Shopify development store: What is it & How to Create?

As a Shopify Partner, you need to be acquainted with development stores. They come in handy in the first steps of signing up for Shopify, used for demos, and even for portfolio purposes. In this post, I will explain everything you need to know about development stores in detail. Let’s jump right into it!

What are Shopify development stores?

A development store is a Shopify account that enables you to test themes or apps you make or to set up a store for a client. As a Shopify Partner, you can have unlimited development stores that you can use from your Partner Dashboard. They are free of charge, do not have time limits, and provide much of the same features as the Advanced Shopify plan. An infinite number of test transactions can also be processed. Until you turn to a paid schedule, though, you can’t:

• Install paid apps (except for Partner-friendly apps).
• Make more than 10 private apps.

It is important to remember that you need to set up a development store for any merchant you refer to in order to earn a recurring revenue share. For more information on what you will receive as a partner, you can check out Shopify’s revenue share.

How to Create a Development Store on Shopify

Before you can create a development store, you need to sign up as a Shopify Partner. This is free, and it allows you to create unlimited development stores and earn revenue through Shopify’s Partner Program.

Create a Shopify Partner Account

Step 1: Visiting the Shopify Partner Program Website

On the landing page of this website, you can check out some helpful courses and resources from the menu to help you get started and stand out from the crowd.

Step 2: Click Become a Partner

To join the Shopify Partner Program, simply click Become a partner and create an account using your email or by connecting with your Google, Facebook, or Apple account.

Step 3: Getting your email address verified

Immediately after you finish creating your account, Shopify will send you an email for verification purposes. You only need to open the email and find the button Confirm email. Please keep in mind that you need to get your email verified within 24 hours before the expiration time.

As soon as your email address is verified, you will be led to the Shopify accounts page. On that page, you need to choose the Shopify Partners button and then select the Create new partner account button.

Step 4: Fill in the form

In this final step, you need to enter your business’s details in all fields except for the optional ones.

After that, please move down and check out the section named “Business goals”. Here, you have to choose one out of many options which is most suitable for you. You can also write your own business goals if none fits your purposes.

Below the “Business goals” section, you will see a list of eCommerce platforms for you to choose from. It is necessary that you select the platforms you use because it will help Shopify to provide the suitable tools and resources for you.

After you have filled in the form, chosen your business goal and select the right platforms, the last thing you need to do is to read and accept the terms of the agreement by ticking the box at your left and then click “View your dashboard”.

In your dashboard, you are able to access a diversity of programs for beginners, and they are all free.

Create a Development store on Shopify (Step-by-step Guide)

As you have done creating a Shopify Partner account, you can now begin creating a development store. To help you create your development store, here is a step-by-step guide for you:

Step 1: Open Partner Dashboard

Go to your Partner Dashboard.

Step 2: Add store

Choose Stores. Then click on Add store.

Step 3: Select Development store

Select Development store button which is in the section Store type.

Step 4: Choose one reason why you decided to create the store

In the section named What is the purpose of this store?, choose one reason why you decided to create this development store.

• Create a store for a client
• Create a store to test and build

Your choice here will affect the information you need to fill in the create the development store.

Step 5: Fill in the Information and Configuration

If you're choosing to create a store for a client, fill in:

• The store name & location
• The products that your client wants to sell

If you're choosing to create a store to test and build, fill in:

• The store name
• Choose the build version
• Choose the data and configuration option

Step 6: Click Create Development Store

After finishing all the settings above, click on the Create Development Store button

How to add apps to your Shopify development store

The Shopify App Store holds a set of applications that offer powerful features, services, and plugins that improve the functionality of the Shopify Store. All Shopify Partners have access to Shopify’s Partner Friendly Apps, which is free of charge when used in development stores. Paid applications on this list can only start charging after the development store has switched to a paid Shopify package. You should always test apps in your development store before adding them to the live store of the client to make sure they don’t cause any problems.

Here’s how you can install apps in your development store:

• Step 1: Go to the Shopify App Store, choose the app you want to add.
• Step 2: Click the “Add app” button.
• Step 3: Enter your development store’s link address to authenticate the app.
• Step 4: Confirm the installation of the app.
• Step 5: Start using the app.

If you want to install apps that are not in the partner-friendly group, you will incur a cost immediately.

How to transferring store ownership to your clients

When you’ve finished building a lovely development store for your client, it’s time to hand over the control. This is an exciting part, as your clients are now eager to discovering and running their store — all you have to do is pass the store ownership to them in a few easy steps:

• Step 1: Log in to your Shopify Partner Dashboard, and click “Stores.”
• Step 2: Click the “Transfer ownership” option next to the store that you want to transfer.
• Step 3: In the Transfer store ownership dialog, choose the new owner from the list of eligible new owners. If you haven’t included your client as a staff member, click the “Add a staff account” option and create a new account for your client before continuing.
• Step 4: When you’re done, click the “Transfer store” button.

The new owner will receive an email with instructions on how to create an account and pick a plan. Not until the transfer is approved by your customer does the store can go live. After the client starts paying for a Shopify package, a collaborator account is automatically generated and you start collecting your monthly recurring revenue share. That’s everything you need to know about passing ownership of your development store to your client.

How to get access to existing stores

Development stores are used to refer a new client to Shopify, but what if you’re working with a client who already has an existing Shopify store? Ok, before you can start working on it, you’ll need to send a request to get permission.

Request access

You use a collaborator account to access the store of your client. To receive a collaborator account, you can send a request to the owner of the store via your Partner Dashboard. If you already have a staff account in your client’s store or have been requested by the owner of the store to trigger a staff account (but have not yet activated it), your request for a collaborator account will require the owner of the store to change your current account permissions to match those of your collaborator account.

Here’s how you can request access to a client’s store:

• Step 1: Go to your Partner Dashboard, and click Stores.
• Step 2: Click “Add store.”
• Step 3: Select “Managed store” for the store type.
• Step 4: Enter the store URL.
• Step 5: In the Permissions section, choose the sections of the store that you want to have access to, or check Full access. The account owner can alter these permissions after your account is created.
• Step 6: If you want to send a message to the store owner in your request, then write a message in the “Add a message” section.
• Step 7: When you’re done, click Save.

After you send a request, the owner of the store will receive an email about the request and a notification on their Shopify Admin homepage.

View your clients’ stores

You can view the stores you have access to on the “Stores” section of your Partner Dashboard. There is no limit on the number of collaborator accounts you can have, but you can only have up to 10 pending requests open at a time.

Archive a development store

You can also archive the development stores that you no longer work on. After archiving a store, if you want to continue working on it, you can unarchive it later.

Here’s how you can archive a development store:

• Step 1: Go to your Partner Dashboard, click Stores.
• Step 2: Choose the development store that you want to archive.
• Step 3: Click “Archive.”

Unarchive a development store

If you need to get back a development store that you have archived, then you can do so with these steps:

• Step 1: Go to your Partner Dashboard, click Stores.
• Step 2: Click Filter, and select Archived.
• Step 3: Find the store you want to unarchive, and click on it.
• Step 4: Click Unarchive.

Final words

That’s it. This is everything you need to know about Shopify development stores to get started. Development stores are the ideal test environment for you to create online stores for your client, without the constraint of a 14-day trial. You will want to make sure that you use them while creating and referring to client stores to earn a revenue share.

Read more: How to Become a Shopify Developer