Shopify’s 3-month trial: How to maximize your $1 investment

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If you’ve been considering launching an online store, the Shopify three-month for $1/month plan is a great way to get started with minimal risk.

With the rise of global ecommerce sales each year, there has never been a better time to start your own ecommerce business and tap into this growing market.

That said, how can you make the most of the Shopify three-month trial to reduce cost and cover the essential setup of an ecommerce store?

In this guide, we’ll walk you through the best strategies to take advantage of this plan and bring significant value for a dollar per month.

What exactly is Shopify’s 3-month trial for $1?

The Shopify one-dollar three-month plan is a promo offered to new Shopify users so they can launch their online stores at a discounted cost. How this works is when new users sign up on Shopify, they enjoy a free trial for three days and then pay only $1/month for the first three months. 

To be eligible for this generous offer, the following criteria apply:

• This deal is exclusive to first-time Shopify users
• You must use an email address that hasn’t been associated with a Shopify account before
• The offer may not be available in all countries, so you should check Shopify’s website for availability in your region

It’s important to note that each eligible user can open only one Shopify store under this promotion. Additionally, the Shopify three months for $1/month offer applies to the Basic, Shopify, and Advanced plans. It doesn’t include the Shopify Plus plan, which is tailored for high-volume businesses.

So, how does this Shopify one-dollar plan differ from the standard free trials that other ecommerce platforms offer? 

WooCommerce, for instance, lets you open a store for free, but themes (costing $0–$100/year), hosting (costing $3.99–$5,000/month), and other add-ons can be costly.

Shopify does it differently. Upon conducting our Shopify review, we’ve found that the standard free trial lasts for three days, after which users must choose a paid plan. With the Shopify $1/month for three months offer, this trial period is extended so new users can explore all the features within a chosen plan for three more months.

Some key benefits of the Shopify three-month for $1/month plan include:

• Risk-free testing of Shopify’s premium features, helping you evaluate their suitability for your business
• Reduced subscription fees for three months while you set up and optimize your online store
• Opportunity for selling and generating revenue with minimal upfront costs, allowing your business to grow

Get Shopify for $1: A step-by-step guide

Thanks to Shopify’s free trial and then $1/month for three months, you can set up your Shopify store and enter the ecommerce space without breaking the bank. Here’s a step-by-step guide for enrolling in this plan, potential issues, and how to address them:

Step 1: Access the offer page

Begin by visiting Shopify’s official pricing page. Here, you’ll find the Shopify three-month for $1/month offer highlighted at the top, inviting you to start your free trial and enjoy three months for $1/month on select plans.​

Step 2: Start your free trial

Enter your email address in the provided field and click on Start free trial. You’ll then be directed to a new page where you’ll be prompted to create a password for your store. After filling in these details, click Create Shopify account to proceed.​

Step 3: Fill out your business details

Once signed up, Shopify will prompt you to provide basic information about your store, such as your business location, store name, and products. This helps personalize your store setup. You can skip these steps and complete them later if you prefer.

Step 4: Select a plan (optional) 

This is where many users encounter potential issues. You might see the regular pricing plans, but don’t panic. The Shopify $1/month three-month offer is typically applied during checkout. 

Select your preferred plan, as the discount will be applied later. Alternatively, if you’re still unsure about which plan to choose, you can skip this step and decide later.

If you don’t see the Shopify $1/month for three months offer, try clearing your browser’s cache and cookies or using a different browser. Ensure you’re accessing the correct page through Shopify’s official website.​

If you’re still prompted to pay full price, verify that you’ve selected the monthly Basic Shopify plan and that you used an email you haven’t previously used for Shopify. If issues persist, reach out to Shopify’s customer support for assistance.

Step 5: Confirm payment details

On the billing page, enter your business address and payment method (credit card or PayPal). Click Start plan to finalize the process, and you’ll be directed to your store page. You now have full access to Shopify’s features for just $1/month for three months.

Make the most of Shopify’s 3-month trial

Like any platform, Shopify has its pros and cons. This top ecommerce platform offers an all-in-one solution for store setup, hosting, management, and growth. Some users appreciate its ease of use, wherein you don’t need coding knowledge to get started, and its built-in features for payment processing, marketing, and analytics. 

However, there are some drawbacks, such as the additional transaction fees (2% for Basic, 1% for Shopify, and 0.6% for the Advanced plan) that apply when Shopify Payment isn’t used.

Additionally, Shopify has limited customization options and may require coding knowledge for advanced customizations.

When comparing other ecommerce platforms like Shopify vs. WooCommerce, Shopify is ideal for beginners and those looking for an all-in-one solution. Meanwhile, WooCommerce requires separate hosting and technical setup, making it ideal for those seeking full customization and who are comfortable with WordPress.

If you’re ready to get started with the Shopify three-month for $1/month plan, here are some tips you can follow to set up your store in no time:

• Choose a theme: Shopify offers many free and paid themes. You can explore the platform to find the best Shopify themes that fit your brand. Specifically, pick a theme that’s optimized for mobile users:

• Add products: Start with a small, curated selection of products. Use high-quality images, detailed descriptions, and competitive pricing. Then, analyze sales data to expand your offerings.
• Set up payment and shipping: Configure payment options like Shopify Payments, PayPal, and other reliable payment options. Offer free or flat-rate shipping to attract customers.
• Customize your store: You can add your logo, tweak colors, and customize layouts to match your brand’s identity. Also, set up navigation to ensure a smooth customer shopping experience. 

Shopify provides users with helpful resources to support their journey. For instance, the Shopify Academy offers free and paid courses on store setup and Shopify tips for marketing and sales. Plus, you can use the community forums to engage with other Shopify users and experts and get tips on troubleshooting issues.

With the Shopify three-month for $1/month plan, focus on attracting visitors and identifying products with high sales potential. You can implement email marketing strategies, build an email list, and send targeted campaigns to inform subscribers about products and promotions.

Also, you can use social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook to promote your products and engage with potential customers for your store.

Best Shopify apps for new stores

To ensure your store’s profitability and scalability, you need to use the right Shopify apps that can help improve store functionality and refine operations. 

For one, marketing apps for SMS and email communication are essential. Among the Shopify email marketing apps available, Omnisend is a must-have for new Shopify stores. 

New stores often rely on the Shopify three-month for $1/month plan to test their business model. Omnisend’s integration with Shopify empowers both experts and beginners to make the most of this period. Its intuitive and powerful email and SMS automation capabilities can help drive early sales and build strong customer relationships:

With this integration, you can synchronize customer data, purchase history, and product details, facilitating personalized and effective communication strategies.

Additionally, you can set up email automation workflows for various customer interactions, such as welcome messages, abandoned cart reminders, post-purchase follow-ups, and more. Running these campaigns will increase brand awareness and conversion rates: 

Omnisend’s user-friendly interface also makes it accessible for merchants with varying levels of technical expertise. Its intuitive design allows you to create and customize campaigns suitable for your brand even without extensive coding knowledge.

Here’s an example of an email campaign To’ak Chocolate created using Omnisend:

Apart from Shopify marketing apps, other apps can complement your marketing efforts and add to your store’s functionality, including:

• Product review apps: Apps like Loox or Judge.me help you collect and display customer reviews to build trust and credibility for your Shopify store
• Upselling and cross-selling apps: You can use Shopify apps like ReConvert Upsell and Cross-Sell or Bold Upsell to recommend additional products to customers, increasing average order value
• Dropshipping apps: If you’re running a dropshipping business, Shopify dropshipping apps like Zendrop or DropCommerce can help streamline order fulfillment and supplier management

Benefits of the Shopify 3 months for $1/month offer

One of the biggest barriers to starting an online business is initial costs. The Shopify three-month for $1/month plan removes this risk, so you can experiment and fine-tune your store without a major financial commitment. 

If you decide ecommerce isn’t right for you, you can walk away after the trial with minimal loss. However, if your store gains traction, you’ll already have a solid foundation to scale and make money on Shopify.

As your business grows, you can upgrade your plan, add new products, and integrate powerful tools to automate processes. The best part is that you’re given three months to test the platform before committing to a fully paid plan. 

Many thriving online businesses began with Shopify’s free or discounted trials. Entrepreneurs worldwide have launched successful stores, selling everything from fashion to home decor. 

For instance, brands like Black Halo, Divatress, Island Olive Oil, and others have grown their Shopify stores. You can read more about Shopify success stories to learn how to scale your online store similarly. 

What happens after the Shopify $1 trial ends?

When your Shopify three months for $1/month plan ends, your account automatically transitions to a paid subscription based on the plan you selected during signup. Shopify offers several pricing tiers, including:

• Basic: $39/month, ideal for solo entrepreneurs
• Shopify: $105/month, great for small teams
• Advanced: $399/month, best for scaling enterprises
• Plus: $2,300/month, billed on a three-year term, perfect for complex businesses with high-volume transactions 

Your first billing cycle begins immediately, and Shopify charges the subscription fee to your selected payment method. 

Your selected plan will determine features like card rates, inventory locations, staff accounts, and more. If you don’t choose a plan during the trial, Shopify will prompt you to select one before continuing to use the platform. 

If you decide Shopify isn’t right for you, you can cancel at any time before the trial ends to avoid charges. Shopify operates on a no-commitment basis, meaning you won’t be locked into a long-term contract. Simply go to Settings > Plan > Cancel Subscription to close your account.

Conclusion

What better way to kickstart your ecommerce business than to take advantage of the Shopify three-month for $1/month plan? 

You’ll have access to powerful tools for setting up and managing your ecommerce store, including templates that allow you to create a unique store name and customize your product listing. 

Plus, with the Shopify free trial three–months offer, you can take advantage of marketing and sales tools to drive traffic to your ecommerce store and increase sales.

If you want to sell several products without worrying about holding stock, you can opt for the Shopify dropshipping business model. So don’t wait — take advantage of the Shopify three-month for $1/month plan and start building a thriving online store.

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