How to Buy on Shopify: 5 Minutes Guide

Shopify is a Canadian e-commerce platform company. They provide tools for worldwide companies to build online stores and sell their products. Each Shopify store operates individually, offering a variety of products from crafts, clothes, and books to the latest tech devices. Despite differences in inventory, Shopify stores share a common set of features designed to provide you, the shopper, with a safe and convenient online shopping environment.

Therefore, unlike Amazon or Rakuten, Shopify is not a searchable e-commerce platform for products. Users can not search for specific things like “Blue dress” or “Boots” on this site and see the sale results.

However, you can still discover everything you desire from the millions of companies hosting stores on Shopify. You just need the right tools and knowledge to find it. Read on to know more.

What to Do Before You Shop on Shopify

Before starting shopping on Shopify, you need to know how to shop safely and get what you want.

Check the store

• Read reviews from customers: They tell you if the products are good and if the seller is trustworthy. You should look for recent reviews with pictures because the product quality can be changed over different versions.
• Look at star ratings: Typically, store owners encourage customers to vote star for their products after they buy.  And the star rating will show you how much people like the seller. But remember, sellers can buff the star or pay for fake rank. 
• Look for more info: Check other websites and forums to learn more about the seller. You can search for keywords such as “store name + reviews”, “store name + scam”.

Making Sure Your Payment Is Safe

• Choose a legit payment method such as credit cards, PayPal, Shopify Payments, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Amazon Pay, etc.
• Scan the secure website: A safe payment website must have  “https://” and a padlock icon on the URL tab. The website’s domain name must also match the seller’s domain name.

Knowing about Shipping Costs and Time

• Think about shipping costs: Shipping costs are displayed on the product page or during the checkout process. They show how much it costs to send your stuff. You should compare prices from different shops.
• Know when your order will come: It depends on geographical distance, shipping method and the seller’s order processing time.
• Learn about international shipping regulations: International delivery times may take longer and you sometimes have to pay for additional import taxes and customs fees. You should contact the seller for details on international shipping regulations.

Find a good seller

• Check they have contact info: Good sellers will give you their email or phone number so you can ask questions.
• Look for stores with chatbots: They can help you whenever you need it.
• Pick a seller who helps you: You should choose a retailer who is willing to solve problems and support customers throughout the shopping process. Please read the seller’s return policy and warranty carefully before purchasing.

Extra tips

• Understand the product description: You need to clearly understand the product, size, color, material, function, etc., before making a decision.
• Be aware of fake items: Some goods might look cheap, but they’re not good quality as advertised. 
• Save your order email: It has important info about what you bought.

6 Easy Steps to Buy Your First Item on Shopify

Step 1: Finding a Shopify Store 

Some sellers may have removed the “Powered by Shopify” line from the corner of their store’s website. However, as a consumer, recognizing a website provided by Shopify can help you understand the shopping experience, payment methods, and shipping rules. This information can help you make smart decisions and shop more easily.

There are 3 ways to identify a Shopify store without asking the store owner:

1. Check the URL:

The website’s URL can quickly identify if it’s using Shopify. Many Shopify websites have special URL structures with words like “collections”, “products”, and “pages”.

For example, Steve Madden’s website, a famous brand in over 80 countries worldwide for women’s handbags footwear, and accessories, has URLs like “https://www.stevemadden.com/products/bn308943-black?variant=40259699966085″. This URL structure is commonly used for Shopify stores.

However, not all Shopify stores have this URL structure. There may be variations or differences due to seller customization or the use of third-party plugins.

2. Check Source Code

To check if your site uses Shopify in its code source, you can view the site’s code source. Source code is human-readable text and line characters written in the language installer. To view the source code, you need to press Ctrl + U or right-click and select “View page source” to open a window displaying the source code website.

In the code source, you can look for class names that Shopify commonly uses like “shopify-section”, “shopify-buy-button”, and “site-header__logo-link”. These named classes are commonly used in Shopify themes and templates to decorate and organize sections of a website.

For example, you can see how Steve Madden uses Shopify themes and templates in their website source code. This helps determine that they are using the Shopify platform to build their website.

Additionally, you may also find CSS file names containing “Shopify” or references to Shopify-specific files. Attest this document uses the underlying Shopify platform for the website.

3. Try with tools

To check if your website is hosted on a Shopify server, you can use technology lookup tools on the internet. These tools will help identify hosting infrastructure by analyzing a website’s IP address, servers, and software. Simply enter the name or URL of the site you want to test into the tool to determine whether the hosting provider supports Shopify.

Here are two technology search tools you can use to check if your website is built on the Shopify platform:

• Wappalyzer Tool: This tool allows you to check the source of the website. Besides, it also lets you create lead lists, monitor your competitors’ websites, and many other features. 
• BuiltWith Tool: This is another great website research tool. The paid versions provide market data and lead lists, but you can use the free version to verify a website that uses the Shopify platform.

Remember, while these tools can be useful, you should combine them with other testing methods to ensure the accuracy of your results.

Step 2: Searching for Products

Although Shopify is not a searchable e-commerce site like Amazon, stores and effects that use Shopify have an easy-to-use interface and the same secure payment methods. So our guide is applicable to any store on Shopify.

The first step is to visit the store’s website. To illustrate, we’ll show you how to shop on Steve Madden’s website, a famous brand for women’s handbags footwear, and accessoriesstore on Shopify.

Next, navigate to the product page you want to purchase or use the search box. Usually, it will be placed in the right corner and have a microscope icon. While Shopify sites can vary in design, finding this box is usually located on the navigation menu bar.

Once you find the product you want to buy, click it to view product details.

Now, read the details and description on the product page. Typically, you will find information about materials, product specifications, and related innovation stories.

Step 3: Adding Things to Your Cart

For fashion products, you can find many versions on the product page, with limitations such as color and size. Before adding products to cart or making a purchase, look at the seller’s pictures for colors and check the size chart.

After selecting information about size and product version (if any) that suits your needs, click the “Add to cart” button.

You can review your selections, change quantities and decide which payments are in your cart.

Step 4: Filling in Your Info

You need to go to your shopping cart to begin the checkout process. You can click on the shopping cart icon which is usually located in the right corner of the screen.

Then, you find the “Check out” button to begin the payment process.

Next, you fill in the shipping address, choose a payment method and provide payment information.

You can pay quickly using convenient payment methods such as credit cards, PayPal and Shop Pay.

After filling in all information, click on the black button with the word “Continue to shipping”.

NOTE:

Shop Pay, Shopify’s payment method, stores your shipping and payment information so you can quickly make your next payment. You can save your payment information to simplify transactions every time you shop.

After you make a purchase, you will receive an order confirmation email. Many Shopify stores also use the Shop app, a digital assistant to track your orders from store to store.

The store’s contact information is always available on the website so you can contact and inquire about orders and products easily.

Step 5: Choosing delivery method

Once the information has been determined, the next step is to choose the protocol method. There are many options to choose from such as “Economy”, “Standard”, “Express(ish)”, “Express”, “Faster” and “Fastest”. Each of these methods will have different shipping costs.

Click the “Continue to payment” button to continue.

Step 6: Paying for Your Purchase

You have many payment methods to choose from such as credit cards, PayPal, Amazon Pay, Apple Pay, Google Pay or Shopify Payments (managed by Stripe). Select the payment method you want and enter your details.

Next, confirm your order to check product price, free shipping and taxes.

You can then securely complete your purchase in a new window after selecting your payment method.

The final step is to confirm your payment information. If everything is correct, press “Pay Now” and you’re done! Your order will be processed and sent.

Tips to Make Buying on Shopify Smooth

Are you ready to enjoy shopping on Shopify? Check out these expert tips for an easier and more enjoyable shopping experience. Explore the world of Shopify, where there are many diverse and rich online stores.

In this section, we’ll share some simple techniques to help you shop smart on Shopify. These tips will help you make the most of your shopping experience on the platform, from searching to discovering unique features:

Search results on the platform

According to Statista, the United States has the most number of Shopify online stores, with a total of more than one million. The UK, Canada and Australia each have more than 100,000 stores. What a huge number!

But how can you find them? You can expect your Shopify store to display information through Google AdWords or from your social media sources.

Additionally, merchants embed Shopify products and payment buttons on their websites.

You can also use the Vendazzo search engine to shop on Shopify. Vendazzo indexes hundreds of Shopify store locations in the US and offers optional filters so you can search for products by currency, décor, price, and product type.

Keeping Your Favorites and Cart Organized

Organizing your favorites and bins on Shopify can help you get the most out of your shopping experience and make your shopping experience quicker. Here’s how you can use the Wish List functions:

• Bookmark items: Save items you’re interested in to your favorites list so you can review them later.
• Compare before deciding: Use a wish list to compare goods, their features and prices before you decide to buy.
• Get notified about price changes: Some wish lists will alert you to price changes, so you don’t miss out on the best deals.

Additionally, some stores offer filtering and sorting in wish lists or shopping carts via the The4 Toolkit app. This tool helps you organize your shopping process more flexibly and easily. It suits your personal preferences and needs.

In short, using this feature on Shopify helps you shop smarter. You can create a personalized shopping experience and easily manage and compare items before deciding to buy.

Using Discounts and Deals Wisely

As a savvy Shopify customer, to get the best shopping experience, you should consider using the following available offers and promotions:

• Coupon Codes: Look for discount codes that stores offer either through email, social media or their website. These codes often offer price incentives or fixed interest rates when you pay.
• Seasonal events and sales: Track seasonal events and sales like Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and special store events. On such occasions, there are often discounts and special offers.
• Subscription Benefits: Some stores offer incentives or early access to special offers for subscribing members.

Also, don’t forget to sign up for emails from your favorite stores. Regularly, sellers send members discount codes, offers or details about upcoming promotions.

Please follow the stores on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. Some stores may offer special discounts or offers to their followers.

Keeping Track of Your Orders and When They’ll Arrive

It is important for you to keep your shipping process information. Let’s learn how to do that:

• When sellers prepare your ordered item completely and send it, you will receive a tracking number from the seller. You can use this number to track delivery progress.
• Follow updates from the conversion tool. This helps you know the transition process from sending to receiving the goods.
• Sign up to receive email or text message notifications from your service provider. These notifications provide information about delivery schedules and order status updates. Then, check your email or message from the forwarding provider to track the delivery.

By tracking your deliveries and actively updating them, you can ensure the delivery presentation process is shared and any issues are resolved quickly.

Conclusion

In this blog, we introduced you to shopping on Shopify and what to keep in mind on the purchasing process. We discovered how to identify a Shopify store, how to search for products, make full payments, and track orders. At the same time, they also learned about using incentives and discount programs, along with tips for optimal shopping experiences on this platform.

In short, shopping on Shopify is not simply choosing to buy products but is also a comprehensive experience, requiring caution, understanding, and skills. By applying the shopping strategies and techniques mentioned in the article, you will have the opportunity to experience online shopping safely and conveniently on the Shopify platform. Don’t hesitate to explore and apply the information and tips you’ve learned to get the most out of your Shopify shopping experience in the future. Prepare yourself for a more enjoyable and productive shopping experience, with confidence in making purchasing decisions and enjoying attractive offers on the platform.