---
title: "Starting an ecommerce store: not so easy. My story"
author: "Yaroslav Shmarov"
date: "2025-01-18"
canonical_url: "https://blog.superails.com/shopify-first-experience"
markdown_url: "https://blog.superails.com/shopify-first-experience.md"
description: "So, my friend sells & ships books in his country. He found a very good niche, and currently ships around 1,000 books per month."
tags: ["shopify","ecommerce"]
license: "GNU AGPL v3. Credit Yaroslav Shmarov and link the canonical URL."
---

# Starting an ecommerce store: not so easy. My story

So, my friend sells & ships books in his country.

He found a very good niche, and currently ships around 1,000 books per month.

Marketing only via instagram & tiktok.

The crazy thing is that **all the sales go through whatsapp messaging** (zero automation!) 

More clients than he (and his team!) can handle.

So, we sat together and tried setting up a **Shopify store**....

Took us **4 days** to fill in all the minimal required data (store details, products, shipment details, policies, basic ecommerce store styling).

The price of the basic plan is around **$60/year** -> that's what we were aiming for.

### Main blockers:

#### 1. Setting up delivery.

We required an add-on "select a delivery locker".

The minimal Shopify plan that allows this feature is **$960/year**.

"Select a locker" is the most preferred delivery option by clients today.

This is a giant cost for just one feature.

#### 2. Connecting a payment processor.

The local payment processor "Przelewy24" has been verifying the vendor for 4 weeks already (they are very slow) => can not start selling.

### Minor inconveniences

1. Styling the store - too much freedom to make it ugly
2. Adding legal policies (return policy, terms & conditions)