I was going to recommened reading this Shopify article about converting website visitors to shoppers but then I realized what a rip off Shopify is.
In the screen shot shown, we see Shopify promote nine apps. The apps use the 'freemium' model where you try it for free, then often quickly get stuck paying. In sum, Shopify is nickel and dime-ing users.
When you use Shopify, it's like going to Disneyland and paying for each ride separately. You think that the theme park will be fun but by the time you pay for each ride it saps your energy and you just want to leave.
Shopify should follow other e-commerce platforms and offer the most popular features as part of Shopify's built-in service that one gets out of the box when starting with the service. Ask yourself: why does one need to pay extra to offer a welcome bar? One shouldn't, but Shopify wants you to. The problem with Shopify is that it's dependent on the money it gets from users adding extra apps and paying for them.
In my eyes, each app that Shopify offers is not a feature but rather an exposure of how insufficient Shopify's software is. To use another analogy, picking Shopify is like picking a car only to realize the car has no wheels, no engine, and no steering wheel. You just get the body of the car and you're left to add all to the needed parts piecemeal. That's not a fun ride for store owners.
The reason Shopify's business model interests me is because Shopify's high fees will likely hurt indie retailers. My company Bridge exists to empower indie stores and brands. One of my roles is to help shed light on shady actors that prey on indie business owners.
I believe small business owners are savvy and smart, and when they see they are getting fleeced by a service like Shopify they'll stop adding these expensive apps. But when they do that, they'll be stuck. They'll prevent themselves from allowing Shopify to extort them, but they're still stuck on the Shopify 'Disneyland ride' that is priced per ride. Since small business owners are very busy, it's unlikely they'll have the time to investigate and consider other online shopping platforms for their business. And that's what Shopify banks on: trapping customers in a cycle of fees and 'sunken cost' of picking it in the first place. Once you've chosen Shopify, welcome to the Hotel California.