Shopify Starter plan is suited for selling products at events and through social media as well as messaging apps- the Starter plan is not suited for retailers seeking to build an online store or a drop shipping website with standard features of ecommerce.
Shopify Starter is a Cheapest ecommerce plan offered by Shopify. The plan costs $1 per month for the first 3 months – after which it costs $9 per month. Most blogs mention that the Shopify starter plan costs $5 per month but this has since changed (as of end of 2023).
Is The Shopify Starter Plan Good Enough?
The answer to this depends on what you want to sell. If you want to push and promote your products on social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and TikTok and on instant messaging apps such as WhatsApp then the Shopify Starter plan is good enough.
However, if you need to set up a typical digital (ecommerce) store with all standard features of what an eCommerce website needs, then you may want to strongly consider the Shopify Basic plan. The Shopify basic plan goes for $19 per month paid annually and $19 per month paid annually. The plan has standard ecommerce features and is also suited for drop shipping.
Benefits and Key Features of Shopify Starter Plan
For suitable use cases, the Shopify Starter Plan is still a great plan as it offers the features outlined below.
Ease of Use
With the Shopify Starter Plan, starting an online business is a breeze. The Shopify platform enables a quick set up with minimal work you need to put in to get your ecommerce business off the ground.
Shopify offers mobile optimisation for online shopping coupled with a smooth checkout experience which allows for convenient on-the-go selling.
Selling Channels
As mentioned earlier, the Shopify Starter plan is suited for selling across social media platforms and instant messaging apps like WhatsApp. The plan integrates seamlessly with social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and TikTok.
The plan also integrates with messaging apps like WhatsApp with additional SMS retail capabilities. The plan is really focused on reaching customers where they are.
Shopify POS
The Shopify Starter plan includes Shopify POS. Shopify POS enables in person sales making it easy for you to accept payments with your smartphone.
One important feature of Shopify‘s POS is the offline mode. The offline mode enables retailers to continue processing transactions offline, this means retailers can process transactions even if the internet connection is off. The POS will then sync data with the Shopify platform (as the central hub of all store data) once the internet connection is restored.
Linkpop Tool
Shopify Starter provides product sharing capabilities through the Linkpop tool. This tool enables retailers to share their ecommerce products across various social media platforms such as WhatsApp, Live Chats. What Linkpop Tool does is to make sure your products are just a click away from your potential customers.
Access to Shopify Apps
The Shopify Starter plan may not be suited for brands looking to build bona fide online stores, however the app allows retailers to extend certain features and functionalities through the Shopify third party apps and plugins found in Shopify’s app marketplace.
Transaction Fees and Cost
Transactions are a critical aspect in an ecommerce business model because they affect your pricing strategy, profit margin and ultimately your bottom line.
Transaction fees and costs vary from one payment gateway option to the next. Remember Shopify has over 100 payment gateway options. With the Shopify Starter plan the transaction fees and costs are 5% if you use Shopify’s own payment gateway – Shopify Payments.
Limitations and Considerations
The Shopify Starter plan – as the name suggests is for retailers starting out in ecommerce. Its strengths are in the low subscription cost, capabilities to share shoppable products across social media and instant messaging apps. It also integrates well with Shopify POS and set up is a breeze.
Long-Term Scalability
The good part with Shopify is that it has flexible pricing plans and packages. As your business grows and there is a need for more comprehensive ecommerce features you can upgrade seamlessly to any of Shopify’s high tier plans such as the Basic Plan – which has all standard ecommerce features including features for drop shipping.
Final Thoughts
So… in a nutshell, if the starter plan is the best fit for your business – don’t hesitate getting started with the Shopify Starter plan because you are worried about the growth prospects of your business. The Shopify ecommerce platform is designed to grow with your business.
As a business owner, you need to evaluate your needs, and explore the pros and cons of the Shopify Starter plan versus a high tier plan like Shopify’s Basic plan for example. Weigh all the factors, pros and cons of each option and make a well informed decision.
