Why I Deactivated My Shopify Account
...and what I would do differently next time
I’ve been a Shopify user for several years. Even after testing the waters of other platforms like WooCommerce and Squarespace, I returned to Shopify as my e-commerce solution because the platform is just that good.
Initially, I had the account to sell design-related merch, mainly through print-on-demand. Over time, that transitioned more to my physical art. Then, in 2023, I had a creativity crisis and stopped making and selling art. I was so focused on the writing I lost interest in working on canvases.
I paid for a full year of the service, and they wouldn’t prorate my account if I canceled early, so I kept the site up. I left the site running with a few digital assets for sale but put zero energy into it. As my account was set to renew at the end of July, I pulled the plug and walked away from the shop indefinitely.
To be clear, I love Shopify. The service is great, and if I had a legitimate reason to keep it going, I would. However, I’m no longer in the physical product business, and it just doesn’t make sense to keep it going.
Whenever I thought about the shop, I would think of ways to revamp it and turn it into a different merch brand based on whatever next wild idea popped into my head. These are just some examples:
100% digital products shop
A curated list of art and design posters from a collection of licensed artists
A clothing brand that used vintage smut photos in cheeky ways to talk about social issues
A merch brand dedicated to Toyota Tacomas (I just bought my first one, and I love it)
A merch brand based on donuts (my kid wanted this) and mental health
A minimalist poster shop with a retro-futurism aesthetic.
A handmade CBD soap and lotion shop
Every single one of those ideas popped into my head at one point or another, and though potentially valid, I had no time to focus on them because all my energy was dedicated to The Hungry. Dedication to that newsletter is my top priority. Despite the constant sparks of inspiration trying to disrupt my flow, I’m dedicated to growing The Hungry into the best creative business newsletter I can.
I know there are at least a few who will relate completely.
How Would I Do It Different?
If I ever did decide to execute one of my wild ideas, there are things I would do entirely differently.
Niche Down - Creative people hate this advice, but if I started a new product-based shop, I would find a profoundly niched audience with a voracious appetite to buy everything in that niche.
Nail the Branding - I would spend most of my early time focusing on getting the branding right. I want the fonts, colors, and visual elements to say as much about the brand as the products themselves. Cohesive and professional branding can create an immediate level of trust in customers, and the opposite is also true, which is why it’s so important.
Focus on Creativity - Instead of getting caught up in whether a topic was a personal passion of mine, I would find one that was popular and spend all my energy on making the most creative products I could. I’m precious about the art, not about the vessel that it sits upon or who the person is that buys it.
Study the Leaders - If you want a crash course in marketing that works, look at companies like True Classic, Gym Shark, and my favorite, Liquid Death. I have been studying their ads, emails, and social media for years but have never considered how to apply the lessons to my stuff. However, I would use all of those lessons now.
Get on the List - My top objective would be to get as many dedicated audience members onto my email list as quickly as possible. It’s possible to make sales directly through paid ads and social media followers, but if I want to turn one-time shoppers into repeat customers, I need them on that list.
Pay for the Tools - One of the best parts of Shopify is the massive app store, where hundreds of app developers have created tools to help build sales and track data. If you’re not careful, you could spend hundreds of dollars every month on various apps, and it’s important to choose wisely with these partners. However, some essential tools can be game-changers for a growth-oriented brand.
If Not Shopify, Then Who?
There are many online platforms where you can sell your creative work, but not all are created equally. I can’t speak to all of them, but I’ve used a few that I might recommend depending on what you’re selling and how many products you have in your shop.
Squarespace is a great app, and I’m currently using it for The Hungry. I think it’s an excellent platform for creating the perfect online with zero need for coding. You also can sell many different types of products on the site. Still, there are limitations if you have an extensive product catalog, especially if you offer variations on those products. It can be managed, but it can be tedious to make catalog-wide changes.
Wix is very similar to Squarespace in what they offer and how their sites are built. I haven’t used the app in many years, but I can only assume that they’ve followed lock-step with Squarespace as they have for years.
WooCommerce is an excellent option if you want to run a WordPress website. It is the only full-fledged e-commerce option for WordPress sites, and if you’re familiar with the platform, you may appreciate it. However, if you’re unfamiliar with WordPress, recognize that you will have a steep learning curve for both the platform and the app.
But Really, Shopify
On the other hand, Shopify has a large set of aesthetic templates from which to choose. Though they aren’t entirely as customizable as Squarespace, you can make a site look excellent with good design choices and quality photography. Where they excel above all others is in their product organization. You can stack thousands of listings within the platform and manage them with simple tools.
Shopify also offers a full suite of marketing and promotional options like Meta and Google ads, social media posts from your products, and decent email marketing tools. Shopify doesn’t answer every solution, but for businesses that want more flexibility in their product offerings, in my opinion, there’s no better option on the internet.
If I ever find myself leaning back into product-based business, I would immediately jump back on Shopify unless a better solution comes along and does an even better job. Still, I don’t see that being a factor anytime soon.
What About My Personal Brand?
When you visit daveconrey.com, you’ll see that the brand is fully intact. Go ahead, click it, and don’t be afraid to share it with others.