---

Become a Shopify Partner Today & Empower E-commerce Businesses

As a Shopify Partner, you will gain access to a diverse assortment of extensive resources and unrivaled support, meticulously designed to aid you in your journey towards unparalleled success in expanding your business operations and generating substantial passive income.

1. Introduction

The world of technology and the internet is a very fluid, rapidly changing one, which can make doing anything in internet marketing quite a challenge. This is especially true for small business owners who are new to the internet marketing world and running an internet business. It is very easy for a brick and mortar business to fail when moving to marketing online, with the amount of learning and adaptation required to be successful. Because of this, many entrepreneurs are turning to start an e-commerce business of some sort. While still internet marketing, an e-commerce business takes the internet factor and simplifies it into a specific, packageable business resource. It is an effort to provide a product or service that can be entirely online and purely transactional. This is very appealing to many internet marketers and business owners who wish to work in the comfort of their own home, and a successful e-commerce business can be very rewarding.

Technologies and the internet have changed the way people in the world do business and have created a series of new business opportunities and industries. Several highly successful, quickly growing industries have spun around these technologies, such as SEO consulting, information marketing, and web design, among others. These are all businesses within the sphere of internet marketing and e-commerce, and millions of others have made comfortable incomes working from home, doing online marketing.

2. Benefits of Becoming a Shopify Partner

Finally, with a new client, there is always a sense of urgency to prove oneself by delivering a quality product to the client. Unfortunately, a developer's eagerness can sometimes result in a hasty decision or attempt to cut corners which may cause problems later on. As a Shopify Partner, you will have an advantage with access to internal-use only development stores. This will be a chance to test and become familiar with platform features and functionality without any risks to you or your client's store.

This may all sound well and good, however as a developer, it is essential to maintain ownership and control of your client's online store. By using the Shopify Partner site, setting up your client's store will enable you to retain ownership of the client's store by using their login credentials to access their admin. This will prevent any confusion over ownership and will block the client from a potential disastrous decision of rebuilding the store using different software.

Gaining new clients is always challenging. Developing relationships with the right candidates takes time and often a financial investment. Becoming a Shopify partner offers an excellent opportunity to earn recurring revenue. By recommending a platform that you believe in to your clients, you will not only gain them as a client, but also continue to receive 20% of each client's monthly fee. This could substantially increase your income and allow you to take on other opportunities that you may not have been able to do in the past.

2.1. Access to a Thriving E-commerce Platform

After completing a development store, you will be able to transfer it to a client who can then start a paid Shopify plan and begin selling. When a client converts a development store to a paid account, you will receive an affiliate payment. This is the same as receiving credit for the sale; the affiliate payout should be considered a part of the overall project fee for building the store. The affiliate rate is 20% of the plan's subscription fee. For example, if a client purchases a $29/month plan, you will receive $58. Payments are made once a month, as long as you have accrued at least $25 in affiliate revenue.

Through the Shopify Partner Program, our partners have the ability to create Shopify development stores. These are fully functional ecommerce stores where clients can sign up for Shopify and begin selling. By creating these stores, our partners are able to utilize the Shopify platform to build complex and fully functional ecommerce websites for their clients. Development stores are a useful sales tool and an excellent way for our partners to familiarize themselves with the platform. They offer a free trial to potential clients who are interested in selling online, and are a safe environment for clients who have already purchased a Shopify plan to test changes to their store.

2.2. Earn Recurring Revenue

So why is a hosted shopping cart solution so appealing in terms of recurring revenue? With an affiliate program, you can earn a one-time bounty. The downside to this is you will not earn any future revenue and could lose the client if another affiliate or the merchant themselves happens to get a better deal on the same shopping cart. With a hosted shopping cart solution, you have the potential to earn revenue for the entire lifespan of the client’s store. Shopify has an affiliate program, it’s true, but becoming a Shopify Partner and steering the client in the direction of your store almost guarantees a future revenue stream. The best part? It’s passive income. A set it and forget it method if you will. By signing up a client from your Partner’s dashboard, you are automatically set as the biller, meaning you will receive your revenue share each and every time the client’s monthly subscription fee is paid. A client’s store could evolve over the years and so could your revenue. As mentioned previously, alterations can be made to the look and feel of the store without having to pocket any more fees from the client. If affiliate clients have switched to Shopify from a different shopping cart, the ability to still pay you as the biller makes it easy to transition them into the revenue share scenario, keeping a revenue stream for the entire lifespan of their store.

As a web professional, you’ve probably been asked to build an online store for a client. You’re at a crossroads when deciding on the shopping cart for the job. New merchants are often tight on funds and ask you to use open source software. This can be very time consuming as the software is often buggy and will need many alterations to get the client’s desired look and feel. You could use a licensed copy of a shopping cart that you have used before. This is quite simply a dead end in terms of revenue. You earn a one-time fee by building the store and that’s it. There is no potential for additional revenue. Why not be the host with the most and encourage your client to use a hosted cart solution. Having built the store, you are now in a position to easily slide them into a sale that could earn you revenue for years to come.

2.3. Expand Your Clientele

While a strong, steady revenue stream is important for any business or service, so too is the ability to grow. One of the most important aspects of growing any business is expanding your clientele. Shopify partners stand to gain a distinct edge in this regard. Once you are an established Shopify partner, you will be listed in the official Shopify Partner registry. This may sound unimpressive at first, but remember that Shopify is host to over 200,000 active stores. Many of these shop owners will, at some point, want to customize their store in some way, and a good number of those will be looking to outsource the work. When it comes time for these shop owners to seek out a qualified developer, they are very likely to use the registry to scout potential candidates. This is a simple case of being in the right place at the right time and can yield a constant stream of clients without any effort on the partner's part. Being listed in the registry will also lend you an air of credibility, which is crucial to securing business with new clients.

3. How to Become a Shopify Partner

If you have decided that becoming a Shopify Partner is right for you and your company, there are three simple steps to get started. First, you'll sign up for a Partner Account. Once you've signed up, you'll gain access to the Partner Dashboard, your home base for all things related to the Shopify Partner Program. In the dashboard, you'll be able to search for and connect with clients, access valuable resources to grow your business, and track your progress as a Partner. The second step to become a Partner is to complete the free Partner Training. Whether you're an experienced designer, developer, marketer or you're just starting out in the industry, the training materials will have everything you need. The training is designed to help you build a successful business and includes information that is specific to working as a Shopify Partner. Complete the training at your own pace and test your knowledge once you've finished with the short exam. After you've completed the training and successfully passed the exam, you'll receive an official badge that you can add to your website or any marketing materials. This badge is a great way to prove to potential clients that you have the skills and knowledge to help them run a successful online store, and it can also open up opportunities for you to partner with other Shopify Experts. The final step to become a Partner is to build and launch a development store. This will give you a chance to become familiar with the Shopify admin and start working on the platform. Once you have completed these three steps, you will officially be a Shopify Partner and you can start working with clients and growing your business.

3.1. Sign Up for a Partner Account

Participants are given a clear path to success in the form of the Shopify Roadmap. This defines goals you can work towards in the Partner Program, from learning all the way to graduating to a higher track. To help you reach these goals, there are training and resources available at every step along the way. These tools are available to Partners in the Partner's Dashboard, which can be accessed by clicking the cog in the top right of the admin of the store you are working on.

The Partner Program is a framework for the entire Shopify experience. Whether you’re a store owner, a developer, or an agency, Shopify has resources for you. This program was built to give you all the tools you need for success. There are three tracks in the Partner Program. The first is the Affiliate Program, which is for those who don’t intend to do design or development but want to recommend Shopify to others. The second is the Developer Program, which is for those who will be doing design, development, app development, and/or custom theme creations for Shopify Stores. The third is the Expert Program, which is for those who will be building multiple stores on behalf of clients. These tracks are not mutually exclusive, and it is possible to be in more than one track. Your primary track is determined by the first type of store you build after joining the Partner Program.

3.1.1. Partner Program Overview

3.2. Complete Partner Training

You will need to complete the Shopify Partner Fundamentals course and achieve a passing score of 80% or higher on the final assessment in order to complete your Partner Training. The Fundamentals course covers the basics of Shopify and its usage for new merchants. This course consists of six video lectures and will take approximately two hours to complete. Upon completion of the Partner Fundamentals course, your learning will continue with access to the Partner Academy, found in your Partner Dashboard. The Partner Academy is always kept up-to-date to provide you with the necessary resources for building and growing your business as a Shopify Partner. The Partner Academy provides detailed guides, how-to tutorials, and playground environments to help apply what you have learned. Finally, you will need to "Accept Contracts" via your Partner Dashboard in order to become certified and complete your Partner Training. The "Accept Contracts" link can be found under "Training and Tools" > "Overview" in your Partner Dashboard. This is an electronic agreement that functions as your acknowledgement and consent to the Partner Program Agreement, revenue share terms, and trademark usage guidelines. Upon successful completion, you will be granted access to Shopify Plus learning resources and be one step closer to earning your first 500 or 2000 customers to become a Shopify Expert.

3.3. Build and Launch Your First Shopify Store

Once you have completed your partner training and have successfully created two development stores, you have the ability to turn one of those development stores into a fully functional online shop. By utilizing your developer preview environment, you can create and build a theme that will allow the merchant to have full visibility of your progression. This is the perfect opportunity to demonstrate to your prospective clients the value of hiring you. If you choose to take on a new project, give the merchant the option to use the theme you have created. Because you have been using a development store, you can purchase the new store at a 20% discount. This provides you with a great deal of flexibility and purchasing options for clients. If at any time you decide that a new store is not necessary, you can still continue to share the theme you have created on the Shopify Theme Store. Finally, promote your services on the Shopify Experts Marketplace. Here, prospective clients can peruse your profile and potentially seek you out for your services. Now that you know what it takes to become a successful Shopify Partner, there is no better time to open your store and show the world what you can do. You'll get a free trial period to see how you like it. And with 24/7 no-charge customer support, if you get stuck you can always call a Shopify Guru for help. Step 7: It is time now to open your shop. Head over to the admin of your store that you wish to start paying for. At the top of the page, it says "Your account is currently frozen. Select a plan now". Click 'Select a plan now' and on the next page, select the plan that you think would best fit you and/or the client you are building it for. This is the beginning of a new chapter for you and your clients!

4. Partner Resources and Support

Partner Community and Events Developing an app can be a solitary experience, and building an app business can be tough. Sometimes knowing there are others in your position can be a huge motivator, at Shopify we have a large community of partners building apps on all levels. Join the ecommerce discussion in our forums, follow our blog for partner updates, and come out to a Shopify or partner hosted event.

Dedicated Support We're here for you. As a Shopify Partner, you get priority support, where we'll help you find the resources or people you need to grow your business. From the technicalities of building a store for a client, to sales and marketing for your app, we'll point you in the right direction.

Marketing Materials and Branding Guidelines Providing you with logos, banners, and other marketing materials designed to help you make the sale, our branding guidelines ensure brand consistency in whatever you do.

As you become a Shopify Partner, you gain access to a number of resources and support options that will help you get started and grow your business.

4.1. Marketing Materials and Branding Guidelines

Varying support for marketing resources does exist, with documentation being relatively easy to find but with a lack of quality. Campaign setup and launch should be a fully documented marketing option in order to appeal to developers looking to maximize the marketing potential of their app on the Shopify platform. A marketing case study resource would also be a useful tool to show concrete examples of marketing strategies and their effectiveness. Prospect and client presentation templates are also something that could be provided to save partners time when preparing sales pitches.

Shopify partners are welcome to use the Shopify logo when promoting their service. However, partners must not alter the Shopify logo in any way, and any logo use must comply with the Shopify logo guidelines. The logo guidelines are somewhat difficult to find and are instead located within the terms of service for Shopify affiliates. Shopify could simplify the logo guidelines and provide an easier-to-locate resource for all partners. An official set of partner guidelines should be created at some point in the future.

The product literature is not comprehensive. Very little documentation exists in this section, and a minority of it is relevant to partners. Outdated documents should be removed to avoid confusion. Shopify could create up-to-date product literature specifically for partners instead of just rebranding old merchant documents. It would also be useful to have a campaign planning guide to detail the key factors involved in planning a marketing campaign for a Shopify merchant.

The marketing handbook is a useful resource containing many ideas and advice for marketing ecommerce. However, it is not Shopify-specific and not specifically aimed at partners. It is valuable information for merchants looking to grow their business with marketing and something that an ecommerce developer might use to guide their marketing strategy for a client.

Shopify provides partners with a marketing toolkit and resource center where materials can be found and downloaded. There are currently two sections within the resource center. The first is the marketing handbook, which is a general guide for marketing ecommerce businesses and is not specific to Shopify products. The second is a section of partner product literature. This is a relatively small collection of PDF documents, of which a minority are out of date and not useful.

4.2. Dedicated Support Team

Partners can also access dedicated technical support to help with building Shopify stores. When building a client store, there are often technical questions that arise, whether it is about how to best implement a feature or figuring out if something is possible with the platform. To help with this, partners have access to Priority Partner API Support - to help with questions specific to creating custom and private applications for Shopify stores - and Plus Support - to assist with merchant stores on the Shopify Plus plan. Both forms of support help to ensure that technical questions are answered in a timely manner so development work can proceed as smoothly as possible.

Shopify is invested in the success of its partners and has assembled a team of friendly and professional support members dedicated to answering questions and solving issues specific to Shopify partner needs and goals. Each partner has access (via email) to the partner support team, which can address any concerns specific to building Shopify stores for clients. This includes questions on technical functionality, advice on how to manage client expectations, and help with sales and marketing specific to landing Shopify projects.

4.3. Partner Community and Events

As a Shopify Partner, you are granted access to Shopify's Partner blog, forums, and discussion areas where you can collaborate with fellow gurus and gain insight into the ecommerce issues of today. You can also subscribe to the Shopify Partner Newsletter to stay up to date on all the latest news and features happening with Shopify. The Shopify forums are a great place to ask questions to other partners and Shopify Staff. Whether it's technical or about growing your business, there's always someone willing to help. Best of all, a lot of the discussion areas have a private forum specifically for Shopify Partners which is accessible when you join the program.