D2C) brands are those that primarily sell directly to their customers, either online or in person, without a middleman (a retailer or distributor). A digitally native vertical brand (DNVB) refers to a DTC business that started entirely online. Popular examples of these ecommerce business models include mattress brand Casper and men’s grooming brand Harry’s.
\nIn addition to deciding what type of ecommerce business you want to run, it’s important to decide how that business will make money. There are at least five different revenue models used by businesses selling online. They are:
\n🥩 How a Meat Business Thrives on a Subscription Model
\nIn this episode of Shopify Masters, ButcherBox founder Mike Salguero explains how his meat and seafood business started as a side hustle and bloomed to a nine-figure brand using a subscription revenue model.
\nHear his story
\n![\"Person](\"https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0070/7032/files/ecommerce-shopping.jpg?v=1685124217\")
Running an ecommerce business has its perks. Not only does this business model allow you to launch a business quickly, it also offers access to a global pool of potential customers looking for a convenient way to buy your product and interact with your brand.
Ecommerce allows customers to shop from anywhere, on any device, at any time, without the need to physically visit a store. Potential customers can more easily discover your brand—even from another country—and compare products, features, and prices in minutes. With a multitude of payment options offered by ecommerce, shopping online is even more convenient.
\nAn ecommerce business can reach a wider audience than a physical store alone. With an ecommerce store, businesses can sell their products to customers all over the world, without the need for a physical presence in every location. Shipping partners and logistics companies connect the dots, moving online orders across the globe.
\n🌍 This Grandmother Took Her Local Business Global
\nNonna Nerina offered old world pasta making classes to tourists in her small village in Italy. Then the pandemic put a halt to travel. With the help of her granddaughter, she launched Nonna Live to a global market online.
\nRead her story
\nWhile it’s difficult to replace the one-to-one touch of a retail experience, online stores have a leg up on personalization. Customer data can be used for ecommerce marketing personalization, with customized experiences tailored to each individual. This can include personalized product recommendations, targeted marketing campaigns, fit finder quizzes, and loyalty programs.
\nOnline stores usually have the ability to offer more choices, like color variants or product customization. Personalized shopping experiences can help businesses build stronger relationships with their customers and increase customer loyalty.
\nEcommerce businesses often have lower overhead costs than traditional brick-and-mortar stores. An ecommerce business can be run from anywhere, including a home office. While new business owners are still on the hook for inventory and costs to set up a website and domain, they often don’t need to worry about rent, utilities, and other high startup costs. Certain ecommerce business models such as dropshipping or print on demand don’t require inventory, and can be fairly inexpensive to set up and run.
\n![\"Woman](\"https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0070/7032/files/ecommerce-shipping_6e999abf-83f3-41b7-ab41-e35466ff10ff.jpg?v=1685124245\")
While running an online business has its benefits, it also comes with a few challenges. If you’re looking to start an ecommerce business, plan for these potential pitfalls before you proceed.
One of the biggest challenges of ecommerce is security. Customers need to trust that their personal and financial information is safe when they make purchases online. Ecommerce businesses should invest in secure payment gateways, SSL certificates, and other security measures to protect their customers’ data. Note: Plans on Shopify come with security features like SSL and a secure payment gateway.
\nClearly outline these security measures for customers in your terms and conditions and on the checkout page.
\nEcommerce is a highly competitive space, with many businesses vying for the same customers. Online businesses need to differentiate themselves from their competitors by offering unique products, competitive prices, and exceptional customer experiences.
\nEvery successful ecommerce business owner knows that a customer’s experience with shipping can make or break a brand. Online stores need to have efficient and reliable shipping and logistics systems in place to ensure that products are delivered to customers on time and in good condition.
\n\nIn order to be competitive, ecommerce brands need to have robust return policies and customer service systems in place to handle customer inquiries and complaints. This can be challenging, especially for businesses that sell complex or technical products, or for small businesses with little or no staff.
\n![\"Example](\"https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0070/7032/files/theme-3-local.png?format=webp&v=1685124278\")
Staying on top of ecommerce shopping trends will help your business remain competitive and meet ever-changing customer needs. While trends are constantly evolving, there are a few that signal a more permanent shift in the way consumers discover, buy, and support businesses.
\nSocial commerce sales in the US are expected to exceed $56 billion in 2023. Effective social selling means engaging in actual conversations with potential customers online. As you build trust and establish relationships, you can eventually move the customer through the marketing funnel toward a successful sale.
\nLearn more about this trend and how to sell on social platforms with these selling guides:
\nMore and more, product discovery is happening in places you might not expect. Alongside Google, consumers look to YouTube and Amazon to find brands and products. Google reported that Gen Z is using social media platforms like TikTok to research brands more often than they use search engines.
\n🧶 A Rug Making Hobby Became a Business, Thanks to TikTok
\nIn this episode of Shopify Masters, Mush Studios founder Jacob WInter explains how his rug making content went viral on TikTok after users discovered his unique style. In response, Jacob launched his creations as an ecommerce brand.
\nHear his story
\nM-commerce, or mobile commerce, refers to ecommerce transactions that occur via mobile phone. M-commerce sales were expected to account for 43% of the total ecommerce sales in the US in 2023. This number has been on a steady climb for years, and doesn’t show signs of slowing. Brands should therefore pay attention to the user experience on mobile devices, focusing on an optimized and streamlined mobile commerce UI that converts, with special attention to mobile payments.
\nIn one 2022 study, 62% of consumers surveyed said a brand would lose their loyalty if it did not deliver a personalized experience, up 45% over the previous year. With the recent surge in interest in AI technology like ChatGPT and Midjourney, ecommerce brands are taking advantage of new tools to personalize customer experience. They can learn more about their customers, deliver personalized recommendations, and send targeted advertising messages.
\nAI is also used by ecommerce brands to create efficiencies and automate processes. Several AI apps in the Shopify App Store can help businesses automate tasks like customer service chat, syncing between sales channels, and inventory management.
\n![\"A](\"https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0070/7032/files/ecommerce-laptop.jpg?v=1685124318\")
If you’ve decided to start a business, congratulations, you’ve already completed the first step! Once you have an idea and the desire to get started, you’re well on your way to launching your own ecommerce store. Once you’ve decided on the details, you can sign up with an ecommerce platform like Shopify to help you execute your vision. Let’s do this!
💡 Learn more: Take an in-depth look at each of these steps with our complete guide on how to start an ecommerce business. Or sign up for Shopify’s free course, including video modules, templates, and playbooks to get you on your way to starting a business online.
\nThe ecommerce industry has lots of room for newcomers looking to bring innovative ideas to the global market. Retail ecommerce sales continue to grow, making this business model an ideal first business for aspiring entrepreneurs.
\nIf you’re ready to start an ecommerce business, bookmark this guide as a handy resource to revisit on your way to launching your dream job.
\nEcommerce, short for electronic commerce, refers to the buying and selling of goods and services over the internet. It involves a transaction between two parties, usually a business and a consumer, where the payment and delivery of products or services are conducted online.
\nEcommerce can take many forms, such as online shopping, digital downloads, online subscriptions, and online ticketing. It has revolutionized the way people do business and has become an increasingly popular way to shop due to its convenience and accessibility.
\nThere are three main types of ecommerce business:
\nAn example of ecommerce is online shopping, where consumers purchase products or services online through a B2C website or online marketplace. Ecommerce allows consumers to browse a vast range of products, select and compare prices and features, and make purchases securely using various payment methods. Mobile commerce is also an example of ecommerce—customers shop online using a mobile phone to find products and pay online.
\nEcommerce can take on a variety of forms involving different transactional relationships including:
\nAn ecommerce website is an online store that allows businesses to sell products or services over the internet to customers. Ecommerce websites can be designed to sell physical products, digital products, or services. They typically include features such as product catalogs, pricing information, customer reviews, order tracking, customer accounts, and payment processing systems.
\nThose looking to start an ecommerce business don’t necessarily need an ecommerce website. Online marketplaces and social selling platforms are alternatives to standalone websites. These may be ideal options for first-time founders looking to attract customers to a new business online. A Shopify Starter Plan is a great way to enter ecommerce without building out a full online store.
\nhttps://www.shopify.com/blog/what-is-ecommerce
\nAs a small business owner, you naturally strive to meet customers where they are, whether that’s stocking the right merchandise or offering convenient payment options. Mobile payments processing is fairly simple for a merchant, but it requires a bit of upfront effort. That includes investing in a point-of-sale system that can handle contactless payments and digital wallet transactions.
\nContents
\nMobile payment is the process of making payments for goods and services through a mobile device, such as a smartphone or tablet. This can include payments made in stores, online, or through peer-to-peer (P2P) transfers.
\n![\"A](\"https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0070/7032/files/mobile-payments-smartwatch.jpg?v=1685114996\")
These devices might run mobile wallet apps or peer-to-peer mobile payment apps. Or, they might enable transactions via SMS. Consumers can use mobile payment apps or use their credit card to check out on mobile ecommerce sites.
\nPopular mobile wallet apps include Apple Pay and Google Pay and accelerated checkout apps like Shop Pay. Popular peer-to-peer mobile payment apps include Venmo, PayPal, CashApp, and Zelle.
\nMobile payments take five main forms. While each has its unique features, all achieve a near-instantaneous transfer of money from one account to another.
\nMobile wallet services include apps like Google Pay, Apple Pay, and Samsung Pay. These services run on computers, smartphones, tablets, and smartwatches, and link to a customer’s credit card, debit card, or bank account.
\nOnce a person sets up their mobile wallet account, they can use these devices much like they’d use a credit card. In a brick-and-mortar store, they can tap their device on a smartwatch or a tablet on a payment terminal equipped with an NFC (near-field communication) radio. Online, they can use their mobile wallet account on many merchants’ checkout pages by selecting a mobile wallet icon (such as Apple Pay) from among the checkout options.
\nShopify’s own Shop Pay is an accelerated checkout that saves customer information for easier payments on both mobile and desktop. This works similarly to a mobile wallet in that it facilitates speedy mobile payments when customers shop online.
\nThis category, also known as m-commerce, describes any type of transaction one makes on a mobile device. If a shopper makes a purchase on their mobile device’s browser or on a merchant’s proprietary app, that qualifies as a mobile ecommerce payment. Mobile payments on ecommerce stores can be completed using a credit card, a mobile wallet, or an accelerated checkout like Shop Pay.
\n![\"A](\"https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0070/7032/files/mobile-payment-online.jpg?v=1685115043\")
This type of transaction, which runs on mobile payment apps like Zelle, PayPal, Venmo, and CashApp, allows individuals to transfer money to other individuals via a mobile app or a webpage. Some of these services—most notably PayPal—enjoy wide acceptance from small business retailers. This means you can pay a business owner using PayPal instead of using a credit card.
\nSMS payments let people make payments by sending an SMS to a specific phone number. Americans, who largely own smartphones, rarely make SMS payments. In parts of the developing world, however, SMS payments are prevalent and widely trusted.
\nIn a mobile point-of-sale (mPOS) scenario, a customer uses their credit card or mobile device to tap and pay on a mobile payment terminal, usually connected to a mobile device like a tablet. Customers can also insert a credit card into the chip reader or swipe on the mobile POS for a NFC transaction. At this point, your point-of-sale software takes over, transmitting mobile payment data to financial institutions and transferring money to your account.
\n![\"A](\"https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0070/7032/files/pos-meet-hero-large-aee48cf9fa6f5c8a0886151b02336afd64acc488a3d6824022614718bf22364a.jpg?v=1685115124\")
Shopify offers a mobile POS called POS Go that allows you to break free from the checkout counter and close sales on the floor—or curbside. To use Shopify for mobile payments, you’ll need to activate Shopify Payments on your store, and have the Point of Sale channel installed.
\n💡 Learn more about POS systems for mobile payments:
\nWhether you’re accepting mobile payments online, contactless payments at a point of sale, or using Apple Pay and Google Pay payment apps, there are several advantages for both you and your customers. The benefits of accepting mobile payment methods include:
\nMobile payments eliminate a barrier to finalizing a customer’s purchases. Customers can pay conveniently by tapping a phone or credit card at a point of sale, or they can make online transactions using their credit card or other payment apps like Google Pay, Shop Pay, or Apple Pay.
\nMobile payments are among the most secure forms of commerce. That’s because they’re performed on mobile devices that tend to require some form of authentication, typically in the form of a fingerprint, facial recognition, or a passcode. The devices also encrypt their transmissions, giving thieves a very minimal chance of intercepting customer data.
\n![\"A](\"https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0070/7032/files/protect-productui-2x_2_208a7edc-4ddb-453e-84cd-c425c3faa23d.jpg?v=1685115186\")
Financial institutions process mobile payments in the blink of an eye. This makes mobile checkout as fast as a credit card transaction—if not faster. When you accept mobile payments, you remove friction and barriers for your customers.
\nMore customers are spending more money using mobile payments. By 2027, it’s expected that global consumers will spend $6,007 billion per year using mobile payments. Financial analysts expect this figure to more than triple within the next five years.
\n![\"A](\"https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0070/7032/files/mobile-payment-pos.jpg?v=1685115081\")
As more and more shopping shifts to mobile platforms, payment systems will make a similar shift. Customers, always in search of convenience and flexibility, are increasingly embracing mobile payments—particularly given the level of security they provide.
\nMerchants will benefit, too. Some mobile payment apps like Venmo and Square charge fees to merchants that are very similar to credit card fees. Other apps, like Apple Pay, don’t charge merchants at all. This lets business owners benefit from the convenience and security of mobile payments without taking a larger than usual financial hit. Small business owners that enable their company to accept mobile payment methods will likely reap the benefits that come along with them.
\nA mobile payment is a contactless way of paying that involves a mobile device such as a mobile phone, a smartwatch, or a tablet. Mobile payments are typically completed using a digital wallet or mobile app, and can be linked to bank accounts, credit cards, debit cards, and other payment methods. The payment process typically involves scanning a QR code or tapping a mobile device on an NFC reader to securely initiate the payment.
\nThe three types of mobile payments are:
\nMobile payments can be used to purchase goods and services in person or online. In-person, a customer can pay with a mobile wallet app or mobile payment service on their smartphone by scanning a QR code or tapping their phone against an NFC-enabled smartwatch or a tablet on a payment terminal. Online payments can be made by entering your payment information into a website or app. You can also use mobile payments to send money to friends and family or to pay bills.
\nhttps://www.shopify.com/blog/mobile-payment
\nEvery day, YouTube users watch over a billion (yes, with a b) hours of YouTube videos, and yet only 9% of small businesses have bothered to start their own channel. As YouTube usage continues to soar, it becomes mission critical for businesses without a YouTube presence to jump in.
\nLearn how to start a YouTube channel for your business, creating and sharing compelling videos to engage current customers and attract new ones. We’ll also cover the most effective strategies for building a successful YouTube channel.
\nTable of Contents
\nStarting a YouTube channel will give you an edge over your competitors, but there are plenty of other benefits too.
\nReady to get started? Here’s how to set up your YouTube channel.
\nCreate a YouTube channel for your ecommerce business by logging into the Google account you want to use to manage the channel.
\nTIP: Using a brand account instead of a personal channel comes with more benefits later down the line—like additional managers who can each have their own login password.
\n1. Visit YouTube while you’re logged in to the Google account you want to use to manage your account and head to the YouTube channel switcher.
\n![\"starting](\"https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0070/7032/files/start-yt-channel.png?format=webp&v=1685128054\")
2. You should see your personal account, any brand accounts you currently manage, and the option to create a new channel.
\n![\"Youtube](\"https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0070/7032/files/adding_channel_name.png?format=webp&v=1685128255\")
3. When you click on “Create a new channel,” you’ll be taken to a screen to create a new brand account. Choose a channel name for your new account and click “Create.” Here you can also upload a profile picture, such as your brand’s logo.
\nCongratulations! You’re now the proud owner of a YouTube page for your business.
\nNow that you know how to create a YouTube channel for your business, get it looking its absolute best.
\nHere are a few easy steps you can take to give your channel a more professional look and make sure your customers know how to find you online.
\nYour channel icon will initially be linked to your business account’s profile photo. YouTube will direct you to update your account to change it.
\n![\"Screenshot](\"https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0070/7032/files/editing_channel_icon_48eb498e-af50-4113-901d-79559383718f.png?format=webp&v=1685128419\"){kind=icon}
Your picture should be a JPG, BMP, PNG, or non-animated GIF, saved at 800 pixels x 800 pixels. Make sure it displays well at smaller sizes and in both a square and a circle crop for the multiple places YouTube will use your channel icon.
\nAdding channel art is a great way to show off your brand’s personality and create a visually engaging YouTube profile. Your channel art should be under four megabytes and at least 2048 pixels x 1152 pixels, although YouTube recommends going with 2560 pixels x 1440 pixels for best results on all devices.
\n![\"Screenshot](\"https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0070/7032/files/channel-art.png?format=webp&v=1685128495\")
YouTube will give you a preview of each image to show you how it will be displayed on multiple devices. You can also edit or crop your image.
\n![\"This](\"https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0070/7032/files/new-channel.png?format=webp&v=1685128577\")
To unlock all of the customization options for your channel, you’ll need to click the gear icon in the section beneath your channel art.
\n![\"youtube](\"https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0070/7032/files/youtube-settings.png?format=webp&v=1685128649\")
A pop-up titled “Channel settings” will then appear. Look for the “Customize the layout of your channel” option and enable it. Click Save. You’ll now have a wider range of options sorted into five tabs: Home, Videos, Playlists, Channels, and About.
\nHead over to the About tab to edit your store’s details.
\n![\"Screenshot](\"https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0070/7032/files/add-brand.png?format=webp&v=1685128730\")
Under “Description,” give a brief outline of your store, products, and mission. Keep any core keywords for your store in mind and make sure to use them in your channel description to help people find you when they search YouTube. This will also help the YouTube algorithm understand what your channel is about.
\n![\"Screenshot](\"https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0070/7032/files/links_to_social_accounts.png?format=webp&v=1685128809\")
Most of your links will default to the favicon (the small image that shows up at the top of your browser), but the first link in the lineup will also show the link title, so make the most of those 30 characters, as 100% Pure has done with its Shop Now call to action.
\n![\"Screenshot](\"https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0070/7032/files/links-example.png?format=webp&v=1685128899\")
TIP: Verify your phone number so you can create videos longer than 15 minutes, livestream, and upload custom thumbnails. Click your profile picture and go to the YouTube Studio. Select Settings in the navigation bar, click the Channel tab, and go to Feature Eligibility. You’ll see the option to verify your phone number under the intermediate features.
\nOnce your channel is set up, the fun can begin. It’s time to start planning your videos and creating content that attracts and converts your ideal customer.
\nYour niche is essentially what you’ll become known for on YouTube. For example, if you run a beauty brand, you’ll create videos within that niche—maybe you’ll share some makeup tutorials or answer beauty Q&As.
\nFor best results, go deep with your niche and choose a niche within a niche. Instead of settling on “beauty” in general, could you niche further into sustainable cosmetics or curly hair care?
\nWho do you want to reach on YouTube? Your target audience should be those most likely to resonate with your content and buy your products. It’s much easier to come up with content ideas, make videos, and promote your brand when you know exactly who you’re talking to.
\nWhen identifying your target audience, consider:
\nYour unique value proposition should bring together your niche and your target audience in a way that makes your brand memorable. It’s essentially the reason why people should watch your channel and what they’ll take away from your videos.
\nFor example, your unique value proposition might be helping women with curly hair tame their locks through easy-to-follow tutorials. Or it might be spotlighting the craftspeople behind the products you make to raise awareness of small communities and traditional manufacturing techniques.
\nWho are you up against? There’s nothing wrong with a bit of healthy competition, but having total visibility of what kind of content is already out there will help you map your own strategy. More than that, understanding what videos your competitors are creating will help you find your own place in the market.
\nRun a simple YouTube search using relevant industry keywords to find channels that:
\nNow it’s time to start compiling a list of potential video ideas. Start big—you can hone it down later. Here are some tactics you can use to spark ideas:
\nConsider what types of video you’ll create. Will you post educational videos that show viewers how to do something? Will you tell brand stories using beautiful videography and behind-the-scenes footage? Or will you share entertaining videos aimed at making viewers laugh?
\nVat19, an ecommerce gift shop that specializes in offbeat products, has built an impressive online empire with its engaging, highly targeted content. Its YouTube strategy focuses on building absurdist comedy sketches around its wide selection of novelty gifts to introduce new products to its audience. It’s currently sitting at nearly nine million YouTube subscribers, which means this approach is definitely paying off.
\nUltimately, YouTube is a search engine that uses keywords to determine whether a video will be useful to a searcher. Use a keyword tool like Ahrefs, SEMRush, or Moz to find popular keywords in your niche. When you know what search terms your target audience are using, you can incorporate them into your videos and content strategy to make sure you’re showing up in the right searches.
\nThe good news is, you don’t need to be a pro videographer to make great YouTube videos. In fact, anyone with a smartphone can shoot high-quality footage—with a few extra tweaks on an editing app, you’ll barely notice the difference.
\nOnce you’re ready to start shooting, here’s what to do.
\nIn short, starting a YouTube channel is relatively cheap—you just need a smartphone and some time to start creating. But if you feel limited by the quality of your phone and what you can do with it, consider investing in some videography equipment.
\nHere’s a list of items you might need to get started:
\nWhen it comes to shooting your videos, think about how you’ll frame the content, any scripts you might need, and where you’re going to film. For example, if you film indoors, you might need to consider the lighting more than if you were shooting outdoors.
\nBefore you set up your camera, consider:
\nThis is where it all starts to come together. Your video is as good as it can be and you’re ready for your audience to devour your useful tips.
\nHere’s how to upload a YouTube video:
\nYour first 1,000 subscribers are the hardest to get. You have to prove that your channel is worth watching and that you have content that’s relevant to their needs.
\nHere are some tips for getting your first 1,000 YouTube subscribers:
\nCommunity is a powerful tool on YouTube. The more people you have vouching for you and your channel, the easier it is to reach more viewers. Start by optimizing your videos for visibility with relevant keywords and engaging with similar existing channels. You can also poll your audience about what content they want to see, run contests and giveaways to create a buzz, and film series that ensure viewers come back for more.
\nYou don’t need to publish a new video every day—that’s impossible with everything else you have to do. Instead, create a schedule that’s realistic and comfortable. For example, you might decide to upload two videos a month, such as one tutorial and one behind-the-scenes sneak peek.
\nOnce you’ve created your schedule, stick to it. Viewers will start to expect and anticipate your next upload, which creates a sense of excitement around your channel.
\n![\"Screenshot](\"https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0070/7032/files/youtube-channel-example_af0c3d7e-cf2d-4f7d-9360-70578bc65f2a.png?format=webp&v=1685129046\")
If you have a decent following on other platforms, like Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, or your newsletter, promote your YouTube channel there. Invite existing followers to join you on Facebook, either by sharing a link in your social media bio or including a call-out at the bottom of every newsletter. Don’t forget to add a link to your website, too.
\n![\"The](\"https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0070/7032/files/footer-example.png?format=webp&v=1685129332\")
Take advantage of YouTube’s extensive influencer and creator communities. Identify channels that have a similar audience to yours and reach out to collaborate. There are plenty of ways you can work with other YouTubers, such as:
\n![\"Screenshot](\"https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0070/7032/files/colourpop_886934fa-bedf-4cee-ad32-63a42e0a5aea.png?format=webp&v=1685129399\")
YouTube tools optimize your videos, helping you create better content quicker to get your videos in front of the right people fast.
\nHere are some must-have YouTube tools we recommend using:
\nCreating a YouTube channel will give you a competitive edge and build trust and awareness around your brand. Take the time to figure out who you want to target and what your unique value proposition will be. Then, come up with video ideas that will resonate with those people.
\nOnce your channel is up and running, you can focus on getting more views and subscribers through monetization methods, creator collaborations, and cross-promoting your channel on other platforms.
\n\n\n
Starting a YouTube channel can be a rewarding experience, but whether or not it is worth it largely depends on your goals and expectations. Here are some factors to consider:
\nStarting a YouTube channel doesn’t have to cost anything. All you need is a Google account, a smartphone, and free editing software. When your channel starts growing, you might want to invest in some more powerful editing tools, as well as keyword research and analytics tools.
\nhttps://www.shopify.com/blog/start-a-youtube-channel-for-your-business
\nBeing your own boss starts with the decision to make the big leap.
\nIf you’ve found us here, you’ve already taken that crucial first step. Congratulations! Now you’re ready to learn how to start a business from scratch. But where do you begin?
\nWhether you already have a brilliant product idea or you’re just looking to build a future on your own terms, you’re in the right place. This guide will walk you through starting a business from pre-launch marketing to first sale.
\nBrowse hundreds of business ideas. Explore helpful tools to manage your day to day when opening an online store. And bookmark this guide as a reference to return to as you build.
\nLet’s get started.
\n\n\n
\n
\n
It all begins with an idea. To narrow in on that idea, it’s important to know what kind of business and lifestyle you want to have. Are you looking to sell existing products as a low-lift side gig? Do you want to go all in on an invention that will change the world? Or is your social media audience the perfect place to launch your personal brand’s merch? Try fleshing out your idea to see how engaged you are with the idea. You can use a free business plan template to help you.
\nIf you’re stuck, start with our big lists of low investment, small business ideas, online business ideas, and popular business opportunities to get inspired. Next you’ll decide how to bring that new business idea to life: make, manufacture, or resell?
\nMillion Dollar Ideas Start Here
\nLearn how to build an online business from the ground up with Shopify’s new free course, First Day to First Sale. You’ll develop a winning product, build a brand, launch a marketing strategy, and more.
\n![\"First](\"https://embed-ssl.wistia.com/deliveries/05a34b634263fef6520f4de42a380aaa.webp?image_crop_resized=1280x720\")
\n
You may decide to make a product with your own hands or develop one in partnership with a manufacturer, print-on-demand company, or private label partner.
\n🦘Want to sell something that’s ready to go? Jump to: Selling an existing product
\nProducts to make or manufacture
\nMine these lists of unique business ideas to discover items you can make or manufacture from scratch.
\n🍝 Success Story: This 84-Year Old Grandma Taught Cooking Skills to the Masses
\nNonna Nerina launched her virtual cooking experience when the pandemic all but ended tourism in her Italian village. Her granddaughter shares how Nonna runs a successful business selling a service online. 👉 Read Nonna’s story
\nPrint-on-demand ideas
\nPrint on demand is the process of working with a company to turn your designs into merchandise like t-shirts, jewelry, or mugs and shipping them directly to your customers. This is a quick and low investment way to start a business. Research print-on-demand companies to find the right fit for your business idea.
\nPrivate label (or white label) ideas
\nIf you have a solid idea and no experience with manufacturing, private label or white label models allow you to work with an experienced manufacturer. They can customize generic products to your brand and specifications. There are a number of private label and white label product ideas to consider, from fitness equipment to cosmetics.
\nSelling an existing product
\nIf you’re looking to get up and running quickly, selling an existing product is a great option. You can decide to dropship or curate and resell products from other brands.
\nProduct ideas to dropship
\nDropshipping is a business model that involves selling existing products on your own online store without handling inventory or shipping. An order from your customer will be fulfilled and shipped by the vendor or manufacturer, skipping you as a middleman. You can get started with dropshipping by finding a product and dropshipping partner.
\n💡 Tip: You can also dropship white label products, giving you the benefits of both a branded product and a low-lift business model.
\nAnother way to start a business without your own products is through curation or resale. Some lifestyle and fashion brands will curate collections from a number of vendors or designers, buying inventory upfront. In this case, you will be responsible for inventory management and shipping. To find brands to work with, browse wholesale marketplaces. Resale business models are popular with antiques, collectibles, or vintage clothing.
\nWhat if you just want to dip a toe into entrepreneurship? Starting a side hustle—that is, running your own business alongside your full-time job—is a low-risk way to test the waters and make supplementary income. Don’t quit your day job. Instead, browse our lists of passive income ideas and businesses that let you make money from home.
\n\n\n
Monetizing your social media following
\n\n
Building an audience can be one of the most challenging parts of starting a business. If you have already grown your fan base on social media channels, the hard part is already done! Online tools make it easier than ever to monetize that audience. Drill down to your platform of choice for creator-friendly business ideas.
\n🌵 Success Story: TikTok’s Plant Mom Spun Online Virality Into a Brand
\nGet inspired by Sonja Detrinidad, a mortgage professional turned succulent influencer who monetized her audience to start her business, Partly Sunny Projects. She buys wholesale plants in her native California and ships across the US. 👉 Read Sonja’s story
\n💡 Tip: The Shopify Starter Plan is perfect for creators who want to get selling fast without building a website. Or, you can also use a tool like Linkpop to superpower your social bio and push fans to your store.
\nSuperpowered social links
\nLinkpop is a tool that lets you create a customized landing page for all your brand links. It’s free, customizable, and best of all: shoppable.
\n![\"Graphic](\"https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0070/7032/files/linkpop-shoppable.jpg?v=1664299888\")
If you’ve already honed in on a product of interest, it’s important to understand the nuances of that industry. If yours is below, click through to the corresponding guide to get tailored advice for how to start a business in your market of choice.
\n👗 Clothing: How to Start a Clothing Line
\n👕 T-shirts: How to Start a Successful T-Shirt Business Online
\n💍 Jewelry: Start a Jewelry Business: Step-by-Step Guide
\n🕯️ Candles: How to Start a Candle Business (with Examples)
\n🥝 Food and Drink: How to Sell Food Online (Step-by-Step Business Guide)
\n🙂 Stickers: How to Make and Sell Stickers Online
\n🛋️ Home: Sell Furniture and Home Décor Online: The Ultimate Guide
\n🌱 Plants: Fronds with Benefits: A Beginner’s Guide to Selling Plants Online
\n🎨 Art: How to Sell Art Online: A Complete Guide
\n📚 Books: Sell Books Online: Page-Turning Advice From the Pros
\n🐶 Pets: How to Start a Pet Business
\n🧴 Skin care: Start a Skin Care Line: Lessons From a Serial Beauty Entrepreneur
🦘 Ensure that you understand any legal constraints or requirements specific to your industry before going all in. Jump to: Operations
\n💄 Success Story: She Quit Her Wall Street “Dream Job” to Manufacture Lipstick
\nMelissa Butler started The Lip Bar by whipping up color formulations in her kitchen. The specific requirements of the cosmetics industry prompted her to work with a skilled manufacturer as the brand grew. 👉 Read Melissa’s story
\n🦘 Jump back to: Table of contents
\nNow that you have a killer idea, it’s time to validate it! Your product or business idea may excite you, but it’s only worth pursuing if there’s an audience (a.k.a. future customers) looking for it.
\nThere are many ways to do your research upfront before you start investing. You can look for gaps in the market, find an underserved audience, run a focus group, and investigate your competition.
\nYour target audience or target market refers to a group of potential customers for your brand. This is the group you’ll eventually aim all your marketing efforts and dollars toward. As a result, it’s critical to define them as thoroughly as possible.
\nIdentifying and getting to know your target audience is important because:
\n✅ It helps you make smart and cost-effective marketing decisions
\n✅ It influences your product development (because you have a direct line of feedback)
\n✅ It can increase revenue (by focusing your efforts on the most promising customers)
Building buyer personas is an effective method for drilling down into your ideal customers’ needs. How old are they? What do they love? On which social media platforms do they spend most of their time? What’s important to them?
\n👩🏾🦱 Success Story: An Art Major Developed a Product to Fill a Market Gap
\nYelitsa Jean-Charles was dissatisfied by the options for dolls with Black hair. So she designed her own. She built her successful business, Healthy Roots Dolls, to teach a generation to love their curls. 👉 Read Yelitsa’s story
\nMarket research is the process of gathering data about the potential customers (or “market”) for your brand. It can validate that you’re on the right track or inform you that you need to make a shift. You can conduct market research through surveys, focus groups, and interviews.
\nMarket analysis is a similar concept but involves researching the industry as a whole, combining insights you get directly from your target audience with third-party sources like reports and industry publications.
\n🎧 PODCAST: Compound Studios Builds Brands For Unique Target Markets
\nShane Vitaly says he ignores competition when conducting market research. For his multiple distinct brands, emerging trends are the key to defining the audience for each. 👉 Listen
\nUnderstanding the competitive landscape can ensure that you’re setting your brand apart in the industry. This exercise will also help you clearly define your unique selling proposition (USP), which is the benefit that your product offers over that of your competitors. Explore the in-depth resources below to get started.
\n👩🏻🎓 FREE COURSE: Building a Business for a Niche Market
\nIn this 12-part course, host Vivian Kaye walks through the steps to launching a niche business, including how to define and target a niche audience for your brand.
\n![\"Portrait](\"https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0070/7032/files/start-a-niche-business.jpg?v=1664299931\")
🦘 Jump back to: Table of contents
\nOnce you’ve validated that there’s an audience hungry for your product and you’ve nailed your value prop, it’s time to talk money. Your business will be viable if you have the funding to get it off the ground and you can identify a price that’ll turn a profit.
\nA business plan is a document you can use to help you secure funding from a bank or venture capital (VC) firm. But even if you’re not seeking outside funding, a business plan forces you to answer important questions about how you will run your business. It includes everything from your mission statement to your financials.
\n💡 7 business plan writing tips:
\nWhat does it really cost to start a business? It depends on many factors, such as whether or not you carry inventory or you need to lease space. Much of the money spent in the first year consists of reinvesting profits back into the business, not spending out of pocket. This is called “bootstrapping” and you can learn more about it later in this section.
\nAccounting for all business costs
\nYour startup costs in the first year will help you cover everything from setting up a website to buying inventory to running your first paid ads. Here’s what business owners reported as the breakdown of their spending in the first year:
\n![\"Data](\"https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0070/7032/files/cost-to-start-a-business.jpg?v=1664299984\")
🚨 Tip: Don’t forget to consider unexpected costs like business insurance, taxes, legal fees, and shipping costs.
\nConducting a break-even analysis
\nA break-even analysis is the process of determining at what point your business (or product) becomes profitable. It’s a financial calculation used to determine the number of products you need to sell to cover your production costs.
\nThere are several benefits to conducting a break-even analysis:
\n✅ It helps you make smart decisions about product pricing.
\n✅ It can mitigate risk and eliminate surprise.
\n✅ It sets informed targets for your business.
\n✅ It can identify any missing expenses.
Determining profit margins
\nA profit margin is the measure of a business’ profitability expressed as a percentage. Your profit margin will depend on the industry you’re in, the retail price ranges set by the market, and your costs. You may have a lower profit margin if you’re selling a high volume of goods (say, selling digital art prints) or a high profit margin if you sell luxury products.
\n💵 FREE TOOL: Profit Margin Calculator
\nDetermine selling prices for your products by entering your costs and markup. This handy tool will instantly calculate your retail price, profit amount, and profit margin.
\nPricing your products
\nKnowing how to price your products can be tricky, but with a few basic calculations, you can confidently set prices that make sense. In a nutshell, there are three steps to setting prices:
\nAs you’re setting your prices, consider common pricing strategies like competitive pricing, value-based pricing, or keystone pricing. Note: Each strategy has its pros and cons and not all will be right for your unique business.
\n\nBootstrapping is the process of starting a business with little or no money and investing the profits back into the business as it grows. This method of funding a business may mean slower growth, but it also minimizes risk and debt.
\n💰 Success Story: How These Founders Turned $900 into an 8-Figure Brand
\nSkin care brand Bushbalm launched with a mere $900 investment from its three founders. They then funded their massive growth through crowdfunding and pitching investors. 👉 Find out how
\nSome businesses are easier to bootstrap than others. Low investment ideas like dropshipping or print on demand require no inventory and are great candidates for this method. Other small business owners use personal savings to cover startup costs before bootstrapping growth. It’s still important to have a solid business plan in case you decide to seek additional funding later.
\n🦘 Looking to grow more quickly? Jump to: Getting funded 2.0
\nGet access to the funds you need to grow
\nSkip the lengthy paper applications and get quick access to funding to help your business thrive. Access Shopify Capital from your dashboard in a few clicks.
\n![\"Graphic](\"https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0070/7032/files/shopify-capital_7eb2fa8a-2d99-459d-8f5f-e77ba8ff5ab3.jpg?v=1664300057\")
🦘 Jump back to: Table of contents
\nBy now, you’ve validated your product idea, your business plan is locked, and you’re ready to bring it to life. It’s time to get creative. In this section we’ll take you through the options to make, manufacture, or source your product as you get ready to start a business.
\nIf your product is a handmade item, you can get up and running by setting up an appropriate space in your home, a rented studio or office, or a co-op. Be sure to check the legal requirements for setting up a home-based business, especially if you’re selling food or cosmetic items. There are generally rules around ventilation and other safety protocols.
\n🏭 Success Story: Making the Leap to Manufacturing
\nIn this guide to starting a skin care line, Meghan Cox discusses the early days of starting her business, Amalie. While she launched on handmade formulations, she eventually made the move to manufacturing—and then opened her own lab. 👉 Read Meghan’’s story
\n🦘 Ensure that you understand any legal requirements for setting up a home-based business. Jump to: Operations
\nIf your product is designed to be produced in a third-party facility, you’ll likely need to source a manufacturing partner. A good manufacturer is one who understands your industry, knows packaging and labeling laws specific to your product or market, and can be a true partner in your business.
\nSome manufacturers will be part of the product development process, advising you on best practices to get to your finished product.
\n👩🏻🎓 FREE COURSE: Building a Business for a Niche Market
\nIn less than an hour, Jason Wong walks new business owners through the process of developing and manufacturing a product from finding a credible partner to managing shipping and logistics.
\n\n
![\"Portrait](\"https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0070/7032/files/how-to-start-a-business-course-3.jpg?v=1664300101\")
If you’ve opted to sell existing products, you’ll need to research suppliers or other brands that you can source them from. Find the business model that applies to you below and click through for a deep dive on how to find products for each, along with some examples:
\n🧾 FREE TOOL: Purchase Order Template
\nIn 4 simple steps, complete your company and order information to automatically generate a professional purchase order that you can download and print.
\n🦘 Jump back to: Table of contents
\nShipping is often cited by small business owners as one of the most challenging aspects of getting started. Luckily, the tools aimed at simplifying this task keep getting better. Ecommerce platforms like Shopify consolidate rates to help you make informed shipping decisions. And app integrations can solve specific shipping issues or help you more easily manage inventory.
\nWhen deciding on a shipping strategy for your business, you’ll first need to decide how you will handle order fulfillment. For many new business owners, that means personally packaging and shipping orders one by one. Unless you choose a dropshipping or print-on-demand model, managing your own fulfillment in the early days helps you better understand all aspects of your business.
\nAs you grow, you may decide to outsource shipping and fulfillment to a third-party logistics (3PL) company. Research different fulfillment services to see which is right for your growing business.
\n\nShipping cost is often a factor in a customer’s decision to buy from your business. You can decide to offer free shipping and build that cost into retail prices or, if you’re passing on the cost, take steps to keep those costs as low as possible.
\nWays to reduce shipping costs include:
\n✅ Reducing weight of packages (by, say, using poly mailers instead of cardboard, if applicable)
\n✅ Choosing the right-sized packaging for the product
\n✅ Using flat-rate shipping when possible
\n✅ Using Shopify Shipping to cut carrier costs
\n✅ Knowing when rates change so you can adjust accordingly
\n✅ Offering local delivery or pickup as an alternative for in-town customers
💡 Tip: Take advantage of free tools and templates to create a shipping policy, generate shipping labels, and complete a bill of lading form.
\n🍕 Success Story: How Pizza Pilgrims Pivoted to Sending Pies by Mail
\nIn this episode of Shopify Masters, founders Thom and James Elliot explain how they pivoted during the pandemic. Through trial and error (and “exploding dough”), the two developed a shipping strategy to suit their new pizza kit offerings. 👉 Read their story
\nUnderstanding international shipping
\nIf you plan to ship internationally, keep in mind that there are a few more steps involved. First, be sure that your products are legal in their country of destination, that you adhere to labeling and packaging requirements in those places, and that you know how to complete customs paperwork.
\nDuties and taxes are often the responsibility of the customer upon the arrival of the package. You can elect to make those fees transparent at checkout by collecting them upfront.
\nIf you’re working with a fulfillment service, or using a dropshipping or print-on-demand model, inventory management is usually handled entirely by this partner. Otherwise, keeping inventory organized ensures that you can make informed decisions about production and stock reorders—and avoid customer disappointment.
\nHere are a few top-rated inventory apps in the Shopify App Store. These apps integrate with your ecommerce store to automate tasks and send low-stock notifications.
\n👀 Forecasting: CartBite
\n⏩ Optimization: Realtime Stock Sync & Bundling
\n✉️ Tracking: Notify Me! Back in Stock Alert
\n🤝 Syncing: Stock Sync
\n🚰 Replenishment: SUPLIFUL
\n🔔 Stock alerts: Back in Stock – Out of Stock
Find your community
\nAccess a network of over 900,000 business owners through Shopify Community. Make connections, share learnings, and engage in meaningful conversations.
\n![\"Two](\"https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0070/7032/files/networking-conversations-and-business-cards.jpg?v=1664300163\")
🦘 Jump back to: Table of contents
\nAside from a unique product or exemplary service, your brand is the driving force behind a customer’s decision to buy from you. Your brand is more than a business name or a logo. It is a guiding set of principles and design specifications that tell your story, create consistency, and build trust. A branding exercise will create the foundation upon which you make creative decisions for your brand as you grow.
\nAs you build your brand, be sure to consider all its components:
\n✅ The basics (who you are and what you sell)
\n✅ What you stand for (mission statement, brand values, and brand promise)
\n✅ Your unique selling proposition (why customers should choose you over the competition)
\n✅ Your brand story (sometimes one and the same with your personal story)
\n✅ Brand voice (the tone and language used consistently in brand communication)
\n✅ Your visual brand identity (logo, style guide, and brand name)
To develop your brand strategy, answer questions like: How do you want customers to feel when they interact with your brand? What’s important to you (such as giving back, excellent customer service, fair wages for staff)? What colors and design styles appeal to you and represent the mood you’re trying to achieve? The answers to these will help inform the rest of the branding exercise.
\nNext, brainstorm business names and domain names. It’s important that you research any potential business name to see if it is already used (and therefore could cause confusion or legal issues) and if the social handles and domain are available. Once you’ve landed on a name, secure it by setting up social profiles and registering the domain.
\n💡 Tip: If you’re stuck coming up with a name to represent your brand, try these free business name generator and domain name generator tools.
\n🎧 PODCAST: How Headphones.com Secured a Priceless Domain
\nAndrew Lissimore started his headphones business after seeing the impressive profit margins in consumer electronics. He negotiated a deal to secure a domain name that would help his business get discovered. 👉 Listen
\nBrand voice is how your business speaks to customers and the world. It incorporates decisions around tone, personality, brand vocabulary, and slang. Defining your distinct brand voice is important as it can:
\n✨ Spark recognition
\n👓 Influence perception
\n🤝 Build trust
\n🔌 Create connection
\n👨🏽🤝👨🏻 Ensure consistency (no matter who’s writing brand copy)
Create and maintain a style guide, a document that sets out clear dos and don’ts for your brand voice (as well as your visual brand requirements—more on those below). For example: “Our brand voice is confident. Our brand voice is not condescending.” This will ensure that as you hire for or outsource marketing tasks, your brand voice will remain consistent.
\n🍊 Success Story: This Skin Care Founder Blended Her Personal Story with Her Brand
\nIn this guide to brand storytelling, founder Charlotte Cho explains how her personal story and that of her culture were critical to building two skin care brands. As a popular beauty blogger first, she was able to build credibility when she eventually launched.
\n💡 Tip: Your brand voice will inform brand storytelling on your About page as well as other copywriting throughout your website and marketing.
\nYour visual identity encompasses anything that impacts how your customers, and the general public, see your brand out in the world. This includes your logo, fonts you use on your website, photography, and color choices.
\nThese design decisions and assets will all be captured within your brand guidelines or style guide. If you’re not a designer, it’s still possible to DIY your visual brand and design a logo with some free tools and a few tips from the pros:
\n✅ Keep it simple. A simple logo will be the most versatile, allowing it to work on everything from a website favicon to a billboard ad.
\n✅ Create variations. Variations—like a wordmark as well as an icon—will help your logo fit into different applications.
\n✅ Consider context. If using recognizable symbols or objects in your logos, consider what message those symbols mean in various contexts and cultures.
DIY your brand identity
\nHatchful is a free and easy-to-use tool for business owners. No skills are required to produce unique logos from a range of beautiful templates.
\n![\"Graphic](\"https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0070/7032/files/hatchful-logo-maker.jpg?v=1664300203\"){kind=logo}
\n
💡 Tip: If you’re struggling to DIY your visual identity, tap into Shopify Experts. These are vetted professionals who can help you build out brand elements like logos, color schemes, and social templates.
\nAs part of branding design, you will make decisions about assets like photography, printed materials, and packaging. This will ensure a consistent experience across every customer touchpoint.
\nShooting product photos
\nPhotography is incredibly important for ecommerce brands that rely on 2D images to tell a story about a 3D product. Photography does a lot of heavy lifting as a stand-in for feeling or trying on the product in person. That’s why good ecommerce photography can increase buyer confidence—and conversion.
\nMost business benefit from having two types of photos for their collections:
\nUsing examples from Burst, a free stock photo resource for entrepreneurs, you can see the difference between the first product photo and the second lifestyle photo:
\n![\"Product](\"https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0070/7032/files/a-blue-kettle-and-tin-mug-against-a-blue-background.jpg?v=1664300288\")
![\"Lifestyle](\"https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0070/7032/files/copper-kettle-pour-over-coffee.jpg?v=1664300297\")
If you decide to go the DIY photography route due to budget constraints, you can still pull off professional looking photos with little more than a simple lighting kit and a smartphone.
\n📚 Read: DIY Guide to the Perfect Product Photography Setup
\nYour DIY photos may need a little editing to get them website-ready. You can access free and inexpensive design and photo editing tools online.
\n🛠️ Try: Shopify Image Resizer to optimize your product photos for the web.
\nIn a pinch, stock photos are an excellent solution to fill in for photo needs until you can schedule a shoot. You can mine stock photo websites to find images that capture the lifestyle of your brand to use on collection pages, your homepage, or in marketing campaigns.
\nDesigning product packaging
\nYour visual brand identity will also show up on product packaging, shipping materials, and other printed marketing assets (like packaging inserts). Customers should have a seamless experience from the initial interaction with your brand online to receiving their order.
\n🧁 Success Story: Why Getting Packaging Right Was Important to this Brand
\nThe founder couple behind Pastreez moved to the US to share their love of traditional French sweets with a new market. They faced a challenge: packaging that would protect delicate confections in the mail but also represent their brand and be special enough to give as a gift.
\n💝 Browse these resources to help you design and choose the right packaging for your business:
\n🦘 Jump back to: Table of contents
\nAt this stage, you’ve secured a product and committed to your brand. Now, it’s time to assemble all that hard work into a website and introduce it to the world. There are several ecommerce website builders on the market and you will need to weigh the options based on factors like available features, website cost, and ease of use.
\n🧰 Build a website in minutes
\nEasily create a stunning website packed with features and available integrations. Drag and drop sections to customize your site with no coding skills necessary.
\n![\"Screengrab](\"https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0070/7032/files/shopify-website-builder.png?format=webp&v=1664300390\")
\n
Once you’ve chosen a platform, you can build your website by uploading products and other brand assets. Consider browsing the Shopify App Store for apps to help you improve the functionality of your store. There are many free Shopify apps that can do everything from taking appointment bookings to automating the returns process.
\nNow, the fun part! Designing a professional looking website is simple, even if you have no design skills. That’s because there are several tools and templates that let you drag and drop design elements, with no code necessary.
\nLet’s start with themes. The Shopify Themes Store has over 100 themes to choose from—something for every taste and industry. For new business owners on a small budget, there are also several free Shopify themes.
\n💡 Tip: Unsure which theme is right for your business? Take our quiz.
\nUsing your brand guidelines, you can:
\n🎨 Customize themes with your chosen fonts and colors
\n🎨 Rearrange the layout of your homepage to prioritize what’s important
\n🎨 Upload product and lifestyle images in web-optimized sizes
\n🎨 Add content to your About Us page, product pages, and landing pages
Stunning themes for every business
\nChoose from over 100 themes that can be customized to blend seamlessly with your brand.
\n![\"Graphic](\"https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0070/7032/files/shopify-themes-store.jpg?v=1664300442\")
🆘 Need help? Check out free online courses to design a website with zero experience or tap into the Shopify Experts network to hire a pro.
\nYou did it! While there are still a few steps left to get your business fully up and running, you’re at a place where you can soft launch your website to the world. This is a critical phase in your journey where you can stress test your website, gather customer feedback, and tweak before your big grand opening.
\n🛑 Before you launch your website, have you thought of everything? Bookmark this 14-point ecommerce checklist to be sure you’ve checked all the boxes.
\n🦘 Jump back to: Table of contents
\nDepending on the countries or regions where you do business, you may be subject to a set of rules that govern how you manufacture, market, and ship your products.
\nFirst, you’ll need to decide on a business structure. In some cases, you will need to officially register your business. Check with your local government agency to ensure you’re doing business above board.
\nThere are several types of business structures (or legal structures or business entities) to consider, but before you land on one, it’s important to understand the characteristics of each. For example, do you know the difference between a limited liability company (LLC) and a soleproprietorship? Is a C corp right for you?
\nDive into the below resources to learn more:
\nWhether you choose to be a sole proprietor or take on a business partner, be sure to clearly outline the business ownership details.
\nIn some cases, you may not need to officially register your business to get up and running. For example, in Canada, small businesses making under a certain threshold in revenue are not required to officially register or collect and submit sales tax. However, there are perks to registering your business with the CRA (Canada Revenue Agency) upfront, such as benefitting from certain protections.
\nIn the US, the requirements to get a business license can vary state to state, and in some cases you may not need one. If you do need a business license, be sure you have the following before starting your application:
\n✅ Owner name and contact information
\n✅ Business name and contact information
\n✅ Your employer identification number (EIN) or equivalent
\n✅ Any required permits
\n✅ Any required forms or paperwork
\n✅ Associated fees with filing this paperwork
Depending on your business structure and size, you may also need to register with the IRS (Internal Revenue Service) in order to collect sales tax and submit it at tax time.
\nIt’s important to protect yourself, your business, and your employees in the event of unexpected hardship. Consider all the possible scenarios that could grind your business to a halt, including: natural disasters, health issues among staff, a bad batch of product, or even a lawsuit. Purchasing an insurance policy is the best protection.
\nThere are several types of business insurance to consider. These include: commercial property insurance, workers’ comp insurance, professional liability insurance, product liability insurance, and business interruption insurance, to name a few. Understand the features of each to see if they apply to you—you may also be interested in a business owner’s policy (BOP), which bundles many of the above types of coverage together.
\n🛑 Note: Depending on the business structure, you may or may not be subject to personal liability in legal matters pertaining to your business (this would be normally covered by professional liability insurance). However, before you purchase an insurance policy, talk to a pro to see if personal liability protection is necessary for you.
\nYou may also want to implement other types of protections as you grow:
\n💡 Tip: An insurance adviser or lawyer can help you sort which types of business insurance are right for your business.
\n🦘 Jump back to: Table of contents
\nThe key to a successful business can usually boil down to finding the right product for the right market at the right time. But sustaining that success depends on many other things happening behind the scenes. When you have a good handle on your finances, you’re ensuring that you’re not overspending and that you have a safety net if your luck changes.
\nSetting up a business bank account is an important first step. At the very least, it allows you to separate your personal and business finances. At best, it allows you to build a good relationship with your bank as a partner in your long-term financial success.
\nSkip the bank
\nGet paid faster by managing your money and business in one place with a free Shopify Balance account.
\n![\"Plain](\"https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0070/7032/files/shopify-balance.jpg?v=1664300504\")
Explore the various business banking products (like a business credit card) available on the market to determine which suits your needs. When choosing the right bank for your business, ask questions like:
\n💰 Is the bank small-business-friendly?
\n💰 What is the reputation of the bank in the market?
\n💰 Does it offer solutions and financial advice tailored to your industry?
\n💰 What is the fee structure offered by the bank?
\n💰 Does the bank have a hassle-free loan process?
Your business plan (that handy document you created in Step 2) should also include a financial plan. If you’ve already completed this step, it’s time to put it into action. If not, consult the resources below to get started.
\n👩🏻🎓 FREE COURSE: How to Create a Solid Financial Plan
\nA financial plan gives you the power to better manage your business, project expenses, and even apply for financing in the future. This course walks you through the basics from balance sheets to income statements.
\n\n
![\"A](\"https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0070/7032/files/how-to-start-a-business-course-2.jpg?v=1664300607\")
You’ll possibly encounter some new terms as you make sense of your business finances. Here are a few financial statements and concepts explained.
\nBalance sheets
\nA balance sheet lists your business’s assets, liabilities, and shareholder equity. Balance sheets offer a quick glance at how much your business is worth after all liabilities or debts and shareholder payouts are accounted for.
\nIncome statements
\nAn income statement (or earnings statement or profit and loss) calculates revenue minus expenses to tell you how much money your business is earning. These are usually prepared monthly, quarterly, or annually, depending on your business.
\nCash flow statements
\nA cash flow statement (CFS) is a financial statement that summarizes the in and out cash transactions during a given period. This statement gives founders a detailed picture of the cash position of the company. Managing cash flow is essential to its ongoing financial health.
\n\n\n
Many business owners swear by a simple spreadsheet to manage their small business accounting, and this method is perfectly fine for most small businesses just starting out. If you want more functionality and automation, or you have a more complex business structure, there are several small business accounting tools on the market.
\n💡 Tip: A professional accountant can help you navigate the ins and outs of business accounting, including advising you on accounting software and preparing you for tax time.
\nBeing ready for tax time means managing your finances all year long, not scrambling at the last minute. That’s because if your business owes taxes, you don’t want any surprises. Be sure you understand the business tax deadlines and the types of taxes you’re on the hook for, depending on your business structure.
\nRemember that you can offset many types of purchases as tax deductions as a small business owner. This is a non-exhaustive list of those items:
\nCheck with your accountant before writing off any expense—rules around what qualifies as a business expense vary by industry and country.
\nShould your business be charging sales tax for online purchases? The answer isn’t that simple. This will depend on a number of factors including where you’re running your business, where your customer is located, the type of goods you sell (some products are non-taxable), and how much revenue you bring in.
\nOnce you’ve determined that you should be charging sales tax, you’ll need to apply for a sales tax permit (or tax number or EIN), set tax rates in your online store, collect taxes from eligible purchases, and remit those taxes at tax time.
\n💡 Tip: Set collected taxes aside in a separate business bank account so that they remain untouched until tax time and do not get lumped in with earnings.
\n\n🦘 Jump back to: Table of contents
\nMarketing is reported as one of the most challenging aspects of running your own business—but it’s also the area where you will spend much of your time and budget. Launching a successful website requires ongoing campaigns to actively drive traffic to it and convert those visitors into buyers.
\nAlong with your financial plan, your business plan should also include your overall marketing plan. A marketing plan is the strategy your business uses to get products in front of your target audience. It’s a roadmap that helps you set goals and have a back-up plan.
\n💡 Tip: If you’re stuck staring at a blank page, browse examples of marketing plans and best practice ideas for increasing traffic to get you inspired.
\nNow, let’s dive into each type of marketing tactic and channel and get ready to make your first sale!
\nOrganic marketing refers to marketing efforts that don’t cost anything. With changing social media algorithms and more competition, organic traffic becomes increasingly harder to get. But there are still clever ways to attract customers on a small budget.
\nA few ideas include:
\nWe’ll take a closer look at many of these ideas in upcoming sections.
\n🦠 Success Story: How This Brand Used Pre-Orders to Launch Their Business
\nThe founders of portable hand sanitizer brand Sanikind launched in the wake of the pandemic, using pre-orders and crowdfunding to drum up excitement for their new business idea. 👉 Read their story
\nThere are several channels you can use to market a product. But which is right for you? The best place to start is often the channel where you already feel most comfortable or the place where you know that most of your target audience is already spending time. Test each to see which gives you the best return on your efforts and spend.
\nLearn more about marketing channels below.
\nEmail marketing can be a successful tool to convert leads to customers, encourage repeat business, and incentivize loyal customers to buy more. This is a cost-effective marketing tool, but it does require higher effort than some paid channels. Growing your email list and producing engaging content at the right cadence are the keys to winning at email marketing.
\n🔎 Explore more:
\n👩🏻🎓 FREE COURSE: Ecommerce Email Marketing 101
\nIn this course, led by host Drew Sanocki, you’ll learn how to build an engaged email list and automate your email marketing campaigns for maximum impact on your bottom line.
\n\n
![\"A](\"https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0070/7032/files/how-to-start-a-business-course-1.jpg?v=1664300676\")
Google offers up a goldmine of potential customers searching for the very thing you’re offering. But to be sure that they’re finding you, you’ll need to show up in search results. This can be achieved in a number of ways, including search engine optimization (SEO) and paid Google Ads (search engine marketing).
\nSEO is an organic marketing tactic that involves improving your website to rank higher in search engines. By sending signals to Google that your site offers value and matches the search intent of a user, it is more likely to appear higher in ranking.
\n🔎 Explore more:
\nInstagram is a visual social media channel that can be an effective marketing tool for certain brands. Whether you run Instagram Ads to get your product in front of potential customers, organically grow your audience with engaging content, or use it as a sales channel, it’s a platform worth exploring.
\n🔎 Explore more:
\n💡Did you know? You can sell directly to your audience using Instagram Shopping. Also check out LinkPop and the Shopify Starter Plan to get even more out of Instagram.
\nFacebook is still the largest social media platform in the world, with 2.9 billion users. And it’s an effective tool for many businesses that use it to engage with their community, run paid Facebook ads, and sell products directly.
\n7 tips to success with Facebook marketing:
\n✅ Understand your target audience.
\n✅ Diversify your content formats.
\n✅ Post when your audience is active.
\n✅ Share influencer or user-generated content.
\n✅ Encourage reviews.
\n✅ Get involved with Facebook groups.
\n✅ Track Facebook insights.
🔎 Explore more:
\n💡 Did you know? You can sell your products on Facebook for a seamless experience for your social audience. Also explore Shopify Apps to use Facebook Messenger and keep the conversation going with customers post-purchase.
\nTikTok
\nAs a newer platform on the market, there’s still opportunity to win with organic marketing on TikTok. Finding success on the platform means paying attention to trends and serving up catchy content that’s relevant to your target audience.
\n🔥 5 TikTok marketing tips:
\n🧪 PODCAST: How a Slime Business Found Success on Social
\nAngelina Ly was 14 when she saw slime take off among her peers. She started making her own, and in the five years since, expanded Firefly Slime into an empire. She found success in building communities on platforms like TikTok and Instagram, where she tailors content to each channel and audience. Hear Angelina’s story
\n🔎 Explore more:
\nOther channels
\nThere are many other platforms out there that might be perfect marketing channels for your business. Twitch, popular with gamers, might be the right place to find customers for your electronic business. And Pinterest, a go-to channel for DIY and style content, could be an effective place to market your home décor brand.
\nBrowse through the following resources to help you market your product on each channel:
\n💡 Tip: On whatever marketing channel you choose, you’ll want a strong call to action (CTA). This may be asking your audience to shop directly through the platform or to visit your website. Learn how to make the most of your link in bio to achieve your goals.
\nWhether it lives on your site as an SEO strategy or on another platform like YouTube, content marketing is a great way to grow traffic, build authority in your industry, and offer value to your customers.
\n🗒️ Content marketing formats include:
\nContent that lives on your site can be used to increase traffic (using SEO) or it can be “gated” to help you build your email list. Free content, like short tutorials or recipes, can give your potential customers a taste of your offering and make them feel confident about purchasing paid content like a cookbook or full-length course.
\nPotential customers can also find your business organically through other platforms like YouTube. Offering relevant content on YouTube is another way to show up in search results and build a community.
\n🔎 Explore more:
\n🍜 Success Story: How a Vegan Chef Built a Business on YouTube
\nWil Yeung dabbled in everything from dropshipping violins to developing his own consumer goods. The serial entrepreneur and self-taught chef built his latest business with a YouTube content strategy. He now sells his recipes as books, ebooks, and online courses.
\nConversion rate optimization (CRO) is a set of marketing tactics for increasing conversion (the percentage of your traffic that makes a purchase) on your website. Through design choices, efficiency improvements, and testing, effective CRO can encourage more visitors to take action.
\nWays to improve conversion rate on your site include:
\n✅ Simplifying the user experience
\n✅ Adding testimonials
\n✅ Using high-quality images
\n✅ Optimizing thank you email messages
\n✅ Offering free shipping
\n✅ Optimizing page load times
🔎 Explore more:
\nRunning ads without understanding ecommerce metrics likely means you’ll be wasting money and time. Take the time to learn analytics tools and get to know the terms. This will give you an accurate picture of your marketing spend and performance so you can double down on what works and stop what doesn’t.
\nSocial platforms often have native analytics dashboards to help you track the effectiveness of content and campaigns. You can find marketing analytics for your website on your ecommerce platform’s built-in reports or through a tool like Google Analytics.
\n🔎 Explore more:
\nCommunity is key for brands catering to niche markets. Both winning the hearts and trust of well-established communities and creating a new one of your own takes consistency, authenticity, and a personal touch.
\nWhether your target audience is breast cancer survivors, Indigenous communities, or drag queens, it’s important to understand the community you’re serving. Listen, engage, and ask for feedback as you grow.
\nMany new brands opt to build businesses that serve the communities they’re already part of. This way, they have a deep understanding of their customers’ needs and gaps in the market. If you’re not part of the community you hope to target, ask yourself if you’re the best person to build for that group.
\n🍬 Success Story: Community is Central to This Marshmallow Brand’s Growth
\nWhen the founders of XO Marshmallow moved their business from farmers markets to their online store, they brought their in-person touch with them. Their robust social communities help them gain valuable feedback and win new business through positive word of mouth.
\nOnce you’ve built a community, it’s important to nurture it. Community management involves growing your relationship with your audience in public spaces. Effective community management has four parts:
\n👀 Monitoring: tracking conversations that relate to your brand
\n💬 Engaging: proactively engaging with customers, leads, and influencers
\n🚔 Moderating: removing comments and conversations that don’t add value or violate the terms of your brand or the platform
\n📐 Measuring: analyzing how your brand is perceived and getting real, unfiltered feedback
While customer service will be part of your ongoing day-to-day operations to help keep customers happy, consider it a marketing tool, too. Great customer service inspires word-of-mouth referrals—people want to share positive experiences. You can also modify your typical customer service communications to inform customers about upcoming promotions or new product launches and drive future sales in the process.
\n🦘 Jump back to: Table of contents
\nBy now, your small business should be a well-oiled machine. Your product photos are on point, you’re building online communities, you’ve nailed your fulfillment process, and you’re hopefully making regular sales.
\nTake a moment to celebrate your wins! If you’ve made it this far, you’ve successfully turned a kernel of an idea into a living, breathing small business. So what’s next? You may decide to stay small, dedicating yourself to building relationships with a loyal customer base and managing everything solo. Or, maybe you’re ready for the moon.
\nHere, we touch on the next steps for your growing business, from seeking additional funding to hiring and managing staff.
\nYou may have started your business with a personal investment and bootstrapping, but if your plans are bigger, you might need to seek business funding. Additional funding can help you open a brick-and-mortar business, hire employees, or develop new products.
\nBefore you get started there are a few items to get in order:
\n✅ Update your business plan with your vision for growth
\n✅ Gather your financial statements
\n✅ Write and practice your elevator pitch
\n✅ Find a business mentor to help you prepare to pitch and polish your business plan
Get access to the funds you need to grow
\nSkip the lengthy paper applications and get quick access to funding to help your business thrive. Access Shopify Capital from your dashboard in a few clicks.
\n
\n
There are a number of sources for funding your business growth, including:
\nBusiness loans
\nSmall business loans can be acquired from a number of sources, including major banks, credit unions, and alternative lenders. It’s important to review the options available from each to decide which type of loan best suits your business. A financial adviser can help you make an informed decision.
\n💵 FREE TOOL: Business Loan Calculator
\nUse this tool to calculate how much your loan will cost including total interest and monthly payments, and the length of time it will take to pay it back.
\nSmall business grants are offered by many types of organizations. These organizations are looking to offer grants to small businesses that embody their organization’s purpose and add value to a particular community. With that in mind, the criteria for each grant varies widely.
\nSmall business grants are not loans and you don’t have to pay back the money you’re granted. However, there may be some non-monetary expectations that you are required to meet.
\nCrowdfunding
\nCrowdfunding involves running a private campaign, usually through a crowdfunding provider, to raise money for your business in advance of its launch, a growth milestone, or a new product. These funds come from the general population. They do not need to be paid back, but brands often offer incentives like products, membership, or swag.
\n\n\n
\n
To meet your long-term business growth goals, you’ll likely not be able to wear every hat forever. As you grow, focus on the aspects of running the business that you like the most and the ones that best suit your skillset. For the rest: delegate. There are three main ways to get some tasks off your plate.
\nInitially, you can use bot apps to automate your processes. These apps can do everything from send customer communication to generate financial reports, freeing you up to do more.
\nBut soon, you’ll likely need human help, especially if you need to offload manual tasks or hire employees for customer service. If your brand guidelines didn’t include any philosophy around hiring, it still serves as a great jumping off point to hone in on what qualities you’re looking for in new hires.
\nIf you’re not ready to set up payroll or manage employees, outsourcing is another way to increase your humanpower without cloning yourself. Freelancers, virtual assistants, and contract employees are all options for growing businesses.
\nAnother way to grow your brand is to expand into other markets. That might be finding new audiences within your existing sales markets or selling across borders. Before diving head first into global ecommerce, be sure to do your homework. Each country will have a specific set of regulations. Seek the advice of a lawyer before you sell in or open locations or warehouses abroad.
\nLevel up with Shopify Plus
\nReady to take your business to the next level? Flexible and fast to launch, Shopify Plus is a cost-effective enterprise platform that’s built for change.
\n![\"Graphic](\"https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0070/7032/files/shopify-plus.jpg?v=1664300797\")
You did it! You’ve achieved boss status and you’re already on your way to your next big goal. Along the way, you’ve gathered knowledge and learned from mistakes to help your business be the best it can be. The most exciting part? You’ve built a lifestyle around your passion. Enjoy the ride and remember: take care of yourself along the way.
\nYes, you can start a business with no money! A low-investment side gig such as a dropshipping store or a print on demand business is an easy way to get started while you’re still working. You can fund that business by bootstrapping as you grow or consider a small business loan or crowdfunding campaign. Tap into a skillset you already have and take advantage of free tools.
\nOnce you have a business idea, you’ve already completed the biggest step to starting your own business. Now it’s time to put that idea into action. The following steps will help you on your way to start a small business—or launching an empire.
\nThere’s never a “right” time to start a business. You should start a business when you have the time, attention, and funds to commit to it. Starting a business while you’re still working is a low-risk way to test the waters before making the leap to full-time entrepreneurship.
\nThere are a few things you need to start a business, including:
\nThe best way to start a business is to take the leap. Many businesses can be started by those with no experience and a low startup budget.
\nThe most successful small businesses are those that match the right product with the right customer at the right time. They are run by founders who understand their market and have built a compelling brand to suit it. You can find success in any industry with any business model provided you do the work to assess your idea’s viability. Determine what “success” means to you before you set out and map your business plan to that goal.
\nAfter you launch with a basic version of your idea, you can always tweak as you scale your business. Pay attention to customer feedback and market trends.
\nhttps://www.shopify.com/blog/how-to-start-a-business
\nHeidi Zak spent the past decade thinking about bras so millions of women and bra wearers don’t have to. That’s the idea behind ThirdLove, the San Francisco–based lingerie brand Heidi started in 2012 with co-founders Ra’el Cohen and David Spector.
\n\n![\"80%](\"https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0070/7032/files/google_podcast.png?format=webp&v=1644590575\")
![\"80%](\"https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0070/7032/files/Get_it_on_iTunes_Badge_US_1114.jpg?v=1484774726\"){kind=icon}
![\"80%](\"https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0070/7032/files/spotify_listen_badge.jpg?v=1528213174\"){kind=icon}
![\"Heidi](\"https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0070/7032/files/Copy_of_Heidi_Zak_design_table_1.jpg?v=1684960977\")
Following a less than stellar shopping experience in which Heidi bought a bra that didn’t fit right, she thought, “There’s gotta be something better.”
\nHeidi’s experience is shared by the 80% of women who are all wearing the wrong bra size. ThirdLove is solving this problem by using technology and data to offer twice as many sizing options and tools to help individuals find the right size.
\nIn this episode of Shopify On Location, Heidi shares how ThirdLove found its product market fit by helping women find their ideal bra fit.
\nSince sizing and fit were the most important aspects for Heidi and her co-founders, they enlisted the help of potential customers to try on their samples. “We were a scrappy early stage startup,” says Heidi. “And so we put an ad on Craigslist to get product feedback.”
\n![\"A](\"https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0070/7032/files/20220225_ThirdLove-OTT_1709.jpg?v=1684961364\")
The women of San Francisco embraced the invite. Hundreds entered ThirdLove’s two-storey walkup rental space to get undressed and test out the brand’s bras.
\nThis early pre-launch data collection was crucial for ThirdLove as it tested out the concept of half cups, something unique to the brand.
\n“Shoes have half sizes, now bras do too,” says Heidi.
\nOne of the major ways ThirdLove helps individuals find their ideal fit is through its virtual fitting room. The seamless flow of questions, imagery, and tips for measuring has allowed more than 18 million women find their size—and often, it’s not the size they expected.
\n“Sixty-five percent to seventy percent of women who do our fitting room online come to find out we’re recommending a size that is different than the size they’re wearing,” says Heidi. “That’s a big leap of faith.”
\nTo ease the impact of that leap, ThirdLove ran a program called Try Before You Buy, allowing customers to try out bras free of risk (customers pay only the shipping cost) to fully experience the ThirdLove difference.
\n![\"Three](\"https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0070/7032/files/20220225_ThirdLove-OTT_0721.jpg?v=1684961479\")
“That marketing program in the early days of ThirdLove before we had brand recognition was huge for us, because it really got customers over the hurdle of being worried about trying a new brand and a new size,” Heidi says.
\nA lot has changed in the past decade, including customers’ preferences for bras. It’s an evolution ThirdLove has adapted to by increasing its product offerings. “We built our business with the underwire bra as the core,” says Heidi. “During COVID, we saw a surge in demand for wireless.”
\nNot only did ThirdLove offer more wireless options, it also entered the sports bra market. Other brands traditionally use letter sizing for sports bras (small, medium, large). ThirdLove took a different approach.
\n“We launched sports bras about a year ago, and that’s been really amazing, because there’s a lot of companies selling sports bras, but they’re not really coming at it from the fit perspective that we do,” says Heidi. “So our sports bras have a cup and a band associated with them, just like regular bra sizing.”
\n![\"Two](\"https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0070/7032/files/6__2778.jpg?v=1684961593\")
In addition to sports bras, ThirdLove continues to meet customers where they are by launching new products based on trends and demand: The company has recently ventured into both athletic wear and loungewear.
\nTo hear more about ThirdLove’s connection to San Francisco and its journey from fundraising to retail expansion, listen to Heidi’s full interview on Shopify Masters.
\nhttps://www.shopify.com/blog/thirdlove-market-fit
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