Are Prebuilt Shopify Stores Legit & Worth Your Money? (2025)

By the time you finish optimizing your Shopify store, probably your competitors have already found their winning products, scaled their business, and left you in the dust. A prebuilt Shopify store offers a faster way to start selling with everything set up for you… but are prebuilt Shopify stores legit , and are they really worth your money?

In this post, we will explore the pros and cons of premade Shopify stores and find out if buying them is a smart move for your business.

1. What is a prebuilt Shopify store?

A prebuilt Shopify store is a ready-made online shop made for a quick launch.

It comes with a chosen niche, products, and a pre-designed layout. The main benefit is the convenience—entrepreneurs can skip the setup and start selling right away.

As the eCommerce game is becoming increasingly competitive, between premade Shopify store vs custom Shopify store, more and more businesses of all shapes and sizes are turning to prebuilt Shopify stores to save time and reduce costs.

2. Are prebuilt Shopify stores legit ?

Getting a fully functional store from the start sounds like a scam, so you may wonder: Are prebuilt Shopify stores legit?

The answer is simply yes, the practice of providing premade stores is absolutely legitimate. In fact, Shopify has a Development Store program that allows agencies, freelancers, and developers to create fully functional stores for clients.

Thus, even Shopify – one of the largest eCommerce platforms, has approved of ready-made stores.

💡That said, it’s crucial to work with reliable providers to ensure you’re getting a store that’s not only ready to go but built with quality in mind. Here’s where you can find legitimate prebuilt Shopify stores:

• Shopify Experts: Professional agencies and developers with verified experience (e.g., eComStart, Adsellr, Ecomency,…)
• Online Marketplaces: Reputable platforms like Flippa or Exchange Marketplace, where you can buy established Shopify stores (just make sure to do due diligence).
• Freelance Platforms: Trusted sites like Upwork and Fiverr, where you can hire experienced Shopify developers to create or sell prebuilt stores.

And remember: always check customer reviews, working process and policies to ensure you’re making a solid investment.

Relevant reading: How Can I Get a Pre-built Shopify Store: Quick & Easy Guide

3. Is it worth buying a prebuilt Shopify store ?

Now here comes some million-dollar questions: are premade Shopify stores worth it ? Let’s point out key advantages and challenges of buying a prebuilt Shopify store. 

3.1. Pros

• Launch your store faster and focus on marketing:

Instead of spending weeks designing and setting up a store, you can start selling in just a few days. This lets you put your time and energy into what really matters—driving traffic and making sales.

• Save tons of money on development costs:

The costs associated with custom development are often expensive (from $500). Prebuilt stores offer a more affordable way to get started, especially if you only need a fairly optimized and functional store. 

• Avoid struggling with website design:

If designing isn’t in your skill set, it will take much more time than you think to create a beautiful and high-converting website. Prebuilt Shopify stores will offer you a layout created with best practices in mind.  

• Dropshipping setup is included:

Many prebuilt stores come integrated with dropshipping apps, so you can sell products without holding inventory or worrying about fulfillment.

3.2. Cons

• Limited control over design and structure: 

Prebuilt stores may have fixed designs and features, which require you to change up a bit. You should still contact the seller if you have a specific design in mind.

• Missing the chance to learn on your own:

You may miss out on the hands-on experience that comes from building a store from scratch.

That being said, your learning curve can be different – you’ll still gain knowledge by running and optimizing the store, just with a head start instead of starting from zero.

• Limited scalability: 

Some prebuilt stores may not be designed to scale effectively as your business grows. When you have higher traffic and more consistent sales per month, you may have to upgrade your Shopify plan and your online website as a whole.

4. Do prebuilt Shopify stores work ?

When people ask if premade stores work, what they’re really asking is whether those stores can actually turn a profit.

In my experience, “making sales from day 1” is one of many misconceptions surrounding premade Shopify stores.

You’re skipping some of the technical setup, sure, but that’s just one piece of the puzzle. Profit comes from what happens after the store is live: how well you market it, how clearly your brand speaks to your audience, and how consistently you improve the customer experience.

Here’s some actions you can take to make your prebuilt stores work:

• Drive Targeted Traffic
  Paid ads (Google, Meta) and organic methods (SEO, content) bring the right people to your store. No traffic = no sales.
• Optimize for Conversions
  Tweak product pages, improve site speed, and simplify checkout. Small changes can lead to big gains.
• Build a Brand, Not Just a Store
  Stand out with a clear message, consistent visuals, and customer trust. A real brand creates repeat buyers.

For a more detailed guide on what to do after receiving your store, check out this article: How to Get Started with a Pre Built Shopify Dropshipping Website?

5. Where to buy Prebuilt Shopify Stores 

In my experience, it’s best to look for professional Shopify store providers with their own websites and proven track records. These businesses often offer better support, transparent service, and long-term accountability compared to anonymous sellers on online marketplaces. 

Here are a two reputable providers with different price ranges for you to consider:

4.1. eComStart

eComStart offers affordable, ready-to-launch Shopify stores tailored to various niches. Their stores are designed to be high-converting and come with essential features to kickstart your ecommerce journey.

• Price: Starting at $129
• Delivery Time: 1–3 business days
• Pre-loaded products: 20 winning dropshipping products
• 3 free revision: Remake the store 3 times if customers are not quite satisfied with their store

What makes eComStart the best choice is the excellent customer support. If you need consultation, or have any specific requests regarding your prebuilt store, eComStart will consider them without charging additional fees.

They also have a collection of demo store for you to check out before making any purchase. 

4.2. Adsellr

Adsellr provides quality prebuilt Shopify stores with more products, catering to those looking for a more comprehensive setup. 

• Price: $350 – $2,025
• Delivery Time: Approximately 5 days
• Customization: Tailored to specific niches and branding
• Included Products: Options ranging from 1 to 100 products

Adsellr offers packages range from one-product stores ($350) to large 100-product stores ($2,250), giving you flexibility based on your budget and goals.

However, the main drawback is their high pricing: with around $500, you can already hire a developer to make the store from scratch. Thus, while trustworthy, Adsellr isn’t a suitable option for new entrepreneurs or people who want to save money. 

🔔Need a comprehensive review of top places to get your Shopify stores? Check our guide “Best Websites to Buy a Prebuilt Shopify Store“.

6. Getting started with eComStart’s prebuilt Shopify stores

Depending on different providers, the process to purchase a prebuilt Shopify store would differ. For example, at eComStart, the process to buy a prebuilt Shopify store is done in 3 transparent steps:

✍️ Step 1: Choose niche & proceed to payment

First, we will need you to select the type of products or market you want your store to focus on. For example, you can choose fashion, electronics, home decor, beauty, etc. (Contact us if your niche is super unique!)

Afterward, simply click “Add to cart”. Then, you can pay for the prebuilt store per one-time purchase via PayPal or head to Checkout.

Here, you can fill out your information and purchase with your debit/credit card as well.

🚚 Step 2: We’ll get down to business

After receiving your order, our team will work on setting up your store, which typically takes between 1-3 days, depending on the complexity of your request. 

During this time, our eCommerce experts will give you helpful materials to make the best out of your prebuilt store, including:

• User guides on how to manage your new store
• Tips for getting started with Shopify
• Best practices for running an online business

💖 Step 3: Receive and launch your store!

Once your store is ready, we will transfer it and send you an owner invitation to access your store via email. With a ready-to-launch store, you can make your store live and start selling right away if you want.

The incredible part is that you will get ongoing support from our team even after receiving your prebuilt store – including 3 free revisions and 30-day free consultation.

Relevant reading: Trending Shopify Stores for Sale

7. Frequently asked questions