Shopify for BAM Stores — Q&A

Straight answers to the questions franchisees ask most about getting a Shopify store up and running. Have one we didn't cover? Ask us directly.

Q: What will it cost to operate a Shopify site?

Shopify charges $348/year ($29/month if paid annually). The Mortar sync software is $1,200/year ($100/month if paid annually). Shopify setup, theme installation, and customization for your store is $1,500 one-time.

• Total Year 1: $3,048 (~$254/month)
• Total Year 2 and after: $1,548 (~$129/month)

Breakeven after franchise fees and credit card fees (40% margin) is $635/month in online sales the first year, and $323/month from year two on. See the full Cost & Revenue breakdown.

Q: How much time is required to operate a Shopify website?

With the automations we've built in, the only time you'll spend is adding a few fields in Heartland/Global and shipping the items that sell. The POS part folds into your normal operations when adding items. Shipping runs about 10 minutes per shipment. The biggest time investment is up front, getting all your items ready — and we have a tool to assist with that too.

Q: How much will I be able to sell on my Shopify site?

That depends on several factors: the number of sets you list, the collectability of those items, their rarity, and demand. But if you follow our guides and instructions, your site should sell to customers across the U.S. and could generate about 10% of your regular income. The Huntsville store sees about an extra month's worth of business from its site.

Q: If we all get a Shopify site, won't we be competing with one another?

No. Every store has unique inventory. You'll occasionally see overlaps, but most online sales are for harder-to-find items, or items local stores are out of stock on — so shoppers are actively searching for them. We also assist with getting you listed on Google Shopping and Shopify's SHOP app to increase your site's exposure.

Q: How fast can it ramp up?

Expect lower sales the first year. Once you become discovered — and the more you promote your website in your emails and posts — the faster traffic grows. First-year sales may only be about half of what year two or three will produce.

Q: Why should I use Carpelligo to set up my site?

If you do it alone, there's a very high likelihood it won't look good or work properly on its own. We use a corporate-approved theme that matches the main BAM website all franchisees use, making it near-seamless to move back and between sites. We've also automated tasks that normally take extra time and require you to remember to do them — tasks you'd have to handle manually on a self-built site.

If you hired a developer to build what we're offering, you'd likely spend $5,000 to $10,000 or more. We charge $1,500. And you get a fellow franchisee who knows the business and is there for any issues or questions.

Q: How long does it take to get a site up and running?

We can do our part in as little as 2-3 days — technically we can have the site open for business within a day if required. Getting all your items ready takes longer: each one needs to be touched to make sure it's complete before syncing to Shopify. That can take a day to several days depending on how you attack it. We won't hold you up.

Q: Can I sell to my local customers?

YES! Not only can you sell to them, you can offer In-Store Pickup for FREE and offer Loyalty Points on all their purchases through OneShopRetail. Your customers can check your inventory from home any time.

Q: How do we handle shipping?

Your setup includes help initiating standard charges for various sizes and values of shipments, so you average out the cost and pay very little of the shipping charge. You can print a label right from Shopify — or, for more options, use ShipStation for $9.99/month for up to 50 shipments/month. Both are easy to use and offer discounts compared to walking into UPS or USPS.

Q: What if I have questions or issues?

We're here to help. Contact Carl through Slack, email, phone — or pony express (although pony express may be out...). Fast response, quick solutions. There's also an Online Users Manual that trains and supports your efforts — continuously updated so you always know what to do.