A Comprehensive Guide to Shopify Website Development
Last updated on July 18th, 2023 at 08:59 am
As online shopping steadily dominates the global market, having a well-developed online store is crucial. Whether you are a tech pro or a casual user, you can consider Shopify to get online and start selling. This eCommerce platform has changed the way of developing eCommerce websites to sell products and services.
Shopify comes with the simplest and most comprehensive ways to start selling online. Due to its various benefits (like security, reliability, SEO capabilities, easy setup, etc.), Shopify development services have become popular for entrepreneurs, small business owners, and large enterprises.
Why is Shopify so Popular for Developing eCommerce Websites?
Shopify incorporates inbuilt marketing tools that reduce costs. It offers a range of benefits that can help businesses thrive in the competitive online marketplace.
Quick and Easy to Set Up
Shopify offers an efficient way to set up online stores. Its user-friendly interface lets store owners easily manage their stores. Also, it offers drag-and-drop functionality that allows users to add and remove elements on their store’s site.
App Store and Integrations
Shopify has an extensive app store that offers a wide range of add-ons and integrations. These apps allow you to enhance your store’s functionality and add new features. From marketing and analytics tools to inventory management and customer support, you can find various apps to meet your business needs.
SEO and Marketing Capabilities
Shopify has built-in search engine optimization (SEO) features, allowing your store to rank well in search engine results. It provides customizable meta tags, URL structures, and sitemaps, making it easier for search engines to crawl and index your site. It improves your store’s visibility and increases your chances of ranking higher in search results.
Secure and Reliable
Security is a top priority for any online business. Shopify provides a secure and reliable infrastructure to protect customers’ data. It ensures the smooth and uninterrupted operation of your online store. The platform is Level 1 PCI DSS compliant and follows the highest data security standards.
Customizable
There are various themes (both free and paid) available in the Shopify store to choose from. All of them are mobile responsive and fully customizable. So, by hiring a Shopify development company for custom development, creating a unique and beautiful online shop that fits your brand identity is simple.
Own Payment Gateway
A compatible payment gateway ensures that your payments are processed efficiently and smoothly. With third-party payment gateways (like PayPal, Stripe, Amazon Pay, etc.), Shopify’s payment method is ‘Shopify Payments.’
This built-in Shopify payment gateway eliminates the need and hassle for merchants to set up any third-party payment provider. Also, it comes with integrated risk tools helpful in identifying suspicious orders.
How Can You Use Shopify in eCommerce Website Development?
Creating Applications for Merchants
With extensible APIs and easy-to-implement developer tools, one can easily create Shopify applications to enhance customer experience. The purpose of creating these apps is to enhance the platform’s capability. It lets a Shopify development company create public, private, or custom applications on the Shopify ecosystem to cater to different requirements of individuals.
Develop or Customize Shopify Themes
Shopify lets developers create interactive themes using template language such as Liquid. Also, to fasten the customization process, one can use the Shopify CLI (command line interface). It automates various tasks like previewing, testing and sharing theme changes.
Build Custom Storefronts
With Shopify’s storefront API, Shopify developers can create custom websites and embed UI elements, product listings, and shopping carts. It helps create a seamless and engaging shopping experience by leveraging Shopify’s robust eCommerce functionalities.
Moreover, this API gives access to different store resources that allow a Shopify development company to meet all custom demands of eCommerce products.
Steps to Develop eCommerce Applications Using Shopify
Validate Your Idea
The foremost step towards developing eCommerce stores is considering objectives, available resources, and possible outcomes. Analyze the idea of what and why you are creating it.
Prototype
Next is creating an interactive layout of how your Shopify storefront will look like. This will help you visualize the user’s perspective in a better manner.
Create Shopify Account
To begin with the development, create a Shopify account first. This will let you choose themes and blocks to set up your online store. However, it is also true that you require someone with technical expertise to work on Shopify to enhance its capabilities and add more elements.
Setting Up the Domain With Shopify
Shopify allows you to easily add a new one, connect to an existing one, or transfer a domain. So, purchase a domain for your website either from Shopify or any external hosting and domain service provider.
Connect a Payment Process System
Once you are done designing your eCommerce store pages, integrate a payment gateway to process the payments for all sales. This will enable your customer to pay via different modes like debit cards, credit cards, G Pay, etc.
Testing
Testing is the best way to check your site’s performance, cross-platform appearance, etc. It will also let you know whether the site meets the requirements and objectives. Also, you can launch a beta version of your site to identify its capabilities and customer response before a final release.
Launch and Market
Once satisfied with your eCommerce site’s functionality, launch it to the public. It will make your products reach a larger audience. Also, you can test your product’s success with proper user engagement and community.
How Much Does Shopify Website Development Cost?
Shopify is not a free-to-use platform. It charges additional fees on different aspects of your Shopify store. However, there are some fixed Shopify costs. Let’s understand them one by one.
Shopify Pricing Plans
Shopify website development costs vary depending on which plan you opt for. Here is a quick overview of Shopify pricing plans.
- Basic Shopify – $29/month.
- Shopify – $79/month.
- Advanced Shopify – $299/month.
- Shopify Plus – $79/month.
Shopify Themes
Shopify offers many themes to design eCommerce stores in less time. It has many free and paid theme options for up to $400. Depending on your needs, you can choose free themes or a premium one providing more customization options. Alternatively, you can hire a Shopify development company to design a custom theme for better personalization options.
Other things that can impact your Shopify website development cost are purchasing a domain name, integrating a Shopify app, Shopify transaction fees, and credit card charges.
Conclusion
The guide has highlighted the major things about Shopify website development. You can also invest in Shopify development services to develop your Shopify store according to your needs. Remember, eCommerce website development is an ongoing process. But with proper resources and expertise, and a focus on improving the customer’s experience, you can make a credible online presence with your online store.
