10 Best Free Shopify Apps to Help You Build, Manage and Grow Your Ecommerce Store

Learn With Shopify
6 Mar 202316:52

Summary

TLDRThis video script emphasizes the importance of the ecosystem, particularly the app library, in choosing an e-commerce platform. It highlights Shopify's extensive app store and introduces 10 free tools to enhance online stores, including product reviews, loyalty programs, page builders, and email marketing. The script advises on balancing app utility with site speed for optimal conversion rates and encourages viewers to explore Shopify's free trial to start growing their e-commerce business.

Takeaways

  • ๐Ÿ›๏ธ The most crucial factor when choosing an e-commerce platform is its ecosystem, particularly the app library, which can significantly impact business growth.
  • ๐ŸŒŸ Shopify's app store is highly regarded, offering over 6,000 apps to enhance various aspects of an online store, such as marketing, design, and analytics.
  • ๐Ÿ†“ The presenter introduces 10 types of free tools from the Shopify app store that can be utilized to improve a store without incurring costs.
  • ๐Ÿ“ˆ Adding too many apps can slow down page load speed, which is detrimental to conversion rates; it's important to prioritize impactful tools without compromising speed.
  • ๐Ÿ’ฌ Product Reviews by Shopify is a free app that allows customers to leave text-based reviews, enhancing social proof and trust.
  • ๐Ÿค Loyalty programs are beneficial for driving sales and increasing brand loyalty; free apps like Game Ball and Smile.io can help organize such programs.
  • ๐Ÿ›  Page builders like PageFly, despite limited free plans, can help create custom page layouts without extensive coding knowledge.
  • ๐Ÿ“š For selling digital products, apps like Easy Digital Products and Digital Downloads integrate with Shopify to manage digital deliveries and payments.
  • ๐Ÿ’ฌ Customer support is vital, and chatbot apps with free plans like MyAlice and LiveChat can help manage inquiries and automate responses.
  • ๐Ÿ”„ Recurring payments are cost-effective for retaining customers and can be managed through free apps such as PayWhirl and Yotpo Subscriptions.
  • ๐Ÿ–จ๏ธ Print on demand services like Printful and Printify allow for inventory-free business models, handling production and shipping after sales are made.
  • ๐Ÿ” Pre-order pages, supported by apps like PreOrder Alpha, help manage inventory and build hype for upcoming products, offering a smart sales strategy.
  • ๐Ÿ”„ Affiliate programs can be easily set up with apps like UpPromote, encouraging customers to refer others and receive rewards, aiding in sales and marketing.
  • โœ‰๏ธ Email marketing integration is essential for capturing customers and automating communication; Shopify's own email tool offers seamless integration and automation features.

Q & A

  • What is considered the most important factor when choosing an e-commerce platform according to the video?

    -The most important factor is the ecosystem that the e-commerce platform offers, specifically the app library, as it can greatly impact the growth and scalability of your business.

  • How does the Shopify app store differentiate itself in the e-commerce platform market?

    -The Shopify app store differentiates itself by offering over 6,000 apps, which can help improve various aspects of an online store such as marketing, design, and analytics.

  • What is the significance of maintaining page load speed when adding apps to a Shopify store?

    -Maintaining page load speed is crucial for conversion rates. A slow load time can significantly decrease the chances of converting visitors into customers, with studies showing optimal load times to be between zero to four seconds.

  • What are some free apps mentioned in the video that can help with product reviews on a Shopify store?

    -The Product Reviews app by Shopify, Stamped.io, and Yotpo Reviews are mentioned as free apps that can help collect and display customer reviews.

  • How can loyalty programs benefit an e-commerce business?

    -Loyalty programs can drive sales and increase brand loyalty by rewarding customers for their purchases or other brand interactions, thus encouraging repeat business.

  • What are some free apps that can help set up a loyalty program on a Shopify store?

    -Free apps like Game Ball, Smile.io, Rivo, and Joy can help set up a loyalty program with features such as point earning rules and reward redemption.

  • Why are page builders useful for a Shopify store, and what are some free options mentioned in the video?

    -Page builders are useful for creating custom page layouts without needing extensive coding skills. The video mentions PageFly, LayoutHub, and Tapita as free options, although with limited capabilities in their free plans.

  • How can Shopify be used to sell digital products, and what apps are recommended for this purpose?

    -Shopify can be used to sell digital products by integrating apps like Easy Digital Products and Digital Downloads, which handle payment acceptance and the delivery of digital goods via email and download links.

  • What role can chatbots play in enhancing customer support on a Shopify store?

    -Chatbots can manage incoming customer inquiries, provide quick responses, and even capture messages from social media platforms, centralizing customer support operations and improving customer experience.

  • Why are recurring payments important for an online store, and what apps can facilitate this?

    -Recurring payments are important for retaining customers and ensuring steady revenue streams. Apps like PayWhirl, Yotpo Subscriptions, and Recharge Subscriptions can facilitate recurring payments without upfront costs.

  • How can print on demand apps benefit a new business with limited cash flow and storage space?

    -Print on demand apps like Printful and Printify allow businesses to sell products without the need to purchase or store inventory, handling manufacturing and shipping upon receiving a sale, thus reducing initial overhead costs.

  • What are the advantages of offering pre-orders on an online store, and what apps can help with this process?

    -Offering pre-orders helps build hype for products and manage inventory effectively. Apps like PreOrder Alpha, PreOrder Globo, and Timesact can facilitate pre-orders, collect advanced orders, and offer discounts for early purchases.

  • Why is setting up an affiliate program beneficial for a new business, and what apps can assist with this?

    -An affiliate program can help spread the word about products and generate sales by incentivizing customers to refer others. Apps like UpPromote and Automizely loyalty can assist in setting up and managing an affiliate program.

  • How can email marketing be integrated into a Shopify store, and what are some free tools mentioned in the video?

    -Email marketing can be integrated into a Shopify store using tools like MailChimp, Klaviyo, Privy, or Shopify's own email marketing tool, which offers automations and easy tracking of customer interactions.

Outlines

00:00

๐Ÿ›๏ธ E-Commerce Platform Ecosystem and Shopify App Store

The script emphasizes the importance of the ecosystem provided by an e-commerce platform, particularly the app library, as a key factor for business growth. It introduces the Shopify app store as the leading option with over 6,000 apps to enhance marketing, design, analytics, and more. The speaker highlights the availability of free tools and introduces the 'Learn with Shopify' channel for entrepreneurs. A free course for finding product ideas and building an online store is also promoted. The script advises against adding too many apps to prevent slowing down page load speeds, which can negatively impact conversion rates. It concludes with a list of 10 recommended free apps to improve a Shopify store, starting with product reviews.

05:03

๐Ÿ… Loyalty Programs and Page Builders for E-Commerce Growth

This paragraph discusses the benefits of loyalty programs for driving sales and brand loyalty, suggesting that apps like Game Ball, Smile.io, Rivo, and Joy can help organize such programs. It also covers the utility of page builders for creating custom layouts without coding, mentioning PageFly, LayoutHub, and Tapita as options, albeit with limited free plans. The script then touches on Shopify's capabilities for selling digital products through apps like Easy Digital Products and Digital Downloads, which facilitate payment and delivery of digital goods. Lastly, it highlights the importance of customer support through chatbots from apps like MyAlice, LiveChat, Channel.io, and Tidio, which can integrate with Shopify and social media platforms.

10:03

๐Ÿ”„ Recurring Payments, Print on Demand, and Pre-Order Strategies

The script explains the value of recurring payments for customer retention and mentions apps like PayWhirl, Yotpo Subscriptions, and Recharge Subscriptions that facilitate this feature without upfront costs. It also introduces print on demand as a low-overhead business model, recommending apps like Printful and Printify that handle production and shipping. Pre-order pages are presented as a method for managing inventory and building hype, with apps like PreOrder Alpha, PreOrder Globo, and Timesact helping to streamline the process. The paragraph concludes with a discussion on affiliate marketing programs using apps like UpPromote and Automizely loyalty, which allow customers to refer friends and earn rewards.

15:05

๐Ÿ“ง Email Marketing and Optimizing Shopify Store Performance

The final paragraph focuses on the integration of email marketing into the Shopify store, suggesting tools like MailChimp, Klaviyo, Privy, and Shopify's own email marketing tool for capturing customers and automating email campaigns. It stresses the importance of page speed for maintaining high conversion rates and advises checking for the 'Speed Tested' badge on app pages. The script wraps up by encouraging viewers to start building their Shopify store with a free trial and invites them to share their favorite free apps in the comments for community insights. It also directs viewers to additional resources like a playlist on building a Shopify store and concludes with a sign-off from the host, Stephanie Pellett.

Mindmap

Keywords

๐Ÿ’กE-commerce platform

An e-commerce platform is a service that enables businesses to create online stores and sell goods or services through the internet. In the context of the video, the importance of choosing the right e-commerce platform is emphasized, particularly focusing on the ecosystem and app library it offers to support business growth. The script mentions that the Shopify app store is considered the best in the industry.

๐Ÿ’กEcosystem

In the video, the term 'ecosystem' refers to the complete system of apps and tools provided by an e-commerce platform that can enhance the functionality and performance of an online store. The script argues that the ecosystem is the most critical factor when choosing an e-commerce platform, as it can significantly affect the scalability and adaptability of a business.

๐Ÿ’กApp library

The app library is a collection of applications that can be integrated into an e-commerce platform to add specific features or services. The script highlights the Shopify app store's extensive app library, which is crucial for businesses looking to scale and customize their online stores according to their needs.

๐Ÿ’กScaling

Scaling refers to the process of expanding a business, increasing its size, or enhancing its capacity to serve more customers. The video emphasizes that having access to the right apps and tools is essential for scaling an e-commerce business smoothly, without which the business may fail to grow effectively.

๐Ÿ’กProduct Reviews

Product reviews are customer-generated evaluations of products that serve as social proof for potential buyers. The script mentions the Product Reviews app by Shopify as a free tool to add reviews to a store, which is vital for building trust and influencing purchase decisions in an online setting.

๐Ÿ’กLoyalty programs

Loyalty programs are marketing strategies designed to encourage customers to continue patronizing a business by offering rewards for their continued engagement. The video discusses the importance of such programs in driving sales and increasing brand loyalty, and how apps can facilitate the management of these programs.

๐Ÿ’กPage builders

Page builders are tools that allow users to create and customize web pages without needing to write code. The script introduces page builders as useful apps for designing unique page layouts on a Shopify store, such as FAQ or contact pages, to enhance the customer experience.

๐Ÿ’กDigital Downloads

Digital Downloads refers to the sale of digital products, such as eBooks, audio files, or software keys, which can be delivered electronically. The video mentions apps that integrate with Shopify to facilitate the sale of digital products alongside physical ones, expanding the types of goods a store can offer.

๐Ÿ’กCustomer Support

Customer support refers to the assistance provided to customers to help them with their inquiries or issues. The script discusses the use of chatbot apps for customer support on an e-commerce site, which can improve customer satisfaction and potentially increase sales by providing quick responses.

๐Ÿ’กRecurring Payments

Recurring payments are payments made by customers at regular intervals for ongoing services or products. The video explains how integrating recurring payments into a business model can help retain customers and mentions apps that facilitate this feature on Shopify stores.

๐Ÿ’กPrint on Demand

Print on Demand is a business model where products are manufactured and shipped only after an order is received, reducing inventory costs and risks. The script highlights Print on Demand apps like Printful and Printify that allow businesses to offer custom products without upfront costs.

๐Ÿ’กPre-order Pages

Pre-order pages are online platforms where customers can place orders for products that are not yet available for immediate delivery. The video discusses the benefits of pre-orders for managing inventory and building hype and mentions apps that simplify the process for both customers and businesses.

๐Ÿ’กAffiliate Programs

Affiliate programs are marketing arrangements where businesses reward affiliates for each customer brought by the affiliate's marketing efforts. The script explains how affiliate marketing can help new businesses gain exposure and mentions apps that facilitate the creation and management of such programs.

๐Ÿ’กEmail Marketing

Email marketing is the use of emails to promote products or services, build customer relationships, and encourage customer loyalty. The video emphasizes the importance of integrating email marketing into an online store and mentions tools that offer this functionality, including a built-in option by Shopify.

Highlights

The most important factor when choosing an e-commerce platform is the ecosystem it offers, particularly the app library.

Access to the right apps and tools can be the difference between scaling smoothly and failing in e-commerce business growth.

Shopify's app store is considered the best, offering over 6,000 apps to improve various aspects of e-commerce businesses.

All the tools mentioned in the video are free and can significantly enhance a Shopify store.

Learn with Shopify is an official channel providing knowledge for starting or growing an online business.

A free course is introduced to help find winning product ideas, build online stores, and make sales quickly.

Adding too many apps can slow down page load speed, negatively impacting conversion rates.

Product Reviews app by Shopify allows adding text-based reviews seamlessly integrated with the store's theme.

Loyalty programs are crucial for driving sales and increasing brand loyalty; apps like Game Ball and Smile.io facilitate this.

Page builders like PageFly, LayoutHub, and Tapita help create custom page layouts without coding.

Shopify can be used for digital products with apps like Easy Digital Products and Digital Downloads.

Chatbots like MyAlice and LiveChat improve customer support by managing inquiries and automating responses.

Recurring payments can be integrated into a business model using apps like PayWhirl and Yotpo Subscriptions.

Print on demand apps like Printful and Printify allow selling designs on products without inventory costs.

Pre-order apps such as PreOrder Alpha and PreOrder Globo help manage orders and inventory effectively.

Affiliate marketing programs can be set up using apps like UpPromote to reward customers for referrals.

Email marketing integration with Shopify using tools like Shopify Email, MailChimp, Klaviyo, and Privy is essential.

Shopify Email is a built-in tool that offers perfect integration, branded emails, and easy automations.

The video wraps up with a reminder to check the Speed Tested badge on apps to ensure they don't impact store speed.

A call to action is given to start building a Shopify store with a free trial and no credit card required.

The video encourages viewers to share their favorite free apps in the comments for crowdsourcing ideas.

Transcripts

play00:00

- What's the most important factor when it comes

play00:02

to choosing an e-commerce platform for your business?

play00:05

Most people would probably say price,

play00:07

or how the store looks, or how easy it is to navigate,

play00:11

and those things are super important, but I would argue

play00:14

that the most important factor is the ecosystem

play00:18

that the e-commerce platform offers you.

play00:20

Yes, that's right,

play00:21

I'm talking about the app library.

play00:23

Because here's the thing,

play00:24

when it comes to growing your e-commerce business,

play00:26

having access to the right apps

play00:28

and tools can be the difference between scaling smoothly

play00:32

and falling flat on your face.

play00:34

If your e-commerce platform can't keep up

play00:36

with you as you grow, your business is essentially toast.

play00:40

The good news is that the Shopify app store

play00:42

is the best in the biz.

play00:44

It gives you access to over 6,000 apps and counting

play00:47

that can help you improve your marketing,

play00:49

your design, your analytics, and so much more.

play00:52

So in today's video, I'm going to be breaking down

play00:54

10 of the best kinds of tools in the Shopify app store

play00:58

and the best part is that all the ones I'll mention today

play01:01

are completely free.

play01:02

And if you're just stumbling upon this channel now, welcome!

play01:06

Learn with Shopify is an official Shopify channel

play01:09

that helps to give you all the knowledge that you need

play01:12

to either start or grow your online business.

play01:15

So if you're an entrepreneur, make sure that you hit that

play01:17

subscribe button so that you're not missing out

play01:19

on any of our future videos.

play01:21

And for all you new and aspiring business owners out there,

play01:24

I wanna take a minute to introduce you to a free course

play01:27

that's designed to help you find your winning product idea,

play01:30

build your online store, and make sales fast.

play01:34

After signing up, you're gonna gain access

play01:36

to 25 video lessons and 30 expert produced playbooks

play01:40

that will help you take your business

play01:41

from its first day to first sale and beyond.

play01:45

- To infinity and beyond!

play01:49

- If you're ready to take charge

play01:50

of your e-commerce brand's growth,

play01:52

then sign up using the link

play01:53

in this info card or in the description box below.

play01:57

Now without further ado, let's get into today's video.

play01:59

(upbeat music)

play02:03

Now, one thing to keep in mind here

play02:05

is do not go overboard when it comes to adding apps

play02:07

to your store.

play02:09

Yes, these tools can be super helpful

play02:11

but if you add too many, you're going to slow down

play02:13

your page load speed, which is a huge problem.

play02:16

According to one study by Portent,

play02:18

a zero to four second load time is the best option

play02:21

for conversion rates and the highest conversion rates

play02:24

happen on sites with load times of less than two seconds.

play02:27

So while yes, it can be tempting to load up your site

play02:31

with all kinds of bells and whistles, try to prioritize

play02:34

the tools that will give you the biggest impact

play02:36

for your growth without compromising your site speed.

play02:39

Don't worry, I've got the recipe you need.

play02:42

Here are 10 great free options

play02:44

to improve your Shopify store.

play02:46

Number one, product reviews.

play02:49

We all know how important social proof is

play02:52

for customers when making a purchase, so having some kind

play02:55

of reviews app on your website is absolutely essential

play02:59

when it comes to selling online.

play03:01

The Product Reviews app by Shopify is a simple

play03:04

and free way to add reviews to your store

play03:07

and is incredibly easy to install and use.

play03:10

And because it's created by Shopify,

play03:11

it's always kept up-to-date and works pretty seamlessly

play03:15

with your admin panel right out of the box.

play03:17

It also easily matches your site theme,

play03:19

which makes it look professional

play03:21

and integrated on all your product pages.

play03:24

That said, it is a very streamlined app

play03:26

and right now, it only offers text-based reviews.

play03:29

So if you're looking for options

play03:31

that would allow you to collect photo

play03:33

or video reviews from your customers,

play03:35

which can be very dynamic, a couple

play03:37

of other free options we like in this category

play03:40

are Stamped.io and Yotpo Reviews,

play03:43

both of which let you display photos

play03:45

and do offer a limited free plan.

play03:48

And while there are more elaborate paid options available

play03:51

like Loox, if you're just starting out,

play03:53

I highly recommend starting with something free

play03:55

and upgrading only when you really need to.

play03:58

Number two, loyalty programs.

play04:02

I've talked on this channel before

play04:03

about how great it can be to offer a loyalty program

play04:06

to your existing customers, which will help you drive sales

play04:09

and increase your brand loyalty.

play04:12

I'll actually link that video down below

play04:13

if you're curious, but basically, with a loyalty program,

play04:17

your customers will earn rewards for their purchases

play04:20

or other actions they take with your brand

play04:23

and then they'll get special perks

play04:24

in exchange for being a loyal fan.

play04:27

It's really not that hard to do

play04:28

but you do need an app to help you do some

play04:30

of the heavy-lifting and keep your program well-organized.

play04:35

Using an app like this, you're gonna be able to create rules

play04:38

for how your customers can earn points

play04:40

and then how they can redeem them.

play04:42

You can also choose what kinds of perks and rewards

play04:45

are available and then create special pop-ups

play04:48

and widgets to show your customers their progress

play04:51

within your loyalty program.

play04:53

Now there are so many apps in this category

play04:55

but when it comes to free options,

play04:57

a few that we like are Game Ball, Smile.io, Rivo, and Joy.

play05:03

All of these are free or at least have

play05:05

a fairly generous free plan for new entrepreneurs,

play05:08

which should be more than enough

play05:10

to get your loyalty program started.

play05:13

Number three, page builders.

play05:14

If you want to create more interesting page layouts

play05:18

without needing a lot of code,

play05:20

it can be really helpful to have a page builder installed

play05:23

on your online store.

play05:24

Now to be fair, most page builders

play05:27

do have pretty limited free plan.

play05:28

Since this is such an in-demand kind of app.

play05:32

Most of them will only let you create one

play05:34

or at most a handful of pages using the builder for free.

play05:38

Still, it is an option worth exploring

play05:40

since these apps can help you create the exact layouts

play05:44

and styles that you want for things like your FAQ page,

play05:47

your contact page, or sales pages

play05:49

for your various product collections.

play05:52

PageFly is a very popular page builder with lots

play05:55

of great styles and tons of options for customization.

play05:59

But its free plan is limited.

play06:01

Currently, you can only publish one page at a time.

play06:05

If you need more, you can try exploring an app

play06:08

like LayoutHub, which offers three pages

play06:10

in its builder or a new and up and coming app like Tapita.

play06:14

There are more robust paid options available like Shogun

play06:17

but those can be pretty steep when you're just starting out.

play06:20

So, I'd recommend that you start small,

play06:22

use the tools available within Shopify and build as you go.

play06:27

Number four, digital downloads.

play06:30

Now, while Shopify is mostly built

play06:32

for physical, product-based businesses,

play06:34

it can also be a really awesome option for digital products

play06:37

just by adding one simple kind of app.

play06:40

These apps will integrate with your Shopify checkout

play06:43

so you can accept payment,

play06:45

and then they will seamlessly send a digital product

play06:48

to your client by email and through a downloads page.

play06:51

So, this lets you sell things like eBooks or audio files

play06:54

or software keys through your Shopify store, in addition

play06:58

to any other physical products that you might also carry.

play07:02

Again, there are lots of apps in this category

play07:04

but here are two options that we recommend you check out.

play07:08

Easy Digital Products and Digital Downloads.

play07:11

Both of these apps will allow you

play07:12

to generate custom download links for each of your customers

play07:16

which will be available to them right after they check out

play07:18

and then those same links will get sent out to them

play07:21

by email.

play07:22

Now, Easy Digital Products does have

play07:24

a few more customization options available, but it also

play07:28

only allows you to have three different digital products

play07:31

in your store.

play07:32

So, take a good look at both of these apps

play07:34

before you choose which to go with.

play07:36

But since they're both free,

play07:37

there's not that much risk to installing both

play07:40

and seeing which one works better for you.

play07:42

Number five, customer support.

play07:45

The last thing you want is for your customers

play07:48

to get confused when shopping on your store.

play07:51

That is a surefire way to lose their business.

play07:54

Having a way for customers to ask questions

play07:57

and quickly get answers can be the make

play07:59

or break factor driving a sale.

play08:01

And while you can do some of that

play08:03

through writing great product descriptions

play08:05

or including FAQs on your pages,

play08:07

another great option is to include a chatbot on your site.

play08:11

Luckily, there are some great chatbot app options out there

play08:15

with pretty generous free plans.

play08:17

Check out tools like MyAlice, LiveChat, Channel.io

play08:21

or Tidio, all of which have pretty good reviews

play08:23

and allow you to add a chat function to your store.

play08:27

These apps will not only let you manage

play08:28

incoming customer inquiries through Shopify, but many

play08:32

of them will also capture your messages

play08:34

from across your other social media platforms as well

play08:37

giving you a really good center of operations, and most

play08:40

of them will also let you automate at least some

play08:43

of your responses through AI powered chatbots

play08:45

which can be a great way to quickly

play08:48

give your customers helpful and timely replies.

play08:51

Number six, recurring payments.

play08:54

Did you know that acquiring a new customer can actually cost

play08:57

up to five times more than retaining an existing one?

play09:00

That is just one reason why I love

play09:03

integrating recurring payments or subscriptions

play09:05

into your business model.

play09:07

That's true whether you sell handmade soaps

play09:09

or a wine of the month club,

play09:10

it's just a really great idea to set up your store to allow

play09:13

for ongoing payments from your customers without much fuss.

play09:17

The last thing you wanna do is force customers

play09:19

to have to return to your site each month

play09:21

to make a new payment because you're bound to see

play09:24

some pretty steep drop offs in your conversion rate

play09:27

if you do.

play09:28

So if recurring payments are part of your online store,

play09:31

you're gonna need an app that can handle them.

play09:33

We recommend that you check out options like PayWhirl,

play09:36

Yotpo Subscriptions or Recharge Subscriptions,

play09:39

all of which are totally free to install

play09:42

and will allow you to collect recurring payments

play09:44

from your customers.

play09:45

Now, it's true that some of these apps

play09:47

will charge you a transaction fee,

play09:50

but I think that's a pretty small price to pay

play09:52

for the ease that they offer to both you and your customers.

play09:55

And remember that you only have to pay

play09:57

if you actually make the sale.

play09:59

Number seven, print on demand.

play10:01

Now, when you're just starting out,

play10:03

you might not have the cash flow to purchase a whole bunch

play10:06

of inventory or for that matter, have any place to store it.

play10:10

That's why Print on Demand businesses

play10:12

can be a really great way to get your feet wet

play10:14

and start testing the market for your products

play10:16

without needing to take on a bunch of overhead costs.

play10:20

The great news is

play10:21

that there are some really high-quality print

play10:23

on demand apps that are totally free to install

play10:26

on your site and help you generate sales.

play10:28

Some of our favorites are Printful and Printify,

play10:31

both of which offer tons of great product options

play10:34

to print your designs onto.

play10:36

And they'll handle all the manufacturing

play10:39

and shipping costs for you.

play10:41

Of course, you will pay to use these apps eventually

play10:43

but only once you actually receive the sale

play10:47

from your customer, which means they're a totally

play10:49

risk-free way to start a new business.

play10:52

Number eight, pre-order pages.

play10:55

We've all seen how useful it can be to use sites

play10:58

like Kickstarter to pre-sell a product or test out

play11:01

what the response will be to a new product idea

play11:04

and the same exact concept applies when you offer pre-orders

play11:07

on your own online store.

play11:09

Pre-orders, yes, help you build up hype for your products

play11:13

but they're also a really smart way to manage your orders

play11:16

and inventory so that you're not overbuying product

play11:19

that won't get sold.

play11:20

And you guessed it.

play11:21

Apps are an awesome way to make the entire pre-order process

play11:25

easier for both you and your customers.

play11:28

Apps like PreOrder Alpha, PreOrder Globo and Timesact

play11:31

let you advertise pre-orders really clearly on your site,

play11:35

collect advanced orders, and even offer discounts

play11:38

to your customers for ordering in advance.

play11:40

Most of them will also simultaneously allow customers

play11:43

to sign up to be notified or get back in stock notifications

play11:47

for other products if they're not quite ready to purchase,

play11:50

meaning that you're always offering customers multiple ways

play11:53

to opt in and stay connected to your brand.

play11:56

Number nine, affiliate programs.

play11:59

One of the hardest parts of running a new business

play12:02

is getting the word out about your products

play12:04

before you have an established audience.

play12:07

- Your attention, please!

play12:09

- [Stephanie] Yes, for sure you can use

play12:10

social media platforms and paid advertising

play12:13

as a great way to reach new customers,

play12:16

but without any social proof,

play12:18

those options are only going to get you so far.

play12:21

You also want to be able to show that your products work

play12:23

and are actually trusted by real customers.

play12:26

And one great way to do that is by setting up

play12:29

an affiliate marketing program right away.

play12:31

Using an app like UpPromote or Automizely loyalty

play12:35

makes it really simple to start an affiliate program

play12:38

for free.

play12:39

These tools make it super simple to generate affiliate links

play12:42

that allow your customers to refer their friends

play12:45

and receive discounts or other kickbacks

play12:47

as a thank you for sharing.

play12:49

You can customize the messaging and the discount amount

play12:51

and it will generate your coupon codes automatically,

play12:55

which makes your affiliate program

play12:56

totally hands off for you as the business owner.

play12:59

Some of these apps do have order limits on their free plans

play13:03

and will come with varying levels of customization,

play13:06

but I think having the option to reward your customers

play13:08

for sharing about your products can be hugely helpful

play13:12

for generating traffic in sales.

play13:14

So, these apps are definitely worth exploring

play13:16

and installing.

play13:18

Number 10, email marketing.

play13:20

Last, but certainly not least, it is definitely a good idea

play13:23

to have your email marketing integrated

play13:26

into your online store.

play13:28

Not only will this allow you to capture new customers

play13:30

by sending them discounts or coupons by email,

play13:34

but many of these tools will also let you track

play13:36

your customer's journey and send them emails

play13:39

for things like card abandonment,

play13:41

back in stock notifications, and a whole lot more.

play13:44

If you're already using an email marketing tool

play13:46

in your business, then chances are there's an app

play13:49

for that in the App store.

play13:50

For example, MailChimp, Klaviyo, and Privy,

play13:53

all offer great integrations with Shopify and a free plan.

play13:57

But if you haven't yet started your email list,

play14:00

I'd highly recommend that you check out Shopify email.

play14:03

This tool is built by Shopify,

play14:06

so it integrates perfectly with your online store.

play14:09

It uses your store colors to create beautiful branded emails

play14:13

and also allows you to do cool things

play14:15

like feature your products within your emails

play14:17

in just one simple click.

play14:19

Plus it uses the admin panel of your Shopify store,

play14:22

which makes it super easy to track your conversion

play14:25

and your click through rates from your emails.

play14:27

And then when you add in all the easy automations

play14:30

that it allows for things like your welcome offers

play14:33

and your first purchase upsells, Shopify email

play14:36

becomes a really great choice for e-commerce entrepreneurs.

play14:39

So, I definitely encourage you to check it out.

play14:42

Alright, so just to wrap it up here,

play14:44

today we covered 10 types of tools

play14:47

that are incredibly useful to install

play14:49

on your new Shopify store.

play14:51

There are so many categories of apps that you can use

play14:54

but starting with these 10 options, or at least some of them

play14:57

should give you great ways to improve your store

play15:00

even on a very tight budget.

play15:02

And like I mentioned earlier, be sure to check

play15:04

for the Speed Tested badge on these app pages

play15:07

and give priority to those that get the rating

play15:09

of no impact to your online store.

play15:12

Controlling your page speed will keep your store running

play15:14

in tiptop shape and keep those conversion rates high.

play15:18

And now that you know about some awesome free apps

play15:20

to improve your online store,

play15:22

you had better start building one if you haven't already.

play15:25

It's really so easy to get started with Shopify.

play15:29

You can literally just enter your email address

play15:31

and get instant access to the entire platform

play15:34

without even needing to put in your credit card number.

play15:37

So if you've been looking for an e-commerce platform

play15:39

that will be able to grow with you over time,

play15:42

be sure to click the link in our description box below

play15:44

to start your free trial today

play15:46

and start getting your first few sales.

play15:49

There's no risk to try it out

play15:50

and I'm sure you're gonna love it.

play15:52

Now, I know, there are literally thousands

play15:54

of amazing apps in the Shopify app store,

play15:56

so I definitely have not covered all of them here today.

play15:59

If there is a great free app that you love to use

play16:03

in your Shopify builds, please drop it

play16:05

in the comments down below and share why you love it so much

play16:08

so that we can start to crowdsource some great ideas.

play16:11

There are truly endless ways to enhance

play16:14

and improve your online store, so I can't wait to hear

play16:17

about the ones that you love to use.

play16:19

That's it from me today, but we have a whole playlist

play16:22

on building a Shopify store specifically,

play16:25

if you want even more inspiration for designing

play16:28

or improving your online store.

play16:29

So, I'll link that one down below as well.

play16:32

In the meantime, I wanna thank you so much for watching.

play16:35

I'm Stephanie Pellett and I'll see you soon.

play16:37

(cool upbeat music)

Rate This
โ˜…
โ˜…
โ˜…
โ˜…
โ˜…

5.0 / 5 (0 votes)

Related Tags
E-commerce ToolsShopify AppsFree AppsStore GrowthCustomer LoyaltyPage BuildersDigital DownloadsChatbotsRecurring PaymentsPrint on DemandPre-OrdersAffiliate ProgramsEmail Marketing