Shopify is one of the largest e-commerce platforms around, so as a business owner who owns membership portals/communities, you may wonder, “Can I sell digital products on Shopify? 

Shopify is currently the most popular e-commerce site-building platform, taking over 15% of the market share with close to 4 million sites. 

But can you sell digital products on Shopify? 

Can I Sell Digital Products On Shopify?

Yes, you can sell digital products on Shopify. While it is better known for being an e-commerce platform for physical goods, you can also sell digital products, which include:

  • Online courses
  • Software 
  • Games
  • Music 
  • Audio recordings
  • Videos
  • Templates and tools
  • Membership sites
  • And Non-fungible tokens (NFTs)

Shopify is powerful for selling digital products because it offers many features and tools that make sales easy. 

One of the major benefits of using Shopify to sell digital products is uploading and creating high-quality product descriptions with high-definition images to sell in a variety of digital product formats. 

Shopify also lets you integrate and promote your products on social media and other channels rather than logging in and out of business accounts. This shouldn’t surprise you because Shopify is known for empowering its users to provide excellent customer service.

Follow-up emails or product update notifications can all be automated. Another automated process you can activate is order fulfillment, which means as soon as the client has paid for the product, they will receive it without human input. 

This is great if you’re currently operating with a small team. 

Shopify makes payment easier for your clients by offering multiple options, such as PayPal, credit cards, and Apple Pay, 

Lastly, Shopify is easily scalable. So, when you’re ready to upload a new digital product, you can do so quickly. 

But although you asked, “Can I sell digital products on Shopify?” is the platform also worth using?

Is Shopify Worth It For Digital Products?

Whether Shopify is worth it for digital products depends on your needs and budget.

Here are some of the pros and cons to consider:

Pros:

  • Security: Shopify offers a secure platform protecting customer data and transactions.
  • Apps and integrations: There are thousands of apps and integrations available for Shopify, which can help you add features and functionality to your store.
  • Ease of use: Shopify is relatively easy to use, even if you don’t have any prior experience with e-commerce platforms.
  • Large community: There is a large and active community of Shopify users who can provide support and advice.

Shopify is a well-rounded product for most e-commerce players, but are there downsides?

Cons: 

  • Cost: Shopify can be expensive, especially compared to other e-commerce platforms.
  • Transaction fees: Shopify charges transaction fees on every sale, which can affect your profits.

Now that we’ve considered costs, could you get similar or better results using Etsy?

Is Shopify or Etsy Better?

Shopify and Etsy are tools for two very different markets, especially if you’re selling a digital product. 

Etsy’s primary focus is to be a platform for its users to sell handmade and vintage products. There is only a small community looking for digital offerings on the platform. 

Also, Etsy offers limited: 

  • Website customization
  • Marketing tools 
  • Payment options
  • And scalability. 

For entrepreneurs looking to sell digital products within a vibrant online community, Shopify is the only option. 

Read next: What is Members Planet?