Shopify is currently the leading eCommerce platform builder out there, with over 500,000 active stores that collectively drive billions in sales annually.
The platform allows you to create and set up a fully functional eCommerce business in the fraction of the time it would take for a web developer to do from scratch. It provides support, learning material, and even access to various eCommerce experts to help business owners make the most out of their Shopify experience.
Having multiple Shopify stores can be one method that helps you achieve that. However, you should know that Shopify only allows you to register one account to link to your store, so to manage multiple Shopify stores you’d need different accounts.
That’s a bit more effort. But is it worth it? Well, it depends on your needs.
Why You May Need Multiple Shopify Stores
Let’s say you have an online store and it’s going great. One idea you have to move your business to the next level is to open another Shopify store and extend your reach. But is that the best way to go?
Opening up a new Shopify store could be a great idea if:
1. You Sell Globally
If you sell your products in multiple countries, then you may want to set up different online stores for each of those countries for a number of different reasons.
It could be that you want each country to access your brand’s website in their own language, or you’re not selling all your products everywhere, so you’d need different product catalogues. Shipping processes may be different for each country as well, or the payment method. Either way, it may actually be easier to manage multiple Shopify stores for each country than to just have one with a lot of ifs and maybes.
2. You Have Different Audiences
You may have a disconnect in your target audience that you could solve by having separate stores.
For example, let’s say your business sells watches, and you have a line of good yet affordable watches and another line for very expensive watches.
Each of these lines will attract customers with very different needs and expectations. Those interested in luxury watches won’t find the affordable one appealing at all, so there’s not much point in having them in your catalogue. And the audience looking for something cheaper may appreciate the luxury items, but few will likely make the effort to purchase one.
Selling is also about telling a story, and convincing customers of how that store can come to life for them if they buy your product. Expensive and cheap products paint two very different stories, so it’s easier to separate the two.
3. You Have Different Sales Channels
The content of the website should always be altered to fit the sales channel. If you try to combine them, it just ends up confusing everyone.
Your business could sell directly to consumers, but it could also sell directly to businesses. Each sales channel influences the sales process in terms of:
- The offers you can provide
- The benefits of the products and service
- Shipping processes
- Payment options
- Codes, coupons, discounts.
Some businesses that have multiple sales channels are able to separate the two within the same website. You can look at the menu bar as the “for businesses” and “for consumers” section.
That’s a great strategy if you have something very specific to offer. A baker can easily put their princess and menu on a single page, and have consumers call in to place an order.
But when you have a product catalogue with several different products to offer, this strategy could complicate your layout too much. Having separate stores for selling to consumers versus selling to businesses is a much simpler way to fix it because each site will cater to the needs of your target.
4. You Have Different Brands
Lastly, you may have different brands and what to promote each on another website. This is another good reason to have different Shopify stores.
Each brand can have different target audiences or the products themselves might not have anything to do with each other, so why try to merge them into the same website?
Can We Help?
Do you need some support with improving your Shopify online store and reaching your potential customers? Our eCommerce team may be able to help.
Book your free 30-minute strategy session with shopify website development experts at Australian Internet Advertising now to learn what it takes to grow your eCommerce business through Shopify.
