One awesome option is diving into the world of Shopify side hustles. These gigs are perfect for juggling studies or managing household duties while still earning some extra cash. Let's explore the simplicity and potential earnings of Shopify side hustles and see how they can make a positive impact on your finances.
What are Side hustles?
A side hustle is a secondary job or income stream that is performed in addition to one's regular, full-time employment or career. Side hustles are a great way to earn extra income and potentially turn a passion project into a full-time business. Many people take on side jobs or projects to earn extra cash on top of their usual wages. Popular forms of side hustles include freelancing your skills or services (such as graphic design, writing, and virtual assistance), and selling products/services online. Other popular hustles are selling crafts or other goods online reselling items found at thrift stores for profit, and more. The options are endless as any skill, hobby, talent or interest can potentially be monetized as a side business.
Common characteristics of side hustles include:
- They are done independently and do not interfere with a person's regular job or career.
- Side hustles allow someone to earn money from a talent, hobby, or interest outside of their 9-5 job.
- Side hustles can be started with little/no investment and done around an existing work schedule.
- The goal is to generate supplemental income that can be used differently than one's salary (e.g. paying down debt, saving, investing, funding hobbies)
For motivated individuals, side hustles are a great way to boost savings, pay off debt faster, or even turn a passion into a full-time business with enough effort and success. The beauty of side hustles is that you have the flexibility to choose projects you enjoy and decide how much or little time you dedicate to them. Side money from gig jobs or passion projects can help boost your income substantially. With creativity and hustle, interesting side jobs are available in many different fields for those willing to put in extra work.
Best Online Side Hustle Ideas for 2024 with Shopify
Now that we've covered what side hustles are, let's dive into some of the top side hustle business ideas that are perfectly suited to be started and scaled using the Shopify platform in 2024. Iman Gadzhi - a founder of the world’s largest education company for agency owners GrowYourAgency.com, shared in one Youtube video about the 6 metrics you might need to consider before starting a side hustle business. They are:
- Unitary gain: How much money you make per transaction
- Startup capital: How much money you need to invest to get the business started.
- Profit margin: How much money you keep out of everything you make in revenue
- Demand: Number of people in the market looking to buy your product/ service
- Fulfillment: The process of delivering the product/ service your customer purchased
- Deal Type: Whether you get paid once or recurrently
By evaluating these criteria, you can better understand what is the best choice to start a side hustle business in 2024. Below is a table judging different types of business ideas created by Iman:
Credit: Iman Gadzhi
1. Digital products
Any product sold online that lacks a physical form or substance is referred to as a digital product. When choosing to sell digital products as your side hustle, you will never need to care about the inventory or shipping costs. With Shopify, you can easily sell as many kinds of digital products as you want.
Let’s quickly go through the most profitable digital products so you can choose the right product for your side hustle business:
1.1. Courses:
Online courses have become increasingly popular, and you can create and sell your courses on Shopify. Consider creating courses in areas such as personal development, entrepreneurship, coding, graphic design, or language learning. You can create video-based courses, provide downloadable materials, and offer interactive components like quizzes or discussion forums to enhance the learning experience.
1.2. eBooks:
If you have a passion for writing, you can create and sell eBooks on Shopify. Choose a niche or topic that you are knowledgeable about and that has a potential audience. It could be anything from self-help and fitness to cooking or fiction. Design attractive covers, format your eBook professionally, and market it effectively to reach your target audience.
1.3. Photography:
If you have a talent for photography, you can sell digital photos or even offer photography services through Shopify. You can create and sell stock photos, prints, or digital art. Consider targeting specific niches like nature photography, travel photography, or even specialized areas such as product photography or event photography.
1.4. Music:
If you are a musician or composer, selling digital music is a great side hustle idea. You can create and sell original songs, instrumental tracks, sound effects, or even full albums. Shopify allows you to offer digital downloads, and you can also consider offering licenses for the commercial use of your music.
1.5. Software:
If you have programming skills, creating and selling software applications can be a profitable side hustle. You can develop and sell mobile apps, web applications, plugins, or themes for popular platforms. Consider targeting specific industries or solving specific problems with your software to attract a niche audience.
1.6. Digital Artwork and Graphics:
If you have artistic skills, you can create and sell digital artwork, illustrations, or graphics on Shopify. This can include anything from digital paintings and illustrations to icons, logos, or social media templates. Make sure to showcase your work effectively and consider offering customization options to cater to different customer needs.
1.7. Templates:
Templates can be a valuable resource for various industries. You can create and sell website templates, presentation templates, resume templates, or even templates for social media posts. Offering well-designed and functional templates can save time for individuals or businesses, making them willing to pay for your products.
1.8. Fonts:
Typography plays a crucial role in design, and many designers are constantly looking for unique and high-quality fonts. If you have typography skills, you can create and sell fonts on Shopify. Consider developing fonts for different purposes, such as display fonts, script fonts, or handwriting-style fonts.
1.9. Documents:
Certain types of documents are constantly in demand, such as legal documents, business templates, or educational resources. If you have expertise in a specific field, you can create and sell documents that cater to that industry. Examples include contracts, business plans, study guides, or guides on specific topics.
1.10. Spreadsheets:
Spreadsheets are widely used for organizing data and calculations, and many individuals and businesses require pre-designed templates or specialized spreadsheets. If you have advanced Excel or Google Sheets skills, you can create and sell spreadsheet templates for various purposes, such as budgeting, project management, or data analysis.
Regardless of the digital product you choose to sell, it's essential to provide high-quality products, market effectively, and provide excellent customer support to build a successful side hustle business with Shopify.
2. Subscription boxes
73% of Gen Z shoppers are interested in curated subscription-type offerings for fashion. At the same time, 81% of UK households are signed up for subscription services. These curated packages of products are delivered to customers on a recurring basis, typically monthly.
To get started on Shopify, you can leverage third-party applications. These apps seamlessly integrate with your Shopify store, making it easy to set up subscription plans, manage inventory, automate billing, and handle shipping logistics. With the right subscription app, you can efficiently manage and grow your side hustle, tapping into the booming market of subscription boxes. Start your Shopify side hustle with these product ideas to turn your passion into profit.
- Beauty and Skincare: Curate a monthly box filled with popular beauty and skincare products, including items like face masks, makeup, moisturizers, and haircare products.
- Fitness and Wellness: Create a subscription box that caters to fitness enthusiasts, including workout gear, supplements, healthy snacks, and self-care items.
- Book Lovers: Appeal to bookworms by offering a monthly subscription box that includes a carefully selected book, bookmarks, literary-themed merchandise, and perhaps even a small treat or beverage.
- Food and Snacks: Curate a box of unique, gourmet snacks or healthy treats from around the world, catering to different dietary preferences such as vegan, gluten-free, or keto-friendly.
- Art Supplies: Target artists and creative individuals by offering a monthly subscription box that includes a variety of art supplies, such as paints, brushes, sketchbooks, and other tools.
- Pet Lovers: Create a subscription box for pet owners, filled with treats, toys, grooming products, and accessories for their furry companions.
- Coffee or Tea Enthusiasts: Offer a subscription box featuring a selection of specialty coffees or teas from different regions, along with brewing equipment, mugs, and accessories.
- Home Decor: Curate a monthly box of stylish home decor items, such as candles, wall art, throw pillows, and unique accessories to help subscribers refresh their living spaces.
- Stationery and Planner Addicts: Target stationery lovers and organization enthusiasts by offering a subscription box filled with trendy notebooks, pens, stickers, and planner supplies.
3. Selling services
3.1. Offer design and development services
One lucrative side hustle idea with Shopify is to offer design and development services. With the increasing demand for visually appealing and functional online stores, businesses often seek professional assistance to create or enhance their Shopify websites. As a skilled designer and developer, you can provide services like custom theme design, responsive layout development, and user experience optimization. By leveraging your expertise in Shopify's intuitive platform, you can help businesses establish a strong online presence, attract more customers, and boost their sales. Offering design and development services on Shopify allows you to tap into a growing market while utilizing your creative talents to help businesses thrive in the competitive e-commerce landscape. Take your skills to the next level and turn your passion for design and development into a profitable side hustle with Shopify.
3.2. Provide SEO services
Millions of Shopify owners out there know the importance of SEO for their stores, but not everyone has the capability and capacity to do it. Boosting the Shopify store’s online presence and driving more traffic to their Shopify store with SEO services is a great way to start your side hustle. With the increasing importance of online visibility, many entrepreneurs are seeking ways to optimize their websites and attract more customers. By leveraging your SEO expertise, you can help Shopify store owners improve their search engine rankings, drive organic traffic, and ultimately boost their sales. It's a win-win situation that allows you to monetize your skills while supporting businesses in their growth.
3.3. Shopify store maintenance
Shopify store owners are always looking for reliable help to maintain their online stores. It’s a great chance for your side hustle idea, you can offer ongoing Shopify store maintenance services that keep stores updated and running smoothly. This includes checking for new theme and app updates, ensuring smooth payment processing, monitoring inventory levels, fixing any bugs or broken features, optimizing content and visuals, and handling any custom coding work or new integrations needed. Providing monthly maintenance packages gives store owners peace of mind knowing someone is keeping their store optimized for both the frontend customer experience and backend operations. It's a low-effort, high-return service that leverages your Shopify expertise, allows steady monthly income, and provides value to stores so they keep returning as long-term clients.
4. Niche Product Store
Another great side business idea is to find a niche product category that is not adequately served by big brands and build a store catering to that specific audience. Research trending or untapped markets to identify potential ideas for your niche product store. Consider specialized tools or gadgets, unique home goods, niche accessories, or hard-to-find hobby items. Bee’s wrap is a great example of this niche product idea - with this product, you can easily store food without too much plastic use. Environmentally friendly, affordable, and caters to customers with specific needs. That is how Bee’s Wrap became a great niche product store.
Shopify provides you with all the necessary tools to effectively reach your target customers. With its robust e-commerce features, customizable themes, and marketing capabilities, you can create a captivating online store that caters to your niche audience's unique needs and interests.
Some niche product ideas you can sell with Shopify for 2024:
- Conscious consumers
- Health and wellness
- Pet owners
- The LGBTQ+ community
- Travelers
- Gamers
- Homeowners
- Remote workers
- Locals
5. Dropshipping
Dropshipping is an increasingly popular business model that allows you to sell products without having to stock any inventory. With dropshipping, you simply list items on your Shopify site from qualified dropshipping wholesalers. When an order is placed, Shopify automatically sends the order information to your supplier who then ships the product directly to your customer. This eliminates the need for you to handle inventory management and fulfillment, making it a low-investment way to get into eCommerce and test product-market fit with minimal risk.
6. Print-on-Demand Products
Print-on-demand (POD) is a popular business idea that combines creativity and convenience. Until 2030, the print-on-demand (POD) industry is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 26.1%. With print on demand, you have the freedom to design products such as apparel, mugs, phone cases, and more, but only produce them once an order is placed. This allows you to offer a large catalog of products with zero inventory risk using Shopify's integrated Printful and Printify apps. The print-on-demand model leverages Shopify's seamless integration with printing partners to handle the production and shipping, enabling you to focus on the creative aspects of your business.
Quick steps to start your POD store with Shopify
- Set up your Shopify store: Create an account and customize your Shopify store, you can start from here to get the exclusive 3-day free trial, then 3 months on Shopify with $1/month.
- Install a print-on-demand app: Install a POD app like Printful, Printify, or Gooten from the Shopify App Store. These apps integrate with your store and offer a variety of customizable products.
- Design & upload products:: You don’t have to be a designer to start your POD store. using free tools like Canva or with the help of many useful AI tools like Jasper, Adobe, DallE, etc.
Trending print-on-demand products in 2023
According to a recent survey by Printful, here are the most potential print-on-demand products for you to try: Custom stickers, hoodies, sportswear, premium t-shirts, eco-friendly products, hats, stationery, wall art, phone cases, drinkware, and bags. The home decor segment is also expected to have the highest growth rate in this industry at a CAGR of 27.7% to 2032.
The bottom line
In today's fast-paced world, saving money and working full-time may not always be enough. So, a side hustle can provide you with an extra stream of income, requiring only a few hours of your spare time each week. With Shopify, you have access to all the necessary tools, integrations, and support to easily start an online business or make extra money by selling your skills. It's a flexible and convenient way to increase your earnings and achieve financial stability. Shopify offers many promising side business opportunities for 2024. No risk, you can explore through their special "$1 for 3 months" promotion. This exclusive offer allows new merchants to test the platform without monthly fees for their first 3 months. It's the perfect chance to experiment with a print-on-demand business, or online course marketplace, or any side hustle idea at low cost.
