How to sell “experiences” on Shopify? The basics and design differences of the three types of intangible products

How to sell “experiences” on Shopify? The basics and design differences of the three types of intangible products

Hello, I’m Kanda from the Development Division of Tsuzucle SPRING Co., Ltd. Many people who are using Shopify to develop their product sales business may have felt the need to sell “experience-based” or “intangible products ,” such as “selling reservation-based services,” “ selling event tickets online,” or “selling digital content as downloads.”

In fact, Shopify is flexible enough to handle the sale of such services, but there are many situations that cannot be handled using just the standard functions , and many people are saying things like, “I don’t know how to design it” or “I’m having trouble choosing an app.”

In this article, we will be covering the basics of selling experiences on Shopify for those with similar concerns, categorizing them into three main patterns (in-store reservations, event-based ticket sales, and on-demand digital products), and introducing specific design points and app configurations suitable for each.

We will also touch on why one should choose Shopify and the benefits of integrating it with product sales and information dissemination, so be sure to read this article if you are looking to use Shopify for service sales as well or to improve CX by combining it with product sales.

Introduction: The background to the increase in sales of experiential products

The need to sell intangible products that involve time and date, such as reservation-based services, online courses, event tickets, and digital products, on Shopify is rapidly expanding.

• Salon and gym reservations
• Online lessons and seminars
• Admission tickets to exhibitions and events
• Digital distribution of videos, PDFs, audio files, etc.

The operation and design concepts for these types of products are different from those of general “physical products .”

Why sell “experiences” on Shopify?

There are many platforms available for selling experiential products (intangible products), but here are some reasons to choose Shopify :

• Product inventory, payments, reports, etc. can be managed and operated centrally on the same EC site as physical products.
• Customer information can be accumulated as in-house data and used for marketing such as repeat measures and email newsletter distribution.
• It also has a CMS (blog function) and supports content distribution and SEO.
• Store design and flow can be flexibly designed , and can be compatible with branding
• Suitable not only for specific intangible products, but also for cross-border and regular sales

It is especially ideal for combining “things” and “experiences” and for offering exclusive experiences to fans.

Three types of intangible products and their differences

Intangible products that involve time and date that can be handled on Shopify can be broadly divided into three categories:

What is the essential difference?

In order to correctly understand these three types, there are three main points to keep in mind:

1. Timing and format of delivery

• The in-store and ticket types are “ participation types at a specified date and time ,” while the on-demand type is “ a complete type that can be accessed immediately after purchase . “

2. Linking with payments

• In-store types often allow flexible payment (advance or same-day payment) , while ticket-based and on-demand types generally require advance payment .
• With the ticket-based model , attendance is highly guaranteed , while with the on-demand model, cancellation is not possible as a trade-off for immediate delivery .

3. Experience Design and Operations

• Since in-store services involve individualized service, staffing and scheduling are important.
• The ticket-based system will also be able to accommodate large numbers of participants, and will require reception operations such as QR check-in .
• Since on-demand content does not require physical delivery, content management and license management are key.

Introducing recommended apps for each type

Below, we will introduce some representative Shopify apps that support the three types of sales we outlined earlier — in-store sales, ticket sales, and on-demand sales — along with their features and benefits.

[In-store (booking)] Sesami — Appointment booking

• App URL : Sesami
• Monthly price : Small $19 / Medium $49 / Pro $129 (30-day free trial available)

overview

This app allows you to book and sell in-store or hands-on experiences at stores, classrooms, studios, online courses, etc. By linking with Shopify and POS, you can handle everything from reservations and attendance management to reminders all at once.

Key Features

• Calendar display for reservations
• Management by staff/resource (number limit applies)
• Send reminder and follow-up emails (supports email and SMS)
• Supports multiple languages ​​and time zones, and integrates with Google Calendar and Klaviyo
• POS integration/online payment, group reservations

Benefits

Reservations for in-store services can be integrated with EC. It is seamless from attracting customers to managing them on the day, and reminder settings help reduce cancellation rates. It is a cost-effective design that is easy to use for businesses other than Plus.

[Ticket type (event sales)] Event Ticketing

• App URL : Event Ticketing by Spotlight
• Monthly fee : Free to paid plans available

overview

This is an app that allows you to sell tickets for time-specific events such as seminars, workshops, and online events.

Key Features

• Create tickets with specified date, time and number of sessions
• Check-in at the venue via QR code
• Seat reservation and participant limit support
• Reminder/Custom Form Setup
• Event page creation and sales management (integrated with Shopify admin panel)

Benefits

You can easily sell and manage on-site and online events on Shopify, and QR check-in support makes on-the-day operations smoother. It also has cancellation support and reminder sending, reducing operational burdens.

[On-demand (downloadable) product] SendOwl — Digital distribution

• App URL : SendOwl
• Monthly price : from $39 (7-day free trial available)

overview

This app specializes in the sale and automatic distribution of digital products that can be provided on demand, such as videos, audio, PDFs, eBooks, and software.

Key Features

• After purchase, you will automatically receive an expiry download link via email.
• PDF watermarking, license key issuance, streaming support
• Setting download limits and obtaining download logs
• Also available for regular sales and subscription products

Benefits

It’s easy to sell intangible products online. You can create a digital delivery flow on your Shopify product page by linking it with SendOwl, and it can be implemented without any tech literacy.

Summary of comparison by type

*Payment on the day is also possible, but this may need to be accommodated depending on the reception and operational design.

Conclusion: The first step to selling “experiences” with Shopify

Shopify is often thought of as a platform for selling goods, but as we have introduced, it can also be flexibly designed to handle the sale of intangible goods such as “store reservations,” “event tickets,” and “ on-demand . “

• Centralize the sale of your products and services in a single store
• Accumulate customer information and purchase history and use it for marketing purposes
• You can design a flow that is linked to content distribution (blogs, etc.)

In other words, the biggest attraction is that it is easy to design something that not only “provides an experience,” but also enhances the experience value of the entire brand .

If you want to sell intangible products but aren’t sure which design is best or where to start, start by identifying which of the three types of service delivery models your company uses and clarifying the necessary functions and operational image.

Tsuzucle SPRING Co., Ltd. provides comprehensive support for the development of experience-based products using Shopify, including sales design, app implementation support, UI design, and content design . Please feel free to contact us using the link below for a consultation.

• Contact form: https://tsuzucle.com/pages/contact
• Email address: info@tsuzucle.com
• X：https://x.com/tsuzucle