Is Shopify Collabs Worth It? Real User Experiences & Reviews
Discover real user experiences and reviews of Shopify Collabs. Explore its pros and cons, including influencer vetting, payment issues, and alternative marketing strategies. Is it worth your time? Find out now!
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Is Shopify Collabs Worth It? Real User Experiences & Reviews
Shopify, one of the leading e-commerce platforms, acquired Shopify Collabs as a solution to connect merchants with content creators.
But is it living up to expectations? Let's dive into what stores and influencers are saying about their experiences with Shopify Collabs.
What is Shopify Collabs?
Shopify Collabs is an affiliate marketing platform designed to help Shopify merchants collaborate with content creators and influencers.
- The idea is to simplify the process of managing collaborations with content creators, and tracking affiliate sales.
- It’s free to install, but charges a 2.9% commission processing fee on payments made to content creators
- Discovery is limited to the network of content creators who join the collabs platform, in other words, you don’t have access to a database of all.
However, as we'll see, the reality of using Shopify Collabs has been mixed for many users.
So Why Only 3.1 Stars?
While Shopify Collabs aims to streamline influencer partnerships, many users have reported significant issues with the platform.
Let's break down the key areas where Shopify Collabs seems to be falling short.
1. Ineffective Influencer Vetting
One of the most common complaints from merchants is the lack of quality influencers on the platform.
A Reddit user with significant experience stated,
"Most of the applicants have very little following/engagement. We sent gifts and received nothing in return."
This sentiment is echoed by many others who feel that the platform attracts small or fake influencers who don't deliver value.
2. Lack of Accountability
Another major issue is the lack of mechanisms to ensure influencers fulfill their commitments after receiving free products.
"Every single collab who has applied, never posted to any socials after getting their product and have stopped communicating with us." This leaves brands feeling exploited and wastes valuable resources.
3. Technical Issues and Poor Functionality
Many users report frequent bugs, glitches, and integration problems with Shopify Collabs.
Issues range from the app crashing to difficulties with Meta (Facebook/Instagram) integration and PayPal payments.
The harsh critiques on Reddit went on:
"Stopped displaying page properly after only a few days, landing page looks awful."
These intermittent technical hurdles make it challenging for both merchants and influencers to use the platform effectively.
4. Limited Customization and Control
Merchants find the app's customization capabilities insufficient, limiting their ability to tailor campaigns to their specific needs.
The platform also restricts users to working only within the Shopify network, preventing them from using their preferred influencers or fully customizing their campaigns.
5. Inadequate Support and Documentation
Users frequently mention that Shopify's customer support is unresponsive or provides inadequate assistance.
The lack of comprehensive documentation makes it difficult for users to troubleshoot issues on their own, leading to frustration and wasted time.
The Influencer Perspective
It's not just merchants who are experiencing issues with Shopify Collabs. Content creators have their own set of grievances.
1. Payment Problems
Some influencers report not receiving payments for their work, even after the specified holding period.
One content creator shared their experience:
"I ended up generating over 20 sales for two brands. The brand's have a 30 day holding period, and I am supposed to be paid out after that. This did NOT happen, as it has been 30+ days and I have not been paid."
2. Lack of Transparency
Influencers also struggle with the lack of transparency in the payment process.
The same creator noted,
"I can't even view the DATE I receive the commissions, leaving it impossible to provide solid evidence for payment requests unless I manually keep track."
So What Are the Positives?
Despite the numerous complaints, some users do find value in Shopify Collabs:
- Easy Setup: For those who manage to navigate the initial setup, the interface and payout system are relatively easy to use.
- Free To Join: Though compensation is paid, at least joining the platform and getting started is free for merchants
- Potential for Automation: One user mentioned that Collabs used to allow saving a huge list of creators, which saved days of work in sending out invites.
- Integration with Shopify: For merchants already using Shopify, the native integration can be convenient.
Alternative Influencer Marketing Strategies
While Shopify Collabs has faced significant criticism, the need for effective influencer marketing solutions in e-commerce remains strong.
Given the challenges with Shopify Collabs, many merchants are turning to alternative strategies for influencer marketing.
1. Micro Influencer Outreach
Some merchants have found success with a more hands-on approach. One user shared their strategy:
- Find 100 influencers in your niche between 1-50K followers using hashtag search or looking at blue-checked accounts their customers follow.
- Send short, personalized DMs from the branded account asking them to support the brand.
- Use tools like gift link apps to send free products easily.
- Focus on authenticity and building relationships.
2. Structured Video Review Programs
Another innovative approach comes from a merchant who built a system that allows anyone to purchase a product and then submit a structured, prompted video review for 100% store credit.
This strategy ensures both parties have "skin in the game" and helps prevent exploitation.
The merchant explained,
"So rather than sending out free product and hoping for something back. Both parties have skin in the game to deliver something. We prevent people from buying multiple of the products and we have the rebate program fairly automated."
3. AI Influencer Marketing
Exploring AI-driven solutions can help address some of the common pain points experienced with manual influencer marketing or platforms like Shopify Collabs.
Or at the very least. automating the challenging and tedious parts, like outreach and verifying potential for influencer ROI in advance.
One such option is Creators AI, which offers:
- Full AI automation of influencer discovery and outreach
- AI analysis of content for close brand matches and optimization for key stats like high recent views and high view-to-follower ratio
- Daily personalized email outreach to new influencers
- A 7-day free trial with no credit card required, no contracts, and plans starting at just $97/month
Conclusion: Is Shopify Collabs Worth It?
Based on the experiences shared by both merchants and influencers, it appears that Shopify Collabs, though free may not be worth the time and effort for many users.
However, the concept behind Shopify Collabs – connecting merchants with influencers in a streamlined way – remains valuable.
For those considering influencer marketing, it may be worth exploring alternative solutions or developing custom strategies.
As the influencer marketing landscape continues to evolve, we can hope that platforms like Shopify Collabs will address these issues and improve their offerings.
n the meantime, merchants and influencers alike should be protective of wasted time and efforts, and stay on the cutting edge of how AI technology can help.
Sources:
https://www.reddit.com/r/shopify/comments/1fvnp3j/shopify_collabs_agreements/
https://www.reddit.com/r/shopify/comments/1bccz67/experience_with_shopify_collabs/
https://www.reddit.com/r/shopify/comments/186x7of/shopify_collabs_is_a_scam/
https://www.reddit.com/r/shopify/comments/1dphjux/shopify_collabs_complete_failure/
https://www.reddit.com/r/shopify/comments/1amho5d/experience_with_shopify_collabs/