How Does Shopify Work? A Simple Guide for New Store Owners
If you’ve been wondering how Shopify works, you’re in the right place. Whether you're starting your first business or moving an existing store online, Shopify makes it easier than ever to sell products and manage everything in one place.
Let’s walk through what Shopify does, how it works behind the scenes, and what it takes to launch your own Shopify store.
What Is Shopify?
Shopify is an all-in-one eCommerce platform that allows you to build, customize, and manage your own online store. You can sell physical products, digital goods, services, or subscriptions—all from one dashboard.
Everything from designing your website to processing orders and collecting payments happens right inside Shopify.
So, How Does Shopify Work?
Shopify works by combining all the tools you need to run a business online into one easy-to-use platform. Here's what that includes:
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Storefront: Choose a theme, add your logo and products, and customize the look of your store.
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Product Management: Add products, write descriptions, upload images, and track inventory.
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Checkout & Payments: Accept credit cards, PayPal, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and more. Shopify Payments is built in.
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Shipping & Fulfillment: Set shipping rates, print shipping labels, and track deliveries.
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Marketing Tools: Built-in SEO features, a blog, discount codes, abandoned cart recovery, and more.
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Apps & Integrations: Extend your store’s functionality with apps for reviews, email, subscriptions, analytics, and more.
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Reports & Analytics: See what’s working and make smarter decisions with Shopify’s sales dashboards and insights.
All of this happens inside your Shopify dashboard—so you can manage your store from your laptop or your phone.
Do I Need to Know Code?
Nope. You don’t need to know how to code to use Shopify. Most of the setup can be done with drag-and-drop tools and theme settings. If you want more customization, you can hire a Shopify developer (like us!) to build something custom—but it’s not required.
What Do I Need to Start?
To start using Shopify, all you need is:
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An idea for what to sell
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A name for your store
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A Shopify account (they offer a free trial)
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Product photos and descriptions
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A little time to set things up
Once your store is live, you can connect your domain name, publish your site, and start taking orders.
How Much Does Shopify Cost?
Shopify’s pricing starts at $39/month for the Basic plan. There are also plans for growing brands and high-volume sellers. You can upgrade as you grow. Most features—like payments, shipping, and SEO—are included, so you’re not paying extra for the essentials.
What Happens After I Launch?
Once your store is live, Shopify keeps working in the background. Orders come in, payments are processed, and inventory updates automatically. You can run promotions, track results, and manage everything from your dashboard or the Shopify mobile app.
Final Thoughts
If you’ve been asking how Shopify works, the answer is simple: it brings everything you need to sell online into one place. It’s beginner-friendly, powerful, and built to grow with you.
Whether you’re just getting started or switching from another platform, Shopify makes running an online business faster, easier, and smarter.
Need help launching or optimizing your Shopify store? Book a free strategy call with our team today.