Buying a done-for-you Shopify store is like purchasing a car from the dealership. You buy it, they hand you the key, and off you go.
This is the main idea behind a DFY Shopify store – it’s a turnkey transaction. In short, it’s ready and it’s operational as soon as you get your hands on it.
Some entrepreneurs opt for these types of stores for many reasons. It could be a lack of technical skills, time crunch, or they want their stores done right from the first time. However, as attractive as it sounds, paying for a done-for-you ecommerce store also has its pitfalls that you should be aware of.
In this article, we’ll be discussing everything you need to know about pre-build Shopify stores – their benefits, drawbacks, and some tips to find the best web designer for you. We’ll also be providing some DFY stores at the last part of this article.
So stay with us ‘til the end.
What Is A Done-For-You Ecommerce Store?
If you are new to the ecommerce space, you might have already heard of Shopify and Amazon FBA. But the term “done-for-you ecommerce store” is not usually part of the conversation.
There are several terms for it and you can use them interchangeably:
- DFY ecommerce store
- Done-for-you ecommerce business
- Done-for-you Shopify store (if you’re planning to use the Shopify platform)
Regardless of the term use, they all mean the same thing – a turnkey ecommerce website.
As the name implies, a DFY online store is a selling platform that is pre-built so that the buyer can just “turn the key” and start selling. That’s why they also call them “turnkey websites”.
There are several kinds of done-for-you online stores:
- An existing online store that already has products and has generated sales in the past. You’ll find brands like these on Empire Flippers.
- Done-for-you dropshipping stores are prebuilt by product suppliers so that website buyers can readily use them in their dropshipping business.
- An ecommerce store built from the ground up according to the buyer’s demands, preferences, and business model. This is usually commissioned to Shopify development agencies who have the expertise on all facets of the platform.
In this article, we will solely focus on ecommerce stores built from the ground up.
When Do You Need A Done-For-You Shopify Store?
A done-for-you Shopify store can be useful to you for a number of practical reasons. A store like this would be your best option if you want to
Create An Ecommerce Store But You Have No Experience
Sometimes, as much as you want to launch an online store fast, other things just get in the way. You’re juggling between being a business owner, a salesman, and a manager. With so many hats to wear, you might not have the time to sit down and acquire the experience to create an online store.
This is where hiring a done-for-you ecommerce business experts comes in handy. With a pre-built Shopify store, you let expert web builders do all the creation and store optimization needed.
When it is done, your business will be ready to launch. All you have to do is operate it. Fewer things to learn.
Avoid Costly Mistakes
It happens to the best of us. Making mistakes when making your own ecommerce store is very possible when you are doing it for the first time.
Mistakes can happen from a lot of things:
- Setting up your payment gateway or shipping
- Setting up the location
- Designing your store’s structure
- Choosing the apps and themes
- And more
In short, a lot of things could go wrong.
Take this scenario as an example:
Shopify offers free and paid themes that you can use for your online business. In the event that you purchased a template, and weeks into designing it, you have figured out that the functions it offers are not the best match for the functionality that you need, you would have no choice but to start over.
A mistake like this is a difficult pill to swallow especially when you have dedicated weeks to building the ecom store. That means spending money on a new template. Not to mention the time you already spent plus the massive frustration you’ll feel.
This is where paying for a DFY Shopify store makes a lot of sense.
Launch A Branded Website From The Get Go
Done-for-you Shopify store experts are adept in launching a branded website – well, it depends on whom you hire. But if you hire a designer with branding experience with the portfolio to back it up, you’re in for a treat.
Creating an online store is a little difficult on its own. Implementing branding ideas in your online business adds another level of difficulty.
Branding is a team effort that requires research, design, and several hours of getting inspired by other ecommerce brands. You can launch dropshipping businesses or Shopify stores without the need for branding. But it will not be beneficial for you in the long haul.
If you are in it to win it, branding should be on top of your mind when launching a website.
Paying someone to help you execute your branding idea is a welcome relief.
Avoid Spending Too Much Time On Learning How To Create A Store
A dropshipping store requires different functionalities compared to a retail online store. If you don’t know the distinction, you might have a hard time launching your store. Not to mention the time you’ll spend figuring it out.
A done-for-you dropshipping store eliminates that need. Because the Shopify store that will be handed to you will be tailor made for the purpose you’re planning to use it for.
You can spend your precious time elsewhere, such as learning how to market your upcoming business.
05. Eliminate The Need For In-House Web Developers
Creating a Shopify store can be as easy as creating a Facebook page if you want simple functions such as Home, Product, Collection, and About page.
However, store optimization and integrating third-party apps might require a bit more knowledge and experience that you might not currently have.
If that’s the case, paying for a done-for-you ecommerce business might be the cheapest and most cost-effective option for you.
Hiring a web developer minimizes the probability of encountering potential problems when your ecom store is up and running. And after the online store is turned over to you, you don’t have to pay for monthly salaries of in-house developers just to work on potential errors. You can always claim warranty on the store created for you.
Drawbacks of a DFY Shopify Store
As indicated above, a done-for-you Shopify store affords merchants with tons of long-term benefits. However, commissioning someone or some agency to create your online store for you also comes with potential drawbacks.
And you should be aware of these drawbacks to temper your expectations.
Here are some of them:
Originality Could Be An Issue
Let’s be honest, if you want a well-designed DFY Shopify store, you must be willing to spend money on professional services.
The prices of Shopify developers could range from a few hundreds to several thousands of dollars. These prices depend on factors such as team size, location, and expertise of the developers.
Naturally, you might be inclined to the cheapest option especially if you are on a tight budget. While there’s nothing wrong with that, you might want to be diligent in choosing your service provider.
Avoid agencies or freelancers who use templates because in that case, originality could be an issue. You don’t want your online store looking like a slightly modified version of other stores, do you?
Is It A Proven Idea?
As mentioned above, there exist some prebuilt online stores that are already generating retail sales. Now that they are up for sale, will it be a good idea to buy them? Could be or could be not.
That depends on the niche that they are in. You might have to ask why the current owner is selling the website if it still generates profit. It could be that the niche is growing competitively and they want to make an exit by selling the business.
In cases of turnkey websites with pre-loaded products, the question should be, “is it a proven idea?”. Thus, you should do your research to avoid running into a potentially “lemon” business idea.
Branding Could Be A Hit-Or-Miss
Similar to online store development, branding costs money. Merchants who have the budget could work with separate agencies in terms of branding and store development. But if you’re someone who’s on a tight budget, your best option is to pay for a complete package for your done-for-you ecommerce business.
As such, you might want to play close attention on how your branding ideas are executed in your store. Do some research about branding to supplement your web developer.
Remember, branding is what sticks to your potential customers’ minds after they leave your store. If you want to have great first impressions, you have to nail your branding right off the bat.
Dependency On Outside Support
Since opting for a DFY ecommerce store means might result to missing knowledge foundation as maintained above, the chances of relying on outside support for any issue can be too high. This means that when problems arise in your online store, you might not be able to resolve them right away – which could lead to downtimes and worse, lost sales.
Hiring outside support could also result in additional expenses. That’s why it is important to negotiate the aspect of ongoing support with your service provider. Moreover, it is also important to enrich your knowledge in managing an online store to avoid dependency.
Limited To The Services Offered By The Seller
A done-for-you online business is offered by Shopify agencies or freelancers who are trying to earn from every website that they create. In most cases, these web developers offer different pricing tiers.
And your store, quality of service, after-sales support would highly likely depend on the pricing tier that you choose.
If you don’t have enough budget, you might be forced to choose low-tier services with limited offers. You get locked in by what you can only afford and you will have to pay extra for additional services.
Thus, before you make up your mind, make sure that you are financially prepared to pay for a pricing tier that offers ongoing support.
Where to Find Done-For-You Ecommerce Stores?
If you are convinced that a DFY online store is the best solution to your ecommerce needs, there are a lot of places you can look into to find the best fit.
Different service providers mean different pricing models.
Here are some of them:
Referrals
When looking for a creator, the first thing that you can do is ask for referrals from people you know who have already tried a specific creator. That way, you get honest feedback, the good and the bad, from a person who has first-hand experience of the service.
You can also ask for referrals from the owner of a Shopify website that you liked. You can reach website owners through the contact page on their websites. In doing so, be upfront with your intention of asking about where they had their website designed.
Freelancing Websites
Sometimes, you will find the best done-for-you Shopify store experts not in the form of a large website employing hundreds of people. Instead, as a digital marketing professional working as freelance web designer.
Freelancing websites like Fiverr and Upwork gives you access to thousands of digital marketing professionals whose specializations range from content marketing, PPC ads, SEO – and yes, web design. In exchange for that convenience, these platforms charge the employer (you) a few extra dollars for the work done.
These professionals hugely vary in terms of their pricing. You can have a done-for-you ecommerce store for less than $100 to over $1000. This gives you a lot of options to choose from that will suit your demands.
Of course, not all freelancers are the same. So, be diligent in choosing a designer to avoid headaches along the way.
You can also find digital marketing companies and professionals on LinkedIn. If you found someone on LinkedIn, you can directly hire them without paying fees, unlike freelancing websites.
LinkedIn is a platform for career-oriented professionals who want to get known in their space of expertise. Thus, you are guaranteed to find a web designer here who can create your Shopify store.
Websites-Flipping Marketplaces
Marketplaces like Empire Flippers are a good place to find existing ecommerce businesses. The good thing about their listings is that those websites are already generating revenues. In short, the previous owners of those websites have done the hard job of starting the business.
This is a great option for you if you have the money to buy existing ecommerce businesses. It goes without saying that the more revenues an online store generates, the more expensive it will be priced. Thus, it’s important to do your research before buying one.
Google Search
Finally, you can find just about anything on Google. Make a simple search and your wish is Google’s command.
There is one drawback here though, the search results depend on your location. Thus, if you live in the US, you are most likely to find US-based results.
Examples of DFY E-Commerce Stores
As we promised before, we’ll give you some examples of DFY Shopify stores. And here’s a list of stores that we found that are made by agencies and freelancers.
Coton Frais
https://cotonfraisfashion.com/
Source: cotonfraisfashion.com
Coton Frais is an apparel company based in Marco Island. Their collection extends to chic items for babies, hats, and jewelry. The website is well-curated, everything is in the right place, and the website is very lightweight. Every page loads up in less than half a second. Overall, it provides a very seamless experience.
Their website is created from scratch by Dotcom Engine
Price: $490 to $790 (one-time investment)
Splashes and Spills
https://www.splashesandspills.com/
Source: splashesandspills.com
Splashes and Spills is a makeup company that specializes in products perfect for artists who use the human skin as an art canvas. They offer glitter makeup, neons, and products that are used for special effects on the skin. The website itself is nothing short of impeccable. They combined the right tone of pink and black to create that easy-to-look feel – and they succeeded at that.
This is a perfect example of why partnering with a creative agency pays huge dividends for a company’s brand identity.
This website is designed by Ovio Creative
Price: Upon inquiry
Casewale
http://casewale.com/
Source: casewale.com
If you have cash sitting around and waiting for a good investment opportunity, buying an existing online business can be an attractive option for you. Casewale sells phone cases for brands like Apple, Samsung, and OnePlus. On top of phone cases, it also offers Apple watch straps, chargers, and other phone accessories.
This website is for sale for a hefty price of $350,000. Despite being expensive, the listing says that it generates $50,000 in monthly profit. That means that you can get your money back in just less than a year.
You can find ecommerce brands like this on Flippa.
Price: $350,000 for the entire website.
*Disclaimer: This is not business advice and should not be treated as such.
All About Greens
https://shop.allaboutgreens.co.uk/
Source: shop.allaboutgreens.co.uk
All About Greens is a UK-based online business selling kitchen utensils, cookware, apparels, and more. Additionally, they offer digital courses on cooking. The website is well put together and it has instantaneous load speed providing a friction-less experience.
This website was created by an Upwork freelancer named Franziska. She is a Shopify expert and professional web designer.
Price: $75 per hour.
Amazin’ Aces
https://www.amazinaces.com/
Source: amazinaces.com
Amazin’ Aces is an ecommerce business selling pickleball paddles. But not just a plain old boring black paddle. They sell colorful paddles with graphic designs in them. The ecommerce store is nicely done and is very easy to navigate. It focuses less on the buttons and more on the visual designs. Overall, the website doesn’t disappoint.
This Shopify store was created by a Fiverr freelancer named George. He is a Fiverr Pro Verified in E-commerce development, website development, and website maintenance.
Price: $945 to $1,545
Anake Boutique
https://anakeboutique.com/
Anake Boutique is a done-for-you dropshipping store created by a Fiverr freelancer named Teodora. With a 5-star rating from more than 600 reviews, we can say Teodora knows how to create proper Shopify stores.
Anake Boutique mainly sells dresses for most occasions. They have summer outfits, summer dresses, and some elegant-looking dresses perfect for upscale events.
Price: $315 to $725
Aviendo
https://www.aviendo.com/
Aviendo is a Shopify store that sells wooden decors inspired by Scandinavian design. Equally attention-grabbing as their products is their Shopify store design that oozes a contemporary appeal. The online store is sleek and modern, and more importantly, it’s fast and responsive. Overall, it’s properly executed.
This Shopify store was created by a Fiverr designer named Xavier. Aside from retail stores, Xavier also mentions in his profile that he can create a branded done-for-you dropshipping store. What’s great is that he doesn’t charge a premium for these websites.
Price: $125 to $250
Campfire Adventure
https://campfireadventure.com/
Campfire Adventure is a done-for-you dropshipping store created by an ecommerce agency named Dropship XL. This store mainly sells camping equipment such as various kinds of tents, fire pits, and water filters for people who love the outdoors.
Price: Upon inquiry
5 Tips to Find The Right DFY Ecommerce Store Designer
To avoid the dreadful experience of dealing with a sham ecommerce website builder, here are five (5) tips that will help you find the right man for the job.
Check The Website
A simple Google search of the term “done for you Shopify '' will give you enough results to find a good website builder. Take your time in doing your research. Click and explore the websites one by one to see how they do their business.
Look At Their Portfolio
Next, look at their portfolio. Visit the websites that they previously created and have a feel of the experience. Browse the entire websites and see how they execute different types of pages like home, about, and contact us.
Furthermore, read the copywriting on the websites. Do they write a good product description? It is worth noting that online stores are not just all about products and images. Nicely written copies will help you attract customers to buy your products.
Do They Specialize In DFY Ecommerce?
You have to make sure that the website builder that you choose has substantial experience in creating ecommerce websites.
That is because ecommerce websites require a different approach compared to ordinary landing pages and blog sites. You want to maximize what these websites have to offer.
Here are three (3) websites that has substantial experience on creating DFY ecommerce stores:
What Services Are Included?
As a buyer, you want to get the most out of your purchase. Therefore, it is important for you to find an ecommerce builder that is willing to help you out even after they turned over the store to you.
This is especially important if problems arise in the future. You need someone to help you solve these problems right away if you do not know how to solve them yourself. In a situation like this, 24/7 live chat support will be beneficial for you.
Additionally, websites need constant maintenance and monitoring. And if you want to implement changes in the future, they must be willing to do the job for you.
Talk To Them
Lastly, talk to your chosen seller to see if their approach matches your ideas. This will be your opportunity to ask everything that you need to make a decision. So, don’t skip this part.
Make sure that you talk to a real person and not a bot. This will give you an idea of how responsive their customer service is. You want to make sure that when problems arise, you won’t be left on your own devices to deal with a chatbot.
Talk about their team. Do they have UX and UI designers that will help create an appealing done-for-you online business website?
This is also the best time for you to discuss your budget and what they can offer within your capacity. If you want a website soon, make sure that their time frame can meet your set deadlines.
Should You Buy A DFY E-Commerce Store Or Should You Just Create One?
A ready made Shopify store has a lot of benefits and it also has its drawbacks. However, the things that make it very compelling to buy a done-for-you Shopify store is that it offers convenience and certainty.
The truth is, you can’t go wrong with a DFY ecommerce store if you choose the right partner.
So, if you are asking if you should buy a prebuilt online store instead of creating one yourself – the answer boils down to your willingness to pay a premium to the cost attached to it, and the time that you have.
With that in mind, it is worth noting that, the cost of these services can be substantial, it is very crucial to find the best partner in building your ecommerce site. Always choose an agency or professional who has great reviews and years of experience.
At the end of the day, whether you buy one or create it yourself, you still have to get acquainted with the functionalities of your online store when it’s turned over to you.
