For dropshippers, the prospect of managing multiple Shopify stores can be overwhelming. While expanding your e-commerce business holds the promise of increased sales, it also presents numerous challenges. From inventory management to customer support, the complexities of juggling multiple stores can quickly become daunting.

In this article, we’ll provide a full guide on effectively managing multiple Shopify stores as dropshipper. We’ll discuss strategies to streamline your operations, tools to simplify inventory management, and best practices to ensure success across all your stores. By the end, you’ll be equipped with the knowledge and resources to navigate the world of multiple Shopify stores with confidence and efficiency.

Key Takeaways

Managing multiple Shopify stores is feasible and advantageous for dropshippers, offering opportunities for diversification and market expansion.

Shopify allows users to create and manage multiple stores under one account, facilitating streamlined operations and centralized management.

Expanding to multiple stores enables targeting specific geographic regions, catering to diverse niche markets, and establishing outlet stores for discounted items.

AutoDS offers essential features for efficient multi-store management, including inventory management, price and stock monitoring, automatic price optimization, and tracking order updates.

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Is It Possible to Have Multiple Shopify Stores?

Yes, it is absolutely possible to have multiple Shopify stores. Many entrepreneurs and businesses opt for this approach to diversify their product offerings, target different customer segments, or expand into new markets. Shopify allows users to create and manage multiple stores, each with its unique branding, products, and target audience.

Multiple Shopify stores enable sellers to cater to different niches or markets without diluting their brand identity. Each store can be tailored to meet its target audience’s specific needs and preferences, allowing for personalized marketing strategies and product offerings. Additionally, multiple stores can help businesses mitigate risks by spreading their revenue streams across different markets or product categories. Furthermore, managing multiple Shopify stores under one account streamlines operations and simplifies management tasks.

So, the answer is yes, again.

Why We Recommend Having Multiple Shopify Stores

Expanding your dropshipping Shopify operations to multiple stores can be a strategic move that unlocks various opportunities for growth and diversification. We highly recommend this approach.

1. Target Multiple Locations

Setting up multiple Shopify stores allows you to tailor your marketing efforts to specific geographic regions. By customizing your product offerings, language, and promotional campaigns to resonate with local audiences, you can increase your relevance and appeal in different markets.

A targeted approach can lead to higher conversion rates and customer satisfaction as you cater to customers’ unique needs and preferences in each location.

2. Different Stores, Different Niches

With multiple Shopify stores, you have the flexibility to cater to diverse niche markets within your industry. By curating product selections and branding to suit the interests and preferences of specific customer segments, you can deepen your connection with each audience and establish yourself as a trusted authority in various niches. Doing this can help you stand out in a crowded marketplace and attract loyal customers who value your specialized offerings.

3. Have An ‘Outlet Store’

Creating an outlet store within your Shopify ecosystem provides a designated space to sell discounted items without diluting the premium image of your leading brand. By offering exclusive deals and promotions through your outlet store, you can attract bargain-hunting customers while protecting the perceived value of your primary products. This is a useful strategy to maximize revenue opportunities and maintain brand integrity.

4. Try Different Communication Strategies

With multiple Shopify stores, you can experiment with various communication strategies and brand messaging to identify what resonates best with different customer segments. Whether refining your tone of voice, testing different visual aesthetics, or exploring new storytelling techniques, having distinct stores allows you to gather valuable insights into consumer behavior and preferences.

You can optimize engagement and drive conversions across all your Shopify stores by continuously refining your communication strategies based on real-time feedback and data analysis.

5. Tax Planning & Legal Affairs

Last but not least, operating multiple Shopify stores can offer advantages in terms of tax planning and legal compliance, especially for businesses with international operations or sales.

You can ensure compliance with local tax laws, regulations, and consumer protection requirements by establishing separate entities or storefronts for different regions or countries. This proactive approach minimizes the risk of legal issues or financial penalties associated with non-compliance and provides greater transparency and accountability in your business operations.

Multiple Shopify Stores For Dropshipping – All You Need To Know

multiple shopify stores dropshipping

Opening multiple Shopify stores for dropshipping can strategically expand your reach and increase your sales opportunities. However, before diving into the process, it’s essential to understand some key considerations to make the most out of this approach. Let’s break them down.

How Many Shopify Stores Can You Have?

Shopify allows you to have as many stores as you need, depending on your business requirements. You can create multiple stores under different accounts with Shopify’s standard plans (Basic, Shopify, and Advanced). However, you may opt for Shopify Plus, the enterprise solution. In that case, you can open an unlimited number of separate stores, albeit with an additional fee per store beyond the first nine.

How Much Does It Cost To Have Multiple Shopify Stores?

While Shopify allows you to create as many stores as you need, you will need a subscription for each one. So, the cost of operating multiple Shopify stores depends on the plan you choose for each store.

The most common options for dropshippers are the Basic and Shopify plans, which are $29/month and $79/month, respectively (if you subscribe annually). These packages are very similar, with the Shopify plan bringing features oriented towards businesses with multiple locations.

The higher plans, Advanced and Shopify Plus, are mainly for larger businesses with multiple locations and staff administration. They are not suited for dropshippers as we don’t need their extra inventory options or physical POS locations.

How To Open Multiple Shopify Stores

Opening multiple Shopify stores is straightforward, with options tailored to your business needs. Here’s a step-by-step guide:

Using Standard Plans:

Multiple Shopify stores for dropshipping

  1. Sign up for Shopify: Begin by signing up for a Shopify account if you haven’t already done so. Choose a plan that suits your business requirements, whether Basic, Shopify, or Advanced.
  2. Create Additional Stores: Once logged into your Shopify Admin dashboard, navigate to the “Settings” tab and select “Account.” From there, click “Add another store” to create additional stores under different accounts.
  3. Manage Stores Efficiently: With multiple stores created, you can manage them efficiently using the same email address for centralized account management. Utilize Shopify’s intuitive interface to navigate between stores seamlessly and oversee their operations.

Opting for Shopify Plus:

Shopify Plus for multiple stores management

  1. Evaluate Your Business Needs: Determine if your business requires the advanced features and scalability offered by Shopify Plus. Consider factors such as the number of stores you intend to operate and your budgetary constraints.
  2. Upgrade to Shopify Plus: If Shopify Plus aligns with your business goals, contact Shopify’s sales team to discuss upgrading your account. Once upgraded, you’ll access many advanced tools and resources tailored for multi-store management.
  3. Leverage Advanced Features: With Shopify Plus, take advantage of features such as unlimited store creation capabilities, dedicated support, and customizable solutions to streamline your business operations.

By following these steps, you can open multiple Shopify stores seamlessly. You can opt for standard plans or leverage the advanced capabilities of Shopify Plus. Evaluate your business needs and choose the approach that best aligns with your goals for growth and scalability.

Pro Tip: We can get a free AI pre-built Shopify store with winning products through AutoDS.

Swap Between Multiple Shopify Stores

Managing multiple Shopify stores associated with the same email address is seamless with the store switcher feature. You can easily switch between stores within your Shopify Admin dashboard, allowing you to oversee each store’s operations efficiently.

With the store switcher, you can assign different permissions to users, manage orders and inventory, optimize product pages, and ensure security through external logins and email verification. However, it’s important to note that the store switcher does not work with paused, frozen, or closed stores. It requires reactivation for access.

AutoDS Multiple Shopify Store Management Feature

Managing multiple Shopify stores can be daunting, but it becomes a breeze with the AutoDS Multiple Shopify Stores Management feature. This all-in-one platform allows you to handle all your stores seamlessly from a single dashboard. Let’s delve into why this feature is a game-changer for dropshippers.

  • Save Time: With AutoDS, there’s no need to waste time switching between different platforms or accounts to manage each store separately. You can now handle all your stores under one platform, saving you valuable time and effort.
  • Save Money: Running multiple stores can be costly, especially if products aren’t optimized or relevant. With AutoDS’s multiple-store management, you get a clear overview of your product statistics across all stores. Plus, you can avoid paying multiple platforms for each store since everything is managed in one place.
  • Stay In Control: AutoDS puts you in the driver’s seat, allowing you to monitor everything happening in all your stores. The dashboard provides a comprehensive business overview, showcasing your overall profits, best-selling products, and more from every store.

Optimize Operations With AutoDS

With AutoDS’s multiple-store management feature, handling various storefronts becomes streamlined and effective. Plenty of key features make AutoDS the ultimate solution for dropshippers. Here are a few:

  • Multiple Store Full Business Overview: Get insights into all your stores’ performance, including profits, best-selling products, and orders, in one comprehensive dashboard.
  • Multiple Store Inventory Management: Manage products across multiple stores efficiently, saving time and resources.
  • Multiple Store Draft Management: Easily manage product drafts across stores and import them to relevant stores.
  • Multiple Store Orders: View orders from all your stores in one place, eliminating the need to switch between different accounts.
  • Multiple Stores Product Importer: Import products to multiple stores simultaneously, streamlining the process and increasing efficiency.

This AutoDS feature revolutionizes how dropshippers handle their Shopify stores, offering unparalleled efficiency, control, and cost-effectiveness. The other great side is that the feature is actually pretty easy to implement, and you can start with a 14-day trial for only $1.

Here’s how it works:

1. Create Your Free AutoDS Account: Register for a free AutoDS account and start linking your Shopify stores to your account.

AutoDS login page

2. Link Your Shopify Stores With AutoDS: Add your stores using the menu and follow simple instructions to link them to AutoDS. Repeat this process for all your stores.

shopify store addition to autods platform

3. Select Which Stores You Wish To View: After linking your stores, choose which ones you want to view and edit from the menu.

autods store selection

4. View And Manage Your Stores Simultaneously: Now, you can access your dashboard, orders, products, and drafts page, displaying all your stores’ products and statistics together.

autods dashboard

5. Import Products To One Or Multiple Stores: When importing products, you can choose which store(s) to publish them to, providing flexibility and control.

Challenges Of Having Multiple Shopify Stores And How To Solve Them

multiple shopify stores dropshipping

While the benefits of managing multiple Shopify stores are undeniable, addressing the challenges that arise along the way is essential. From inventory management complexities to order fulfillment hurdles, navigating these obstacles requires strategic solutions.

Next, we’ll delve into the everyday challenges dropshippers face with multiple Shopify stores and explore a few tailored tools to overcome them seamlessly, ensuring efficiency and success in your e-commerce endeavors.

Managing Orders From Multiple Shopify Stores

One of the primary challenges dropshippers face with multiple Shopify stores is managing a large volume of orders from various sources. Handling numerous orders manually can be time-consuming and prone to errors, leading to delays in order fulfillment and dissatisfied customers. However, with the Fulfilled By AutoDS feature, this challenge can be effectively mitigated.

AutoDS Fulfillment automates the order fulfillment process by automatically sourcing and shipping customer orders using AutoDS buyer accounts. By leveraging it, dropshippers no longer need to worry about account locks or cancellations, as all orders are managed seamlessly through the AutoDS platform.

On the other hand, all of your orders are managed through AutoDS accounts with an unlimited credit amount. You can add as much money as you’d like to your balance, eliminating any issues with your credit cards or bank accounts. This way, you can sell just about anything. Additionally, processing returns is simplified with one-click returns, eliminating the hassle of dealing with suppliers and streamlining the return process for improved customer satisfaction.

To sum up, the Fulfilled by AutoDS feature offers several benefits to dropshippers, including error reduction in shipping, real-time tracking information updates, scalability of the business, and maximum order price control. With automated order processing and timely fulfillment, dropshippers can scale their businesses efficiently. Of course, all of this is achieved while maintaining high customer service and satisfaction levels.

Adding & Updating Products

AutoDS product importer

Another common challenge dropshippers face managing multiple Shopify stores is the time-consuming task of adding and updating products across different platforms. Manually importing products from various suppliers can be tedious and inefficient, especially when dealing with large items. However, the AutoDS Product Importer feature is ideal for eliminating this hassle.

It offers several time-saving methods for importing products to dropshipping stores, including single, bulk, and scheduled import options. Dropshippers can import products from supported suppliers on AutoDS using product URLs or item IDs. Each one of these methods saves a significant amount of time compared to manual uploads. Additionally, the bulk importer allows for the simultaneous import of numerous products from suppliers, either by product IDs or URLs or by importing a CSV file, further streamlining the process.

Additionally, AutoDS optimizes each product listing by enhancing images for faster page loading and adding keywords for SEO optimization. In summary, this feature enables dropshippers to optimize their workflow and import products at the most convenient times. 

Tracking Orders From Different Stores

Keeping track of order statuses and updating customers with accurate tracking information can be time-consuming and prone to errors. However, we can effectively mitigate this challenge with AutoDS’ Automatic Tracking Number Updates feature.

This feature saves valuable time by automating the process of updating tracking information for customers. Once tracking information becomes available from suppliers, AutoDS automatically retrieves the details and updates customers accordingly. Automation eliminates the need for manual tracking updates. As a result, it frees up work hours that can be better utilized.

Also, by automating the process, AutoDS ensures that tracking information is consistently accurate, minimizing the risk of errors and customer complaints.

With features such as tracking number updates, order status updates, multi-carrier support, and compatibility with multiple suppliers, AutoDS’ automatic tracking number updates offer a comprehensive solution for effectively managing orders from different stores.

Diverse Inventory Management

AutoDS inventory management feature

As we’ve seen, managing a diverse inventory across multiple Shopify stores can pose significant challenges for dropshippers. By the same token, organizing, updating, and optimizing inventory becomes daunting with numerous products spread across various stores. However, AutoDS Inventory Management feature offers a comprehensive solution to mitigate this challenge effectively.

AutoDS’ Inventory Management feature enables dropshippers to manage their products quickly and efficiently, regardless of the size and complexity of their inventory. Whether dealing with a single product or hundreds of items, dropshippers can utilize the Single and Bulk Editor to make edits seamlessly, saving valuable time that can be redirected towards other business tasks.

One of the key benefits of AutoDS’ Inventory Management feature is its support for multiple stores. Dropshippers can view and change products from one or multiple stores simultaneously, providing unparalleled flexibility and control. This capability streamlines inventory management processes, allowing dropshippers to maintain consistency across their stores and ensure optimal performance of their product listings.

By streamlining inventory optimization tasks and providing a full overview of store products, AutoDS empowers dropshippers. In summary, dropshippers can save time, stay organized, and make informed decisions to drive business success. 

Price & Stock Monitoring

Price fluctuations and stock availability are critical to managing a successful dropshipping business. Yet, they can pose significant challenges when operating multiple Shopify stores. However, AutoDS Price & Stock Monitoring feature offers a comprehensive solution to mitigate these challenges effectively.

With AutoDS’ Price & Stock Monitoring platform, dropshippers can focus on maximizing profits while the system automates monitoring price changes and stock availability. This automation ensures that dropshippers never miss out on potential sales opportunities due to outdated pricing or out-of-stock products. By staying informed of price fluctuations in real-time, dropshippers can adjust their pricing strategies accordingly to maintain competitiveness in the market.

Moreover, the feature safeguards against selling products that are out of stock. The system monitors stock levels from suppliers with 99.99% uptime, ensuring that dropshippers’ stores accurately reflect product availability. When a product goes out of stock on the supplier’s end, AutoDS automatically updates the dropshipper’s store, preventing lost sales and customer dissatisfaction.

Additionally, AutoDS’ Price & Stock Monitoring feature offers advanced functionalities such as dynamic pricing optimization and customizable pricing strategies. Dropshippers can set dynamic profit margins, use price comparison tools to highlight discounts and calculate break-even points. These features empower them to optimize their pricing strategies for maximum profitability while maintaining competitiveness in the market.

Automatic Price Optimization

AutoDS Automatic Price Optimization feature

One last common challenge dropshippers face is constantly monitoring and adjusting prices to optimize profitability and sales. Here, the AutoDS Automatic Price Optimization feature comes in handy. It offers a solution to this challenge by automating the process of adjusting prices based on product performance.

With AutoDS’ Automatic Price Optimization feature, dropshippers can maximize profits by adjusting prices for best-selling products and underperforming items. This automation eliminates the hassle of manually tracking product performance and determining the optimal price point. Instead, dropshippers can set up rules to increase prices for products that sell well and decrease prices for those that don’t.

One of the key benefits of this feature is its ability to save time for dropshippers. Rather than spending hours tracking and calculating the optimal price point for each product, dropshippers can rely on the system. This aspect allows dropshippers to focus on other aspects of their business, such as marketing, customer service, and business growth.

Moreover, the Automatic Price Optimization feature enables dropshippers to scale their businesses quickly. This can be achieved by leveraging the extra profits generated from best-selling products.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is It Legal To Have Multiple Shopify Stores For Dropshipping?

Yes, it is legal to have multiple Shopify stores for dropshipping. Dropshipping itself is a legitimate business model, and there are no legal restrictions on the number of Shopify stores a person can operate. However, it’s essential to comply with Shopify’s terms of service and adhere to relevant laws and regulations regarding business operations and e-commerce activities.

Can You Run Multiple Shopify Stores With The Same Email Account?

Yes, you can run multiple Shopify stores with the same email account. Shopify allows users to create and manage multiple stores using a single email address. This makes it convenient for dropshippers to oversee all their stores from one centralized account. As a result, they can streamline communication and account management processes.

Do You Have To Pay Shopify For Each Store?

According to Shopify’s official page, your main and nine expansion stores are included in your monthly platform fee. However, you may need to pay an extra fee for additional stores beyond this limit. Shopify charges $250 per month per additional store or offers a revenue share option across all stores beyond the initial limit.

Conclusion

In conclusion, managing multiple Shopify stores as a dropshipper offers significant growth opportunities despite its challenges. By targeting multiple locations, catering to diverse niches, and experimenting with communication strategies, dropshippers can enhance their market reach. As a result of these strategies, they can start establishing themselves as industry leaders.

Luckily, plenty of features help dropshippers streamline multi-store management with advanced inventory, pricing, and order-tracking tools. Leveraging AutoDS, dropshippers can save time, stay organized, and make data-driven decisions to drive success across all their storefronts.

Ultimately, success lies in strategic planning, efficient execution, and leveraging the right tools. By following best practices and staying informed about market trends, dropshippers can navigate multi-store management confidently. This is a great starting point to achieving scalability and profitability in the dynamic world of e-commerce. If you want to keep learning about this, we have a few articles for you: