Tag: Shopify

The Walmart Integration With ChatGPT Has 1 Glaring Problem

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Last week, OpenAI rolled out “Instant Checkout,” which allows users to search for, and—more importantly—buy products directly within ChatGPT. Originally, the big-name partner was Shopify, which makes sense. Shopify powers e-commerce for most of the small sellers on the internet—and some bigger names that might surprise you. It made perfect sense that the company would want to make the ability to be discovered in ChatGPT available to those sellers.

But then, this week, Walmart announced that it would be a part of Instant Checkout. You can now tell ChatGPT you need a new set of towels or an iPhone case, and it will suggest options from Walmart’s catalog and complete the purchase for you.

That’s a big deal. But there is a catch: For now, Walmart’s ChatGPT integration won’t include fresh groceries, according to The Wall Street Journal.

That’s a big miss.

An Inc.com Featured Presentation

The AI meal-planning dream

The thing is, one of the things ChatGPT is best at is helping people plan meals. You can ask it to create a weeknight dinner menu for a family of four, and it will instantly return recipes, portion sizes, and shopping lists. The next logical step seems pretty obvious—turn those lists into an order.

In fact, this is one of the clearest examples of how AI can benefit people in their everyday lives. You should be able to move from “what should I make for dinner?” to “yes, deliver the ingredients tonight.” With an integration like this, we’re so close, and no company is better positioned for that future than Walmart.

Walmart isn’t just a discount store. It’s the largest grocer in the United States, with more than half its sales coming from food. It has cold-chain logistics, neighborhood stores for same-day pickup, and a massive delivery network already in place.

Fresh food is a unique challenge

That infrastructure is the hardest part of grocery e-commerce. Amazon, Instacart, and DoorDash all compete in that space, but they depend on partnerships. Walmart owns the entire stack—from warehouse to doorstep.

If ChatGPT is where people go to plan meals, Walmart could become the default place where they turn those plans into purchases. It wouldn’t just sell groceries; it would own the conversion layer between digital intent and physical goods. This is why the absence of fresh food in the ChatGPT integration puzzling. It feels like such an obvious connection.

There are, of course, practical reasons. I get that groceries are complicated. For fresh food, especially, the logistics of getting something ordered and delivered to your home while it’s still, well, fresh, isn’t easy. It’s not entirely surprising that Walmart is taking it slow, at least when it comes to food with a short shelf life. Managing perishable food items requires a lot more coordination than selling HDMI cables or socks.

But solving that problem could be the killer feature of AI-powered shopping.

Getting to the future of retail

Ultimately, every major player in retail knows that AI-driven commerce will depend on who controls the interface, not just who has the stores with all the inventory. If ChatGPT becomes the default place people plan their meals, Walmart has to be the default fulfillment partner. Otherwise, that space will be filled by someone else.

Shopify is already trying to fill that space. And, for Walmart, which has millions of third-party sellers who offer products in its marketplace, it’s a space it can’t just hand over to a competitor.

Walmart’s ChatGPT partnership is smart. It shows that the company understands where commerce is heading: away from search bars and toward natural language. It gives Walmart a foothold inside a rapidly growing AI ecosystem that has the potential to change the way people shop.

But the glaring miss—the absence of fresh groceries—underscores how difficult it will be to fully capture that opportunity. Groceries are Walmart’s greatest advantage and its most complicated challenge. They represent the most frequent purchases, the richest data, and the strongest potential for habit formation.

If Walmart can figure out how to let ChatGPT plan your meals, generate your list, and deliver everything by dinnertime, it won’t just be keeping up with AI commerce. It will define it.

The opinions expressed here by Inc.com columnists are their own, not those of Inc.com.

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Jason Aten

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October 17, 2025
Analysts Keep Raising Shopify’s Targets – Make a 3.0% Yield in One-Month SHOP OTM Puts

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Analysts continue to raise their revenue and stock price targets for Shopify, Inc. (SHOP). Its new target price is 20% higher. This article will demonstrate how to achieve a 3.0% yield by shorting one-month away SHOP puts at a 4% out-of-the-money strike price.

SHOP closed at $146.82 on Friday, Sept. 5, with a $191.274 billion market cap. That is well over my prior target price of $137 at a 178 billion market valuation.

SHOP stock – last 3 months – Barchart – As of Sept. 5, 2025

This can be seen in my July 13 Barchart article, just after its Q2 earnings release (“Shopify Stock is a Bargain – How to Make a 3.2% One-Month Yield with SHOP“).

Since then, Shopify delivered strong Q2 results on Aug. 6. This article will update our prior target price based on its strong free cash flow (FCF) and FCF margins.

Shopify, which competes more and more with Amazon (AMZN) in the third-party online seller space, said its Q2 revenue rose 31% to $2.68 billion from $2.045 billion a year ago.

Moreover, its free cash flow (FCF), which is what is left over after all cash expenses, net working capital changes, and even capex spending, rose by +$26.7% to $422 million.

That means that, as a percent of revenue, its FCF represented 15.75% of sales (which Shopify rounds up to 16%) compared to 15.38% last quarter and 16.3% last year.

Shopify Q2 FCF and FCF margins page 6 of Q2 earnings release

That implies that the company is continuing to squeeze out good amounts of cash from its operations, even as sales keep rising.

Keep in mind that during Q4, Shopify tends to make significantly higher FCF margins during the Christmas season.

For example, last Q4, its FCF margin was 21.73%, according to Stock Analysis. As a result, its look-back trailing 12 months (TTM) FCF margin as of Q2 was 18.14%, based on Stock Analysis data. In Q1, its TTM FCF margin was slightly higher at 18.42%.

As a result, assuming the next Q4 margin will rise, we can use an 18.5% FCF margin to forecast its next 12 months (NTM) free cash flow.

Analysts now project 2025 sales will be $11.26 billion (up from $10.88 billion in my prior Barchart article). Moreover, the 2026 sales forecast is now $13.75 billion, up from $13.11 billion.

That implies that Shopify’s next 12 months (NTM) revenue will be on a run rate of $12.505 billion (up from $12.0 billion in my prior article).

So, applying the 18.5% FCF margin:

$12.505 billion NTM sales x 18.5% FCF margin = $2.3134 billion FCF NTM

That is 4.2% higher than my prior estimate of $2.22 billion.

We can use that FCF estimate to forecast its target price.

If we assume that Shopify will eventually pay out 100% of its FCF to shareholders, and that the market will give the stock a 1.0% FCF yield, here is its valuation:

$2.3134 billion / 0.01 = $231.34 billion market value

Today, Shopify’s market cap is $191.274 billion, according to Yahoo! Finance:

$231.34 billion /$191.274 billion = 1.2095 -1 = 20.95% upside

In other words, SHOP stock could be worth almost 21% more over the next 12 months:

$146.82 x 1.2095 = $177.58 per share

The point is that if the company makes an 18.5% FCF margin and the market gives the stock a 1.0% FCF yield valuation, the stock could rise 21% to $177.58.

Analysts tend to agree with this. For example, AnaChart.com now shows that 34 analysts have a price target of $155.33.

One way to play this is to set a lower buy-in target price by shorting out-of-the-money (OTM) puts. That way an investor can make a good yield while waiting for the stock to fall.

For example, look at the Oct. 10 expiration period, one month away (i.e., 33 days to expiration or DTE). It shows that the $141.00 put option contract, which is 4% below Friday’s close, has a midpoint premium of $4.35 per put contract.

That implies that a short-seller of these puts can make an immediate yield of 3.085% (i.e., $4.35/$141.00 = 0.03085).

SHOP puts expiring Oct. 10, 2025 – Barchart – As of Sept. 5, 2025

To do this, an investor first secures $14,100 with their brokerage firm in cash or buying power. That acts as collateral to buy 100 shares of SHOP stock, in case it falls 4% to $141.00 (each contract has 100 shares).

Then, after entering an order to “Sell to Open” 1 put contract at $141.00, the account will immediately receive $435.00. That is why this play has a 3.085% yield (i.e., $435/$14,100).

Note that the investor who does this play has a lower potential break-even buy-in point:

$131.00- $4.35.00 = $136.65 breakeven

That is -6.92% below Friday’s closing price, so it provides a good downside protection.

However, this only applies if SHOP falls to $141.00 and the account is assigned to buy 100 shares using the collateral already posted.

The point, however, is that an investor has a good upside this way. On the one hand, they can make an immediate yield of 3.085%. If this is repeated for three months, the expected return (ER) could be +9.255%.

That is the same as holding shares and seeing SHOP stock rise to $160.81 over the next 3 months. Moreover, an investor could also buy deep in-the-money (ITM) calls for a further out period and use these short-put plays to help pay for the cost. That way, they may have some upside if SHOP keeps rising from here.

However, if SHOP falls below the breakeven point over the next month, an investor could end up with an unrealized capital loss. Investors can study the downside risks by going to Barchart’s Option Education Center.

The bottom line is SHOP stock looks cheap here. Shorting OTM puts and/or buying ITM calls is one way to play it.

On the date of publication, Mark R. Hake, CFA did not have (either directly or indirectly) positions in any of the securities mentioned in this article. All information and data in this article is solely for informational purposes. This article was originally published on Barchart.com

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September 7, 2025
How to sell your merch on Spotify – ReverbNation Blog

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Want to sell music merch on Spotify where people are already listening to your songs?

It makes sense to offer products (albums, hats, mugs, shirts, posters, books) right from your Spotify artist page. Because that’s likely to be one of your most visible properties online!

And as Luminate’s 2024 midyear music industry report shows, not only should merch sales be an important part of your revenue picture as an artist, but paid streaming subscribers are actually MORE likely than other listeners to purchase physical formats like CD and vinyl.

To feature merch on your Spotify profile:

1. You need a Spotify for Artists account.

If you’re not yet verified, go to Artists.Spotify.com.

2. Next, you need a Shopify account.

To get just the most streamlined features, there is a starter plan for $5/month.

If you already had a Shopify store, then it’s simple; just move on to step 3!

However, if you’re brand new to Shopify, you’ll need to spend some time inputing your merch items, quantities, size specifications (for things like shirts and sweatshirts), prices, etc.

3. It’s time to connect Shopify & Spotify.

You do that either by clicking the MERCH button in Spotify for Artists…

… and adding the URL of your Shopify store:

Or you can add the Spotify for Artists app within the Shopify App Store:

4. Got multiple artists on your roster?

If you’re a manager or label who has many artists in either your Shopify or Spotify account, you’ll be asked to select which merch belongs with which artist.

5. Arrange the merch on Spotify

Then you’ll see a display of merch items listed in Spotify for Artists (under the Merch section), with the most recently added items at the top.

You can manually pin a handful of items when you want to feature the most important merch at the top of your store on Spotify.

6. Be mindful of merch availability.

Anytime one of your merch items is out of stock, it’ll automatically be removed from Spotify.

And be aware that whenever you add a new merch item in Shopify, you may need to manually post it to the collection or store that’s connected to Spotify.

7. Spotlight your best-seller or newest merch.

Lastly, whenever you drop new merch, be sure to use Spotify’s Artist Pick section to prominently feature the item at the top of your profile.

Conclusion

That’s how to get your merch items listed for sale on your Spotify profile!

Already go a Shopify store? This process takes minutes at most.

Do you still need to create a Shopify store? Then you might be looking at an hour or so instead of minutes, but it’s worth doing!

Because that one store can connect not only to Spotify, but also Facebook, Instagram, and other popular platforms.

For more information about selling merch on Spotify, go here.

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Chris Robley

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August 2, 2024
Shopify shares sink as company posts Q1 loss – MoneySense

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Merchants solutions leading growth segment

Hoffmeister also highlighted the anticipated smaller benefit from pricing changes in the second quarter compared with the first three months of the year.

“We remain resolutely confident in the great products and go-to-market initiatives fuelling our continuous growth and our ability to further strengthen our position as a leader in unified commerce,” he said. “We expect Q2 to be a continuation of our strong momentum.”

The company said its merchants solutions revenue amounted to USD$1.35 billion in its latest quarter, up from USD$1.13 billion a year earlier, which it attributed primarily “to the benefit from the absence of logistics.”

Meanwhile, subscription solutions revenue totalled USD$511 million, up from USD$382 million in the same quarter last year.

On an adjusted basis, Shopify said it earned 20 cents USD per diluted share in its latest quarter, up from an adjusted profit of a penny USD per share in the first quarter of 2023. That compared with analysts’ expectations of 17 cents USD per diluted share, according to LSEG Data & Analytics.

Automation enables growth without hiring

Following last year’s job cuts, Shopify has kept its headcount flat for three consecutive quarters, said president Harley Finkelstein. He said he believes Shopify can limit headcount growth while “achieving a continued combination of consistent top-line growth and profitability” in part because of automation.

“Over the past 18 months, we’ve committed significant effort into building efficient infrastructure and systems, which are instrumental in streamlining our work and maintaining our high-velocity product releases,” Finkelstein said. “Essentially, these systems and this infrastructure act as catalysts, enabling us to operate with increased efficiency and speed.”

Hoffmeister pointed to increased use of artificial intelligence for merchant support. He said more than half of Shopify’s merchant support interactions in the first quarter were assisted by AI “and often fully resolved with the help of AI.”

AI has also enabled 24/7 live support in eight languages that previously were offered only certain hours of the day.

“We have significantly enhanced the merchant experience,” he said. “The average duration of support interactions has decreased, and the introduction of AI has helped reduce the reluctance that some merchants previously had towards asking questions that they might perceive as trivial or naïve.”

Read more on investing:

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The Canadian Press

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May 8, 2024
Shop Cash: $5 For Free – Doctor Of Credit
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The Offer

Direct link to offer

Get $5 shop cash for free

Our Verdict

Shop cash is Shopify’s rewards program. You can get some items for free with this deal as some places offer free shipping. If you look at “Your Offers” you can find some shops that have multipliers on your shop cash (e.g a 3x multiplier turns this into a free $15) just make sure to check for any minimums as well. Share any good deals you find below.
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William Charles

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December 2, 2023
Shop Cash: $5 For Free – Doctor Of Credit
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The Offer

Direct link to offer

Get $5 shop cash for free

Our Verdict

Shop cash is Shopify’s rewards program. You can get some items for free with this deal as some places offer free shipping. Blissy offers free shipping and can get $20 off $30 when using a referral link, feel free to share yours in the comments, also promo code SNUGGLEVIP for 30% off. A list of other stores with free items: Leaf Shave, procompression.com, Any Means Necessary Clothing, Sheets & Giggles, ZOX, Coldest, Verb Energy, Fanjoy, The Flower Letters, XCVI, Cx Orthodontic Supply, POSSIBLE®. Share any other store freebies in the comments.

Hat tip to reddit
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William Charles

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November 14, 2023
Shopify Is Offering Amazon’s ‘Buy With Prime.’ 3 Benefits From the Deal.

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Shopify

unveiled a deal that permits merchants on its platform to offer shoppers the choice to buy items using

Amazon

Prime perks. Analysts anticipate a boost in merchant usage, among other benefits for the tech firms involved.

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August 31, 2023
How ChatGPT and AI Can Boost Your Shopify Store | Entrepreneur
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Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
Staying ahead of the competition requires embracing cutting-edge technologies in today’s fast-paced digital world. ChatGPT, powered by artificial intelligence (AI), offers immense potential for transforming customer experiences, improving conversions and boosting overall business performance.

Let’s explore how you can harness the power of ChatGPT and AI to supercharge your Shopify store and achieve tremendous success.

Understanding ChatGPT and AI

ChatGPT and generative AI have revolutionized the way businesses interact with customers. ChatGPT, developed by OpenAI, is a language model powered by deep learning algorithms that can engage in human-like conversations.

Conversely, AI encompasses a broader range of technologies that enable machines to simulate intelligent behavior. ChatGPT and AI can enhance customer support, personalize shopping experiences and automate tasks when integrated into a Shopify store.

Related: How to Use AI Tools Like ChatGPT in Your Business

Optimizing customer support with ChatGPT

Customer support plays a vital role in the success of any Shopify store. It’s essential to provide your customers with exceptional assistance and prompt responses to their inquiries. This is where ChatGPT shines. Integrating ChatGPT into your business operations can take your customer support to new heights.

Implementing a chatbot powered by ChatGPT allows you to offer round-the-clock assistance, ensuring your customers can get help whenever needed. Whether during the day, late at night or on weekends, your chatbot can respond instantly to customer queries, helping them find the information they need quickly and efficiently.

With new ChatGPT and chatbot integrations, you can offer “improv” human-like conversations that personalize conversations and tailor products to your customer’s needs. But ChatGPT provides more than just automated responses. It can understand and engage in human-like conversations, providing a personalized touch to your customer support.

Imagine a customer browsing your store looking for a new pair of running shoes. ChatGPT lets your chatbot analyze past purchases, browsing history and preferences to offer personalized product recommendations. You can consider their preferred brands, sizes and even running styles to suggest the perfect pair of shoes. This level of personalization enhances the shopping experience, making customers feel valued and understood.

Personalizing shopping experiences

You can take personalization to the next level when using AI-powered recommendation engines in your Shopify store. These recommendation engines leverage AI algorithms to analyze customer data, such as browsing history, purchase behavior and preferences, to better reflect their shopping suggestions and tastes.

When a customer visits your Shopify store, the recommendation engine can present them with a curated selection of products that align with their interests and past purchasing behavior. It goes beyond generic suggestions and considers their preferences, styles and price ranges.

For example, if a customer frequently purchases athletic wear, the recommendation engine can showcase new arrivals or discounted items in that category. It can also consider preferred brands, sizes and colors to offer a highly personalized shopping experience. It’s like finishing your favorite series and seeing suggestions just like it. Keeping your existing customers is cheaper and easier than getting new ones.

By providing personalized product recommendations, you enhance the customer’s engagement and the likelihood of purchasing. Customers feel valued when they see products that align with their preferences, increasing their confidence in your store and leading to higher conversion rates.

Moreover, AI-powered personalization is not limited to product recommendations. It can extend to personalized promotions, targeted marketing campaigns and customized email newsletters. You can further nurture customer relationships and drive repeat purchases by using AI algorithms to segment your customer base and deliver personalized content.

Related: Powering Personalized Shopping: The AI Way

Automating tedious tasks

Running a Shopify store involves numerous repetitive and time-consuming tasks. AI can automate these tasks, allowing you to focus on core business activities. For example, AI-powered inventory management systems can monitor stock levels, predict demand and automate reordering, ensuring you never run out of popular products. Additionally, AI algorithms can automate email marketing campaigns, personalized product promotions and even social media management, saving you valuable time and effort. More on this below.

Analyzing data for business insights

Data is the lifeblood of any successful business. With AI, you can leverage advanced analytics and machine learning algorithms to gain actionable insights from your Shopify store’s data. AI can analyze customer behavior, identify patterns and predict future trends, empowering you to make data-driven decisions. By understanding customer preferences, optimizing pricing strategies and identifying potential market opportunities, you can fine-tune your Shopify store’s operations and drive tremendous success.

One area where AI excels is in email marketing. You can automate personalized email campaigns tailored to individual customer preferences and behavior by employing AI-powered email marketing tools. AI algorithms analyze customer data, such as purchase history, browsing behavior and engagement patterns, to deliver targeted and relevant email content. This level of personalization enhances the customer experience and improves your email campaigns’ effectiveness, increasing open and click-through rates and ultimately driving more conversions.

Integrating ChatGPT and AI into your Shopify store

Now that you understand the immense potential of ChatGPT and AI, it’s time to incorporate them into your Shopify store. Follow these steps to get started:
1. Identify your goals: Determine the specific areas of your Shopify store where ChatGPT and AI can provide the most value, such as customer support, personalization or automation.
2. Choose the right tools: Explore the available ChatGPT and AI platforms, and select the one that best aligns with your business requirements and budget. Consider factors such as ease of integration, scalability and customer support. Always check your store to see if Shopify has provided seamless integration.
3. Plan your implementation: Develop a comprehensive implementation plan, considering factors like data integration, customization and training your AI models. Collaborate with experts, or utilize resources provided by the AI platform to ensure a smooth integration process.
4. Test and iterate: Launch your AI-powered features in a controlled environment, and gather customer feedback. Continuously iterate and improve your AI systems based on customer interactions and insights. Make a thing of it; let your customers know you’re trying something new, and invite them to tell you about it.
When employing the strength of ChatGPT and AI, you can transform your Shopify store into a highly successful business. The possibilities are endless — from optimizing customer support and personalizing shopping experiences to automating tedious tasks and analyzing data for insights. Embrace these technologies, stay ahead of the curve, and create exceptional experiences that drive customer satisfaction, loyalty and business growth.

Related: The 4 Marketing Strategies Your Shopify Store Needs to Drive Traffic
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Eric Netsch

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June 28, 2023
10 States Where Entrepreneurs Are Driving the Economy the Most: Report | Entrepreneur

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Being an entrepreneur or self-starter doesn’t just mean you’re contributing to your own financial success, you’re also contributing to the local economy.

A recent report by the e-commerce platform Shopify analyzed the economic impact of entrepreneurs worldwide by measuring how people in the platform’s ecosystem contributed to jobs supported (the number of jobs sustained by entrepreneurs who use Shopify’s platform to sell goods and services), GDP impact (value of goods and services produced by merchants), and business activity (merchant revenue plus the revenue of suppliers who provide materials and services).

Overall, entrepreneurs in Shopify’s ecosystem supported 5.2 million jobs globally in 2022 (an 8.3% increase from 2021) and generated $490.5 billion in economic activity (+8.6%).

Leading Shopify’s global ranking was the U.S., with over $270 billion generated from business activity, 1.1 million jobs supported, and a GDP impact of $128.7 billion. The second and third spots were both in Eastern Europe — Lithuania (No. 2) and Romania (No. 3) — followed by the United Kingdom (No. 4) and the Czech Republic (No. 5).

In the U.S., Delaware was the top state for entrepreneurial contribution to the economy with business activity of $2.2 billion, 9,280 jobs supported, and a GDP impact of over $1 billion.

Related: The Key Benefits of Using Shopify for Your Business

After Delaware, the Mountain States dominated the ranks, with three out of the top five across the country being in the region: Wyoming (No. 2), Montana (No. 4), and Utah (No. 5). California ranked No. 3, and was also independently leading for the most jobs created across the country at 134,024.

Here are the top 10 U.S. states where entrepreneurs in Shopify’s ecosystem are generating the most business for their economy:

Delaware:

Business activity: $2.2 billion

Jobs Supported: 9,280 jobs supported

GDP Impact: $1 billion

Wyoming:

Business activity: $912 million

Jobs Supported: 3,710

GDP Impact: $416 million

California:

Business activity: $57.6 billion

Jobs Supported: 235,237

GDP Impact: $26.6 billion

Montana:

Business activity: $694 million

Jobs Supported: 2,838

GDP Impact: $325 million

Utah:

Business activity: $6.9 billion

Jobs Supported: 28,081

GDP Impact: $3.1 billion

Nevada:

Business activity: $3.4 billion

Jobs Supported: 13,885

GDP Impact: $1.5 billion

Alabama:

Business activity: $2.6 billion

Jobs Supported: 10,832

GDP Impact: $1.2 billion

Florida:

Business activity: $15.5 billion

Jobs Supported: 63,560

GDP Impact: $7.2 billion

Idaho:

Business activity: $1.3 billion

Jobs Supported: 5,612

GDP Impact: $639 million

Hawaii:

Business activity: $826 million

Jobs Supported: 3,380

GDP Impact: $389 million

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Entrepreneur Staff

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May 16, 2023
Tech layoffs continue as Shopify shrinks team by 20% | Bank Automation News

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Roughly 20% of e-commerce platform Shopify’s team has been dropped from the company with the sale of its logistics business to supply chain manager Flexport. “For the past year, we’ve been subtracting everything that’s in the way of making the best possible product,” Shopify Chief Executive Tobi Lutke said in a note to staff this […]

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Whitney McDonald

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May 4, 2023
4 Marketing Tactics to Drive Traffic to Your Shopify Store | Entrepreneur

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Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

After taking the leap into the ecommerce world and launching your Shopify store, you’re probably looking for ways to attract new customers. Even with a great design and solid product offering, standing out in a crowded market can be challenging. Fortunately, you can take several practical strategies and actions to promote and drive traffic to your business. Depending on your needs and goals, these can include anything from social media marketing to paid advertising to email marketing campaigns.

Shopify is currently the leading platform for ecommerce brands, and it powers nearly two million businesses’ online stores. It goes without saying, but competition in the ecommerce world is fierce; retailers looking to remain relevant and stand out need to establish a solid marketing strategy that will actually move the mark.

Whether you’re just starting out or looking to take your business to the next level, it’s essential to prioritize marketing and make it a crucial part of your overall ecommerce strategy. Doing so can lead to increased sales, greater brand recognition and the development of a loyal customer base.

Related: 5 Essential Shopify SEO Tips to Get More Organic Traffic

1. Boost your search engine appeal

To draw more traffic and give potential customers the best chance of finding you when they search for similar products, it’s essential to prioritize Search Engine Optimization (SEO). This strategy requires patience, time and ongoing effort, but it’s worth the investment.

There are several key steps to optimizing your Shopify store. These include optimizing your store’s architecture, conducting thorough keyword research to identify relevant keywords for your business, refining your on-page optimization over time and implementing an effective link-building strategy.

Remember that SEO is an ongoing process that requires continuous effort. Fortunately, Shopify offers built-in marketing tools, including SEO optimization features, to help you optimize for search engines. Moreover, you can enhance your SEO efforts and maintain a steady traffic flow by using various third-party SEO tools and Shopify apps.

If you prioritize SEO and take the essential measures to optimize your Shopify store for search engines, you can gradually attract a larger audience, increase your sales and expand your business.

2. Amplify your reach with digital ads

Investing in paid ads is a highly effective strategy, particularly if you’re just starting out or facing challenges in gaining visibility through organic search marketing. Pay-per-click (PPC) campaigns, like Google Ads, can be an excellent option for driving more traffic to your site as ads appear at the top of search results. In a PPC campaign, you set a maximum bid and only pay when someone clicks on your link. A well-targeted and well-written PPC campaign can immediately bring traffic to your Shopify store. However, it’s worth noting that your competitors and the ads platform determine the amount you pay per visitor, even though you control your overall spending.

Another option for paid advertising is launching campaigns on social media platforms, such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and TikTok, the most common networks for paid advertising. To determine which platform works best for you, conduct different tests and analyze your ad’s performance.

Having attractive visual content and persuasive copywriting that appeals to potential customers is essential to creating successful ads. Be creative! Successful advertising campaigns need that creative appeal to capture the attention of shoppers.

Before launching your ads, consider the most relevant keywords for your business and target your ads to specific audiences to ensure your campaigns are effective. Paid advertising campaigns can inform potential customers about your Shopify brand and retarget previous site visitors, making it an effective tactic for attracting new customers and guiding shoppers back.

Related: The 9 Best Shopify Apps to Increase Sales Available for Free

3. Utilize influencer marketing

In recent years, influencer marketing has gained immense popularity and has proven to be an effective way to market your Shopify store, especially for brands in the fashion, beauty and CPG industries. In essence, influencer marketing is a partnership between a brand and an influencer, and it is becoming an increasingly popular choice for brands’ marketing budgets. Finding an influencer whose niche audience aligns with your product or brand is crucial to begin with influencer marketing. You must also establish a relationship with the influencer, who will create their own content to help position your brand.

Influencer marketing is highly effective for ecommerce businesses. Seventy-one percent of marketers find that it generates better quality customers and traffic than other sources. Consumers trust influencer recommendations because they create a direct communication channel and leverage the credibility and trust of public figures. In fact, 64% of marketers agree that influencer marketing is an enhanced form of word-of-mouth marketing, which is the most effective form of marketing.

This personalized approach is particularly effective in today’s world, where so many brand choices inundate consumers. Influencer marketing is a highly reliable and direct marketing strategy, as recommendations from real people carry more weight than conventional paid advertisements.

4. Master your customer referral program

Referral programs can be an effective strategy where satisfied customers become brand advocates and receive rewards such as discounts or free products. You can reach a wider audience by incentivizing past customers to recommend your products to their network. This approach is particularly effective because people tend to trust recommendations from friends and family more than advertising. Word-of-mouth marketing is such a powerful tool that it can generate up to five times more sales than traditional paid advertising.

Unlike customer reviews, a referral program involves direct word-of-mouth marketing where people share their positive experiences with your products with those close to them, generating new leads that are highly likely to convert. Several platforms and tools are available to create a customer referral program, such as Talkable, which offers an in-app referral program to help find brand advocates.

To attract new customers to your Shopify store, you can use several strategies to promote your business and drive traffic, such as Search Engine Optimization (SEO), paid advertising, influencer marketing and customer referral programs. Implementing these tactics can attract more customers, increase sales and develop a loyal customer base. Remember to be creative and invest time and effort into continuously improving your marketing strategy to stay ahead in the competitive ecommerce industry.

Related: 12 Awesome Tips From Ecommerce Experts

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Eric Netsch

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March 13, 2023
Silicon Valley Confronts the End of Growth. It’s a New Era for Tech Stocks.

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Silicon Valley could use a reboot. The biggest players aren’t growing, and more than a few are seeing sharp revenue declines. Regulators seem opposed to every proposed merger, while legislators push for new rules to crack down on the internet giants. The Justice Department just can’t stop filing antitrust suits against Google. The initial public offering market is closed. Venture-capital investments are plunging, along with valuations of prepublic companies. Maybe they should try turning the whole thing on and off.

The only strategy that seems to be working is to lay people off. Tech CEOs suddenly are channeling Marie Kondo, tidying up and keeping only the people and projects that “spark joy,” or at least support decent operating margins. Layoffs.fyi reports that tech companies have laid off more than 122,000 people already this year.

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March 3, 2023
The Key Benefits of Using Shopify

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Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Shopify has been changing the game of ecommerce for more than 15 years, and its benefits and ease of integration make it an easy, common-sense solution for many businesses.

A global phenomenon, Shopify is now used in almost 200 different countries by close to two million different websites. Why does your business need Shopify? In this era of global commerce driven by the internet, Shopify can be a simple solution to complex logistical problems, and there are many tangible benefits to go along with its seamless integration.

Not only does the product give companies the ability to simplify merchandising and the online checkout process, but Shopify can also assist with marketing and customer engagement.

Related: Build a Thriving Ecommerce Business With Help From This Book

What are Shopify’s most important features?

Shopify is one of the easiest ways to launch an online business while allowing room (and functionality) for growth. Why start with a commerce platform that won’t be able to meet a company’s needs when it achieves large success? Many of Shopify’s largest accounts started with a smaller commerce host and had to move over to Shopify when they outgrew their previous platform.

Shopify allows you to create a professional-looking ecommerce solution with every feature and functionality an entrepreneur could want. It can be extremely costly and time-consuming to create an ecommerce website from scratch — Shopify is the logical solution.

Users choose from a library of free, customizable templates to bring their website design and store to life. Marketing, payments and security are all taken care of by the platform, leaving the user to focus on what they do best — bring ideas to life and grow their business.

Related: How to Set up a Shopify Store Without Lifting a Finger

Making money with Shopify

It takes many businesses months, even years, to create a profitable online merchandising solution. Creating an online business is a full-time job in itself; Shopify is a way to ease this burden and start making money faster. Shopify also has a network of experts available to their users who can help you get started and zero in on possible customers.

According to data in Entrepreneur‘s new book on Shopify, online customers currently make up 18% of the world’s retail sales. That number is expected to rise to 22% of global sales by the end of 2023. If you’re not already taking advantage of internet sales, now is the time to get started, and Shopify is the platform that will help you become successful.

How much does Shopify cost?

Shopify offers three pricing tiers for business owners. There is a basic tier ($29/month), a Shopify tier ($79/month) and an advanced tier ($299/month). Additionally, Shopify gives users the ability to pay for a full year of service upfront, saving users up to 50% off of these three plans. Benefits will increase with each subsequent tier (such as more customizable and complex reporting data, more staff accounts, more inventory locations and greater shipping discounts), and a user’s credit card price-per-transaction fee will also decrease as business owners move up the subscription tiers.

It’s also worth noting that Shopify does not charge a setup fee on any of its plans.

Shopify offers a more scalable solution for entrepreneurs

There are numerous stories of business owners who started on smaller-scale business solution sites such as Etsy and who needed more and moved on to Shopify for a more customizable and scalable solution. One such business owner, Kristin Berry Mastoras, is profiled in Entrepreneur‘s new book on Shopify. One of the most common reasons that entrepreneurs move to the Shopify platform is that the competition doesn’t offer the same functionality as Shopify.

“After trying several different ecommerce platforms, I did not realize just how customizable a Shopify-based ecommerce website can be, especially when you hire a programmer to alter a theme,” Berry Mastoras says. “Shopify is a set of tools for building your own thing, and it’s currently used by some of the biggest companies in the world, so it’s extremely scalable.”

Shopify vs. Amazon

It is important to be able to deliver a fast, efficient order-to-doorstep experience. There’s no denying that Amazon changed the way ecommerce works with Amazon Prime, allowing two-day shipping (or faster) to its members. So what are the advantages of using Shopify versus selling on Amazon?

First of all, it is possible to use both. Shopify has a fulfilled by Amazon (FBA) integration that allows users to stock their products at an Amazon fulfillment center. In short, this isn’t an either/or proposition; Shopify allows its users to have the convenience of Amazon integrated into their ecommerce store while also giving them the freedom to go beyond Amazon. The same isn’t true if you host your store exclusively at Amazon, as you might have to manage your Amazon listings and ecommerce website’s listings from two separate entities if you aren’t using the Shopify platform for your non-Amazon entities.

To learn even more about Shopify, including valuable insider knowledge from some of its experts, check out Entrepreneur‘s new book, The Ultimate Guide to Shopify. It’s available now on Entrepreneur Bookstore, Amazon, Barnes & Noble or Bookshop.

Related: Learn to Grow Your Shopify Store This Year Through SEO

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Ryan Droste

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October 25, 2022
Want To Build An Ecommerce Business? Start Here.

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The world of ecommerce is increasingly lucrative and is one of the best ways to be your own boss, pursue your passions and connect with others. However, it can be difficult to know where to start — or if you have started, how to scale.

The Ultimate Guide To Shopify by Jason R. Rich from Entrepreneur Press provides all the tools, resources and step-by-step guidance needed to jumpstart and run your own ecommerce business that’s built to thrive. The book walks you through how to get started and shares proven marketing strategies to boost sales, exclusive interviews from industry experts and dozens of other resources to facilitate a successful online business.

Related: Want To Grow Your Ecommerce Brand? Take Advice From This Industry Expert.

The Ultimate Guide To Shopify breaks down the process every step of the way — from getting started to ultimately running the business successfully — so that no matter where you are in your entrepreneurial journey, you can excel with tools, strategies and insight from those who have cracked the code of utilizing Shopify to expand their brands.

Read a free preview of the book here, and get your copy of The Ultimate Guide to Shopify from Entrepreneur Bookstore, Amazon, Barnes & Noble or Bookshop — it’s available now.

Related: How One Woman Turned Her Family Jewelry Business Into An Internet Sensation

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Entrepreneur Staff

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October 25, 2022