Think about that you simply have been opening a restaurant in your mid-size metropolis. You collect dozens of beloved household recipes, buy an amazing location close to downtown, and even negotiate a deal on the required tools like ovens and fridges.

On opening day, you wait by the door with anticipation. However the crowds by no means arrive. As a substitute, you watch diner after diner passes your restaurant in favor of different choices. Then it hits you… your metropolis has 1000’s of eating places! It’s informally often known as the “Restaurant Capital of the World.”

Hindsight is 20/20, proper? Now you’re realizing that it was a brazen transfer to attempt to get your restaurant to face out amidst the huge quantity of rivals.

What does this instance need to do with selecting Shopify web site templates? Effectively, there are greater than 4 million completely different companies on Shopify. And it’s estimated there are almost 9 million on-line retailers across the globe. So it’s essential to current one thing really particular to prospects if you’d like your on-line enterprise to face out.

Shopify Web site Templates Are the Key

Don’t let the huge quantity of on-line competitors scare you away from launching an ecommerce web site. In contrast to the state of affairs of preventing over a restricted variety of diners in a metropolis, the ecommerce world connects you with an enormous variety of prospects.

There are greater than 2 billion folks purchasing on-line, and that quantity is barely going to rise sooner or later. If the thought of billions of buyers feels spectacular to you, you would possibly need to sit down for this subsequent statistic: world on-line gross sales this 12 months will exceed $26 trillion.

Should you don’t have a Shopify web site proper now, you’re lacking out on using a robust wave of alternative.

In fact, your on-line retailer might want to stand out in all the correct methods. And a various number of premium and free Shopify templates provides you the choices wanted to place collectively an epic store worthy of your services or products.

It’s no coincidence that Shopify gives a few of the finest templates round. In any case, it was a dearth of operate and design choices that led to its creation. As a information story from NPR explains:

“In 2004, German programmer Tobias Lütke was dwelling in Ottawa together with his girlfriend. An avid snowboarder, he needed to launch a web-based snowboard store, however discovered the ecommerce software program out there on the time to be clunky and costly. So he determined to jot down his personal ecommerce software program. After he launched his on-line snowboard enterprise, referred to as Snowdevil, different on-line retailers have been so impressed with what he constructed that they began asking to license Tobi’s software program to run their very own shops.”

You’ll be able to relaxation assured that Shopify web site templates provide dynamic designs and UX-conscious performance that may make you stand out from the group.

Don’t Skip: Methods to Set Up a Shopify Retailer in 8 Simple Steps

Browse Shopify Templates for Your Retailer with a Free Trial

Shopify provides a one-month free trial that means that you can discover the platform and get accustomed to your on-line retailer. There are a whole bunch of templates out there to you and nearly infinite variations inside these decisions.

If such an enormous array of choices feels overwhelming, by no means worry. We’re going to indicate you 14 of the very best Shopify templates out there. Some are free, whereas others include a premium payment. However none of them value greater than $250, so whatever the course you select you received’t want to fret about breaking the financial institution.

The 5 Greatest Free Shopify Templates Obtainable

1. Sense

Value: Free

Greatest for: Companies with various product choice

This template is the best residence for daring images that conveys the power of your model. The navigation is structured for companies which have numerous merchandise organized in quite a few classes, so it doubtless isn’t a superb match for those who solely provide a restricted variety of merchandise.

2. Craft

Value: Free

Greatest for: First-time ecommerce entrepreneurs

Craft lives as much as its title by making it simple for novices to add merchandise and craft a cultured presentation. You’ll be able to add product movies, testimonials, promotions, and different components to catch buyers’ eyes. Given the construction of this template, it’s finest suited to companies with a small to average quantity of high-end merchandise.

3. Highlight

Value: Free

Greatest for: Product focus

With a browsable navigation type, this template helps prospects to determine favourite merchandise after which dig into the main points. The product pictures change in when customers hover over them, and you should utilize the mega menu to spotlight all kinds of merchandise out of your retailer.

4. Origin

Value: Free

Greatest for: Highlighting a definite product

Whereas some templates are primarily on-line catalogs, Origin is extra like a web-based demo sales space the place you concentrate on 1-3 merchandise. The house on the high of the web page permits you to showcase a hero video or picture that really will get observed. And you may make the most of the extra house to increase your descriptions and embrace extra advantages.

5. Refresh

Value: Free

Greatest for: Attire manufacturers

With ample room for product pictures and a handy cart function that lets prospects add merchandise whereas nonetheless exploring product pages, this template empowers attire sellers to face out. Remember that the aesthetic is undeniably modern, so in case your model has a traditional vibe, you would possibly need to look elsewhere.

The 9 Greatest Premium Shopify Templates Obtainable

1. Story

Value: $180

Greatest for: Merchandise that want explaining

Should you promote distinctive merchandise that require a bit extra context to immediate the sale, Story may very well be a stable choice. This template permits you to add descriptions, testimonials, directions, movies, and different content material to advertise your merchandise. You’ll be able to even use the “look guide” construction to current the story in a magazine-like format.

2. Vantage

Value: $240

Greatest for: Entrepreneurs on the lookout for effectivity

Maybe you don’t have the time required to collect all the photographs, movies, particulars, and anecdotes that might go in a template like Story. Fortunately, this template is engineered that can assist you add your merchandise, together with different essential components, and get the web site dwell in a brief time period. Whether or not you’re up in opposition to a deadline or just don’t really feel that your merchandise require lots of storytelling, you would possibly profit from the effectivity of Vantage.

3. Blockshop

Value: $250

Greatest for: Sellers who constantly introduce new merchandise

Effectivity is essential when you might have a big number of merchandise and incorporate new additions regularly. Blockshop makes it easy to maintain issues up to date due to a streamlined course of. The factor of customization right here is perhaps missing, however for those who’re managing a big stock, you most likely received’t even miss it.

4. Testomony

Value: $240

Greatest for: Magnificence manufacturers

This template is among the many most customizable of the Shopify web site templates, making it the antithesis of Blockshop. You’ll be able to showcase lush images and fascinating movies, whereas including nearly every other storytelling components you suppose will improve the presentation.

5. California

Value: $180

Greatest for: Vibrant manufacturers

Sure templates lend themselves to completely different model personalities, and California is prime for these which are energetic and vigorous. Whether or not you’re providing collections of merchandise or need to place the emphasis on only a chosen few, this template permits you to tweak every little thing in order that it displays that model you’ve spent a lot time growing.

6. Helpful

Value: $180

Greatest for: Manufacturers centered on person expertise

Navigating the Helpful template is a dream. It’s exceptionally optimized for cellular, so in case your audience is utilizing handheld gadgets you need to give this template a tough look. Like your favourite social media platform, Helpful permits for infinite scrolling, so there are quite a few alternatives for patrons to find new merchandise and have interaction together with your model.

7. District

Value: $180

Greatest for: Merchandise with an above-average variety of choices

Whether or not you’re promoting watches with an enormous array of wristband choices or artisan honey that is available in dozens of various flavors, District’s shade swatches allow you to showcase the visible attraction of the assorted decisions. There are many different customizable options inside this template, akin to slideshows and promo banners, to make it a high contender for a lot of entrepreneurs.

8. Modular

Value: $250

Greatest for: Manufacturers with refined gross sales methods

The extra fundamental templates featured in our record, akin to Debut and Narrative, aren’t designed to help superior gross sales methods. However Modular provides you a sticky cart, slide-out cart, stock alerts, and different upgraded conversion instruments. So in case you have the know-how and need to put within the effort, this template can empower greater conversion charges.

9. Status

Value: $250

Greatest for: Premium manufacturers

This template has a chic vibe that makes it a perfect platform for premium merchandise. Pictures and video are normally important to driving prospects to buy these high-end objects, so that you’ll discover loads of house right here to spotlight their high quality and distinction.

Preserve Studying: The Final Information to Shopify search engine optimization Instruments

Selecting the Greatest Shopify Template for Your Model

Must you go along with a free Shopify template or use a premium choice? This query might be requested 1000’s of instances every day around the globe, nevertheless it’s the fallacious query. What it’s essential to ask is which template is good for your enterprise. As a result of that issue alone ought to drive your determination, not the fee. If a free template completely enhances your model, extra energy to you. And if it’s a $180 template that provides every little thing it’s essential to thrive, you can purchase it straight away. Optimum efficiency to your on-line retailer needs to be price $180.

One key factor to concentrate on when selecting a template is cellular performance. The entire Shopify templates, no matter value, are responsive. With billions of people around the globe purchasing from their telephones, it is a necessity. So for those who’re contemplating going with one other ecommerce platform, all the time be sure that the templates you’re looking at meet the cellular requirement.

Give attention to discovering a template that matches your cellular methods. Should you plan on that includes particular objects prominently in your web site, select a template that may make such a function stand out even in a cellular format. Should you’re dedicated to delivering a streamlined buy expertise for patrons, be certain that your favourite template makes it easy to proceed from the product web page to the acquisition affirmation web page.

Make a listing of your “prerequisites” and “good to haves,” then hunt for a template that delivers on almost all of them. If you end up getting ready to make a number of concessions with the template of your alternative, hit the brakes. It’s essential to maintain wanting till you discover an choice that completely displays your model whereas additionally offering an distinctive expertise to your prospects.

One other issue to remember is the place you get your template. All of the choices highlighted on this information are provided instantly in Shopify’s retailer. There are templates out there from dozens of different marketplaces, however we advise that you simply begin with an choice from Shopify’s retailer to make sure efficiency, compatibility, and help. Down the street, you would possibly discover an irresistible template from a third-party market. It could be fantastic to make a change at this level since you’ll have a greater grasp in your operations and know precisely what you want. However you’ll give your self the very best likelihood for fulfillment on the onset by selecting a template provided by Shopify.

Talking of success, there’s much more to thriving on Shopify than simply your retailer template. You will get confirmed methods from an award-winning entrepreneur with our Begin and Scale masterclass. From advertising and marketing methods to gross sales secrets and techniques, you’ll get the blueprint for enhancing your efficiency on Shopify.

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This text was up to date with help from Graeme Whiles.