Should You Start a Shopify Store?
Shopify is the default choice when you want to build a brand, control the customer relationship, and own your storefront long-term. The trade-off is steeper: you pay a monthly fee and you're responsible for every visitor who lands on the site.
The choice
Start a Shopify store vs Stay on a marketplace
What Shopify gets you that a marketplace doesn't
A branded storefront, your own domain, full design control, and complete customer data — email addresses, purchase history, and the ability to re-market.
Lower per-order fees than Etsy or eBay once you're past a few hundred orders per month, especially if you use Shop Pay or Shopify Payments.
Apps and integrations for almost any workflow: subscriptions, wholesale, print-on-demand, shipping automation, accounting.
The honest downsides
Zero built-in traffic. Shopify gives you the storefront, not the buyers — every visitor comes from your marketing.
Monthly subscription ($29+) plus apps add up to $80–$200/month for most real stores.
Conversion rates on a cold-traffic Shopify store are typically 1–2%. You need either strong organic content, a warm audience, or a profitable ad funnel.
How to tell if you're ready
Run the Shopify Conversion Calculator with realistic numbers (2% conversion, your AOV, your ad CPC). If the math only works at 4–5% conversion, you're not ready yet.
Check the Shopify Income Goal Calculator to see how much monthly traffic you'd need to hit your target — then ask whether you can realistically generate it.
Frequently asked questions
- Shopify or Etsy first?
- Most new sellers start on Etsy to validate the product against real buyer demand, then layer Shopify on once they have repeat customers, an email list, or a clear brand they want to own.
- How much does Shopify cost per month?
- The Basic plan is $29/month. Add a theme ($0–$350 one-time), a few essential apps ($20–$80/month), and payment processing (2.9% + 30¢) and a typical store runs $80–$200/month all-in.
- Do I need to know how to code?
- No. Shopify themes are drag-and-drop, and the app store covers most needs. Custom code only helps once you're optimising a store doing real volume.
Related Guides
How To Start A Shopify Store
Step-by-step setup for a profitable Shopify store — niche, products, theme, checkout, shipping, taxes, and launch.
Read guide →How to Calculate Your True Shopify Profit
What's left after product cost, fees, ads, and overhead — and how to work it out.
Read guide →How To Price Products On Shopify: Complete Pricing Guide
A complete 2026 pricing guide for Shopify merchants — cost, competitor, premium, bundle, and subscription strategies with worked examples for physical, handmade, POD, and digital products.
Read guide →Shopify Profit Guide: How To Actually Make Money
The Shopify profit equation — fees, COGS, shipping, ads, and the real margin you need to survive paid traffic.
Read guide →
Recommended Downloads
How Much Does It Cost To Start a Shopify Store?
A real-world breakdown of Shopify startup costs — plan fees, themes, apps, domain, inventory, and the realistic monthly minimum to run a profitable store.
Open resource →How Much Money Can a Shopify Store Make?
Realistic income ranges for Shopify stores by stage, niche, and traffic — plus the conversion, AOV, and margin math that drives profit.
Open resource →How Much Traffic Does a Shopify Store Need To Make Money?
Estimate the monthly traffic your Shopify store needs to hit a real income goal using conversion rate, AOV, and profit margin benchmarks.
Open resource →Average Order Value (AOV) for Shopify Stores
What AOV means, how to calculate it, realistic Shopify benchmarks, and proven tactics to lift your average order value and store profit.
Open resource →
Compare Alternatives
Shopify vs eBay
Owned storefront vs marketplace reach — fees, traffic, and customer ownership compared.
Compare →eBay Store vs No Store
When the monthly subscription starts paying for itself — break-even compared.
Compare →Etsy vs Shopify
Marketplace traffic vs full brand control — which fits your shop?
Compare →
Related Calculators
Shopify Profit Calculator
True ecommerce profit after Shopify fees and ads.
Try calculator →Shopify Income Goal Calculator
Orders, visitors, and revenue needed to hit a monthly Shopify income goal.
Try calculator →Shopify Conversion Calculator
Track your Shopify store conversion rate against benchmarks.
Try calculator →Shopify Break-Even Calculator
Orders and revenue you need to cover Shopify fees, apps, and ads.
Try calculator →