I. How to Start An Online Store with Shopify
Entrepreneurs must have a bit of confusion for the first time setting up an online store on Shopify. No worries! Regardless of your industry, the steps below will provide you with cornerstones for a successful Shopify store. You can also check out the way to come up with Shopify store names for you businesses!
Step 1: Pick Your Business Idea
If you reach this article, there must have been something in your mind. Running eCommerce stores is now one of the biggest trends, but not all stores win the game. Some profitable eCommerce ideas from which you can get inspired include:
- Skincare & cosmetics
- Fashion & apparel
- Household goods
- Kid toys
- Entertainment (e.g., books, films, stationeries, etc)
- Electronics
- Handmade products
Check out Shop Name Ideas generator.
Step 2: Start a Free Trial Plan
Before launching any store, you have 3 days to explore every corner of Shopify. All you need is to sign up for a shop at Shopify. Free domain names are available. When the 3-day plan ends, you will get charged to go further with Shopify. Furthermore, if you want to experience Shopify more, then you just don't want to miss this Shopify $1 for the first 3 months deal!
Step 3: Design Your Website
Once you are in, the very first step is to give your site a good look. Several free themes are up for grabs. You can customize them in terms of colors, fonts, images, or layouts after applying.
Start with a free theme or make an investment in a premium theme for faster loading speed, branded appearance, and more features.
Did you know: To fast-rack the launching process of their ecommerce businesses, many merchants simply buy existing Shopify stores on Exchange Marketplace, customize it to their preference, add products and launch it.
Step 4: Add Your Products
You should launch your store only after having a certain number of products. For adding new items, the path is through Products => Add products. Here, you will need to fill in the product title & description, the price setting, shipping details, etc.
Quick read: Shopify Coming Soon
Step 5: Get Your Shopify Stores Launched
When you finish off necessary customization, hesitate no more to launch your shop!
>>> Did you know: You can make money by building a Shopify art store?
II. The 15 Best Successful Shopify Store Examples
1. Alo Yoga
Niche: Yoga clothing
Estimated traffic: 1.11m
What contributes to the success of Alo Yoga?
- Impressive website theme: The brand can grab yoga lovers’ attention in a second with its professional and energetic look. Despite the basic layout, they have it amazingly customized and loaded with photos of practitioners doing yoga poses. Also, guests will have no difficulty navigating as the site is so well-arranged.
Alo Yoga’s homepage
- Incredible Instagram marketing: Alo Yoga has successfully leveraged the features of this powerful tool. In terms of visuals, nothing better than making people “wow” with photos and videos showing the most advanced yoga postures. Even non-yogis will find their Instagram feed so satisfying to see, let alone yoga enthusiasts! The use of reels and IGTV is also an effective way to engage more audiences.
- Devoted YouTube creations: Alo Yoga has put its heart into every YouTube video, from which they create such a quality community. On visiting their channel for the first time, you won’t feel like they are selling clothes. There are several 30-minute videos on helping people practice yoga - which requires much effort to produce. In other words, the brand has won customers’ hearts with the decent content they deliver.
Link to Shopify store: https://www.aloyoga.com/
Read more: Best Shopify Jewelry Stores
2. HELM Boots
Niche: Handcrafting boots & shoes for men
What contributes to the success of HELM Boots?
- Attractive benefits for new buyers: HELM Boots knows how to convert visitors into customers. By offering 15% off and free shipping for their very first purchase, the brand has cleared the cost barrier for hesitant people. Not to mention, free returns and exchanges are also applicable. So, you have very few reasons to refuse such a good deal!
HELM Boots’ homepage
- Decent blog: The brand has staggering 22 pages on its blog, which houses about 250+ individual articles. The content is beautiful and provides lots of knowledge about cultures and shoes. Such a meaty blog helps drive more traffic to the site and consolidates the brand identity simultaneously.
- High-quality products: HELM Boots certainly cannot go this far without having top-of-the-line goods to sell. The brand prides itself on a decadal history of making shoes, which they assure to be versatile and timeless. Customers’ comments on the shop’s Instagram also show their satisfaction towards HELM Boosts’ products.
Link to Shopify store: https://helmboots.com/
3. Pura Vida Bracelets
Niche: Women accessories and clothing
Estimated traffic: 1.19m
What contributes to the success of Pura Vida Bracelets?
- Eye-catching website: You will feel it when you see it. Pura Vida Bracelets has a website full of colors with some positive vibes in the air. It really makes you want to stay longer on the site and scroll to see more stunning pictures. The brand is so good at making girls love it at first sight.
- Wide product range: Not just accessories, Pura Vida Bracelets has extended its merchandise to clothes, which is perfect to combine with items of other categories in the shop. Such a variety of choices certainly increase revenue potential for the brand.
- Effective targeting on Instagram: Its incredible number of followers (2.1m) can tell a lot. Pura Vida Bracelets has successfully reached out to potential customers through multiple strategies: video marketing, influencer endorsement, promotion campaigns, etc. Their videos are so satisfying to watch that audiences can hardly take their eyes off.
Link to Shopify store: https://www.puravidabracelets.com/
4. So Young
Niche: Bags for children and women
What contributes to the success of So Young?
- Up-to-date design: So Young provides girls with different types of bags necessary for their daily life. Generally, items sold by this brand bear a minimal and elegant design with trendy colors mainly used. They are matchable with different outfits and suitable for both casual and professional uses.
So Young’s homepage
- Credible customer feedback: So Young has a number of 321 reviews on their website, which is fair enough to gain trust. The brand has blocked the biggest barrier of shopping online: the uncertainties about product quality. When in doubt, it is every shopper’s habit to turn to others’ opinions. So, the company just helps them decide more easily.
Every product review means a step closer to payment.
- Sell through retailers: Besides selling directly to customers, So Young also works with retailers to distribute its goods. Unquestionably, this plan has boosted the company’s revenue to a new level.
Link to Shopify store: https://us.soyoung.ca/
Check out this article about Shopify T-shirt Store Examples for Your Inspiration.
5. Au Lit Fine Linens
Niche: home and bedding products
Estimated traffic: 84k
What contributes to the success of Au Lit Fine Linens?
- Smooth web performance: Speed is a killer. A slow website can make visitors frustrated and end up leaving your site instantly. Au Lit Fine Linens’ homepage performs so satisfyingly that you just want to click everywhere on the page. The feeling of comfort it delivers is so consistent with the nature of products!
Au Lit Fine Linens’ product page
- Clear brand identity: Au Lit Fine Linens is one of the stores that are so good at delivering the brand’s message through visual elements. Everything, including logo, colors, and design, always aims to show the characteristics of a premium brand. And they did a good job.
- A proud history: Au Lit Fine Linens is a family-owned enterprise and has operated since 1981. This 40-year history is proof of the credibility and toughness of the brand in such an industry. It certainly makes customers more willing to spend.
Link to Shopify store: https://www.aulitfinelinens.com/
6. Minaal
Niche: travel bags and gear
What contributes to the success of Minaal?
- Positive feedback: Like So Young, Minaal has many product reviews displayed on its website, which encourages people to make a purchase. But unlike So Young, where you have to click to see the feedback, Minaal made those reviews noticeable on its main page.
Minaal’s homepage
- Potential blog campaign: Though having just more than ten articles, Minaal has given them worth-reading topics. Each piece contains lots of helpful information and also SEO keywords. The blog is not so diverse at the moment, but regular updates might boost the site’s overall SEO score.
- YouTube videos: I can’t fail to mention it. The brand has produced several videos to introduce its multi-purpose products. This way is so effective that it enables Minaal to show all the functions and selling points of an item. When shoppers know how their wanted item works in real life, they are much more likely to give it a try.
Link to Shopify store: https://www.minaal.com/
7. NCLA Beauty
Niche: cosmetics and body care products
What contributes to the success of NCLA Beauty?
- Appealing visuals: Of all Shopify stores mentioned above, NCLA Beauty is a store with the most exceptional visual appeal. On visiting their website, you must be stunned with glowing images and close-up gifts loaded on the homepage. It really makes products look more high-end and sharpens the brand identity of NCLA Beauty.
NCLA Beauty’s homepage
- Quality over quantity: Despite being a well-known cosmetic store, NCLA Beauty doesn’t have many products to offer. However, every product comes with great devotion to both appearance and quality.
- KOL endorsement: NCLA Beauty has several micro KOL speak for its product on Instagram, which is a crowded playground for cosmetic businesses. What they have gained is spectacular - 216k followers.
Link to Shopify store: https://nclabeauty.com/
8. Flex
Niche: menstrual cups and discs
Estimated traffic: 392k
What contributes to the success of Flex?
- An unusual niche: Flex goes for a line of business that is much less competitive than industries like fashion or F&B. Plus, they offer the kind of products that meet a crying need of women - menstrual cups and discs. There is no doubt that those advantages create fertile soil for Flex to thrive.
Flex’s homepage
- Effective message delivery: Flex states its message clearly in large font size: “Don’t sacrifice your comfort because you have your period.” It is so relatable to women. By showing the functions and verified testimonials of a product, it washes away common doubts immediately.
- Press advertising: It’s so amazing that Flex has nearly 30 newspapers feature them. Many of those are well-known names, such as VOGUE, Forbes, or The Economist. It explains how the brand walks so confidently on this road.
Link to Shopify store: https://flexfits.com/
9. Happiest Baby
Niche: baby products for parents
Estimated traffic: 958k
What contributes to the success of Happiest Baby?
- A decent blog: This brand has an excellent content plan for its website. If you are a parent, you will feel touched when scanning Happiest Baby’s articles. The team knows how to write what parents want to read. The piece “What Moms Really Want for Mother’s Day” is an example.
Read more: Best Blog Design Examples For Your Inspiration
Happiest Baby’s homepage
- Integrated mobile app: It differentiates Happiest Baby from other players in the field. The app allows this brand to accompany customers during their use of a product. For example, parents can get their baby’s daily sleep reports or advice from experts. Such friendly support certainly increases customer loyalty and brand credibility.
- Science-based products: Happiest Baby promises to deliver goods based on 20+ years of research. They have their effectiveness confirmed by happy customers and praised by the press. Unquestionably, product quality is the most convincing answer to this company’s success.
Link to Shopify store: https://www.happiestbaby.com/
10. Raven Roxanne
Niche: artistic paintings
What contributes to the success of Raven Roxanne?
- The painter: The most important determining factor of a lucrative art business is the artists. Raven Roxanne’s paintings are aesthetically but not so abstract to digest. Such taste works for a majority of people, which certainly helps bring in profit for the shop.
- Effective social media leverage: Raven Roxanne has a relatively good following on Instagram and Pinterest, which are the most powerful social platforms for photo sharing. Lots of people visit her account to buy paintings or just search for inspiration for their work.
- Affordable price: A painting of Raven Roxanne ranges from 50 USD to nearly 200 USD, which is reasonable for most people. A good pricing strategy is a way of increasing sales volume instead of spending too much on marketing.
Link to Shopify store: https://ravenroxanne.com/
11. Quad Lock
Niche: smartphone cases and gadgets
Estimated traffic: 358k
What contributes to the success of Quad Lock?
- Cutting-edge products: Quad Lock provides gadgets that allow your smartphone to be attached to your arms or vehicle while cycling. Founded in 2011, the co-founders have always tried the best to upgrade their devices to meet customer demands. The gadgets work so well that many customers find them indispensable for their active lifestyle.
Quad Lock’s homepage
- A staggering number of testimonials: Customer satisfaction is the most convincing reason to buy, and Quad Lock has much of it. The brand stands many chances of winning the game by using 85k of reviews to impress its shoppers. When there are no doubts left, they will rush to their cart.
- Excellent social media targeting: Quad Lock has a total of more than 400k audiences combined on Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook. On all platforms, the team is never easy with its content and visuals. For example, its Instagram feed can take your breath away with a collection of high-quality, spectacular images. Each post also comes with a concise, appealing piece of content.
Quad Lock’s feed bears a bold look.
Link to Shopify store: https://www.quadlockcase.com/
12. Craft & Mason
Niche: roasted coffee
What contributes to the success of Craft & Mason?
- Easy navigation: Buying food and beverage online is quite an impulse decision, so complicated websites may make visitors drop out at once. Of all Shopify stores mentioned, Craft & Mason has the most minimalistic web page. Its menu includes merely essential pages with just one product page.
Craft & Mason uses a basic theme for its pages.
- Good visuals: As you can’t taste before buying, packaging means a lot. Craft & Mason makes its product look so attractive as they know it affects the willingness to buy. The product photos displayed on the main page imply a rigorous roasting process and quality coffee packets.
- Subscription: The brand offers coffee eccentrics a choice to receive its products monthly with shipping included in the cost. This strategy not only pushes up revenue potential but also increases customer loyalty for the shop.
Link to Shopify store: https://craftandmason.com/
13. SkinnyMe Teatox
Niche: detox tea
What contributes to the success of SkinnyMe Teatox?
- Compelling results: The biggest question of shoppers buying detox products is always “Does it really work?” They won’t believe it until they see it. So, SkinnyMe Teatox breaks this barrier by showing them several before and after photos from happy customers. When there is no confusion left, they will give it a go.
SkinnyMe Teatox’s homepage
- A meaty blog: The brand has a large number of posts for readers to digest. This source of healthy-living tips can inspire any person with an active lifestyle, from that drive traffic to the site for better conversion rate.
- First-purchase discount: SkinnyMe Teatox offers a 10% sale for your first order. Such a policy has effectively attracted new customers to the brand by easing their worries of prices.
Link to Shopify store: https://www.skinnymetea.com.au/
14. St. Frank
Niche: handcrafted decor
What contributes to the success of St. Frank?
- Extended merchandise: St. Frank offers a wide range of products to cater to diverse customer needs. Shoppers can find almost everything for their new house on websites like this. Such an impressive array of categories certainly expands the revenue potential for St. Frank.
- Trendy design: Everyone loves bringing home lovely stuff, and St. Frank has struck the right chord. Items sold by this eCommerce store always come with a beautiful look that catches people’s eyes in a second. The brand has a good understanding of emerging trends and knows how to make its customers scream for its design.
- Excessive Pinterest traffic: Pinterest is one of the websites from which people often come to get inspiration. This feature makes it a perfect place to promote stores like St. Frank. By leveraging buyable pins, the shop earns up to 984k individual views per month. Such incredible traffic enhances both the brand awareness and conversion rate significantly.
Link to Shopify store: https://stfrank.com/
15. Pawhuggies
Niche: dog supplies
What contributes to the success of Pawhuggies?
- Effective sale campaign: Dog owners can always find necessary items for their puppies at discounted prices in Pawhuggies. Bestsellers with 50% off can’t be a better deal. You don’t need to go to product pages to see those deals, as they are visible right below the homepage’s banner.
Pawhuggies’ product page
- Good customer service: Pawhuggies offers free shipping worldwide, 24/7 support, and a friendly policy for return and refund. Stores like this can gain buyers’ trust in the first place and foster customer retention in the long term.
- Brand integrity: What distinguishes Pawhuggies from other stores in the field is its commitment to moral values. The brand promises to deliver safe products with high quality in which customers can be confident. Besides, they are willing to answer your questions 24/7 for zero worries left.
Link to Shopify store: https://www.pawhuggies.com
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