Shopify Apps That Will Save You Time and Money

Published on April 28, 2023 | Approx. 10 min read

If you’re running an online store on Shopify, you already know how powerful this platform is for e-commerce. But to truly unlock Shopify’s potential and grow your business efficiently, you need more than just a beautiful website. You need automation, marketing tools, and smart integrations that can save you time, reduce manual work, and boost your sales.

This is where Shopify apps come into play.

Shopify’s app ecosystem offers thousands of apps designed to help store owners like you handle everything from inventory management to marketing, customer engagement to shipping, and upselling to order fulfillment. But with so many options available, how do you pick the ones that really make a difference?

In this article, we'll walk you through five essential Shopify apps that are proven time-savers and money-makers for any online store. These apps automate crucial processes, improve customer experience, and increase your conversions — all while giving you more freedom to focus on growing your business.

1. Oberlo — Streamline Dropshipping Order Fulfillment

What Oberlo Does:

Oberlo connects your Shopify store to suppliers around the world and automates the entire order fulfillment process. When a customer places an order, Oberlo automatically forwards the order details to your supplier, who ships the product directly to your customer — no inventory or packing required on your end.

How It Saves Time and Money:

No Manual Order Processing: Instead of manually emailing suppliers and tracking shipments, Oberlo automates the workflow.
Inventory Sync: Oberlo updates product availability and prices automatically, so your store never sells items out of stock.
Reduced Overhead: You don’t have to invest in warehouse space or upfront inventory, freeing up capital.
Access to Thousands of Products: Oberlo’s vast supplier network lets you test new products with zero risk.

Why Shopify Stores Love Oberlo:

Dropshipping beginners and seasoned pros alike use Oberlo to minimize logistics headaches, making it easier to scale their stores and focus on marketing and customer experience.

2. Privy — Recover Lost Sales with Email and SMS Marketing

What Privy Does:

Privy is an all-in-one email and SMS marketing tool built for Shopify merchants. It creates eye-catching pop-ups, banners, and email capture forms that help convert visitors into subscribers and buyers. Plus, it automates abandoned cart emails and SMS messages that remind customers to complete their purchases.

How It Saves Time and Money:

Automated Cart Recovery: Privy sends timely, personalized reminders to customers who leave without buying, bringing many of them back to checkout.
Easy Lead Capture: With pop-ups and exit-intent offers, you can grow your email list without hiring a designer or developer.
Multi-Channel Reach: Reach customers not only via email but also SMS, increasing the chance of engagement.
Built-In Templates: No need to spend hours designing campaigns; Privy provides ready-to-use templates.

Why Shopify Stores Love Privy:

Privy helps you turn window shoppers into buyers, boosting your revenue with minimal effort. The automation means you set it up once, and the app works for you 24/7.

3. Loox — Build Trust with Visual Product Reviews

What Loox Does:

Loox collects photo and video reviews from your customers and displays them beautifully on your product pages. This visual proof helps potential buyers feel confident about your products.

How It Saves Time and Money:

Automated Review Requests: Loox sends follow-up emails asking customers to leave a review, so you don’t have to chase them manually.
Boosts Conversion Rates: Shoppers are more likely to buy when they see authentic photos and testimonials.
Improves SEO: Fresh reviews with keywords can enhance your store’s search engine rankings.
Reduces Returns: When buyers know exactly what to expect, product returns tend to drop.

Why Shopify Stores Love Loox:

Loox turns your happy customers into your best marketing tool — visual reviews that build trust and encourage new buyers to hit "Add to Cart."

4. ShipStation — Simplify Shipping Across Multiple Channels

What ShipStation Does:

ShipStation centralizes your shipping process by pulling orders from all your sales channels into one dashboard. It helps you compare shipping rates, print labels in bulk, and track packages easily.

How It Saves Time and Money:

Bulk Shipping Automation: Print hundreds of labels at once without manual data entry.
Cheaper Shipping Rates: Access discounted shipping rates from major carriers.
Seamless Multi-Channel Management: Manage Shopify orders alongside other platforms from a single interface.
Automated Tracking Emails: Keep your customers informed without extra effort.

Why Shopify Stores Love ShipStation:

ShipStation frees up time you’d otherwise spend on packaging and shipping details, so you can scale your order volume without the stress.

5. ReConvert — Increase Revenue with Post-Purchase Upsells

What ReConvert Does:

ReConvert is a Shopify app that turns your thank-you or order confirmation page into a powerful upsell and cross-sell tool. You can offer personalized product recommendations, discounts, or freebies immediately after checkout.

How It Saves Time and Money:

Automated Upselling: No need to manually reach out; the app presents upsell offers automatically.
Increases Average Order Value (AOV): Customers are more likely to buy add-ons or complementary products when offered right after purchase.
Customizable and Easy to Use: Create your upsell funnels with a drag-and-drop editor — no coding needed.
Boost Customer Loyalty: Reward customers with discounts or loyalty points on the thank-you page.

Why Shopify Stores Love ReConvert:

By leveraging the moment when customers are most engaged, ReConvert maximizes your sales potential without extra advertising spend.

Don’t Forget: Factor App Costs Into Your Pricing Strategy

While these apps offer tremendous value, they often come with monthly fees or transaction-based charges. To keep your profit margins healthy, it’s critical to factor these costs into your pricing.

Shopify provides a handy Shopify calculator to help you estimate all expenses — including app subscriptions, transaction fees, and advertising budgets — so you can price your products strategically.

Bonus Tips for Choosing the Right Shopify Apps

Start with Your Biggest Bottleneck: Identify the time-consuming or costly part of your business first, then find apps that address that need.
Check Reviews and Ratings: Always review what other users say about the app’s reliability and customer support.
Test Before You Commit: Many apps offer free trials — use them to see if they fit your store’s workflow.
Keep It Simple: Don’t overload your store with too many apps, as this can slow down your website and complicate management.
Look for Integration: Choose apps that seamlessly integrate with your other tools and Shopify itself.

Final Thoughts: Apps Are Your Secret Weapon for E-Commerce Success

The right Shopify apps can turn your store into an efficient, automated, and customer-friendly machine. By saving time on repetitive tasks and boosting conversions with smart marketing, these tools allow you to focus on what really matters — creating great products and growing your brand.

From automating dropshipping with Oberlo to recovering lost sales with Privy, building trust with Loox, streamlining shipping with ShipStation, and increasing revenue with ReConvert, these five apps are proven game-changers for Shopify merchants.

Ready to save time and increase profits? Explore these apps and watch your store thrive!