This would definitely be useful — but the value will depend on how it’s positioned.
Most merchants don’t struggle with information, they struggle with execution and trust. There’s already a lot of content (YouTube, forums, docs), but it’s fragmented and often too generic. Where this idea stands out is the live, store-specific guidance.
A few thoughts that could make it much stronger:
Position it as problem-solving, not learning
Merchants care about fixing issues fast (tracking, conversions, bugs), not going through a full course.
Make it outcome-driven
For example: “Fix your tracking”, “Audit your store”, “Improve conversion rate” — clear results > general help.
Speed matters a lot
If someone is stuck, waiting for the next live call can be a downside. Some form of async or faster access could increase value.
Scaling will be challenging
A live, hands-on model depends heavily on your time. Without strong systems, documentation, or additional team members, growth will be limited.
Focus on higher-impact problems
Beginners may not pay much, but stores already doing revenue will see immediate ROI from this.
Overall, the live access to a knowledgeable developer is the strongest part — that’s something most merchants don’t have.
If executed well (especially around speed and clear outcomes), this could be very compelling.
The live access part is by far the most valuable thing here. I’ve been in this community for a couple of weeks now and the pattern is exactly what you described. Merchants paste code from ChatGPT, something breaks, they post here hoping someone can figure out what went wrong from a screenshot.
A forum reply can help but it’s slow and you’re guessing at context. A live call where you can actually see their admin, look at the theme code, check their settings - that’s a completely different level of support. Most merchants don’t need a course, they need someone who can look at their specific store and tell them what’s wrong.
I’d start with the live calls only, honestly. Skip the course for now. Charge for audit-style sessions where someone shows up with their problem and you solve it on the spot. If you see the same problems come up 5 times, that’s your first course module. Let the content come from real patterns instead of guessing what to teach.
One thing to think about though. The merchants who would pay for this are probably doing at least $5K-10K/month already. New store owners won’t invest in calls when they haven’t made their first sale yet. Are you targeting established stores or newer ones?
appreciate this, you nailed a lot of what i’ve been thinking through
the execution vs info gap is exactly why i started building this. most people don’t need more tutorials, they need someone to look at their store and say this is wrong, fix it like this
i’m actually positioning it more for beginner store owners to get up and running properly from the start, but still useful for anyone further along
the model i’m leaning toward is:
free group access
live calls for problem solving
optional upsells if someone wants faster / priority help instead of waiting
so it covers both sides, people who are early and need guidance, and people who value speed
would love your take on that angle if you’ve got a minute, especially around the speed vs value tradeoff