Many rumors have it that prebuilt Shopify stores can bring merchants 6-to-7-figure income since premade stores can sell like hotcakes. Meanwhile, others said prebuilt stores are scams and can’t make any money. So, what’s the truth then? Are prebuilt Shopify stores profitable?
Hint: it depends. In this blog, we are going to debunk all the myths about making money with a pre-built Shopify store so you can make a more informed decision.
Contents
1. Prebuilt Shopify Store Explanation
To ensure that we are on the same page, let’s first get to know what a prebuilt Shopify store actually is. Simply put, a prebuilt Shopify store is a fully built Shopify eCommerce website developed by specialized agencies like eComStart or Shopify experts.
Usually, pre built Shopify store include pre-populated products, responsive designs, and eCommerce automation tools. Since all the important configurations are properly set up, a prebuilt Shopify store will save you tons of time and effort customizing a store from scratch.
For example, here’s a feature-rich premade store offered by eComStart:
As of the time being, there are three main types of prebuilt Shopify store types:
- Turnkey Shopify stores: These are fully functional, ready-to-launch Shopify online stores that give you all you need to start selling immediately. This includes product listings, connection with suppliers, and, sometimes, marketing automation.
- Custom Shopify stores: With a custom Shopify store, you hire an expert or agency to build a custom eCommerce website for you. With this kind of prebuilt store, the professionals are only in charge of designing and coding as you request. This means you must do product research, connect with suppliers, etc.
- Existing Shopify stores: Unlike turnkey or custom stores, existing Shopify stores are established eCommerce stores with a proven record of actual sales and profitability. Buying existing Shopify stores means buying all the online business assets, like customers, social media accounts, app integrations, etc.
When talking about prebuilt Shopify stores, turnkey stores are the ones most people refer to. Hence, it is the type we will discuss in this blog.
2. Are prebuilt Shopify stores profitable: An Honest Perspective
2.1. The real profit of prebuilt Shopify stores
Do prebuilt Shopify stores make money? Well, yes, they do.
However, in case you have false expectations, it is important to clarify that prebuilt stores are profitable but in a sense that they will help merchants:
⌚ Save time and effort: Top-tier providers like eComStart can deliver a prebuilt store within 1-2 days after receiving orders. This means a prebuilt store will significantly cut down your time and effort in configuring your store’s settings.
💸 Reduce cost: Instead of buying a custom store that costs at least $2000, all you need to invest is a few bucks, especially with prebuilt Shopify store $17 offered by eComStart.
💝 Own a proven-effective store layout: Prebuilt Shopify stores by credible companies like eComStart are typically built with a layout optimized for conversions and user experience in mind. .
🥇 Start with a winning product: We all know how exhausting it is to find that winning dropshipping product. And that’s another aspect where prebuilt Shopify stores shine– you have a store loaded with winning products from the get-go.
2.2. Making sales from day one: is it true?
To sell their services, lots of prebuilt Shopify store providers didn’t hesitate to inflate the value of premade stores.
“Be a self-made millionaire today.”
“Get sales from day 1.”
“Earn 7-figure income overnight”.
We bet you’ve probably come across those bold advertisements when looking for a prebuilt store. Unfortunately, since they are too good to be true, they are not true.
With a prebuilt Shopify store, you have a higher chance to succeed, not a 100% chance. Indeed, many factors can impact the profits of a store:
✅Niche selection
No matter how stunning your Shopify store is, if you choose a niche that is too saturated or has low demand, you are likely to fail in the beginning. Hence, it is recommended that you experiment with a niche that is in demand.
✅Quality of the store
With the increasing popularity of Shopify, many companies now sell prebuilt Shopify stores. But they are not of the same quality. We highly suggest choosing a store with an optimized layout and functions from trustworthy providers.
✅Marketing Strategies
Contrary to some misleading claims, preloaded products and automation alone won’t guarantee sales. In fact, to start making the first sales with no branding yet, you will need a marketing plan in place.
Some service providers offer ad setups and marketing in the package. Nevertheless, you still need to closely monitor your ads and marketing initiatives to optimize them properly.
✅Ongoing Optimization & Customer Support
If you want your store to survive and thrive in the long run, then you will need to invest your time and resources in customer support and constantly optimize your store.
For instance, you might need to regularly adjust your pricing, introduce more product lines, etc. to stay competitive in the game.
3. How do I profit from my premade online store?
Now that you know the truth of how much can prebuilt Shopify stores make, let us give you some effective tips to generate profit from your prebuilt store.
3.1. Choose the right niche & the right prebuilt store provider
Choose the right niche
If you have basic demand-supply knowledge, you might already be aware of the biggest problem of finding a product to dropship– demand and competition usually go hand in hand.
This means a super popular niche has high demand but also comes with fierce competition. Meanwhile, though a narrow niche has low competition, it comes with little demand.
Hence, to choose a niche where you are most likely to thrive, remember to consider your expertise, market demand, and the products’ longevity carefully.
Choose the right prebuilt store provider
When selecting a prebuilt store provider, it is crucial to partner with a company that offers premade stores with superb quality. For that, eComStart prebuilt stores stand out as a solution that hits all the right notes like:
- Professional layouts: Our stores feature sleek, modern designs that are not only visually appealing but also optimized for all devices, ensuring a seamless shopping experience for your customers.
- Support for diverse niches: eComStart provides various niche-specific prebuilt stores. Whether you are passionate about fashion, home decor, or tech gadgets, you will likely find a prebuilt store that suits your needs.
- Conversion-boosting functions: Besides visual appeal, our prebuilt stores are well-packed with various features that help you sell more, like a Frequently Bought Together section, countdown timer, sales badge, etc.
3.2. Apply marketing strategies effectively
After choosing a niche and buying a prebuilt store, to start generating profit, you will need a well-thought-out marketing strategy to market your online business.
Firstly, we highly recommend conducting thorough market research to understand your target audience and competitors. This will help you tailor your prebuilt store’s appearance and messages in a way that stands out and resonates with your potential shoppers the most.
Then, with your audience in mind, the next thing to do is run paid ad campaigns on Facebook, TikTok, and Google to drive traffic to your prebuilt store.
However, keep pouring your hard-earned money on short-term ad campaigns isn’t a sustainable idea. Hence, in the long run, you will also need to diversify your marketing strategies, such as optimizing your site for SEO, investing in blogs, partnering with KOLs, etc.
💡That sounds like a lot, doesn’t it? If you don’t know where to get started, check out eComStart’s Resources to get free access to 101 Shopify launch, SEO checklist, etc.
3.3. Consistent optimization & customer support
There is no shortcut to success, even with the top-tier prebuilt Shopify stores. it is your job to diligently analyze your marketing efforts and optimize your prebuilt store to offer your customers a seamless shopping experience and support when they need it.
And if you choose to buy a premade store from top providers like eComStart, the good news is that you will get free ongoing support for whatever issues you run into when optimizing your store.
4. Conclusion
Let’s revisit the question we put out at the beginning of this blog: “Are prebuilt stores profitable?” With its cost efficiency, quick delivery time, and store layout that is proven to work, premade Shopify stores actually increase your chance of succeeding. This means buying a prebuilt store would most likely give you a higher return on investment (ROI).
However, to reap the returns, you still need to invest your time, dedication, and continuous effort into it.
That’s it! eComStart team hopes you now have the answer to the question: “Are premade Shopify stores profitable?”
Don’t forget to check out eComStart.io to get all the latest eCommerce insights, tutorials, tips, and tricks.
5. Frequently asked questions
