How to Make Money on Shopify: 42 Unique Business Ideas
Attention all hustlers, dreamers, and outside-the-box thinkers! Are you ready to turn your passion for eCommerce into a profitable business? Look no further than Shopify, the virtual shopping mall where the world is your customer and the sky’s the limit.
Think of Shopify like a digital lemonade stand, but instead of sour citrus, you’re selling sweet products that make people’s lives better.
And, the best part? — You don’t have to stand out in the sun all day or worry about pesky neighborhood kids stealing your profits.
So, get ready to pop up your digital tent, set up shop, sit back, and listen to your online cash register ringing. In this post, we’ll be dishing out 41 juicy ways to make money on Shopify that will leave you feeling like a digital mogul.
(These ideas go way beyond the best products to sell on Shopify).
Here’s what’s about to go down…
So, buckle up and get ready to ride the e-commerce wave!
How to Make Money Online With a Shopify Store
Note: There are virtually hundreds of products and services you can offer on Shopify to make money online from home… it’s best to choose a path that will keep your interest long enough for you to become successful.
Here are some of the most straightforward ways you can make money selling on a Shopify store:
- Sell physical products
- Sell digital products
- Dropship products
- Offer a product of the month club
- Sell subscription products
- Create a product bundle
- Sell handmade products
- Create a print-on-demand store
- Offer custom products or personalized services
- Sell vintage or secondhand products
- Sell products in a specific niche, such as pet products or eco-friendly products
- Sell products through a pop-up shop or market
- Offer a service, such as consulting or coaching
- Sell courses or digital downloads
- Sell software or apps
- Offer a membership program
- Sell physical or digital gift cards
- Sell merchandise related to a brand or celebrity
- Create a dropshipping marketplace
- Sell products from multiple suppliers
- Create a product review or comparison site
- Sell affiliate products
- Offer print services, such as business cards or flyers
- Offer web design or development services
- Sell advertising space on your site
- Create a loyalty program
- Sell products internationally
- Offer a pre-order option for new products
- Create a crowdfunding campaign
- Sell licensed or copyrighted products
These are just a few of the many ways to make money on Shopify. Ultimately, the best approach will depend on your interests, skills, and target market.
Is Shopify good for beginners?
While people with zero tech-savvy might disagree, yes, Shopify is a great platform for beginners who want to start an online store. It has a user-friendly interface, a wide range of features and integrations, and excellent customer support. Additionally, there are many resources available online to help beginners learn how to use Shopify effectively.
Do people actually make money with Shopify?
Yes, many people make money with Shopify by using it to start and run successful online stores. Shopify provides users with the tools and resources they need to create an attractive and functional online store, manage inventory, process orders, and handle payments. Additionally, Shopify offers a range of features and integrations that can help store owners drive traffic to their sites and increase sales.
Still, success with Shopify, as with any business, requires hard work, dedication, and effective marketing strategies.
How long does it take to make money from Shopify?
The time it takes to start making money from Shopify sales can vary widely depending on several factors, including the product or service being sold, the target market, the level of competition, and the effectiveness of the marketing strategy.
In some cases, a new Shopify store may start generating sales immediately, while in other cases, it may take several months of effort and investment in marketing before seeing significant results.
It’s important to keep in mind that building a successful Shopify store takes time, effort, and patience, and there are no guarantees of success. However, with the right strategies and approach, many entrepreneurs have been able to build profitable businesses using the Shopify platform.
12 Shopify Business Ideas for Non-Sellers
Maybe you weren’t the kid selling lemonade outside the family yard sale…Instead, you were in the backyard tinkering with the stand, finding a way to keep your siblings cool in the heat of the Summer. If this sounds like you, then maybe one of the following business ideas will sound more appealing.
here are some ways to make money with Shopify’s Partner Program:
- Refer new sellers to Shopify — You can earn commissions by referring new sellers to Shopify. This can include recommending Shopify to friends, family, or colleagues, or promoting Shopify on your website or blog.
- Develop and sell Shopify themes — If you have design skills, you can create custom Shopify themes and sell them in the Shopify Theme Store. You can earn up to 70% of the revenue from each sale.
- Build Shopify apps — If you have development skills, you can create custom Shopify apps and sell them in the Shopify App Store. You can earn up to 80% of the revenue from each sale.
- Offer Shopify setup and design services — If you have experience setting up and designing Shopify stores, you can offer your services to clients and earn money for your work (Fiverr is a great place for beginners to list freelance service offers).
- Write product descriptions for Shopify stores — Wanna exercise your writing chops? One of the easiest ways to start is to offer product description writing services. Seek out Shopify stores on a database like
- Provide Shopify consulting services — If you have experience with eCommerce and Shopify, you can offer consulting services to clients to help them improve their online stores.
- Create and sell Shopify courses — If you have knowledge and experience with Shopify, you can create and sell courses on platforms like Coursera.
- Write Shopify-Related content — You can write blog posts, eBooks, or other content related to Shopify and e-commerce, and earn money from advertising or affiliate programs (this is what we do).
- Host webinars or workshops — If you have expertise in a particular area related to Shopify, you can host webinars or workshops and charge for access.
- Offer Shopify SEO services — If you have experience with search engine optimization (SEO), you can offer SEO services to clients to help improve their Shopify store’s visibility in search engine results.
- Become a Shopify Expert — You can apply to become a Shopify Expert and offer your services to clients who need help with their online stores.
- Flip Shopify stores — Online stores aren’t all that different from real estate…you can flip a website just like you can house, but with far less initial investment. See what’s available on Flippa. Then, simply buy, fix, and re-sell it for a higher price.
These are just a few of the many ways to make money with Shopify’s Partner Program. The key is to find an area where you have expertise or skills and leverage that to help others and earn income.
How much money do I need to start with Shopify?
Shopify offers different pricing plans, with the basic plan starting at $29 per month. In addition to the monthly fee, you will need to budget for other expenses, such as website design and development, product sourcing, marketing, advertising, and any additional apps or integrations you may need. If you have no money to invest, the Partner Program might offer a better solution to earn money from the Shopify ecosystem.
Why do so many Shopify stores fail?
Yes, Shopify stores can fail due to poor product selection, ineffective marketing strategies, lack of differentiation, poor customer experience, and underestimating the costs and effort involved.
Final Takeaway
In conclusion, if you have been looking for a way to turn your passion for eCommerce into a profitable business, Shopify is a great place to start. With the platform’s user-friendly interface, a wide range of features and integrations, and excellent customer support, you can easily set up an online store and start making money.
The unique business ideas provided in this article, ranging from selling physical and digital products to offering custom services and creating a loyalty program, are just a few of the many ways to make money on Shopify. However, building a successful Shopify store takes time, effort, and patience, and there are no guarantees of success.
Whether you are a seller or not, there are still plenty of opportunities to earn money with Shopify’s Partner Program, including referring new sellers, developing and selling themes and apps, offering setup and design services, providing consulting services, and creating and selling courses.
So, what are you waiting for? Start exploring the possibilities and ride the Shopify wave to success!
Ashley is a freelance copywriter and the founder of Aurajinn. She's been working in eCommerce and technology for over a decade. Here, she shares her best cyst-like gems of wisdom to help new and intermediate online sellers level up their operations.
