How to add an app to the store

Over 80% of Shopify stores use apps to manage and grow their business. Why use an app? Shopify provides you with the basic features to help you start and grow your business. But your business may need features that Shopify doesn’t yet have. The Shopify App Store has thousands of apps developed by both Shopify and Shopify partners that can extend the functionality of your store.

When choosing an app for your store, start by asking yourself a few questions. What does my store need beyond the core Shopify features? What will make my store easier to manage? What will increase my sales? How much money can I afford to spend on apps?

Apps can be free or paid, depending on what price the app developer charges. Paid apps may have a monthly fee, a one-time fee, or a fee for each time you use it. Most paid apps offer a free basic plan or a free trial so you can try the app before you buy.

Let's install the app together. In your admin, click "Apps." Shopify will continually recommend apps to you based on the stage your business is in. With thousands of apps in the app store, personalized recommendations from Shopify can save you time.

Click on "Product reviews". This app is created by Shopify. As you can see, it has high ratings and reviews. Now let's look at the app store. I'll click on "Shopify app store" to go to the store's home page.

Just like themes, apps are categorized to make it easier for you to find the right apps for your store. Before choosing an app, be sure to read the app description and note how to contact support in case you have any questions.

Since some apps are not created by Shopify but by Shopify partners, you will need to contact their support team if you have any questions or problems.

Once you find the right app, you need to install it in your store. If you are installing the app from the Shopify app store, click "Add app". After you click "Add app", you need to authorize the app by clicking "Install app" in the Shopify admin.

Once you've installed your apps, you can see them all in the apps section of your Shopify store.

You may notice that growing businesses tend to focus more on marketing and sales. This is to make those first few sales and get the business off the ground. Consider installing an email marketing app that will help you store your customers’ emails and start marketing to them.

You can also enhance your product pages with these apps: user reviews; real-time customer chat; and related product suggestions.

As you explore the app store, you may see apps that may not make sense to you. That's okay. As your business grows, many of the apps you see in the app store will become critical to your long-term success.

In the next lesson, I'll show you how to use the marketing section of your store.