@فاطمة
In the UAE, an e-commerce start-up can be initiated and have very low initial expenses with the help of Shopify’s offer for 3 months at $1. It has been instrumental in the UAE users launching many businesses. You should consider the following:
1. Handling local materials & packaging
Shopify will not package or ship your products for you. It would be best if you got your materials from local suppliers. Set your store's currency at AED and integrate UAE-friendly shippers such as Aramex, Fetchr, or DHL UAE.
2. Payment in AED
AED transactions are supported on Shopify through third-party payment gateways like Telr, PayTabs, or Checkout.com. Note that Shopify Payments (its internal gateway) does not work in the UAE so that you will incur minimal charges from these gateways.
3. What happens post the $1 Plan
Primarily you will incur the following costs after the expiry of the $1 deal:
Plan Costs: From $29/month (Basic Shopify).
Transaction Fees: 2% on sales (decreases with higher plans).
Extras: Additional costs may include paid apps, custom domains, or marketing tools.
4. Restrictions
This plan is excellent for trials but less endowed in terms of features. It would require you to pay for higher tier plans or addons in future so that you could get advanced reporting, customization or automation features as your business expands.
5. Tips specific to UAE
VAT Compliance: Include 5% VAT on products through Shopify settings.
Shipping: Collaborate with low-priced delivery services offered by local logistics companies.
Marketing: Allocate money in your budget for ads or influencers who will lure clients to your online store.
To conclude,
For just a single dollar investment on its plan, Shopify gives you all that you may need to put into practice your concept and make a great starting point capital wise.
On the other hand this may not work for long term investment due increased cost after free three month offer but better if targeting only local customers ensure smooth flow especially when dealing with AED, VAT and shipping by taking necessary precautions since Shopify is capable enough.
It could really help in expanding business growth once properly implemented too.
