Fake Shopify sales are becoming a major issue for people that want to learn how to start a business on Shopify.
Increasingly more gurus advertise their courses in an effort to make money from people looking to learn how to make money on Shopify.
To help sell their courses, gurus can fake Shopify sales to mislead people into believing that their store is making a substantial amount of sales, while in reality, it is not.
In this article, we'll explore why it's important to be aware of fake Shopify sales, who they affect, and, most importantly, how to identify and avoid them.
Let's dive in and uncover the truth behind fake Shopify sales!
Disclaimer: This article is meant to inform you that it's possible to fake Shopify sales and that dropshipping or Shopify gurus can use it against you. It is not a how-to guide on how to fake Shopify sales, and we strongly recommend against faking Shopify sales.
What are fake Shopify sales?
Fake Shopify sales are, as the word says, 'fake sales' on Shopify created by gurus that try to entice you into buying a course.
This is especially true regarding dropshipping, a business model heavily promoted by Shopify affiliates and is usually presented as a way to make easy and quick money.
Fake gurus on Shopify use a variety of tactics to fool potential customers into thinking they have made sales.
The most common tactic is modifying the website code to show many sales, even though no actual sales have been made.
They can also 'friendly test' their products, providing free product samples or discounted items to friends, family members, or acquaintances in order to give the impression of high customer conversion rates.
These tactics are used mainly to make it look like dropshipping is easy and makes you a lot of money.
Gurus rely upon this to sell their courses that promise to learn you do dropshipping and receive similar results!
Who is affected by fake sales?
Fake Shopify sales are a problem that affects anyone looking to make money through the platform.
This includes entrepreneurs, small business owners, and even those just learning the ropes.
That said, oftentimes, buyers may not be aware of the scam until they have already purchased the course or product and realized that it does not contain the information or tools they need to start a real business.
How to identify fake Shopify sales
When it comes to Shopify sales, it’s important to be able to identify fake gurus who are trying to make money off of unsuspecting entrepreneurs.
Here are some common red flags to look out for that can help you spot fake Shopify sales:
Offering get-rich-quick promises
Fake gurus often make outrageous claims about how much money you can make by following their system.
They may promise big returns in just a few days or huge sales numbers within weeks. Be wary of anyone who offers extremely high returns with minimal effort.
Excessive paid advertising
Another red flag is if they prefer large paid campaigns instead of more organic methods like SEO and content marketing (like creating a blog).
While it can be beneficial to include these types of strategies in your Shopify sales process, they shouldn’t be the only ones being utilized since it only shows that the person is more interested in making a quick buck than providing value to customers.
Lack of transparency
If a guru is not transparent about their methods and strategies, then they may not have your best interests at heart, such as revealing how much money is actually being made from each sale or how customers found them in the first place.
It’s important that any guru you work with provides as much detail as possible about their methods so that you know exactly what you’re getting into when working with them.
The guru shows results without refreshing the page
Unfortunately, there are many fake gurus out there who show results without refreshing the page.
Any guru that shows results of a high volume of Shopify sales without refreshing the page is likely a scammer. You should always be wary of any guru who promises quick and easy results with their services.
While it is possible to increase sales with the help of a Shopify expert, it takes hard work and dedication to make these results happen.
A reputable Shopify expert will be able to provide you with strategies, tips, and tricks on how to increase your shop's visibility and get more customers. They can also help you optimize your store for better performance and user experience.
It is important to remember that no guru can guarantee you sales without putting in the hard work.
Draft orders can be fabricated to show fake sales
One of the features that Shopify offers is the ability to create draft orders, which can be helpful for inventory tracking and customer service.
However, it's also possible to inflate the sales number of your Shopify store without actually getting those sales from real customers!
Guru selling course without showing results
Gurus often use tactics such as creating fake customer accounts or using scripts to inflate orders, so look out for any suspiciously high sales volumes.
It’s unfortunately all too common to find gurus claiming they can offer courses or services to increase Shopify sales without proving their results.
In many cases, these gurus will ask for a payment upfront and then provide little to no evidence that their services have been successful.
Before considering any course or service from a so-called guru, it’s important to do your research and make sure they have a track record of success.
Look for testimonials from past customers, reviews on their website, and any other evidence that suggests their course or service is legitimate.
How can you avoid buying a Shopify course from a fake guru?
In order to avoid fake Shopify sales, it is important to be vigilant and aware of the tactics that scammers use.
Here are some tips to help ensure you don't become a victim of a scam:
- Research any guru or service provider before signing up for their course or services. Look for customer reviews, testimonials, and evidence of success.
- Check if they have a business address. Although it is not mandatory to display it on the websites (and many businesses don't actually have it), it can be a good way to verify the legitimacy of a product or service they are trying to sell you.
- Monitor their social media accounts to ensure they have as much social media presence as possible; remember that a legit business has nothing to hide and will be proud to show off its work.
- Pay attention to any emails or messages claiming to offer quick and easy results without effort. Be wary of anyone who claims they can achieve high volumes of sales without any hard work.
- The privacy policy, terms of service, and disclaimers are also important documents to look for.
Avoiding fake gurus and finding professionals with proven track records is essential for running successful Shopify sales campaigns, so watch out for these warning signs before engaging with someone new!
Implementing security measures
Shopify has an internal team who looks after fake Shopify sales or illegitimate business practices when using their platform.
Therefore, if you believe you have identified a fake guru trying to gain profit by selling a course, you can report it to their moderation team:
Credit card verification
Credit card chargebacks are a powerful tool to protect consumers from fraudulent or deceptive businesses.
Chargebacks are initiated when a customer disputes a charge made with their credit card and request that the money is refunded.
When it comes to stopping gurus from selling courses they should not be selling; chargebacks can be great.
For example, if a customer purchases an online course that promises guaranteed results but then fails to deliver those outcomes, they can initiate a chargeback with their credit card company to get their money back.
This puts the guru in a difficult position as they have likely taken nonrefundable payments for services never delivered.
Monitoring tools
There are multiple tools you can use to monitor suspicious Shopify sales. In the previous sections, we've explained how to identify as well as how you can avoid them.
But are there any tools you can use to monitor suspicious activity?
First and foremost, the best tool available to you is your commonsense! Always be vigilant and keep an eye out for any suspicious activity.
Also, check out tools like Trustpilot and Fakespot, which might expose fake gurus trying to sell courses by showing fake Shopify sales.
Summary
Before we go to the final verdict, we've created a quick summary of this article for you, so you can easily remember it:
- Fake Shopify sales are an unethical practice whereby a person or organization attempts to falsely increase their online store's sales figures by manipulating the website code.
- Fake Shopify sales are used by gurus to make money by selling courses that do not deliver promised outcomes.
- You can identify fake Shopify sales by paying attention to getting rich quick claims and using tools like Trustpilot and Fakespot to monitor for reviews.
- Signs of a guru promoting a course with fake Shopify sales are the lack of customer support, transparency, and a money-back guarantee policy.
Conclusion
Fake Shopify sales can mislead unfortunate people who want to learn more about an ecommerce business model.
To avoid them, make sure to implement extra security measures we've mentioned in this article so that you can make an informed decision and find an actual legit course that will help you build your store.
If you want to learn more about Shopify, don’t forget to check out our in-depth how to start a Shopify store guide here.
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