Is Shopify Legit?

So you’re thinking about opening an online store. You’ve probably heard Shopify’s name thrown around more than once. No surprise — it’s one of the biggest players in the eCommerce world. But with all the noise out there, you’re probably wondering: Is Shopify actually any good?

Let me break it down for you like I would if we were grabbing a coffee. I’ve been around long enough to see dozens of clients launch stores — some smashing it, others learning a few hard lessons.

What is Shopify (And Why Does Everyone Keep Talking About It)?

Shopify is basically your one-stop shop for selling stuff online. Doesn’t matter if you’re flogging handmade candles, downloadable art prints, or high-end gadgets — it handles it all.

They kicked things off back in 2006. Today? Over 4 million stores run on Shopify. Big brands, side hustlers, mum-and-dad businesses — you name it.

The beauty of it is this:

• You don’t need to be some coding wizard to get started.

• You can manage products, payments, inventory, shipping — all from the same place.

• It works for both physical and digital products.

One of my clients, Sarah, runs a boutique skincare brand. She started on Shopify with zero tech knowledge. Three months later? Fully functioning online store, smooth checkout, and orders rolling in from both Australia and the US.

Shopify Pricing: What Are You Really Signing Up For?

Alright, let’s talk dollars. Shopify’s pricing is pretty simple, but the extras can catch people off guard.

Here’s a rough guide:

• Basic Shopify — $39/month: Good for when you’re just getting your feet wet. Has everything you need to start.

• Shopify (Standard) — $105/month: More serious tools like advanced reports, gift cards, and better analytics.

• Advanced Shopify — $399/month: This one’s for businesses doing real volume. Custom reporting, third-party shipping rates — the works.

Now, the monthly fee isn’t your only cost:

• Apps (some free, many paid).

• Transaction fees if you don’t use Shopify Payments.

• Paid themes if you want a bit more flair.

One client of mine ended up spending around $180/month once they added a few apps and paid plugins. Not outrageous, but something to factor into your budget early.

Pros and Cons: The Good, The Bad, The “Depends”

Look — no platform is perfect. Shopify’s solid, but let’s call it like it is.

What I love:

• Ridiculously easy to use. Drag-and-drop builder. No code needed.

• Awesome customer support. I’ve jumped on their live chat more times than I can count — usually sorted within 10-15 minutes.

• Grows with you. Start small, scale big.

• Huge app store. From email marketing to product reviews, there’s a plugin for everything.

What I’m not crazy about:

• Transaction fees. Use their payment system or pay extra — simple as that.

• Customisation limits. If you want to do fancy stuff, you may need a developer.

• App addiction. You can rack up costs pretty fast if you’re not careful.

Setting Up Your Shopify Store

Here’s the setup flow I typically walk my clients through:

1) Sign Up & Pick a Plan

Start with the free trial. Gives you a chance to poke around, try a few features, and make sure it feels right.

2) Pick a Theme (Don’t Overthink It)

The Shopify Theme Store has plenty of options.

• Start with a free one (Debut or Dawn are solid picks).

• Paid themes? Usually $200–$350 once-off.

Either way, you can tweak colours, fonts, layouts, and logos later on.

3) Build Out Your Pages & Products

At a minimum:

• About Us

• Contact

• Shipping & Returns

• Privacy Policy

For products:

• Use high-quality images (shoot them yourself or hire someone local).

• Write clear product descriptions — no fluff, answer real customer questions.

• Organise into collections so people can browse easily.

4) Design for Conversion

Little things matter here:

• Keep navigation simple.

• Make the mobile version super clean.

• Stick to a consistent colour palette and font combo.

• Test your checkout process fully.

5) Test Everything Before Launch

Walk through like a customer:

• Add items to cart.

• Test payments.

• Check mobile responsiveness.

• Fix broken links.

Honestly, I’ve seen people miss something silly like a broken “Add to Cart” button — don’t launch until you’re sure.

So… Is Shopify Legit?

Short answer? Yep. 100%.

Longer answer? Shopify’s one of the most reliable, flexible, beginner-friendly eCommerce platforms you can start with right now. It’s not always the cheapest, but it is one of the easiest to actually make money on.

Most of my clients who start with Shopify never regret it. Even as they scale, Shopify tends to hold up — unless they’re turning into the next Amazon, in which case, different ballgame.

One Last Thought

Shopify works — but like any tool, it’s all about how you use it. If you want some help getting your Shopify store off the ground (or fixing the one you’ve already built), give us a shout at Chromatix. We’ve done this dance plenty of times and know where people usually trip up.

Actually, have you already tried playing around with Shopify, or are you still weighing it up?