Shopify Lite is a cheaper version of Shopify. Is it right for you? Are you aware of its limitations?
But, before we get into that…
Let’s discuss Shopify Lite’s greatest strength. You can sell products online with this plan, which is affordable and doesn’t require you to have a website.
Maybe…
- Although you have an idea for a business, you don’t yet have a website.
- Or-
- Perhaps you own a blog or website and would like to make it more profitable with product sales.
After you’ve heard my thoughts about Shopify Lite you might decide that you don’t really need a new website.
The best part?
Your prospects will be already on your website if you sell to them. This eliminates a significant hurdle in the sales process.
Shopify Lite allows anyone to sell online, without having their website . This is very cool. Although it’s not for everyone. I will explain how Shopify Lite can help you sell your products online.
This post will cover:
What is Shopify Lite?
Shopify’s cheapest plan is the Shopify Lite plan. for $9 per month you can set up your products online via social media or on your existing website.
This sounds easy, doesn’t it?
But not so fast…
You can sell products online for a small investment, but there are limitations. For some entrepreneurs, it can be a game-changer. It may not be enough for everyone.
Do you want to find out the truth?
Shopify Basic is the best plan for most businesses. If yours isn’t, you might end up paying too high.
It is not something that anyone likes to do.
Shopify Lite is the best option for you if your business is just starting out and/or falls into one of several categories. Really.
These are the types of businesses that will most benefit from this plan.
- Social media is a key focus for new businesses
- Small business owner who is most successful on Instagram or Facebook
- Hobbyist who doesn’t want to bother with their website
- Blogger who owns a website to monetize using products or services
- Cottage industry businesses
Before we go into the incredible features of this plan, let’s discuss the elephant in the corner.
This $9/mo. You will not be able to get your own website with this plan . You will need one if you don’t have one.
This is why the plan may not work for everyone. This is also why it is so affordable.
While I will soon cover the basics of selling via WordPress and other social channels, let’s first look at Shopify Lite pricing.
You’ll pay more than the monthly rate for all ecommerce plans. Credit card transaction fees are included at the minimum.
What does Shopify Lite cost you?
Let’s look at transaction fees.
Shopify Lite Plan Review
The monthly rate of $9 has been covered. This allows you to set up your products and integrate them onto your website or social media channels.
You’ll be charged $9/month until your first sale. All you have to do is pay $9/mo.
What happens next?
You’ll be charged a transaction charge for your first sale. It is a standard practice in the industry and how credit card processors make money.
Shopify Lite (Shopify Basis) will charge 2.9% plus $0.30 for every online transaction. If you sell $40, you will get $38.54. The $1.46 extra goes to credit card processing. You should factor this into your margins as the rate is the exact same for each sale.
For in-person sales, there is a slightly different charge. You actually get to keep a bit more of your money.
Shopify Lite charges 2.7% plus $0.30 per sale. For the same $40 sale you would get $38.62. Although it may not seem like much, these pennies can add up when processing many transactions. Comparing it to Advanced Shopify Pricing ($299/ month), you can save $3480/ year!
Shopify Lite vs. Basic
Shopify, as you can see in the above example, compares the Basic and Lite plans. They do this independently from their standard pricing model.
This is because there’s a reason.
Many people who consider the Lite plan will end up choosing the Basic plan.
Why? Why?
You might be wondering:
Isn’t Facebook and Instagram sufficient to replace the need for websites?
The answer is a resounding NO!
This may seem confusing if you are new to online marketing. You can sell on both social media and your website. Why not save money and go with the less expensive plan?
You may choose to do this for many reasons, but they don’t replace a website.
Why is it important to have your own website?
Let’s suppose you have an Instagram account and want to grow your following. You invest years in Instagram marketing to build a business. Then Instagram disappears (it happens, just ask MySpace).
Here’s the deal
Instagram’s future is up to you. You also have little control over the branding of your company when you sell on another website. Although people may be able to find you on social media, that’s it.
The Basic plan doesn’t cost more than the Lite plan ($20/mo). More: If you are building a website from scratch you can use Shopify’s 14-day free trial. This means you don’t need to pay anything while you set it up.
Do you want to find the best?
You can place your store on hold if you don’t expect to make your first sale in a while. While you can still create backlinks and content, orders won’t be accepted until your store becomes active again.
Let me be clear: I don’t want to try to sell Basic. All I want is for you to be informed before making a decision.
No one will tell your business that a website is bad.
When should you use Shopify Lite?
Despite all the talk about how important it is to have your own website, there are a few instances when Shopify Lite is the perfect plan.
- If you already own a website, there is no need to create a new one. Add Shopify Lite to your website and you can start selling products.
- Your cottage industry business cannot accept international sales. restrictions vary from one state to the next. Your sales are likely to come from festivals, flea markets, farmers markets, and the like. You may still need a website in this instance, but it doesn’t have to be ecommerce-ready. You only need to be able take orders over the phone and in person. Shopify Lite is the perfect solution.
- You’re only selling temporary products or services. Perhaps you are selling a temporary product or service to make extra money. If that is the case, then you don’t need a website. Shopify Lite is the solution.
What is the Shopify Lite plan?
Shopify Lite allows you to sell your products through social media in 3 ways.
- Facebook messenger
You might be wondering how it all works.
Your existing Facebook Business page merges with your store, and you can sell your products through the page or through ads.
Facebook Messenger allows you to sell products while you are chatting with customers. This is great for customers who need advice about which product to purchase. Instead of sending them to the website and hoping that they convert, you can sell the product right away.
Instagram allows customers to browse your posts and make purchases. Every story or post can be transformed into a shopping experience.
Let me tell ya, the best part about all of this is…
You can sync the products to your social media channels so that you don’t need to change pricing or information in different places. Simply make some changes to your backend and everything will automatically update on social media.
It gets even better:
Your customers will stay on Facebook to complete their purchase when they shop through Facebook. This is great for two main reasons.
- Facebook has become a trusted platform for many people. Many people use Facebook to send and get payments, or make charitable donations.
- It ensures a smooth transaction. People who have to bounce between sites are more likely to lose interest and abandon their shopping cart.
How can I use Shopify’s buy button?
Shopify Lite can be easily integrated with any website that has the Buy button.
You may have ever embedded a YouTube video on your website. You can add a Shopify Buy button to your website if you have.
Let’s suppose you have a blog that is popular and you want to sell baseball caps featuring your catchphrase. This is a great idea because you know that your audience will love it. Shopify Lite is all you need.
Here’s how it works.
To match your site’s theme, you can customize the appearance and feel of your Buy Button. The button is fully responsive, as you would expect from Shopify. You don’t need to worry about it looking or acting strange on mobile devices.
It gets even better…
An embedded shopping cart can be added to your site if you sell more than one product. This will give your site a professional look and feel. Customers can add multiple products and only checkout once.
What do you think?
Shopify Lite sounds like the right choice for you? Do you prefer the Basic Plan?
Most Frequently Asked Questions
What is Shopify Lite?
Shopify Lite costs $9 per month and is Shopify’s cheapest plan. It can be integrated with a website or social media site.
Shopify Lite is it good?
Shopify Lite is great for: New business’s with a focus in social media, small businesses that already have a lot of sales via Facebook and Instagram, someone who doesn’t want their own website, bloggers who sell products/services, Cottage industry businesses.
Shopify Lite allows you to use Shopify apps.
Yes, Shopify App Store exists.
Shopify Lite can you be used with Instagram?
Yes. You can sell products on Facebook Messenger, Instagram, and Instagram.
What’s the difference between Shopify Basic and Shopify Lite?
Shopify Basic is $29 per monthly, while Shopify Lite costs $9 per month. Shopify Basic offers you a brand new e-commerce store that will allow you to sell your products. Shopify Lite is more popular. Shopify Lite requires you to have a website.
Does Shopify Light include Shopify Payments?
Shopify offers Shopify Payments as well as a basic point-of-sales system.
What’s the difference between Shopify POS Pro & Lite?
Shopify POS Pro is a different version of the Shopify pointof-system app. Shopify POS Lite is limited in functionality, including product management and payment processing. Shopify POS Lite users have the option to upgrade to Shopify POS Pro for more features.
Conclusion
Shopify Lite, a plan at a fair price that allows anyone to get into ecommerce, is available.
It is fully functional and allows you to accept sales in person, via social media or on your existing website.
Shopify Lite, if you don’t need that much, is the right plan for you.
The Shopify Basic plan is a good option if you are serious about your ecommerce venture and do not have a website.
Here are a few examples of Shopify Lite that I have covered.
Do you have any other suggestions? Is there any other situation Shopify Lite could be used?
