Why Your Ecommerce Needs a Shopify Development Store

eCommerce platforms are the backbone of online stores, providing the front-end and back-end structure that supports B2B and B2C companies. They offer a seamless customer experience and enable scalable growth for any online business.

As a cloud-based tool, Shopify provides full control over the structure and setup of your store. It is a great choice for businesses that sell physical and digital goods or services. Shopify’s flexibility, feature-rich capabilities, and customization are some reasons why over 1 million businesses in over 175 different countries utilize it as their preferred eCommerce platform.

Shopify is an excellent platform, and its development store offering, i.e., demo store capabilities are incredibly valuable to test design and app functionality. If your store sells products, each with less than 100 variations, then Shopify is an excellent option. Here’s the lowdown on how to create a Shopify development store, and the benefits it offers eCommerce businesses.

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What Is a Shopify Development Store?

Shopify allows users to set up free development stores that have some limitations. Development stores can be used to test the themes and apps you create or to set up Shopify accounts for clients. A recurring commission is earned when you set up a development store for a client and transfer it to them.

Building an eCommerce website from scratch is a tall order, however, Shopify is a platform that can help you immensely in this undertaking. Over one million businesses use Shopify as their preferred eCommerce platform because it offers quality, efficiency, simplicity, and rich features. A Shopify ecommerce development store account gives eCommerce businesses the ability to install and test new themes for their digital “storefronts” before they decide to use the platform.

Shopify helps stores

Some hosts only offer one website version, URL, and domain, but if you’re a Shopify Partner, you can create unlimited development stores for demo purposes. And these aren’t just for testing how a layout looks. You’ll also have access to Shopify’s discount engine, real-time carrier-calculated shopping, abandoned checkout recovery, and 50 test orders, so you can see how all your apps and add-ons run before going live.

A Shopify development store is a free account accessible from the Partner Dashboard. It has no time limits and offers functionality similar to the Advanced Shopify plan. However, until you switch to a paid account, you can’t install paid apps or create more than ten private apps. Read: That’s why it’s advantageous to hire an agency to create a development store for you!

Shopify Development Store Main Features

According to Shopify, Development stores allow organizations to:

  • Install and test apps and themes still in development
  • Build a demo Shopify store

Essentially, development stores offer the ideal test environment to build online eCommerce platforms without any trial constraints that expire after a set length of time. With Shopify, you can set up a development environment without affecting your original storefront (if you have one) and then migrate your store over to the new design once you’re happy with it.

Pro-tip: All new development stores are password protected. This means that visitors can only access the development store by entering the password on the password page, logging into the development store’s admin, or through a Shopify Theme Store or Shopify App store demo link. Unlike the customizable password page for a free trial store or paid plan, the development store password isn’t linked to the online store’s theme and cannot be customized.

Development environment with Shopify

 

Pros and Cons of Shopify Development Stores

Shopify, one of the most popular eCommerce solutions, offers an array of features and options. However, like any platform, it has its share of advantages and limitations. Let’s take a closer look at the pros and cons of using Shopify development stores.

Pros:

  1. Cost-Efficient Start: Creating a Shopify development store is cost-free, allowing you to begin your eCommerce journey without initial expenses.
  2. User-Friendly Environment: Shopify’s user-friendly interface makes setting up your online store hassle-free, even if you’re new to eCommerce.
  3. Stunning Themes: Choose from a variety of visually appealing, mobile-friendly themes tailored to your industry, enhancing your store’s aesthetic.
  4. App Variety: Access a wide range of third-party apps in the Shopify app store, empowering you to expand your store’s capabilities.
  5. Scalability: Shopify accommodates businesses of all sizes, from startups to established enterprises.
  6. Support at Your Fingertips: Shopify offers reliable customer support through live chat, email, and phone, ensuring assistance when needed.

Cons:

  1. Development Limitations: Until you upgrade to a paid plan, there are some restrictions:
    • You can’t install paid apps except for select partner-friendly ones.
    • Creating more than ten private apps is not allowed.
    • The development store password page can’t be removed.
    • Real transactions with active payment providers are not possible during development.
  2. Limited Free Themes: While ten free themes are available, using others for your development store requires a one-time payment. Extensive customization might involve understanding Shopify’s Liquid code or hiring a developer.
  3. App Compatibility Concerns: Some third-party apps may not seamlessly integrate with your chosen theme or may need modifications, potentially causing compatibility issues.
  4. Cost Considerations: While Shopify offers flexibility, costs can accumulate, including monthly fees, transaction fees, and app expenses.
  5. Learning Curve: Advanced customization may require familiarity with Shopify’s Liquid code, possibly necessitating the services of an expert developer.

How Can I Build a Shopify Development Store?

Before you can build a Shopify development store, you need a Shopify Partner account. It’s free to join, and lets members experiment with Shopify store functionality. As a Shopify Partner, you have access to free training courses and other useful resources to leverage the platform to help grow your business.

Once you have a free Shopify account, you can follow these steps to create a Shopify Development Store:

  1. Log into your Shopify Partner dashboard.
  2. Click Stores.
  3. Click Add Store.
  4. In the Store type section, select Development store.
  5. In the Login Information section, enter a name for your store and a development store password that you will use to log in.
  6. Optional: You can enable a developer preview by selecting the developer version from the drop-down list.
  7. In the store address section, enter your address.
  8. Optional: Select a reason why you’re creating this development store in the store purpose section.
  9. Click Save.

Once you’ve created your Shopify Development store, you can archive it. If you want your Shopify development store to go live, you have to transfer ownership and select a Shopify plan. When this is processed, all restrictions are lifted from the development store.

When it comes to Shopify development stores, some organizations use the developer preview to gain early access to new Shopify features, so they can build and test apps against upcoming features before they’re released. A word of caution: Development stores created on developer preview mode can’t be transferred to another owner or transitioned to a paid plan.

Internet Marketing Agency and Shopify

Do I Need a Shopify Development Company?

Even without any technical knowledge, the plug-and-play capabilities of online store development allow anyone to set up a basic store with relative ease. However, without technical knowledge, it will take you longer to achieve the results that a professional agency team can deliver. This is largely why 80% of Fortune 500 companies outsource their web development needs.

Experts know how the platform works. They leverage its features and functionalities to ensure an online store’s success. A top-tier agency will analyze an organization’s goals and develop a high-performance Shopify store strategy that’s scalable and optimized to achieve long-term results.

Utilizing the Shopify platform entails more than just uploading products and choosing creative theme designs. The goal of any eCommerce store should be to increase sales. Accomplishing this feat in a saturated and highly competitive online space demands SEO strategies. These help sites to rank on search engines, maximize ROI, and increase revenue stream. Experts will also ensure the smooth integration of third-party apps.

Professional Shopify developer partners offer many benefits, including:

  • Developing eCommerce sites on Shopify based on design mockups that align with your brand’s image
  • Building Shopify Apps that seamlessly integrate with the platform and can handle specific issues for merchants
  • Building interactive pages and adding enhanced features to an existing store or theme
  • Migrating customers effortlessly to and from Shopify using the correct technology and tools

Expert Shopify developers customize themes using their skills in HTML, CSS, Javascript, and Liquid. Those who are experienced in Timber (Shopify’s Theme Framework), as well as the Bootstrap framework, will ensure your store’s design is responsive across devices. Furthermore, expert web designers, copywriters, and advertisers bring many years of experience, which allows organizations to focus on growing their business, instead of wasting significant time trying to master skills the experts already have.

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Conclusion

Hiring professional Shopify Development agency to complete high-quality bespoke tasks within a specified time frame for your online store will keep your organization up-to-date with the latest marketing developments. They can improve Shopify store functionality and grow your business through SEO, leading to higher traffic, increased conversions, and greater profits.

As a full-service marketing agency, we’re a certified member of the Shopify partner program and specialize in Shopify development services, PPC, SEO, content, Email, and revenue strategies. Our team can build your store from scratch, or help migrate your current one to Shopify. Contact us to help you build a cost-effective Shopify app store with high ROI.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Shopify good for developers?

Developers like Shopify because it allows them to create stores, manage inventory, and customize them. Aside from its many features, Shopify is a good choice for small businesses and entrepreneurs.

In what cities do you operate?

Comrade originates in Chicago, but we worked all around the United States. We can help your business grow and increase revenue whenever you are. We have offices across most major cities in the US. For example, we can offer digital marketing services in Orlando or Las Vegas. You can even find our internet marketing experts in Philadelphia! If you want to know more about our Jacksonville digital marketing agency or find out how exactly we can help you, contact us via the phone or email.

About the Author
Ivan Vislavskiy is Comrade Digital Marketing’s co-founder and fearless leader, spearheading the agency’s production department.
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Ivan Vislavskiy

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