Selling CBD on Shopify: 7 Top Tips For Starting Your Shopify CBD Store

Looking to start a CBD store on Shopify? You’re in good company.

Research shows that in the United States, CBD sales are predicted to exceed $6 billion by 2026. CBD products—including oils, gummies, and vapes—are trending products that can help you earn an income online.

From the legalities of selling CBD to the process of creating an ecommerce website from scratch, there’s a lot to think of. This guide shares how to start selling CBD products on Shopify.

What is CBD?

Cannabidiol (CBD) is a chemical derived from the hemp plant.

It’s part of the cannabinoid family, but CBD doesn’t contain the psychoactive ingredient tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) known to get you high.

People take CBD for a variety of reasons—some say it helps with their anxiety; others say it relieves chronic pain. There is not yet enough research to prove these use cases.

(Hence why if you’re selling CBD products online, you’re prohibited from using language that claims your products can cure, ease, or prevent medical conditions.)

Types of CBD products

There are various types of CBD products you can sell through a Shopify store. These include:

• Drinks
• Vapes
• Supplements
• Gummies or edibles
• CBD oils, concentrates, and tinctures
• Lotions, topicals, and creams
• Pet chews, oils, and treats

Data shows that electronic smoking devices—such as vapes or e-cigarettes—generate the most revenue for retailers, as consumers spend $74.6 million on them each year.

That’s shortly followed by smoking accessories and CBD vitamins.

Is it legal to sell CBD online?

Back in 2018, the Farm Bill changed to make it legal for retailers to buy and sell hemp-derived CBD products in the US—so long as the THC content of each product is below 0.3%.

You’ll need a certificate of analysis (COA) to prove the CBD product has been tested and approved by an accredited laboratory.

Certain US states—particularly those where marijuana is illegal to possess—also have extra restrictions on the legalities of selling CBD online. Check these out before opening a Shopify CBD store.

Merchants outside the US can still sell CBD products online, provided their country’s laws allow for it. In Canada, for example, retailers must be licensed cannabis sellers and on a Shopify Plus plan.

“Though CBD is not technically illegal, it definitely falls in the very gray area within commerce,” says Stacy Bernstein, co-founder of All Better Co.

“In order to stay above board with our business all the way around, we really need to make sure that we go above and beyond in our transparency and protections as we build an online presence for ourselves.”

Can you sell CBD on Shopify?

Shopify—the world’s largest ecommerce platform that powers over four million online stores worldwide—does allow merchants to sell CBD products through its platform.

According to Dennis Sanders, Burning Daily chose Shopify because it “Has a trusted reputation among both merchants and consumers so customers are more likely to make purchases on websites they know are reliable.

“Having this trust factor associated with our store helps give us an edge over competitors who might not have such a positive reputation behind them yet,” Dennis adds.

“This will also help us gain more loyalty from our customer base as we continue growing into the future.”

Dennis also credits third-party apps available through the Shopify App Store “which help you sell your products like marketing tools, shipping options and compliance checks.”

“The fact that these are already built into their system makes everything much easier as there’s no need for additional setup or custom development work needed from third parties, saving time and money.”

That said, Shopify does have some limitations around selling CBD online through its platform:

• Products must contain less than 0.3% THC.
• Only US-based merchants within territories where CBD is legal can sell on Shopify.
• You need to submit a signed attestation to sell CBD products through the platform.
• Shopify Payments, the built-in processor that handles payments for merchants, isn’t available for CBD merchants, so you’ll have to find a third-party payment gateway to take care of all online payments.

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How to start a Shopify CBD store

1. Create a Shopify account
2. Submit the CBD attestation
3. Find a third-party payment processor
4. Setup shipping zones
5. Restrict website visitors by age

1. Create a Shopify account

The first step in selling CBD products is to open a Shopify store.

To do this, head to the account registration page and add basic business information—including your location, contact details, current revenue, and industry.

Shopify pricing starts at $39 per month with a free trial available.

2. Submit the CBD attestation

All Shopify merchants who sell CBD products in the US must sign and submit the Attestation for the Sale of Hemp and Hemp-Derived Products.

According to Shopify:

“In the attestation, merchants must confirm that none of their hemp or hemp-derived products are marketed as having any medicinal or therapeutic benefit, unless such claims have been approved by the FDA. Merchants are responsible for ensuring that their store remains compliant with all requirements of the attestation.”

There’s no approval process for the attestation. As soon as you’ve submitted the form, you can start selling CBD products on Shopify.

3. Find a third-party payment processor

Shopify Payments is the native payment processor that handles transactions made through Shopify stores.

However, this payment processing feature doesn’t work for high-risk businesses—including those that sell CBD products through its ecommerce platform.

Alternative Shopify CBD payment processors include:

• DigiPay
• Bankful
• Paytriot Payments

“Starting the process of finding a high-risk payment processor is very important,” says Stacy Bernstein, co-founder of All Better Co. “The underwriting process of that can take longer than a typical payment processor, and to make sure that it is properly integrated with Shopify can also take some time.”

“There is no guarantee that the first process or you try will accept you, and so giving yourself the time to go through that process which requires a great deal of paperwork and patience is important.”

4. Setup shipping zones

Next, configure your Shopify shipping zones to make sure only customers from certain states can order your products. This will prevent you from shipping CBD products to areas where selling CBD products is illegal.

To do this:

1. Open your Shopify dashboard
2. Head to Settings > Shipping and delivery
3. Find the shipping zone you want to edit and press Manage
4. Click the three dots
5. Press Edit zone
6. Make your changes and press Save

Alternatively, Shopify shipping apps can configure shipping zones based on postal codes.

5. Restrict website visitors by age

There’s no federal minimum age to buy CBD products, but some states have laws whereby merchants can’t sell CBD or hemp products to people under the age of 18 or 21.

Shopify apps to help you do this include:

• Onlyage
• Smart Age Verification
• Hulk Age Verification

Thryv Organics, for example, is a Shogun customer that uses this pop-up to confirm people viewing its product page are over the age of 21.

There’s also a disclaimer to show how its CBD products contain THC and how the gummies cannot be shipped to certain states.

Tips for growing your Shopify CBD store

Once your Shopify CBD store is up and running, let’s explore seven tips to grow your store and generate your first sale.

Find reputable CBD suppliers

Product quality is an important element of any ecommerce business, but it’s especially important for CBD brands. Selling poorly made—or worse, illegal—products can land your business in hot water.

There’s also the potential for customers to fall ill if they’re ingesting your CBD products.

Any items containing CBD must be ISO 9001 certified and the lab registered with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Popular CBD suppliers include:

• Neurogan
• NuLeaf Naturals
• Joy Organics
• CBDistillery
• Nutra Coast Supplements

Once you’ve shortlisted potential suppliers, audit the manufacturing facility and send samples to a third-party laboratory.

All CBD products must have a certificate of analysis (COA) displayed on their ecommerce product pages which define the purity and percentage of your hemp-derived products.

“Selling CBD online isn’t as scary as most people make it out to be. As long as you stay compliant by posting the products Certificate of Analysis (COA) and make sure you’re not talking about CBD being an item that can cure you, you should be good for the most part.”

— Alex Mirzaian, marketing manager for Eight Vape

Optimize your CBD Shopify store for SEO

CBD merchants don’t have the same flexibility that other online stores benefit from, especially when it comes to advertising.

TikTok, YouTube, and Pinterest are off-limits for CBD promotion.

Even the big two—Facebook and Instagram—have limitations on the types of CBD products that can be promoted through either platform.

As a result, many merchants are forced to find alternative customer acquisition strategies. One of the most profitable? Ecommerce search engine optimization (SEO).

SEO is the process of optimizing your online store to reach people actively searching for related products in a search engine.

If someone searches for “CBD gummies”, for example, SEO increases the odds of having your Shopify store appear high on the search engine results page.

SEO is a convoluted process that can take time to show rewards. Among the biggest SEO wins for Shopify stores include:

• Creating a search-friendly category structure, such as Home > CBD Gummies > Flavored CBD Gummies.
• Targeting keywords your ideal customer would be Googling and including these phrases in image alt text, product descriptions, and URLs.
• Optimizing the meta title and description for product pages to entice searchers to click your result over a competitor’s.

Neurogan is one merchant that implements these SEO best practices on its CBD Shopify store.

The keyword “high potency CBD oil” is mentioned various times in its main product description, alongside secondary terms its target customer would likely search for—including “strongest CBD oil”.

Build trust in your CBD brand

The CBD market can feel sleazy, especially to people new to CBD products with a previously negative association with cannabis-related products.

While you don’t have the luxury of building trust with your customers by selling in-person, the best Shopify CBD brands build trust in their ecommerce websites.

This can come in the following types of social proof:

• Five-star ratings
• Certifications
• Customer reviews
• Expert endorsements
• User-generated content (such as social media posts)

Display each of these social proof elements across your entire website—from the product page itself to your checkout flow.

Take Strava Craft Coffee, for example.

On the product page for its CBD-infused coffee, potential customers see the benefits and unique selling point of the brand.

The goal is to instill enough confidence that your potential customers know they’re making the right decision by purchasing your product. It’s that trust that’ll increase sales for your Shopify store.

Shogun Page Builder allows CBD merchants to customize their Shopify storefront to their heart’s content.

Kate Hamilton-Miller, director of marketing and advertising at Mad Ritual, says: “The most important part of any ecommerce site is ease of transaction. Many Shopify themes are built with this in mind, but Shogun adds another layer of flexibility and convenience.”

“With shifting advertiser requirements and varying knowledge levels amongst our customer base—we can craft, test, and refine various purchase funnels in a cost-effective way.”

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Set a clear shipping and returns policy

Modern customers have the pick of the crop when purchasing from brands online. Two factors that influence their decision (other than the obvious: product quality)? Shipping and returns.

While it might sound counterintuitive to talk about returning your products, some 67% of online shoppers actively look for a retailer’s returns policy before purchasing from its ecommerce store.

Show (or at least link to) yours on each CBD product page.

Plus, since CBD products aren’t legal to buy worldwide, your Shopify shipping policy is the place to detail where you can (and can’t) ship your products.

Cannuka is one Shopify CBD merchant that communicates these policies on its product pages.

Under a heading that explains why its CBD products are effective, potential customers see how Cannuka offers free shipping in the US and a 60-day money-back guarantee.

These policies ease two major sales objections—extra costs and the fear of not getting value for money.

Fulfill shipments discreetly

Some customers don’t want their neighbors (or delivery drivers) to know they’re buying CBD products.

Solve this problem by fulfilling shipments discreetly. Ditch the fancy packaging and branded decorative tape in favor of simple, discreet boxes.

“Put yourself in your customer’s shoes and walk yourself through their buying journey. A beautiful website is only one part of the equation, as it is the fulfillment time, customer service experience, and post-purchase outreach.”

— Ana Redwood, co-founder of Redwood Reserves

This doesn’t mean the unboxing experience has to be completely neglected. Once customers open the cardboard shipping box, you’ve got full creative control over the internal packaging.

Going above and beyond here can contribute to a great unboxing experience—perhaps one your customers share on social media platforms like TikTok.

Provide knowledgeable customer service

CBD is still a growing industry.

And, since only a few years have passed since selling CBD products online became legal, there are still people who are yet to dip their toe into the world of hemp-derived items.

Cater to these first-time customers with knowledgeable customer service. This could mean:

• Writing educational guides on how to find the right CBD product or dose for each individual
• Answering FAQs about each CBD product, like how the chemical is extracted from cannabis plants
• Using Shopify’s chatbot feature, Inbox, to talk to customers who have questions in real-time through your storefront

Remember: While you can use customer reviews to illustrate the benefits of your products, it’s illegal to promote CBD as having medical benefits unless approved by the FDA.

Grass and Co. takes a proactive approach to its customer support. On its Shogun-powered product pages, there’s a guide to using its CBD oils.

First-time customers learn how to find the right dosage, how long they should expect to see results, and the ideal frequency of taking it.

Stay up to date with CBD regulations

Although many new countries are legalizing CBD, laws and regulations are constantly changing.

“One thing I wish I knew sooner is how quickly the legal landscape of CBD evolves and the importance of staying on top of not regulations,” says Ana Redwood, co-founder of Redwood Reserves.

“Staying updated on local, national, and international regulations is vital when your product is being shipped to multiple areas that all have their own legal requirements.”

Keep your ear to the ground and follow leaders in your industry—these people often break news surrounding CBD laws and regulations.

And, as Mad Ritual’s Kate Hamilton-Miller says: “Don’t jump on that quick 10x return offer that will undoubtedly show up in your inbox. Many agencies are ecommerce savvy but do not truly understand the ins and outs of CBD regulation.”

How to sell CBD products on Shopify: FAQs

Selling CBD products on Shopify—the easy way

From oils to gummies, CBD products are growing in popularity, hence why competition in the CBD industry is fierce.

The key to success is finding the right products, excluding certain countries from your Shopify shipping zones to prevent selling CBD products in places where the chemical is illegal and designing an online store that instills trust in potential customers.

Shogun Page Builder helps take that last step off your plate.

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