Shopify Side Hustles You Can Start Today
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A Shopify side hustle is one of the most popular ways to build passive or semi-passive income online. With Shopify’s easy-to-use platform, built-in integrations, and wide range of apps, you can start small while scaling over time. Here’s a detailed, beginner-friendly blog exploring the best Shopify side hustles, why they work, and how you can launch one.
Shopify Side Hustles: How to Build Income Online Without Quitting Your Job
In today’s digital age, the concept of a side hustle has gone from buzzword to practical path toward financial freedom. More people than ever are exploring ways to create extra income streams, whether to boost savings, pay off debt, or kickstart their entrepreneurial dreams. For aspiring entrepreneurs, Shopify offers one of the best platforms to start a side hustle that can grow into a full-time business.
Shopify has lowered the entry barrier for anyone who wants to sell online—whether it’s physical products, digital goods, dropshipping, or even affiliate promotions. In this blog, we’ll break down the most profitable Shopify side hustles, how you can set them up, and what strategies help them succeed.
Why Start a Shopify Side Hustle?
Low Start-Up Cost: Shopify plans are affordable, and you can begin with as little as a 3-day free trial and extend with the Starter plan.
Flexibility: Run your business in your spare time without needing to leave your job.
Scalability: A small store selling niche items today can become a six-figure business in a few years.
All-in-One Tools: Shopify handles hosting, design templates, payment systems, and integrations so you don’t need technical expertise.
Popular Shopify Side Hustles
1. Dropshipping Store
Dropshipping is one of the most beginner-friendly Shopify side hustles. With dropshipping, you sell products without holding inventory. When a customer buys from your store, your supplier ships the product directly to them.
Pros: No inventory costs, thousands of product choices, low risk.
Cons: Lower profit margins, requires consistent marketing.
Best Tools: DSers, Spocket, or Oberlo alternatives for sourcing products.
2. Print on Demand (POD) Business
POD allows you to sell custom-designed t-shirts, hoodies, phone cases, mugs, and more. You upload your designs, link with a POD supplier (Printful, Printify, Gelato), and they handle printing and shipping whenever an order comes in.
Pros: Creative outlet, unique branding, no bulk inventory.
Cons: Requires design skills or freelance designers, competitive niche.
Tip: Focus on micro-niches (fitness moms, dog lovers, gamers) to increase sales.
3. Niche Product Store
Instead of selling everything, focus on a narrow niche. Examples include eco-friendly kitchen gear, handmade accessories, or skincare for sensitive skin.
Pros: Easier to market, strong brand positioning.
Cons: Needs research to find profitable niches.
Tip: Use tools like Google Trends, Pinterest, or TikTok to identify trending micro-products.
4. Digital Product Store
Selling digital downloads (eBooks, Canva templates, stock photos, workout planners) is a high-profit side hustle because there is no inventory or shipping.
Pros: 100% profit after creation, unlimited scaling, passive income.
Cons: Requires upfront time to create digital assets.
Best App: Shopify Digital Downloads or SendOwl.
5. Subscription Box Business
Curate and sell subscription boxes—whether it’s self-care kits, snacks, pet toys, or hobby supplies. The subscription model provides recurring monthly income.
Pros: Reliable recurring revenue, loyal customer base.
Cons: Requires inventory sourcing and management.
Best Apps: Recharge or Bold Subscriptions.
6. Affiliate Blogging + Shopify
You can use Shopify as the backbone of an affiliate content site. Instead of selling your own products, you recommend products and earn commissions through affiliate links. For example, building a blog about home fitness, promoting Shopify merchants’ products, or even recommending Shopify itself through its affiliate program.
Pros: Low maintenance, great for writers.
Cons: Slower growth, requires SEO and traffic-building.
7. Reselling & Arbitrage
Some Shopify side hustlers buy products in bulk from clearance sales, outlets, or wholesale distributors, then resell them through their Shopify store for profit. This works well for trending collectibles, gadgets, or even second-hand clothing.
Pros: High profits with trending products.
Cons: Inventory required, must manage shipping.
How to Start Your Shopify Side Hustle
Pick a niche or model: Choose between dropshipping, POD, digital products, etc.
Validate your idea: Research demand using keyword tools, Pinterest trends, TikTok hashtags, or store spy tools.
Create your Shopify store: Choose a theme, set up categories, and design your product pages.
Set up apps and integrations: Add apps for email marketing (Klaviyo, MailerLite), reviews (Loox, Judge.me), and upsells.
Traffic generation: Use a mix of organic methods (SEO, Pinterest, TikTok content) and paid ads when ready.
Track and optimize: Use Shopify analytics, Google Analytics, and customer feedback to improve sales over time.
Marketing Tips to Grow Your Shopify Side Hustle
Use Pinterest to drive traffic, especially for visually appealing products like fashion, decor, and digital downloads.
Start a TikTok or Instagram page showcasing your products through lifestyle or tutorial videos.
Build an email list with incentives like free downloads, discounts, or early product access.
Focus on SEO: Optimize product descriptions with keywords and blog about your niche.
Scaling Your Side Hustle
Your Shopify store doesn’t have to remain a side hustle forever. Many entrepreneurs start part-time and transition to full-time once income grows consistently. To scale:
Introduce upsells and bundles for higher cart value.
Use paid ads (Facebook, TikTok, Pinterest Ads) to amplify reach.
Expand product range based on customer feedback.
Automate workflows with Shopify apps so the business runs smoothly with limited time invested.
Final Thoughts
A Shopify side hustle is more than just an online shop—it’s a chance to build financial independence, experiment with entrepreneurship, and even turn your spare time into a reliable revenue stream. Whether it’s dropshipping, print on demand, selling digital assets, or curating niche products, Shopify gives you the tools to start small and grow on your own terms.
If you’ve been looking for a way to make extra income without needing to master complex coding or pay for expensive web design, Shopify is a smart starting point.
→ Click here to go to Shopify, enter your email address, and select the “Start free trial” option.