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How to Sell Courses on Shopify: A Step-by-Step Guide for 2023

byLettifi Mohamed Saber •
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How to Sell Courses on Shopify: A Step-by-Step Guide for 2023

Do you want to sell your knowledge and expertise online? Learn how to sell courses on Shopify using different methods and tools. Whether you want to sell digital downloads, use an online course platform, or create a membership site, this guide will show you how to do it step by step.

How to Sell Courses on Shopify


Introduction

Shopify is a powerful ecommerce platform that allows you to create and run your own online store. You can sell physical products, digital products, services, and more. But did you know that you can also sell online courses on Shopify?

Online courses are a great way to monetize your skills and passions. You can create courses on any topic you are knowledgeable or passionate about, such as photography, yoga, cooking, business, or anything else. You can then sell your courses to people who want to learn from you and improve their lives.

Selling courses on Shopify has many benefits, such as:

  • Ease of use: Shopify is easy to set up and use. You don’t need any coding or design skills to create a beautiful and functional online store. You can also manage your store from anywhere using the Shopify app.
  • Customization: Shopify gives you full control over the look and feel of your store. You can choose from hundreds of themes and customize them to suit your brand and style. You can also add features and functionality to your store using apps from the Shopify app store.
  • Integration: Shopify integrates with many tools and platforms that can help you create and sell online courses. For example, you can use an online course platform like Thinkific to create and host your courses, and then sync them with your Shopify store. You can also use a membership site like MemberSpace to restrict access to your courses and charge recurring fees.
  • Scalability: Shopify can handle any amount of traffic and sales. You don’t have to worry about hosting, security, or maintenance. Shopify takes care of everything for you. You can also grow your business with Shopify’s marketing and analytics tools.

In this guide, we will show you how to sell courses on Shopify using three different methods:

  • How to sell courses on Shopify as digital products
  • How to sell courses on Shopify using an online course platform
  • How to sell courses on Shopify using a membership site

Let’s get started!

How to sell courses on Shopify as digital products

One way to sell courses on Shopify is to sell them as digital products. Digital products are file-based products that get delivered immediately upon purchase. They can include eBooks, templates, videos, audio files, graphic art, and more.

To sell courses on Shopify as digital products, you will need to use an app called Digital Downloads. This app allows you to attach files to your products and automatically deliver them to your customers after their purchase.

Here’s how to use the Digital Downloads app to sell courses on Shopify:

How to upload files

The first step is to upload the files that make up your course. These can be video files, audio files, PDF files, or any other format that you prefer.

To upload files using the Digital Downloads app, follow these steps:

  1. From your Shopify admin, go to Apps > Digital Downloads.
  2. Click Add digital attachment.
  3. Select an existing product or create a new one.
  4. Click Upload file and choose the file from your computer.
  5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 for each file that you want to attach to your product.
  6. Click Save.

You can upload up to 5 GB of files per product using the Digital Downloads app.

How to set prices

The next step is to set the prices for your course. You can set different prices for different variants of your product, such as different levels or formats of your course.

To set prices for your course using the Digital Downloads app, follow these steps:

  1. From your Shopify admin, go to Products > All products.
  2. Click on the product that you want to edit.
  3. In the Pricing section, enter the price for each variant of your product.
  4. Click Save.

You can also offer discounts or free trials for your course using Shopify’s discount codes or free shipping settings.

How to create product pages

The next step is to create product pages for your course. Product pages are where you showcase your course and convince customers to buy it.

To create product pages for your course using the Digital Downloads app, follow these steps:

  1. From your Shopify admin, go to Products > All products.
  2. Click on the product that you want to edit.
  3. In the Product details section, enter a title and a description for your product.
  4. In the Media section, add images or videos that showcase your product.
  5. In the Organization section, add tags and collections that help customers find your product.
  6. In the Search engine listing preview section, edit the title and description that appear in search results.
  7. Click Save.

You can also customize the look and feel of your product pages using themes and apps from the Shopify theme store and app store.

How to deliver courses to customers

The final step is to deliver your course files to your customers after they purchase them.

To deliver courses to customers using the Digital Downloads app, follow these steps:

  1. From your Shopify admin, go to Apps > Digital Downloads.
  2. Click Settings.
  3. In the Delivery method section, choose how you want to deliver your files:
    • Email: Send an email with a download link to your customers after their purchase.
    • Thank you page: Display a download link on the thank you page after checkout.
    • Both: Use both email and thank you page methods.
  4. In the Download settings section, choose how long you want the download link to be valid and how many times it can be used.
  5. Click Save.

You can also view and manage your orders and downloads from the Orders tab in the Digital Downloads app.

How to sell courses on Shopify using an online course platform

Another way to sell courses on Shopify is to use an online course platform like Thinkific. An online course platform is a tool that helps you create and host online courses with features like video hosting, quizzes, certificates, live classes, and more.

To sell courses on Shopify using an online course platform like Thinkific, you will need to connect Shopify and Thinkific using an integration app called Thinkific App Store Connector (TASC). This app allows you to sync products between Shopify and Thinkific, enroll customers into Thinkific courses after purchase on Shopify, and track sales data across both platforms.

Here’s how to use Thinkific App Store Connector (TASC) to sell courses on Shopify: 

 

 

How to connect Shopify and Thinkific

The first step is to connect your Shopify store and your Thinkific site using the Thinkific App Store Connector (TASC) app. This app will allow you to sync products between both platforms and enroll customers into Thinkific courses after purchase on Shopify.

To connect Shopify and Thinkific using TASC, follow these steps:

  1. From your Shopify admin, go to Apps > Visit Shopify App Store.
  2. Search for Thinkific App Store Connector and click Add app.
  3. Enter your Shopify store URL and click Install app.
  4. Enter your Thinkific site URL and click Connect.
  5. Log in to your Thinkific account and authorize the connection.
  6. Click Finish setup.

You have now connected your Shopify store and your Thinkific site using TASC.

How to create courses on Thinkific

The next step is to create courses on Thinkific that you want to sell on Shopify. Thinkific has a powerful course builder that allows you to create courses with different types of content, such as videos, text, quizzes, surveys, assignments, and more.

To create courses on Thinkific, follow these steps:

  1. From your Thinkific admin dashboard, go to Manage Learning Content > Courses.
  2. Click New Course.
  3. Choose a course template or start from scratch.
  4. Enter a course name and click Create Course.
  5. Add sections and lessons to your course using the course builder.
  6. Customize your course settings, such as pricing, availability, landing page, and more.
  7. Publish your course when you are ready.

You have now created a course on Thinkific that you can sell on Shopify.

How to sync products on Shopify

The next step is to sync your Thinkific courses with your Shopify products using TASC. This will allow you to sell your courses on Shopify and enroll customers into Thinkific courses after purchase.

To sync products on Shopify using TASC, follow these steps:

  1. From your Shopify admin, go to Apps > Thinkific App Store Connector.
  2. Click Sync Products.
  3. Select the Thinkific courses that you want to sync with Shopify products.
  4. Click Sync Selected Products.
  5. Wait for the sync process to complete.

You have now synced your Thinkific courses with your Shopify products using TASC.

How to enroll customers

The final step is to enroll customers into your Thinkific courses after they purchase them on Shopify. TASC will automatically do this for you once you have synced your products.

To enroll customers into your Thinkific courses using TASC, follow these steps:

  1. From your Shopify admin, go to Orders > All orders.
  2. Click on an order that contains a synced product.
  3. In the Fulfillment status section, click Fulfill items.
  4. In the Fulfillment details section, click Send confirmation email with enrollment link.
  5. Click Fulfill items.

You have now enrolled a customer into your Thinkific course using TASC.

How to sell courses on Shopify using a membership site

Another way to sell courses on Shopify is to use a membership site like MemberSpace. A membership site is a website that requires users to pay a recurring fee to access exclusive content, such as online courses, videos, podcasts, newsletters, and more.

To sell courses on Shopify using a membership site like MemberSpace, you will need to install MemberSpace on your Shopify store and create memberships that restrict access to your course content.

Here’s how to use MemberSpace to sell courses on Shopify:

How to install MemberSpace

The first step is to install MemberSpace on your Shopify store. MemberSpace is an app that allows you to create and manage memberships on your website.

To install MemberSpace on your Shopify store, follow these steps:

  1. From your Shopify admin, go to Apps > Visit Shopify App Store.
  2. Search for MemberSpace and click Add app.
  3. Enter your Shopify store URL and click Install app.
  4. Log in or sign up for a MemberSpace account.
  5. Follow the instructions to complete the installation.

You have now installed MemberSpace on your Shopify store.

How to create memberships

The next step is to create memberships that restrict access to your course content using MemberSpace. You can create different types of memberships, such as free trials, one-time payments, recurring payments, or pay what you want.

To create memberships using MemberSpace, follow these steps:

  1. From your MemberSpace dashboard, go to Memberships > Add Membership Plan.
  2. Enter a name and a description for your membership plan.
  3. Choose a payment type and enter a price for your membership plan.
  4. Choose how often you want to charge your members and when you want their access to expire.
  5. Click Save & Continue.

You have now created a membership plan using MemberSpace.

How to restrict content

The next step is to restrict access to your course content using MemberSpace. You can restrict access to any page or section of your website based on the membership plans that you have created.

To restrict content using MemberSpace, follow these steps:

  1. From your MemberSpace dashboard, go to Content > Add Content Link or Section Protection.
  2. Choose whether you want to protect a link or a section of your website.
  3. Enter the URL or the CSS selector of the content that you want to protect.
  4. Choose which membership plans can access the content that you want to protect.
  5. Click Save & Continue.

You have now restricted access to your course content using MemberSpace.

How to charge customers

The final step is to charge customers for accessing your course content using MemberSpace. MemberSpace will automatically handle the payment processing and billing for you once you have created memberships and restricted content.

To charge customers for accessing your course content using MemberSpace, follow these steps:

  1. From your MemberSpace dashboard, go to Settings > Payment Settings.
  2. Connect your Stripe account or create a new one if you don’t have one already.
  3. Choose which currencies you want to accept and whether you want to enable coupons or taxes.
  4. Click Save Changes.

You have now set up payment settings for charging customers using MemberSpace.

Tips and best practices for selling courses on Shopify

Now that you know how to sell courses on Shopify using different methods and tools, here are some tips and best practices that can help you sell more effectively:

  • Choose a niche for your courses: Before creating and selling courses on Shopify, you should choose a niche that you are knowledgeable or passionate about and that has enough demand from potential customers. You can use tools like Google Trends or Keyword Planner to research popular topics and keywords related to your niche.
  • Create engaging content for your courses: Once you have chosen a niche for your courses, you should create engaging content that delivers value and solves problems for your customers. You can use different types of media, such as videos, text, quizzes, surveys, assignments, etc., to make your courses interactive and fun. You should also use clear and concise language, use examples and stories, and break down complex concepts into simple steps to make your courses easy to understand and remember
  • Optimize SEO for your courses: To increase the visibility and traffic of your courses on search engines, you should optimize SEO for your courses using best practices, such as:
    • Use keywords in your titles, descriptions, headings, and content
    • Write catchy and informative meta titles and meta descriptions for your product pages
    • Use alt text for your images and videos
    • Use internal and external links to boost your authority and relevance
    • Use schema markup to enhance your search results with rich snippets, such as ratings, reviews, prices, etc.
  • Market your courses effectively: To attract and convert more customers for your courses, you should market your courses effectively using various strategies, such as:
    • Create a landing page for your course that showcases its benefits, features, testimonials, and call to action
    • Use social media to promote your course and engage with your audience
    • Use email marketing to build a relationship with your subscribers and send them valuable content, offers, and reminders
    • Use paid advertising to reach a larger and targeted audience on platforms like Google Ads or Facebook Ads
    • Use influencer marketing to leverage the trust and authority of influential people in your niche who can endorse or recommend your course to their followers
  • Provide customer support for your courses: To retain and satisfy your customers, you should provide customer support for your courses using various methods, such as:
    • Create a FAQ section or a help center that answers common questions or issues related to your course
    • Provide contact information or a contact form that allows customers to reach out to you directly if they need help or have feedback
    • Use live chat or chatbots that can provide instant answers or guidance for customers who visit your website or product pages
    • Use social media or online communities that can provide peer support or interaction for customers who join or follow you 

Conclusion

Selling courses on Shopify is a great way to monetize your knowledge and expertise online. You can use different methods and tools depending on how you want to create and deliver your courses.

In this guide, we showed you how to sell courses on Shopify as digital 

products using the Digital Downloads app, how to sell courses on Shopify using an online course platform like Thinkific using the Thinkific App Store Connector (TASC) app, and how to sell courses on Shopify using a membership site like MemberSpace.

We also gave you some tips and best practices for selling courses on Shopify, such as choosing a niche, creating engaging content, optimizing SEO, marketing your courses, and providing customer support.

We hope you found this guide helpful and informative. If you are ready to start selling your courses on Shopify, you can sign up for a free trial of Shopify and explore its features and possibilities.

If you have any questions or feedback, please feel free to contact us. We would love to hear from you and help you with your online course business.

Thank you for reading and happy selling!

 

 

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