How to Make Sales in Shopify’s $1 for 3 Months Trial (Before It Expires)

Getting your first sale during Shopify’s $1 for 3 months trial is absolutely possible if you focus on what really matters.

Most people overthink, overspend, or spend weeks tweaking their store without driving any traffic. If you want to make the most of this limited-time offer, your goal should be clear from day one: validate a product, drive traffic, and convert customers within 90 days — all while keeping costs low and momentum high.

Shopify gives you full access to their platform during the trial period. This means you can build your entire store, install apps, process orders, and even collect payments — all for just $3 total over 3 months. This window can be used to build a profitable store, test ideas, and launch a side hustle or full-time business without heavy risk.

Why Shopify’s $1 Trial Is a Real Opportunity for New Sellers

Shopify launched the $1/month for 3 months trial as a way to get new users onto the platform with minimal risk. You aren’t limited to demo features or sandbox access — you’re operating with full access to the Shopify Basic plan. If you treat this trial like a real business sprint, not just a test, it can deliver real results.

Here’s why the $1 trial is a serious opportunity:

• Cost barrier is almost zero: You’re spending only $1/month to access tools that usually cost $39/month. This allows you to direct your budget toward marketing and product sourcing instead.
• No credit card processing limits: You can sell real products, collect payments, and issue refunds without restrictions.
• Great for validation: Whether you’re testing dropshipping, POD, or digital products, you get 90 days to see what works before committing to long-term expenses.

Tip: Your goal shouldn’t be to build the perfect store during the trial. It should be to get at least 1-10 sales, gather real customer feedback, and learn which traffic sources perform best for your niche.

Choose a Product With Demand (Don’t Guess)

The biggest mistake new sellers make is trying to invent something new or spending weeks picking a product based on what they personally like. If you’re using the Shopify $1 trial, time is more valuable than design. Start with a product that is already selling and has real demand.

How to quickly find winning products:

Once you find a product idea, validate it by:

• Checking its search volume using free SEO tools (like Ubersuggest)
• Looking at how many stores are selling it on Shopify (search “[product] Shopify site:myshopify.com”)
• Reviewing TikTok content around it and analyzing the comments for buyer interest

Build a Minimum Viable Store in 24 Hours

Spending two weeks perfecting your homepage won’t help you get your first sale. The faster you can get your product live, the faster you can begin collecting data. Start with a clean, conversion-focused store built using Shopify’s free tools.

Build your store with only the essentials:

• Theme: Use Dawn (free, fast, and mobile-optimized)
• Pages: Home, Product, FAQ, About Us, Contact
• Apps to install: Reviews app (Loox or Ali Reviews), urgency timer, upsell app, email capture
• Content: Use Canva to create a logo and header images. If needed, pull product videos from AliExpress or TikTok for social proof.

Important: Keep your product pages simple. Include a clear headline, 3-5 bullet points for features, a product video or GIF, reviews, and a clear “Buy Now” CTA. Mobile users account for 60%+ of ecommerce traffic, so test everything on your phone.

Leverage Free Traffic Channels for First Sales

Getting traffic without paid ads is entirely possible, especially during the early stages of your Shopify trial. While paid traffic is powerful, it comes with cost and learning curves. If you’re just starting out, organic marketing can help you validate your store fast.

Here are the top free traffic channels to focus on:

• TikTok Organic: Create short videos showcasing your product in action. Post 3–5 times daily using trending sounds, hashtags, and challenges. Reply to comments and pin your best content.
• Instagram Reels: Repurpose TikToks or shoot new content in vertical format. Use product demonstration and before/after formats.
• Reddit: Find subreddits related to your niche. Join the conversation, answer questions, and link to your store when it adds value.
• Facebook Marketplace: If you’re selling a physical product, test local interest by listing on Marketplace and offering free delivery or pickup.

Use Urgency and Scarcity to Trigger Action

You don’t need to wait weeks before promoting your offer. Right from day one, your store should have urgency built in. People are much more likely to take action when they believe something is limited or time-sensitive.

Easy ways to add urgency:

• Countdown timers: Apps like Hurrify or Ultimate Scarcity Pro can display a timer on product pages
• Stock counters: Show limited inventory to drive faster decisions
• Email pop-ups: Offer a limited-time discount for signing up within 10 minutes
• Flash sales: Run 24-48 hour deals and promote them across your traffic channels

Example copy: “Only 17 units left! Sale ends in 2 hours!”

Used ethically and strategically, urgency can lift your conversion rate by 20–30%, especially for first-time visitors who are on the fence.

Add Trust Signals to Improve Conversions

Visitors who don’t know your brand need to trust your store enough to buy from it. Simple trust elements can significantly improve your chances of converting cold traffic into buyers, especially during your early trial days.

Trust-building tactics:

• Product reviews: Add 5–10 reviews using apps like Loox or Ali Reviews
• Real product videos: Source or create user-generated content
• Live chat or support bot: Install a simple live chat widget or AI bot
• Money-back guarantee: Clearly state your return or refund policy
• Secure payment icons: Add trust badges near the checkout button

According to Loox, Shopify stores that add reviews see up to 91% lift in conversions, especially when reviews include customer photos and names.

Set Up Abandoned Cart Recovery Emails and SMS

When someone adds your product to cart but doesn’t buy, there’s a good chance they just got distracted or had a question. Abandoned cart recovery is one of the simplest and highest ROI automations you can set up.

Here’s how to do it:

• Email: Use Shopify’s built-in email tool or Klaviyo. Set a 3-email sequence over 24 hours.
• SMS: Use a free or trial SMS app to send short reminders or discount codes within 30 minutes of abandonment.
• Offer: Include a small incentive like 10% off or free shipping in your second message.

Klaviyo’s data shows that abandoned cart emails recover 10–20% of lost sales, and SMS tends to convert even higher for lower-ticket products.

Mistakes That Will Waste Your Trial Period

Many Shopify users burn through their 3-month trial without ever launching. Avoid these common traps to make sure your store is live, active, and optimized to convert.

What to avoid:

• Over-customizing your theme: Done is better than perfect. Launch with a clean layout.
• Picking a niche with no demand: Use data to pick products people are searching for.
• No content marketing plan: If you’re not driving traffic daily, you won’t get sales.
• Ignoring mobile optimization: Test everything on mobile before going live.

What to Do After Your First Sale

Making your first sale is a huge win — now it’s time to build momentum. Take everything you learned from that order and build systems to repeat the process.

After your first sale:

• Use it as content: Screenshot the order (hide details) and use it in TikToks or IG posts
• Follow up: Ask the buyer for a review or UGC (user-generated content)
• Reinvest: Spend part of the profit on better content, email tools, or traffic tests
• Add upsells: Include related items or bundles on the product page

Your 3-Month Game Plan for Shopify Sales

If you stay focused during your $1 trial, you can build a store that’s not just live — but profitable. Here’s how to break down the 3 months strategically:

If you’ve made 5–10 sales by the end of Month 3, you’ll have real data to work with. You’ll know what your market wants, how they behave, and how to position your store for long-term growth.

11. Why Store Design Still Matters — Even During the $1 Trial

While speed is important during your Shopify trial, design plays a much bigger role than just “looking good.” Your store’s layout, visual flow, and UX directly impact how much people trust your site, how long they stay, and whether or not they buy.

Great design doesn’t have to be complex or expensive. But if you ignore how your store feels to shoppers, it could kill conversions — even with the right product.

Here’s why design drives sales, not just clicks:

• Visual credibility: 48% of consumers say design is the #1 factor they use to decide whether to trust a new online store.
• Mobile-first behavior: Over 60% of ecommerce traffic comes from mobile, where clean design and fast load times matter more than on desktop.
• Conversion flow: Layout, spacing, button placement, and how your product is showcased all influence purchase decisions subconsciously.

Even during your Shopify $1 trial, good design helps you make a stronger first impression and get better data. You don’t need a fancy brand yet — you just need to look real and feel easy to use.

💡 Want help? At ecomm.design, we don’t just showcase the best ecommerce designs — we build them. Whether you’re just starting or want a custom Shopify store built for conversions, we’ve got you covered.

Get Inspired: 5 High-Converting Shopify Stores That Nailed the Design

If you’re wondering what “good” looks like, take a look at these stores featured on ecomm.design. Each one is built on Shopify and shows how clean design, smart UX, and simple layouts can build trust and boost sales.

Each of these stores follows a few key principles:

• Focused on the product, not clutter
• Use of whitespace and contrast for clarity
• Clean fonts, consistent sizing, simple animations
• Designed to convert — not distract

💡 Browse ecomm.design for hundreds of real Shopify store examples, handpicked and sorted by category, industry, and style.

Don’t Want to DIY? Done-for-You Shopify Store Setup Services

Reading this guide is one thing. Actually building a clean, functional, high-converting Shopify store — especially during the 3-month trial — takes time, effort, and the right tools.

If you’re short on time, overwhelmed with the tech side, or just want a store that looks and performs like the examples you see on ecomm.design…

✅ We offer done-for-you Shopify design and development services that get you live, fast — with everything built to sell.

What’s included in our Shopify setup packages:

• Custom design or theme setup based on your product
• Mobile-first layout and speed optimization
• Product page design focused on trust + conversions
• App integration (reviews, upsells, email, popups)
• Setup for email flows (Klaviyo, Shopify Email, etc.)

Whether you’re selling one product or building a full brand, we’ll make sure your Shopify store is built to convert — and doesn’t just look pretty.

🎯 Book a free discovery call with our Shopify experts or check out our recent work at ecomm.design.

Final Thoughts

The Shopify $1 for 3 months trial isn’t just a cheap way to experiment — it’s a real business opportunity. But it only works if you treat it like the real thing. Focus on picking a winning product, getting traffic fast, building trust, and converting visitors.

Don’t get stuck tweaking your logo for two weeks or endlessly watching tutorials. The faster you get live, the faster you learn, adjust, and grow.

Keyword wrap-up: If you’re serious about learning how to get sales during Shopify $1 for 3 months, it starts with action — not perfection. With the right strategy, tools, and mindset, you can turn a $3 trial into a revenue-generating business.