What is Shopify & how does it work?
Alright, let’s talk about Shopify without all the techy nonsense.
You want to sell stuff online. You could try building a website from scratch, but that’s a massive headache. You’d need to figure out web hosting, security, and how to accept credit cards without it being a disaster.
This is where Shopify comes in.
Think of it like this: Shopify is like renting a fully-built storefront in a good neighborhood. The walls are up, the lights work, and the cash register is installed. You don’t need to be a carpenter or an electrician. You just move in your products, put up your sign, and you’re open for business.
How it Works in the Real World
It’s pretty straightforward. You pay a monthly fee, and for that, you get a website and a “back office” to run your whole operation.
Here’s the real-world process:
You Sign Up and Pick a Look. You go to Shopify, create an account, and pick a design (they call it a “theme”). You then customize it with your logo and colors. It’s like decorating your new digital space.
You Add Your Products. This is the main event. You go into your admin area and start listing what you’re selling. You add pictures, write a description, set a price. It’s just like listing something on Facebook Marketplace, but with more details.
You Set Up Getting Paid. This is the important part. You connect your bank account through a payment processor (like Shopify’s own system or PayPal). This lets you accept credit cards securely. You also tell Shopify your shipping rules—like flat rate or free shipping over a certain amount.
You Open Your Doors. You connect your own website address (your domain), hit “go,” and your store is live. People can now find you and buy your stuff.
What You Do Every Day
Shopify handles the tech, but you’re still the boss. Your job is to:
Get people to come to your store (through social media, word of mouth, etc.).
When an order comes in, you pack it up, slap a shipping label on it (which you can print right from Shopify), and send it out.
Keep an eye on your inventory so you don’t sell out of something.
The Cool Part: The App Store
If you need your store to do something specific, you don’t need a programmer. There’s an App Store full of tools. Need a better email signup form? There’s an app for that. Want to offer discounts? There’s an app for that too.
The Real Deal
Look, Shopify isn’t magic. It won’t find customers for you. You still need a good product and a way to get the word out.
But what it does is take all the complicated, technical junk off your plate. It lets you focus on the fun part: actually running your business.
For most people starting out, that’s exactly what they need
